Civil War History - Secession and PoliticsWas it Slavery, or was it States Rights? Perhaps it was the election of Lincoln? What were the real reasons for Southern Secession and what were the political issues in this time of war? Find your answers here in the Secession and Politics Disussion.
Dear Hanny,
In reference to your post 27, Anderson's logistical situation was not affected by retreating into the harbor. His miitary situation defensively was improved by being somewhat harder to get at, but fifty men could not hold out against several thousand, and I think everyone knew that. The threat of Ft. Sumter to Charleston is a red herring.
Fort Sumter commanded the harbor and could control any traffic in or out of it.
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Originally Posted by mckeon
If the Confederates could have held off for a week or so, Anderson would have been forced to surrender through lack of food, as Anderson himself told the state authorities.
The Confederates knew an expedition for the relief of Sumter was on its way.
Not only for re-supply but with 200 additional troops.
Military action was taken when the ships of that expedition had been sited.
Dear Hanny,
In reference to your post 27, Anderson's logistical situation was not affected by retreating into the harbor. His miitary situation defensively was improved by being somewhat harder to get at, but fifty men could not hold out against several thousand, and I think everyone knew that. The threat of Ft. Sumter to Charleston is a red herring. If the Confederates could have held off for a week or so, Anderson would have been forced to surrender through lack of food, as Anderson himself told the state authorities.
Matt, is Matt ok or do you you prefer Mathew?
Actually the logistical situation while at Sumpter was that he was entirely dependant on SC supplying him, and his existing stores.
In his report of 26 December 1860, Anderson announced that he had "one year's supply of hospital stores and about four months' supply of provisions" for his command. Anderson to Cooper, Official Records: Armies, Series I, Volume I, page 2.
Three days later, he wrote in a letter to Robert N. Gourdin, a prominent citizen of Charleston, "I have supplies of provisions, of all kinds, to last my command about five months, but it would add to our comfort to be enabled to make purchases of fresh meats and so on, and to shop in the city."
19 January 1861
"I am instructed by his excellency the governor to inform you that he has directed an officer of the State to procure and carry over with your mails each day to Fort Sumter such supplies of fresh meat and vegetables as you may indicate."(52) Anderson's response is interesting: "I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your communication of this date.... I confess I am at a loss to understand the latter part of this message, as I have not represented in any quarter that we were in need of such supplies. As commandant of a military post, I can only have my troops furnished with fresh beef in the manner prescribed by law, and I am compelled, therefore, with due thanks to his excellency, respectfully to decline his offer."(53)
Not having waited for a reply from Anderson, Secretary Jamison had arranged for "two hundred pounds of beef and a lot of vegetables" to be sent over to the fort,(54) which Anderson refused to accept. At this point, Anderson was given free access to the Charleston markets to purchase provisions at his own discretion. This amiable arrangement having been established, Anderson realized that interference from Washington would be a grave mistake and even wrote to Adjutant-General Cooper on 30 January 1861, "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."(55) On the seventeenth of March, Anderson indicated that he was "satisfied with the existing arrangement" reports allowed him to report that ""one year's supply of hospital stores and about four months' supply of provisions" for his command.
52. D.F. Jamison to Anderson, op. cit., page 144.
53. Anderson to Jamison, ibid.
54. Jamison to L.M. Hatch, op. cit., page 145.
The adminstaration claim that lack of food required a re provision is the red herring, it was based on a report long passed on by Anderson and made redundant by events, but did provide a kind of excuse to send provisions to someone advising against that course of action, and who had made on his own initiative alternative means of supply that were curtailed when the resupply vote finaly come up the way Lincon wanted it to. And that only happened after Welles told the cabinet the Fort was not being supplied from Charelston, and backtracking from when Anderson reported months before on his stocks gave them a conclusion that he was short of supplies, which was needed because his own reports and QM reports indicvated no such shortage existed at that time.
While Ft. Sumter may have "commanded" the harbor, given the forces available to the Confederates, and the small number of troops that Anderson had, the fort and its garrison posed no actual, physical threat.
The expedition, I understand, was for supply only, if the supply vessels were not fired on.
Even if an additional 200 men had been added to the garrison, the fort still would have been unable to hold out if the shore batteries opened fired. It just would have increased the cost of reducing the fort by an insignificant amount.
Dear Hanny,
I based my remark about Anderson's lack of supplies on Bruce Catton's writing that Anderson blurted out to the state authorities that he only had supplies for a few days. If Catton repeating a myth? Could be. Certainly the sources you quote make it seem like Anderson could have fed his men for weeks, at the least.
I don't have a good background on Sumter, and I'm inspired to do some reading.
Some thoughts: Fort Sumter looks like a military struggle(forts, troops, guns), but it was actually a political struggle between Lincoln and Davis.
Lincoln: I cannot preserve the Union by surrendering federal posts to rebels.
Davis: I cannot create a new nation by allowing the US a permanent post in a major harbor of our new state.
An interesting parallel would be the "Battle" of Lexington in 1775. Enshrined on a monument on Battle Green are Captain Parker's orders to his company, "don't fire, unless fired upon, but if they want a war, let it begin here." Parker's fifty minutemen(same as Anderson's fifty), couldn't stop the 800 British troops from marching through Lexington. They were making a political gesture. Lincoln was saying the nearly the same thing as Parker, and they were both lucky in their opponents.
Last edited by matthew mckeon; 07-21-2006 at 11:20 AM.
I'm a bit perplexed on Anderson's insistence that he had plenty of supplies. He must have been either putting up a bold front or woefully ignorant of his inventory. By the 12th, he had plenty of salt pork, but nothing else. Sources reluctantly available upon request.
"Physical threat" is the red herring here. I sounds better than "we want it now."
As to the occupation of Sumter ca. Christmas being "without and against orders," I'd recommend noting the signature on those orders: Floyd. The orders also gave Anderson the "out" of saving his troops rather than contesting what was no more than a point of honor. And, to put the movement in context, Anderson had watched the Stars and Stripes pulled down and replace with the Palmetto Flag over Castle Pinckney, the Customs House, and other places. He had to conclude that the indefensible (from the landward side) nature of Moultrie. From Sumter, he was better situated to protect his small command from an aggressive move that he cannot but have expected.
Ole
__________________ I never knew a man who wished to be himself a slave. Consider if you know any good thing that no man desires for himself. A. Lincoln
Military action was taken when the ships of that expedition had been sited.(sic)
Not a bad trick when you consider that the fort was fired on just at military dawn -- when it became light enough to see where your shots were going. Furthermore, Beauregard received orders to open fire well before the relief expedition was sighted. From Davis, who was not there. When Fox's relief expedition arrived, it was too dark to see (lighthouses were gone). Then the barrage opened.
Ole
__________________ I never knew a man who wished to be himself a slave. Consider if you know any good thing that no man desires for himself. A. Lincoln
Not a bad trick when you consider that the fort was fired on just at military dawn -- when it became light enough to see where your shots were going. Furthermore, Beauregard received orders to open fire well before the relief expedition was sighted. From Davis, who was not there. When Fox's relief expedition arrived, it was too dark to see (lighthouses were gone). Then the barrage opened.
Ole
Official Records, Series 1, Volume 1:
MONTGOMERY, April 10, 1861.
General BEAUREGARD, Charleston:
If you have no doubt of the authorized character of the agent who communicated to you the intention of the Washington Government to supply Fort Sumter by force you will at once demand its evacuation, and if this is refused proceed, in such manner as you may determine, to reduce it. Answer.
L. P. WALKER.
p.297
~
HDQRS. PROVISIONAL ARMY CONFEDERATE STATES,
Charleston, S. C., April 10, 1861.
General R. G. M. DUNOVANT, Sullivan's Island, S. C.:
DEAR GENERAL: From all the information we can receive it is probable that the attempt to relieve and provision Sumter will be made to-night in barges, through, probably, the Swash Channel....
Respectfully, your obedient servant,
G. T. BEAUREGARD,
Brigadier-General, Commanding.
p.300
~
WASHINGTON, April 11, 1861.
General G. T. BEUAREGARD:
The Tribune of to-day declares the main object of the expedition to be the relief of Sumter, and that a force will be landed which will overcome all opposition.
ROMAN.
CRAWFORD.
FORSYTH.
p.301
~
EXECUTIVE OFFICE, April 11, 1861.
Brigadier-General BEAUREGARD:
DEAR SIR: In corroboration of the information which I am told you have already received, Captain Davenport, of the pilot-boat Palmetto, reports that he saw the Harriet Lane this afternoon, making towards this city with speed, until within about fifteen miles, of the bar, when he distinctly recognized her. He says he has no doubt about her identity, as he knows her well.
I am, dear sir, respectfully yours,
D. F. JAMISON.
~
HEADQUARTERS PROVISIONAL FORCES, Charleston, S. C., April 12, 1861.
Honorable L. P. WALKER,
Secretary of War:
SIR: I have the honor to transmit the inclosed copy of a correspondence with Major Anderson, in consequence of which our fire was opened upon Fort Sumter 4 at 4.30 o'clock this morning, as already communicated to you by telegraph. The pilots reported to me last evening that a steamer, supposed to be the Harriet Lane, had appeared off the harbor. She approached slowly, and was lying off the main entrance, some ten or twelve miles, when the pilot came in.
Respectfully, your obedient servant,
G. T. BEUAREGARD,
Brigadier-General, Commanding.
p.305
While Ft. Sumter may have "commanded" the harbor, given the forces available to the Confederates, and the small number of troops that Anderson had, the fort and its garrison posed no actual, physical threat.
The expedition, I understand, was for supply only, if the supply vessels were not fired on.
Even if an additional 200 men had been added to the garrison, the fort still would have been unable to hold out if the shore batteries opened fired. It just would have increased the cost of reducing the fort by an insignificant amount.
In the supply effort were several warships. This would make the contest more equal...especially in the number of heavy guns.
The pilots reported to me last evening that a steamer, supposed to be the Harriet Lane, had appeared off the harbor.
Ooops. Seems I missed that one.
__________________ I never knew a man who wished to be himself a slave. Consider if you know any good thing that no man desires for himself. A. Lincoln
The Confederates do not appear to be as numerous (2,000 troops) and well-organized as you think (read communications between Whiting & Beauregard p.302-303)
Whiting said 2000, exclusive of artillery. If the standard of 7 per gun was adhered to, the number is increased, although it would take 143 guns to make up the difference.
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In the supply effort were several warships. This would make the contest more equal...especially in the number of heavy guns.
Lincoln had said supply only unless that be interfered with. The Harriet Lane couldn't run the guns by herself, if they should open on her. Hence, the warships. The 200 troops were on the Harriet Lane because she would be the first in with the supplies; because reenforcing troops, if needed, would have to be put ashore by a non-combatant vessel, and because they would have been needed to unload quickly, under fire.
It remains that the fort was a threat to no one. It had become a point of honor, the chip, the line in the sand. But it makes better immediate press if the fort is depicted as threatening. If the war had begun over Ft. Pickens, then Sumter would have been threatening and its resupply and reenforcement would have been attempted by force.
Ole
__________________ I never knew a man who wished to be himself a slave. Consider if you know any good thing that no man desires for himself. A. Lincoln
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