More troops for Sumter

[scooter748driver]

In late 1860, emotions were running high in and around Charleston. There were allegedly plans being made by some citizens and/or the Charleston militia to attack Fort Moultrie. Lincoln had been elected and SC politicians were holding talks about seceding from the Union.

After Anderson took command in November, he spoke George Cullen, an officer who had recently reconnoitered the forts and the harbor. Cullen recommended that 5 companies of troops be transferred to Charleston to garrison Fort Sumter and Castle Pickney as well as beef up troop strength at Moultrie. If Washington did not agree to that he advised moving the existing garrison to Fort Sumter.

My question is - What would the advantage of more troops have been?

Would the addition of more troops have convinced Major Anderson that he could hold Fort Moultrie against any attack and thus remain there vs. moving to Fort Sumter in December? Would moving troops to garrison the forts have quelled the talks of attacking the forts, or would that act have sparked attacks several months before Sumter was fired on? Or would more troop just have been more mouths to feed resulting in abandonment of the forts that much sooner?

 

[jepridgen]

That's an interesting scenario. I don't think he holds Moultrie. That place couldn't be held without a lot more men. It was indefensible from the rear. The supply situation would be dependent on whether the new troops brought supplies commensurate with their numbers, but it very well could've cause him to run short a lot faster.

It is possible this would've sparked an earlier confrontation, but I'd really have to dig into the early history of South Carolina resistance to see if when they had sufficient forces organized to make such an effort. Honestly, Anderson probably ends up in Sumter just because of its location and consolidates his forces. Even four more companies wasn't a tremendous number of men to spread out.

 

[jackt62]

Would the addition of more troops have convinced Major Anderson that he could hold Fort Moultrie against any attack and thus remain there vs. moving to Fort Sumter in December?

Not a wise military decision. Moultrie was designed to defend against seaborne attacks so additional manpower at that fort would have simply added to the roll call of Union POW's. In any case, what Anderson needed was not more men, but more food and artillery ammunition.