Jan 27 :
38 barrels pork:38*240*16=145920.
37 barrels flour:37*240*16=132080
13 barrels hard bread:13*240*16=48920.
March 21:
Six barrels of flour;6*240*16=23040
six barrels of hard bread6* 240*16=23040
twenty-six barrels of pork;26*240*16=99640.
25 days consumption has reduced the Jan to March levels.
Jan 27 to March 21
Pork 145920 less 99640 on hand,=46280 consumed in 25 days, 1851 a day. Gives 54 days supplies held.
Flour 132080 less 23040 on hand =109040 consumed in 25 days, 4361 a day. gives 5.2 days held.
hard bread 48920 less 23040 on hand, 25880 consumed in 25 days, 1035 a day. Gives 22 days held.
However i already covered the increase in Qm stocks, ( stocks were reduced in Dec and Jan as no supplies came in from SC) by refering to Anderson seeking and aquiring the contractor to re start redliverys of fresh veg and beef, which he achived in the following series of letters to get the War Dept to pay for it, the SC authorities to agree to it ( already entered in prior post) and the contratcor to deliver 184 pounds of fresh beef every 4 days in 10. 60 days of that beef ment 6*184=1104 pounds of beef, 17664 ounces, all for the mil as none sold to civilians, tields 294 a day or a 3 oz ration per man per day.
On January 24, 1861, Major Anderson had his grocery list made and forwarded toMr. Daniel McSweeney. FORT SUMTER, January 24, 1861.
Mr. Daniel McSweeney:
SIR:
I am directed by Major Anderson, commanding this post, toascertain whether you will furnish such fresh beef and vegetables asmay be required here; the beef upon the terms of the contract underwhich you supplied Fort Moultrie; the vegetables to be purchased byyou for us at fair market prices;
the whole to be delivered as hitherto, fourtimes in ten days, at some wharf in Charleston, for transportation to FortJohnson, where it will be received by this garrison. This arrangement, whichhas been approved by the governor of South Carolina, it is desired shall gointo effect immediately, and if you consent to it, you can send 184 pounds of fresh beef at a time, at such hour and wherever Quartermaster-General Hatch(120 Meeting street) may advise you. Of the vegetables you will be furtherdirected. Please ackuowledge the receipt of this as soon as possible, in order,if necessary, that other arrangements may be made. Respectfully, your obedient servant,T. SEYMOUR, Captain, U. S. Army. [O.R. Ser 1, Vol 1, Ch 1, p. 154]
Major Anderson wrote to his adjutant-general onJanuary 27, 1861, the message taking a few days to get to Colonel Cooper. Fort Sumter, S. C., January 27, 1861.(Received A. G. O., January 30.) Col. S. COOPER, Adjutant-General: COLONEL: I have the honor to state, in reply to your letter of the 24thinstant, that our letters, & c., are sent by boat, daily, at 12 in., to Fort Johnson in a sealed package, addressed to the postmaster in Charleston, andthat the return boat brings our mail in a package bearing the post-office seal.I am satisfied with the existing arrangement. The governor told LieutenantTalbot, when he saw him on his return from Washington, that I might, if Ichose, send up to the city for my mails, but that he thought it would not bejudicious for me to do so. * * *
I send herewith a copy of a letter written to our former beef contractorabout furnishing us with meat, & c., to which no reply has yet beenreceived
why, I am unable to ascertain; so that, up to this moment, wehave not derived the least advantage from the Charleston markets; and I canconfidently say that none of my command desire to receive anything fromthe city for which we are not to pay. Under the daily expectation of the return of Lieutenant Ball, I have deferredsending in a memorandum of the commissary stores on hand. There are nowhere 38 barrels pork, 37 barrels flour, 13 barrels hard bread, 2 barrels beans,1 barrel coffee, ½ barrel sugar, 3 barrels vinegar, 10 pounds candles, 40pounds soap, and ¾ barrel salt. You will see from this that for my presentcommand (especially after the departure of our women and children) weshall have an ample supply of pork and bread. It is a pity that myinstructions had not been complied with, which would have given us thesmall stores which are now deficient, and which we shall not object toreceiving as soon as the safety of our country will admit of our getting them.Nothing of importance to report. The Columbia is still aground in theMaffitts Channel. I am, colonel, your obedient servant, ROBERT ANDERSON,Major, First Artillery, Commanding. [O.R. Ser 1, Vol 1, Ch 1, p. 153-54] Samuel Crawford related the following, [p. 203] In his report of the 27th of January to his Government, Major Andersonreferred to the "false reports" originating "in Charleston and elsewhere"
The reason for the action of the contractor was simply that he had notbeen paid for seven months. His account was at that time over $500, andhe feared, from the condition of things, that all relations between thefort and the city might be at any moment interrupted and his moneylost. Lieutenant Hall had returned from Washington, neglecting tobring with him a treasury draft for his Department.
The contractor wasafterward paid, when he renewed his contract and resumed his dealings withthe fort. On January 28, 1861, General Totten wrote, ENGINEER DEPARTMENT,Washington, January 28, 1861. Capt. J. G. FOSTER,Corps of Engineers, Charleston, S. C.: SIR: I have the pleasure to inform you that $5,000 was remitted on Saturdaylast, the 26th instant, to the assistant treasurer at New York, to be heldsubject to your check, and that $10,000 in addition will be remitted to him,for the same purpose, today, in fulfillment of two other requisitionsheretofore issned in your favor for $5,000 each, as already advised. You willplease return to Lieutenant Gillmore, out of these funds, the $1,500 placedby him to your credit with the assistant treasurer at New York, on the 10thinstant, and he will be instructed to forward to you a proper receipt for thesame. This communication, and all subsequent letters, will be inclosed in anenvelope, sealed with red wax, impressed with the Department seal, and it isdesirable that all your future communications may be also sealed with wax,instead of the ordinary way. I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
JOS. G. TOTTEN,Brevet Brigadier-General, and Colonel of Engineers. [O.R. Ser 1, Vol 1, Ch 1, p. 157-58] On January 31, 1861, Captain J.G. Foster wrote to General Totten,
GENERAL: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letterof the 28th instant, informing me that $15,000 was placed to my creditwith the assistant treasurer of the United States at New York. Thisrelieves me from my present embarrassment.
I shall, however, require$5,000 more for Fort Sumter by the end of the month of February. [O.R. Ser 1, Vol 1, Ch 1, p. 160] On January 31, 1861, Major Anderson wrote to Colonel Cooper, "No reply, as yet,from the Charleston butcher, our beef contractor. I presume that he dare not sendus any provisions, for fear that he will be regarded as a traitor to South Carolina forfurnishing comfort and aid to her enemies." It turned out that Major Anderson's worry was unwarranted, causing him to writeanother letter to Colonel Cooper. Fort Sumter S. C., January 31, 1861.(Received A. G. O., February 4.) Col. S. COOPER, Adjutant-General: COLONEL: I hasten to write this letter, to be taken to the city by my friend,the Hon. Robert N. Gourdin, to say that
the butcher has sent down asupply of fresh beef, with a note from him stating that he had notreceived my note, and that he did not, therefore, know of my order tohim to continue my supplies as when I was in Fort Moultrie. He statesthat he sends the beef today in compliance with instructions from Mr.Gourdin, who has received a letter from me, in which I had alluded tomy having written to him about it. He concluded by saying that he willcheerfully send what I require. Mr. Gourdin says that his excellency thegovernor is very desirous that we shall receive our supplies regularly,and thinks that there can be no difficulty in reference to groceries also.
Hoping in God that there can be no further difficulty of any sort in thisharbor, I am, colonel, respectfully, your obedient servant, ROBERT ANDERSON,Major, First Artillery, Commanding. [O.R. Ser 1, Vol 1, Ch 1, p. 160] Once the bills were paid, the grocery deliveries were made by Mr. DanielMcSweeney pursuant to a previously existing contract, providing for deliveriesfour times a week. For Major Anderson, and his men at Fort Sumter, the starvation crisis ended onJanuary 31, 1861. When the message reached the Adjutant General's Office onFebruary 4, 1861, the crisis was extinguished in Washington, at least untilPresident Lincoln arrived. Of the South Carolina authorities, in his message to a special session of Congress,July 4, 1861, Lincoln stated that "[t]hey knewthey were expressly notifiedthatthe giving of bread to the few brave and hungry men of the garrison, was all whichwould on that occasion be attempted…."
Robert Anderson to Samuel Cooper, Thursday, February 28, 1861 No. 58. Fort Sumter, S. C. Feby 28th, 1861. Colonel: I have the honor to report that they are continuing the work reported in mycommunication No 57. I send, herewith, Memoranda, hastily prepared, bythe officers of this command, giving their individual opinions as to thenumber of men which would be required to re-enforce us. The problem isone of considerable difficultyas the Southern Confederacy have theadvantage of knowing the intentions, even, of our Government, and are thusenabled to make suitable preparationsThese gentlemen were directed toconsider the harbour closedit is fair to consider that all of the channelswould be closed as soon as information is received of the intentions of theGovernment. I confess that I would not be willing to risk my reputation on an attempt tothrow reenforcements into this harbour, within the time for our relief rendered necessary by the by the limited supply of our provisions, and with a view of holdingpossession of the same, with a force of less than twenty thousand good and well disciplined men. Enclosed is also a sketch of the present appearance of the works onCummings Point, prepared by Capt Seymour.
Very Respectfully,Your obdt Svt.Robert AndersonMajor 1st Artillery, Commanding.
Bringing the