How Did Major Anderson help ignite the Civil War?

Old_Glory

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I also conceded that I needed to alter my statement to. US government (to include Lincoln), as opposed to solely the Lincoln Administration.

Buchanan and his administration told Major Anderson to keep his backside in Fort Moultrie. Anderson decided he had better ideas like moving to Sumter. What could go wrong? Go ahead and throw him in their as well.

The crux of Anderson's error came when he moved to Ft. Sumter and damaged Ft. Moultrie intentionally before he left. The guns were destroyed and the ammunition was set on fire which was visible throughout the city.

“I spiked the guns and destroyed the carriages to keep the guns from being used against us.”

Major Anderson speaking about leaving Ft. Moultrie
Major Robert Anderson and Fort Sumter, 1861 by Eliza McIntosh Clinch Anderson Lawton, pg. 6
 
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Still, I'm not convinced South Carolina was actually going to attack him, whatever whispers and rumors he was hearing, and since he moved his command, we'll never know. He believed it, clearly.
I agree.
Had I been calling the shots in SC I would not have risked a military confrontation (even one involving less than 100 men) in late December 1860.
It is easy to imagine how a company of militia trying to enter the fort could have ended in a lot of dead soldiers on both sides and it could have escalated in ways no one could have foreseen or controlled. (and there is no guaranty that the rest of the south would ahve supported SC at this point and in that situation)

But the risk was not only an organized "attack" by state militia under orders... but also angry civilians.
(like what happened in Baltimore)
And for that reason I think getting the union soldiers out of the fort made this less likely.
 
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From the evidence provided in the OP's, it can be clearly shown, I think, that not only did Anderson have the Authority to move to Ft. Sumter at his discretion, according to Buell's amending to Floyd's instructions(which Floyd signed off on), but, he also, had the same discretion, in deciding when he had tangible evidence, that would require it. Floyd clearly left the timing a move to Ft. Sumter, up to Anderson's interpretation of the events occurring before his very eyes and ears at Charleston Harbor.

If Floyd(or Buchanan) required prior notification of the movement, he should have stated it clearly, so as to override Maj. Anderson's discretionary authority of any military officer has, much less the authority and responsibilities normally required of him as an Office in Command.
 
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IIRC, all the workers were from Maryland and they were brought in by the U.S. government to put both Sumter and Moultrie in working order for Anderson's command.
Thanks for your response and for clearing up that point.
So they were the contract workers we are all familiar with, not "an imported gang of outsiders", "shipped in protesters".
 
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Explain why Floyd's orders were so traitorous and how his traitorous orders excuse Anderson's movement to Sumter.

Floyd's orders were designed to have Anderson and his men in a position where they would pretty much be defenseless and turn over sovereign American property to the Confederate forces. As the current Secretary of War of the US he was acting on behalf of the Confederates as a wolf in sheep's clothing.

I fail to understand your reasoning that Captain Foster's actions of spiking the guns and other measures taken to deny the occupying forces the use of the facilities of Fort Moultrie is “…an act by someone at war, not maneuvering to another location.”

Do you not believe that Beauregard had intentions to use Fort Moultrie and its armament against the Federal Forces? I have never served in the military but I would consider the act of preventing equipment that would be captured by hostile forces to be good military behavior. Would Foster not have been in trouble if he had not taken the actions he did at Fort Moultrie?

I appreciate your opinions though I respectively disagree on some issues but this thread has been very informative and I look for further comments.
Regards
David
 
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Anderson had verbal orders to move his command if he had tangible evidence of a plan to attack his position, Bucannon originally thought Anderson made the move on his own, but when reminded of the order given to Anderson agreed that it was the right thing to do.. How many times has this been covered on this site? And this is the same officer whose own command started to doubt his loyalty to the Union by not engaging secessionist forces even though his officers asked him to. This is not the man who intended to start a war, everything he did was to avoid conflict, and to show outrage at him for daring to destroy his own equipment instead of letting it fall into enemy hands is rediculous...
 
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Anderson had verbal orders to move his command if he had tangible evidence of a plan to attack his position, Bucannon originally thought Anderson made the move on his own, but when reminded of the order given to Anderson agreed that it was the right thing to do.. How many times has this been covered on this site? And this is the same officer whose own command started to doubt his loyalty to the Union by not engaging secessionist forces even though his officers asked him to. This is not the man who intended to start a war, everything he did was to avoid conflict, and to show outrage at him for daring to destroy his own equipment instead of letting it fall into enemy hands is rediculous...
You are right. But there was no order for him to go to Sumter. It was his discretionary privilege allowed him by the order he received from the war department.
Anderson ordered the Bayonet charge to take Sumter.
 
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WAR DEPARTMENT,

Adjutant-General's Office, December 27, 1860.

Major ANDERSON, Fort Moultrie:

Intelligence has reached here this morning that you have abandoned Fort Moultrie, spiked your guns, burned the carriages, and gone to Fort Sumter. It is not believed, because there is no order for any such movement. Explain the meaning of this report.

J. B. FLOYD,

https://ehistory.osu.edu/books/official-records/001/0003

[Telegram.]
 
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Honorable J. B. FLYD, Secretary of War:

The telegram is correct. I abandoned Fort Moultrie because I was certain that if attacked my men must have been sacrificed, and the command of the harbor lost. I spiked the guns and destroyed the carriages to keep the guns from being used against us.
If attacked, the garrison would never have surrendered without a fight

ROBERT ANDERSON,

Major, First Artillery.
 
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WAR DEPARTMENT,

Adjutant-General's Office, December 27, 1860.

Major ANDERSON, Fort Moultrie:

Intelligence has reached here this morning that you have abandoned Fort Moultrie, spiked your guns, burned the carriages, and gone to Fort Sumter. It is not believed, because there is no order for any such movement. Explain the meaning of this report.

J. B. FLOYD,

https://ehistory.osu.edu/books/official-records/001/0003

[Telegram.]
Honorable J. B. FLYD, Secretary of War:

The telegram is correct. I abandoned Fort Moultrie because I was certain that if attacked my men must have been sacrificed, and the command of the harbor lost. I spiked the guns and destroyed the carriages to keep the guns from being used against us.
If attacked, the garrison would never have surrendered without a fight

ROBERT ANDERSON,

Major, First Artillery.

where's the problem?
 
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You have an OR for that?

Unsure if it's in the ORs but it is in Dobleday's From Moultrie to Sumter.

"Finally, Captain Foster, who had misapprehended the whole situation, and who had orders to put both Moultrie and Sumter in perfect order, brought several hundred workmen from Baltimore. Unfortunately, these were nearly all in sympathy with the Charlestonians, many even wearing secession badges."
 
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Unsure if it's in the ORs but it is in Dobleday's From Moultrie to Sumter.

"Finally, Captain Foster, who had misapprehended the whole situation, and who had orders to put both Moultrie and Sumter in perfect order, brought several hundred workmen from Baltimore. Unfortunately, these were nearly all in sympathy with the Charlestonians, many even wearing secession badges."

it would have been no problem to put those to work at gunpoint, would it?
 
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it would have been no problem to put those to work at gunpoint, would it?

That probably would have caused more problems than it was worth especially if the people of Charleston found out that secessionist sympathizers were forced by Federal gunpoint to work on the forts.
 
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