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This set of documents is perhaps the most
consequential and controversial of the Sumter crisis. Because of
when Anderson's two reports arrived (before noon on March 4, 1861), and the
way they were sent to the incoming Administration the next day, they
did not get into the Official Records.
They are part of an early compilation of Lincoln's
papers, but they are not in Basler's compilation.
Fortunately, they are in the Library
of Congress. The controversy comes because of the absence of Lt. Norman Hall's
assessment of the provisions available to the garrison,
which
apparently did not come to light until after World War Two.
(Note: The Publisher is working from memory here, and would
welcome gentle corrections and pointers to some published works.)
Some Southern authors of a "Lost Cause" persuasion have suggested, a
bit obliquely, based on the apparent absence of these documents and
their fortuitous appearance, that perhaps the provisions crisis never
existed, that
it was "manufactured" as a means of "tricking" the Confederacy into
firing the first shots of the war. A very few edits have been made for the sake of clarity. (In this connection it should be noted that Scott's comment about submitting his thoughts through the Secretary of State is obviously an error, as he submitted them through the outgoing Secretary of War.) |
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War Department, March 5th., 1861. Sir: I
have the honor to submit for
your consideration several letters, with inclosures, received on
yesterday,
from Major Anderson of the Artillery, and Captain Foster of the Corps
of
Engineers which are of a most important and unexpected character. Why
they were
unexpected, will appear from the following brief statement. After
transferring his force to
Fort Sumter, he addressed a letter to this Department, under date of
the 31st.
of December, 1860, in which he says “Thank god, we are now where the
Government
may send us additional troops at its leisure. To be sure, the uncivil
and
uncourteous action of the Governor in preventing us from purchasing
anything in
the city will annoy and inconvenience us somewhat, still we are safe.”
And,
after referring to some deficiency in his stores in the articles of
soap and
candles, he adds, “Still we can cheerfully put up with the
inconvenience of
doing without them for the satisfaction we feel in the knowledge that
we can
command this Harbor as long as our government wishes to keep it.” And
again, on the 6th. of
January, he wrote “My position will, should there be no treachery among
the
workmen whom we are compelled to retain for the present, enable me to
hold this
post against any force which can be brought against me, and it would
enable me
in the event of a war, to annoy the South Carolinians by preventing
them from
throwing in supplies into their new posts except by the aid of the wash
channel
through stone river.” Before
the receipt of this
communication, the government, being without information as to his
condition,
had despatched the Star of the West, with troops and supplies for Fort
Sumter,
but the vessel, having been fired on from a battery at the entrance to
the
Harbor, returned without having reached her destination. On
the 16th. of January, 1861, in
replying to Major Anderson's letter of the 31st. of December, and of
the 6th.
of January, I said “Your late despatches, as well as the very
intelligent
statements of Lieutenant Talbot, have relieved the Government of the
apprehensions previously entertained for your safety. In consequence,
it is not
its purpose, at present, to reenforce you. The attempt to do so would
no doubt
be attended by a collision of arms, and the effusion of blood—a
national calamity
which the President is most anxious to avoid. You will therefore report
frequently your condition, and the character and activity of the
preparations,
if any, which may be being made for an attack upon the Fort, or for
obstructing
the government in any endeavors it may make to strengthen your command.
Should
your despatches be of a nature too important to be entrusted to the
mails, you
will convey them by special messengers. Whenever, in your judgment,
additional
supplies or reinforcements are necessary for your safety, or for a
successful
defence of the Fort, you will at once communicate the fact to this
Department,
and a prompt and vigorous effort will be made to forward them.” Since
the date of this letter,
Major Anderson has regularly and frequently reported the progress of
the
batteries being constructed around him, and which looked either to the
defence
of the Harbor, or to an attack upon his own position, but he has not
suggested
that their works compromised his safety, nor has he made any request
that
additional supplies or reinforcements should be sent to him. On the
contrary,
on the 30th. of January, 1861, in a letter to this Department he uses
this emphatic
language: “I do hope that no attempt will be made by our friends to
throw
supplies in—their doing so would do more harm than good.” On the 5th.
February,
when referring to the batteries &c. constructed in his vicinity, he
said
“Even in their present condition they will make it impossible for any
hostile
force, other than a large and well appointed one, to enter this Harbor
and the chances
are that it will then be at a great sacrifice of life:” And, in a
postscript,
he adds “Of course, in speaking of forcing an entrance, I do not refer
to the
little strategem of a small party slipping in.” This suggestion of the
“strategem” was well considered in connection with all the information
that
could be obtained bearing upon it, and in consequence of the vigilance
and
number of the guard boats in and outside of the Harbor, it was rejected
as
impracticable. In
view of these very distinct
declarations, and of the earnest desire to avoid a collision as long as
possible,
it was deemed entirely safe to adhere to the line of policy indicated
in my
letter of the 16th. of January, which has been already quoted. In that,
Major
Anderson had been requested to report “at once” whenever, “in his
judgement
additional supplies or reinforcements were necessary for his safety or
for a
successful defence of the Fort.” So long, therefore, as he remained
silent upon
this point, the government felt that there was no ground for
apprehension.
Still, as the necessity of action might arise at any moment, an
expedition has
been quietly prepared, and is ready to sail from New York on a few
hours
notice, for transporting troops and supplies to Fort Sumter. This step
was
taken under the supervision of General Scott, who arranged its details,
and who
regarded the reinforcements thus provided for as sufficient for the
occasion.
The expedition, however, is not upon a scale approaching the seemingly
extravagant estimates of Major Anderson and Captain Foster, now offered
for the
first time, and for the disclosures of which the government was wholly
unprepared. The
declaration now made by the
Major that he would not be willing to risk his reputation on an attempt
to
throw reinforcements into Charleston Harbor and with a view of holding
possession of the same, with a force of less than twenty thousand good
and well-disciplined
men, takes the Department by surprise as his previous correspondence
contains
no such estimation. I have the honor to
be, Very Respectfully, Your Obt. Servant, J Holt [Endorsement
by
Winfield Scott:] Remarks of Lieut.
Genl. Scott on the within. When
Major Anderson first threw
himself into Fort Sumter it would have been easy to reinforce him. Fort
Moultrie has since been re-armed & greatly strengthened, & many
powerful new land batteries (besides rafts) have been constructed;
—hulks sunk
in the principal channel, &c &c. The difficulty of reinforcing
has now
been increased 10 or 15 fold. First the President would allow no
attempt to be
made, because he was holding negotiations with the So Carolina
commissioners; —then
we (Secretary Holt & we myself) we could not prevail upon him &
the
Secretary of the Navy, to let us have a ship of war, which forced us to
employ
the Star of the West, & she, but for the imbecility of her
commander, might
have landed men & subsistence. Before the Cabinet, I next submitted
(orally) either 1. That succor must be given sent by means of ships of
war,
fighting their way to the fort, or 2. That the Major should ameliorate
his
condition by the muzzles of his guns—that is, enforcing supplies by
bombardment; bringing to merchant vessels & helping himself (giving
orders
for payment) &c &c or surrender. But before any resolution was
taken—Mr.
Secretary Toucey, making difficulties about his vessels—another
commissioner
arrived, from So Carolina, causing a farther delay. Next, after
considering
many plans of relief, the President, two Secretaries, Capt. Ward &
myself
settled upon the employment, under the captain (who was eager for the
expedition—)
of the four, or more, small steamers, belonging to the Coast Survey.—
Three, or
four weeks ago I have no doubt the captain would have succeeded; but he
was
kept back by some thing like a truce established between the President
& a
number of principal seceders—here, in So Carolina, Florida &c—which
truce
or informal understanding included Ft. Pickens. [Hence a company,
intended for
the latter is still in the sloop of war, the Brooklyn, lying off the
fort, at
sea, with orders not to land till an attack shall be made by the
Secessionists.] Whether
Capt. Ward,
notwithstanding the great increase of Carolina batteries & the
opinions of Major
Anderson, Capt. Foster &c, would still be willing, or deem himself
able to
attempt the succor of Fort Sumter, (even for a few weeks) I cannot say;
[He
ought to be called for:] but it is evident that the officers of the
fort have
changed their opinions, with the great change of circumstances, &
now see
no alternative but a surrender, in some weeks, more or less, as they
well know
that we cannot send the third of the men (regulars) in several weeks
months,
necessary to give them relief beyond a few weeks, if for a day.
Evacuation
seems almost inevitable, & in this view, our distinguished Chief
Engineer
(Brigadier Totten) concurs—if, indeed, the worn out garrison be not
assaulted
& carried in the present week. Respectfully submitted to the President,
thro' the Secretary
of State. Winfield Scott March 5, 1861. Note. The foregoing remarks are written in the night far from my papers. W. S. Enclosures: Anderson to Cooper, February 28, 1861 Fort Sumter, S.C.
Major 1st Artillery.
Commanding.Anderson to Cooper, March 2, 1861 Fort Sumter S.C. Colonel: I have the honor to acknowledge the
receipt of the letter of
the Honble. Secty. of War dated February 23rd postmarked 26th. The work at Cummings Point was prosecuted,
yesterday, with a
good deal of energy, on the embrasures of the new work this side of the
bomb
proof battery: Some heavy guns, landed recently, were moved, yesterday,
and
taken along the beach, passing out of our sight, around the bend of the
island
leading in the direction of the Light house. The earth has been banked
up in
front of the covered way, about half way between the bomb proof battery
&
the three gun battery, presenting the appearance of an intention to
form a new
battery there. Small parties were, also, engaged at the battery just at
the
eastward of the three gun battery on Morris island, & also on the
Fort
Johnson mortar battery. They are also making another battery at Fort
Johnson,
between the mortar & the gun battery. Tomorrow, I will probably,
send you a
sketch, showing the present appearance of the works on Cummings point. I am now engaged placing some heavy guns
42 & 32 pdr on
the parapet, so as to command the space in front of the gorge, where an
attempt
may be made to plant the iron clad raft. I will endeavor to raise one
of the 10"
Columbiads in position on the parapet, so as to get one discharge,
having the
other filled with lead—thus giving as great momentum as possible.
Should the
Columbiad burst, as I think it will, the effect produced on the raft
will well
repay for its loss.
RA List
of Subsistence Stores on hand at Fort
Sumter, S. C. on the 1st day of March, 1861.
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Date added to website: January 8, 2025. |
