Lincoln Inherits a Crisis: the Siege of Fort Sumter

Rebforever

Lt. Colonel
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Oct 26, 2012
Various military people asked their opinion how to rescue Fort Sumter.

Opinions of various officers.

George W. Snyder, lieutenant of Engineers, February 28, 1861: 4 regiments, or 4,000 men; 4 vessels of war.

R. K. Meade, jr., second lieutenant of Engineers, February 28, 1861: 5,000 men, at least; supported by gunboats.

S. W. Crawford, February 28, 1861: 4,000 men, supported by the Navy.

Norman J. Hall, second lieutenant, First Artillery, February 28, 1861: 3,500 men; 7 war vessels.

J. C. Davis, first lieutenant, First Artillery, February 28, 1861: 3,000 men; 6 war vessels.

Theodore Talbot, first lieutenant, First Artillery, February 28, 1861: 3,000 men and naval vessels.

T. Seymour, brevet captain and lieutenant, First Artillery, February 28, 1861.*

A. Doubleday, captain, First Artillery, February 28, 1861: 10,000 men and Navy.

J. G. Foster, captain of Engineers, February 28, 1861: 6,000 regulars or 20,000 volunteers to take them; 10,000 regulars or 30,000 volunteers to hold them.

Captain Ward, who came here believing it practicable, abandoned it after consultation with General Scott. General Scott and the Chief of the Coast Survey, Mr. Foster, evidently a man of sound sense and experience as a seaman, who is acquainted with the waters, having formerly been attached to the Coast Survey, proposed to make the attempt with cutters of light draught and large dimensions. He was in a measure sustained by Commodore Stringham, but did not suppose provisions for more than one or two months could be furnished at a time

https://ehistory.osu.edu/books/official-records/001/0202
 
WAR DEPARTMENT, March 19, 1861.

Lieutenant General WINFIELD SCOTT:

DEAR SIR: The President requires accurate information in regard to the command of Major Anderson in Fort Sumter, and wishes a competent person sent for that purpose. You will therefore direct some suitable person to proceed there immediately, and report the result of the information obtained by him.

I am, sir, very respectfully,

SIMON CAMERON,

Secretary of War.

https://ehistory.osu.edu/books/official-records/001/0208
 
FORT SUMTER, S. C., March 21, 1861.

Major R. ANDERSON, First Artillery, Commanding:

MAJOR: I have examined the commissary supplies on hand, and find them to be in kind and amount as follows, viz:

Six barrels of flour; six barrels of hard bread; three barrels of sugar; one barrel of coffee; two barrels of vinegar; twenty-six barrels of pork; one-fourth barrel of salt; one and a half barrels of rice; three boxes of candles.

I have the honor to be, very respectfully,

NORMAN J. HALL,

Second Lieutenant, First Artillery, A. A. C. S.

https://ehistory.osu.edu/books/official-records/001/0211
 
CHARLESTON, S. C., March 26, 1861.

Major ROBERT ANDERSON,

U. S. Army, Commanding at Fort Sumter, Charleston Harbor, S. C.:

MY DEAR MAJOR: Having been informed that Mr. Lamon, the authorized agent of the President of the United States, advised Governor Pickens, after his interview with you at Fort Sumter, that yourself and command would be transferred to another post in a few days, and understanding that you are under the impression I intended under all circumstances to require of you a formal surrender or capitulation, I hasten to disabuse you, and to inform you that our countries not being at war, and wishing as far as lies in my power to avoid the latter calamity, no such condition will be exacted of you, unless brought about as the natural result of hostilities.

Whenever you will be prepared to leave the fort, if you will inform Governor Pickens or myself of your intentions relative thereto, we will be happy to see that you are provided with proper means of transportation out of this harbor for yourself and command, including baggage, private and company property. all that will be required of you on account of the public rumors that have reached us will be your word of honor as an officer and a gentleman, that the fort, all public property therein, its armament, &c., shall remain in their present condition, without any arrangements or preparation for their destruction or injury after you shall have left the fort.

On our part no objection will be raised to your retiring with your side and company arms, and to your saluting your flag on lowering it. Hoping to have the pleasure of meeting you soon under more favorable circumstances,

I remain, dear major, yours, very truly,

G. T. BEAUREGARD.

https://ehistory.osu.edu/books/official-records/001/0222
 
CHARLESTON, S. C., March 26, 1861.

Major ROBERT ANDERSON,

U. S. Army, Commanding at Fort Sumter, Charleston Harbor, S. C.:

MY DEAR MAJOR: Having been informed that Mr. Lamon, the authorized agent of the President of the United States, advised Governor Pickens, after his interview with you at Fort Sumter, that yourself and command would be transferred to another post in a few days, and understanding that you are under the impression I intended under all circumstances to require of you a formal surrender or capitulation, I hasten to disabuse you, and to inform you that our countries not being at war, and wishing as far as lies in my power to avoid the latter calamity, no such condition will be exacted of you, unless brought about as the natural result of hostilities.

Whenever you will be prepared to leave the fort, if you will inform Governor Pickens or myself of your intentions relative thereto, we will be happy to see that you are provided with proper means of transportation out of this harbor for yourself and command, including baggage, private and company property. all that will be required of you on account of the public rumors that have reached us will be your word of honor as an officer and a gentleman, that the fort, all public property therein, its armament, &c., shall remain in their present condition, without any arrangements or preparation for their destruction or injury after you shall have left the fort.

On our part no objection will be raised to your retiring with your side and company arms, and to your saluting your flag on lowering it. Hoping to have the pleasure of meeting you soon under more favorable circumstances,

I remain, dear major, yours, very truly,

G. T. BEAUREGARD.

https://ehistory.osu.edu/books/official-records/001/0222

Translation: Just leave so we can have the fort and get you gone.
 
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[Inclosure Numbers 1.]

NAVY DEPARTMENT. Preliminary orders.-Steamers Pocahontas at Norfolk, Pawnee at Washington, Harriet Lane at New York (Treasury Department), to be under sailing orders for sea, with stores, &c., for one month. Three hundred men to be kept ready for departure from on board the receiving ships at New York.

[Inclosure Numbers 2.]

WAR DEPARTMENT. Preliminary.-Two hundred men to be ready to leave Governor's Island in New York. Supplies for twelve months for one hundred men to be put in portable shape, ready for instant shipping. A large steamer and three tugs conditionally engaged.

https://ehistory.osu.edu/books/official-records/001/0227
 
WASHINGTON, March 11, 1861.

General BEAUREGARD,

Commanding Army Confederate States, Charleston, S. C.:

Believed here that Anderson will be ordered to evacuate Sumter in five days. Was certainly informally agreed on in Cabinet Saturday night. May have been done as ruse to throw you off your guard and enable them to re-enforce.

LOUIS T. WIGFALL.

""https://ehistory.osu.edu/books/official-records/001/0273
 
WASHINGTON, March 11, 1861.

His Excellency JEFFERSON DAVIS, Montgomery, Ala.:

It is believed here in Black Republican circles that Anderson will be ordered to vacate Fort Sumter in five days. An informal conclusion to this effect was arrived at Saturday night in Cabinet. Anderson telegraphed, it is said, that he had no fuel and but fifteen days' provisions.

LOUIS T. WIGFALL.

""https://ehistory.osu.edu/books/official-records/001/0273
 
WAR DEPARTMENT, C. S. A.,

Montgomery, March 15, 1861.

Brigadier General BEAUREGARD, Charleston, S. C.:

GENERAL: Dispatches just received from Washington, of the highest authority, speak of mines in Fort Sumter, and a purpose to destroy it and the garrison rather than be taken. Foster, the Engineer, might be a good guarantee, if kept in the fort.

Give but little credit to the rumors of an amicable adjustment. Do not slacken for a moment your energies, and be ready to execute any order this Department may forward.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

L. P. WALKER,

Secretary of War.

https://ehistory.osu.edu/books/official-records/001/0276
 
WAR DEPARTMENT, C. S. A.,

Montgomery, March 21, 1861.

General P. G. T. BEAUREGARD, Charleston, S. C.:

SIR: The probability is, if there be any reliance on rumors semi-official in their character, that Fort Sumter will be shortly abandoned. Of course, it would be proper to afford Major Anderson and his men a safe conduct out of the harbor; but before this is done you must feel perfectly assured that there are no mines laid with trains within the fort. This might be individually accomplished by informing Major Anderson that you intended immediately on its abandonment by him to occupy it, and to take possession of everything left behind; that you did not desire to do this, except upon an inventory to be made out by yourself and one of his officers, and the proper officer to be detailed by him to perform this duty would be Foster, the Engineer.

Should he reply to this proposition that he cannot consider what course you may pursue after his abandonment of the fort, and therefore decline to assist in the inventory, it will be your duty to communicate to him the existence of the rumor, and to demand from him such assurance of its falsity as shall fully satisfy you. If he declines to give this assurance it will be your duty to prevent their departure. It is hardly probably that he will decline either of these propositions, but should he decline both you must pursue the course herein indicated, and keep him where he is.

Very respectfully,

L. P. WALKER,

https://ehistory.osu.edu/books/official-records/001/0279
 
WAR DEPARTMENT, A. AND I. G. O.,

Montgomery, March 29, 1861.

Brigadier General G. T. BEAUREGARD,

Commanding, & c., Charleston, S. C.:

SIR: The Secretary of War directs that you will allow no further communications between the Government of the United States and Fort Sumter, unless the written instructions of the intermediary are first submitted to your inspection, with satisfactory assurances that there are no verbal instructions inconsistent with those which are written.

I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

S. COOPER,

Adjutant and Inspector General.

https://ehistory.osu.edu/books/official-records/001/0283
 
CHARLESTON, S. C., April 1, 1861.

Honorable L. P. WALKER, Montgomery, Ala.:

The following telegram just received from Commissioner Crawford:

I am authorized to say that this Government will not undertake to supply Sumter without notice to you. My opinion is that the President has not the courage to exe-cute the order agreed upon in Cabinet for the evacuation of the fort, but that he intends to shift the responsibility upon Major Anderson, by suffering him to be starved out. Would it not be well to aid in this by cutting off all supplies?

CRAWFORD.

Batteries here ready to open Wednesday or Thursday. What instructions?

G. T. BEAUREGARD.

https://ehistory.osu.edu/books/official-records/001/0284
 
WASHINGTON, April 2, 1861.

Honorable ROBERT TOOMBS, Montgomery, Ala.:

The war wing presses on the President; he vibrates to that side. He has conferred with several officers, and naval engineer, supposed to be in regard to Sumter; perhaps to collecting revenue at New Orleans.

Commodore Pendergrast is not at Key West but at Norfolk; could not therefore land troops. Senator Dixon conversed fully with Chase on Saturday; found him much moderated and strongly inclined to peace policy.

Their form of notice to us may be that of the coward, who gives it when he strikes. Watch at all points. It is said the Pawnee sailed from this place this evening with three companies of artillery.

MARTIN J. CRAWFORD.

A. B. ROMAN.

https://ehistory.osu.edu/books/official-records/001/0284
 
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