CHAP. III. Charleston Harbor, and de facto independence. Then under the same military necessity, aggravated and amplified by similar concerted seizures in other States, a yielding President, and a Cabinet dominated by treachery, could negotiate a settlement; Congress might ratify, and a distracted and despondent North accept the accomplished revolution. It was a brilliant plot, but with many flaws; and one of the greatest was that they counted without Anderson. Or rather, let us do them the justice to say, their intrigue seemed to them so complete, their control of the President and the War Department so absolute, that there appeared no reasonable chance that Anderson could become a marplot. The situation required no complicity on his part. He had but to tread the path of professional duty as marked out by Floyd, who had told him in plain words that the avoidance of a hopeless conflict in defense of these forts was the duty of an honorable, brave, and humane officer. There remained, therefore, but one danger,-namely, that Anderson might transfer his force to Sumter. This point too they had effectually guarded. The Buell order was a virtual official prohibition until there should occur an attack on or attempt to take possession of either one of them,” and was so regarded by Anderson trie," p. 58. himself; the workmen in the forts were openly in sympathy with the secessionists; the forty muskets had been taken out of Foster's hands; and an espionage was kept up night and day as the critical time approached, by which the Charleston authorities were fully and credibly informed that not an additional man nor gun had been sent there. Doubleday, "Forts Sumter and Moul 66 It was their false security on this latter point CHAP. III. which in the event made the transfer a success for Anderson, and a complete surprise and discomfiture to the conspirators. On the very day when it occurred, Secretary Floyd himself, reading Foster's report that rebel steamers were standing guard over Sumter, and that he was constructing traverses on the parapets of Moultrie, to intercept sharpshooters' bullets from the sand-hills, the dissembling Secretary pronounced the news "very satisfactory" and expressed his evidently genuine hope and belief that "we should get over these troubles without bloodshed." Anderson had been petted and lionized socially by the Charlestonians; but his soldierly reserve and loyalty to his flag came through the blandishments of Southern hospitality without a taint or whisper of suspicion. He kept his own secrets, from his secession friends by choice and necessity, from his subordinates by the special injunction of Floyd; debating anxiously in his own mind how he might keep the peace and save his honor. He was familiar with the unvarying Charleston threat that they must have the forts after secession; and now that the ordinance was duly passed and proclaimed, the indications of their earnest pursuit of this scheme began to multiply. On the day of the passage of the ordinance Governor Pickens inquired with great particularity and emphasis, through the medium of the serviceable military storekeeper, Humphreys, whether twenty enlisted men had not been sent from Moultrie to Sumter, and desired an authoritative contradiction of the rumor by night. Foster replied, indignantly pro Wright, In- dorsement, on Foster to De Russy, Dec. 22,1860. W. R. Vol. HumphDec.20.1860. reys to Foster, W. R. Vol. CHAP. III. testing against the right to ask such a question by a State in avowed rebellion; nevertheless gave the denial to Humphreys, still a brother officer, and of course the Governor received the coveted information. On December 22d Anderson wrote: I have heard from several sources, that last night, and the night before, a steamer was stationed between this island and Fort Sumter. That the authorities of South Carolina are determined to prevent, if possible, any troops from being placed in that fort, and that they will seize upon that most important work, as soon as they think there is reasonable ground for a doubt whether it will be turned over to the State, I do not doubt. . . No one can tell what will be done. They may defer action until their Commissioners return from Washington; or if apprised by the nature of the debates in Congress that their demands will not probably be acceded to, they may act without waiting for them. I do not think that we can Anderson rely upon any assurances, and wish to God I only had men enough here to man fully my guns. . . P. S.-I have just heard that several of the men at work in Fort Sumter wear the blue cockade. to Adjutant-General, Dec. 22, 1860. W. R. Vol. Foster to De Russy, Dec. 22,1860. W. R. Vol. Under the same date Foster reports the movements of the guard steamers in further detail, and says that when one of them was hailed by the night-watch on Castle Pinckney as to what she Wanted, some one replied, "You will know in a week." All Major Anderson's dispatches prove that he was from the very first keenly alive to his situation and possible fate. He had now, for a whole month, been on the rack of doubt as to the propriety of every word and act; of anxious expectancy concerning the final course of the Government and nature of the instructions that might come; and it is not too violent a presumption to add, Doubleday, "Forts Moultrie," p. 58. of despondency at the neglect with which he had CHAP. III. been treated. He had, from the first, recognized that his handful of men ought for more successful resistance to be in Sumter. He had discussed the question with his officers, who also advocated the removal, intimating to them that only his re- Sumter and straining orders kept him in Moultrie. Postpone it, or decide against it as he might, the paramount necessity forced itself anew upon his attention with every day's developments, with every fresh menace. By a very pointed suggestion, Anderson asked on December 22d for instructions from the War Department for a movement from Moultrie to Sumter, but I., p. 105. found no response in the hopes and designs of Secretary Floyd. In spite of all question and resistance, however, the idea finally conquered him. In due time, doubt grew into conviction, and conviction into resolve. Meantime the officers in Moultrie freely visited the city, and occasionally exchanged social courtesies with leading secessionists with many mutual protestations of high regard. "We appreciate your position," said their entertainers. "It is a point of honor with you to hold the fort, but a political necessity obliges us to take it." But after the passage of the ordinance of secession, Major Anderson ceased his visits to Charleston. Christmas day, however, was once more celebrated with such social amenities; Major Anderson, his officers, and many Charleston secessionists being together present at a family party given by Captain Foster and his wife at their residence in Moultrieville, a small village on Sullivan's Island, conveniently near the fort, where husbands, wives, and children, forget Anderson to Adjutant-General, Dec. 22, 1860. W. R. Vol. Doubleday, sumter and "Forts Moultrie," pp. 47, 48. "Historical Dawson, Magazine," Jan., 1872, p. 48, note. CHAP. III. ting all thoughts of war, gave themselves to the unreserved enjoyment of the kindly festivities appropriate to the day of peace and good-will. To this temporary general happiness Major Anderson formed a notable exception. His mind was burdened with a heavy responsibility in the resolve which he had taken ten days before to transfer his garrison to Fort Sumter, and in the secret arrangements he had been making to carry out that intention. "I promised to go to Captain Foster's for a little while to-night," he wrote to his wife on Christmas evening, "but have really no inclination whatever to do so. I am sorry I have no Christmas gift to offer you. Never mind-the day may very soon come when I shall do something which will gratify you enough to make amends for all the anxiety you now feel on my account." Nevertheless, he went to the party in order to disarm suspicion of there being anything unusual in the air-to divert from himself the too close attention of his officers, lest they might discover signs of the preoccupation which filled his mind. When Anderson returned from that scene of merry-making to the suggestive contrast of his quarters in Fort Moultrie, it was to make a final study and review of his plans, and to calculate the chances, promising indeed, but by no means as assuring as he could have wished, that he and his whole command would spend the following night within the protecting walls of Fort Sumter. |