I just wish we had more concrete evidence of the supplies that Sumter was receiving from Charleston, its just to ambiguious about the amounts and dates that he received them..
Not really, we know enough, ive posted the timeline and supplies on hand, it in general agrees with Scotts maths on the same information. We know Anderson wife sent her slave to Sumpter from NY, once she heard Anderson had moved there, Peter Hart, who Anderson used as his trusted caterer for the garrison in fresh provisions in the Charleston market is one further example of how we know that while SC allowed provisoning from Charleston, there was no starvation.
I just wish we had more concrete evidence of the supplies that Sumter was receiving from Charleston, its just to ambiguious about the amounts and dates that he received them..
Not really, we know enough. We know Anderson wife sent her slave to Sumpter from NY, once she heard Anderson had moved there, Peter Hart, who Anderson used as his trusted caterer for the garrison in fresh provisions in the Charleston market is one further example of how we know that while SC allowed provisoning from Charleston, there was no starvation.
When Scott did not know of Anderson access to market and ressuply from contractor he advised the following.
Winfield Scott to Abraham Lincoln, Tuesday, March 12, 1861
(Report on Fort Sumter)From Winfield Scott to Abraham Lincoln, March 12, 1861The President has done me the honor to propose certain military questions, concerning FortSumter to which he desires replies."1st." To what point of time can Major Anderson maintain his position at Fort Sumter withoutfresh supplies or reinforcements?Answer.
In respect to subsistence he has bread, flour, and rice for about 26 days, and salt meat(pork) for about forty eight days. Without additional supplies of provisions he may hold out someforty days without much suffering from hunger.The besiegers are understood to be about 3,500 men, now somewhat disciplined, and they havefour powerful batteries on land, and one floating battery, all mounting guns and mortars of largecalibre and of the best patterns, bearing on Fort Sumter. Supposing Major Anderson not to bereinforced and the means of the assailants to be skilfully and vigorously employed -- Fort Sumter being defended by less than 100 men, including common laborers and musicians -- it might betaken, at any time, by a single assault, and easily, if previously harassed, perseveringly, for manydays and nights; the assailants having the ability (by the force of numbers) of converting one outof every three or four of those demonstrations, into a real attack."2d." Can you, with all the means now in your control, supply or reinforce Fort Sumter withinthe period you specify as the time, within which Major Anderson may hold out without freshsupplies?"Answer. No, not within many months; But not to speak of October or November, when theproposition was first made, and repeated, in writing, the third time, December 30th -- it wouldhave been easy to reinforce Fort Sumter, with war vessels, down to about the 12th of February. Inthis long delay, twice that time, Fort Moultrie has been re-armed and greatly strengthened, inevery way, and many powerful new land batteries (besides rafts) have been constructed. Hulkshave also been sunk in the principal channel, so as to render access to Fort Sumter, from the sea,impractical, without first carrying all the batteries of the secessionists. The difficulty of reinforcing has thus, by delay, been increased 1[0] or 12 fold. First, the late President refused toallow any attempt to be made, because he was holding negotiations with South CarolinaCommissioners. Afterwards, Secretary Holt and myself endeavored to obtain a ship of war for the purpose; but failing in this we were obliged to employ the steamer Star of the West. Thatvessel, but for the hesitation of the commander, might then have landed, it is generally believed,men and subsistence. That attempt having failed, I next, before the late Cabinet, submitted,orally, either that succor be sent by ships of war, fighting their way to the Fort, or, that Major
Once Scott was informed of the contractors suppling Sumpter again, and accss to local market for the command, And anderson satisifaction of the supply situation( March 17),he revised his estimae for POTUS on this issue.
Memorandum undated from General Scott to Lincoln, received by Lincoln, March 28.
It seems from the opinions of the Army officers who expressed themselves on the subject -- all within Fort Sumter, together with General Scott and Totten -- that it is perhaps now impossible to succor that fort substantially, if at all, without capturing, by means of a large expedition of ships of war and troops, all the opposing batteries of South Carolina.
In the mean time -- six or ten months -- Major Anderson would almost certainly have been obliged to surrender under assault or the approach of starvation ... An abandonment of the fort in a few weeks, sooner or later, would appear, therefore, to be a sure necessity, and if so, the sooner the more graceful on the part of the Government.
It is doubtful, however, according to recent information from the South, whether the voluntary evacuation of Fort Sumter alone would have a decisive effect upon the states now wavering between adherence to the Union and secession. It is known, indeed, that it would be charged to necessity, and the holding of Fort Pickens would be adduced in support of that view. Our Southern friends, however, are clear that the evacuation of both the forts would instantly soothe and give confidence to the eight remaining slaveholding States, and render their cordial adherence to this Union perpetual ... The giving up of Forts Sumter and Pickens may be best justified by the hope that we should thereby recover the State to which they geographically belong by the liberality of the act, besides retaining the eight doubtful States.
Now in addition to the maths, i have given you a fairly large the textual record, Anything else you need?.
Bringing the