Major Robert Anderson and Fort Sumter, 1861

Major Robert Anderson

and

Fort Sumter
1861

By

Eba Anderson Lawton

Ube Ifcmcfeerbocfeer press

New York

1911

COPYRIGHT, 1911

BY
EBA ANDERSON LAWTON

Ubc fmicfterbocher press, Hew |?orh

The Defence of Fort Sumter — a

Record of the Actual History

of the Events

ON this, the fiftieth anniversary of the De
fence of Fort Sumter by Major Robert
Anderson, I am writing to present for the
veterans who have memory of the events and
for the generation which has grown up since
the War, a correct narrative of what actually
happened and to correct various mis-state
ments and misapprehensions which have, dur
ing the past half century, been permitted to
confuse the history.

If the question were to-day asked who was
General Anderson, the answer from many
citizens of this younger generation might
easily be " I never heard of him." Others
would say: "He was in command of Fort
Sumter; he surrendered the Fort."

The services of this American patriot and

271044

all that he suffered for the cause of his idol
ized country and in the fulfilment of his duty
to the Government, his dignified silence under
ingratitude and lack of appreciation, his
modesty in leaving credit to be given to others
for work planned and carried out by himself,
his self-effacement during the days of the
bombardment and during the later long
months of the War; — these are to be recorded
in the full Memoirs, which will present the
Life of Robert Anderson told in his diary and
letters, and which is shortly to be published by
G. P. Putnam's Sons of New York and
London. The present monograph has to do
simply with the record of Anderson's service
in Fort Moultrie and Fort Sumter and with
the replacing of the flag over Sumter in April,
1865.

It is time that Americans generally, and
particularly the young people of the present
generation, should know something about the
real character and service of this patriot and
earnest Christian.

3

At the time Major Anderson, who had just
been promoted to the First Artillery, was
placed in command at Fort Moultrie, he had
personal acquaintance with none of the offi
cers at Moultrie. He found the Fort in a
dilapidated condition. The garrison was ab
surdly small and all the munitions were in a
condition of chaos. He realized that the peo
ple of Charleston were highly excited and
that the authority of the United States was
likely to be assailed. Anderson at once made
a full report to Washington and demanded
immediate reinforcements.

On the llth of December, Major Ander
son received instructions brought to him by
Major Buell, which instructions were at once
committed to writing. On Sunday, the 23d,
a sealed letter was handed to him by Major
Withers, Assistant Adjutant-General, which
letter had been written by Floyd, Secretary
of War. The letter is reproduced in fac
simile with this.

The readers of to-dav will realize the in-

4

famy of the instructions given to Major
Anderson by the official in authority, the Sec
retary of War. The public orders were to
defend the Fort to the last extremity. The
secret " confidential " order instructed the
Major to give up the Fort without a fight.
It is an evidence of the loyal reticence of the
man that he kept this secret to himself through
out his life.

If Major Anderson had made public that
confidential order, the whole condition of
affairs might have been changed.

It is probable that the White House would
have been mobbed and Buchanan, the weak-
kneed President, and Floyd and the other
men in authority, who were traitors to their
oath, would have been justly called to
account.

Major Anderson had, from his childhood,
been brought up with a reverence and love
not only for his country, but for his Govern
ment. He had a full heritage of loyal patriot
ism, for his father had been an officer in

5

Washington's army and his mother was a
cousin of Chief Justice Marshall. It was his
loyalty to the Government that kept him from
allowing anything to be known of this in
famous order, because VIP

Father died in 1871 . This letter was published by my cousin,
Captain E. L. Anderson, in Harper's Weekly, June 10, 1876,
in first Vol "War of the Rebellion," about ten years after
the close of the War, and in Vol. III. Rhodes' " History of the

United States," published 1895.

EBA ANDERSON LAWTON.

in prayer, and under the divine guidance he
was able to escape the snare that had been
set for him.

On the 26th of December, 1860, he aban
doned Fort Moultrie and moved his force to
Fort Sumter, and not until the order was
given to man the boats did even his officers
know of his intention. At Sumter, the flag
was raised with prayer.

4

famy of the instructions given to Major
Anderson by the official in authority, the Sec
retary of War. The public orders were to
defend the Fort to the last extremity. The

" PnnfiHpntial " nrrlgr incfrnnfprl

kneed President, and Floyd and the other
men in authority, who were traitors to their
oath, would have been justly called to
account.

Major Anderson had, from his childhood,
been brought up with a reverence and love
not only for his country, but for his Govern
ment. He had a full heritage of loyal patriot
ism, for his father had been an officer in

5

Washington's army and his mother was a
cousin of Chief Justice Marshall. It was his
loyalty to the Government that kept him from
allowing anything to be known of this in
famous order, because he realized that any
such knowledge could only have brought the
Government into contempt. No one but his
Father in Heaven knew of this dastardly at
tempt that had been made to brand him in the
eyes of the world as a traitor to his trust and to
the Government, which would, of course, have
denounced him had he obeyed the confidential
order.

In this emergency, Anderson turned to God
in prayer, and under the divine guidance he
was able to escape the snare that had been
set for him.

On the 26th of December, 1860, he aban
doned Fort Moultrie and moved his force to
Fort Sumter, and not until the order was
given to man the boats did even his officers
know of his intention. At Sumter, the flag
was raised with prayer.

Promptly from Washington came a tele
gram, which with answer is presented below:

RECEIVED AT CHARLESTON, DEC. 27, 1860, AT 2 O'CLOCK
p. M. BY TELEGRAPH FROM WASHINGTON,, 27TH,
TO MAJ. R. ANDERSON, U. S. A.

FORT MOULTRJE.

" Intelligence has reached here this morn
ing that you have abandoned Fort Moultrie,
spiked your guns, burnt the carriages, and
gone to Fort Sumter. It is not believed, be
cause there is no order for any such movement.
Explain the meaning of this report.

" J. B. FLOYD,

" Sec'y of War."

Answer: " The telegram is correct. I
abandoned Fort Moultrie because I was cer
tain that, if attacked, my men must have been
sacrificed and the command of the harbor lost.
I spiked the guns and destroyed the carriages
to keep the guns from being used against us.

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If attacked, the garrison would never have
surrendered without a fight.

" ROBERT ANDERSON,

"Major 1st Arty. Comdg.
" FORT SUMTER, S. C.,

" 4 p. M., Dec. 27, '60."

On the back of the telegram is written by
Major Anderson the rough draft of his re
ply. It is interesting to note, in connection
with Floyd's order, Anderson's answer that
" the garrison would never have surrendered
without a fight." This is the officer who, by
some, was stigmatized as " not loyal to the
Union." There are few parallel cases in his
tory. Many men have died for their country,
but few have been so devoted in their loyalty
as to be prepared, even at the risk of loss of
reputation, to protect their government from
contempt. The flag-staff at Fort Moultrie,
where Jasper in the old days had raised the
national flag, was cut down by the order of
Major Anderson who said, "No other flag

8

but the Stars and Stripes shall ever float from
that staff."

In one of the obituary notices that came
into print after Anderson's death, an officer
raises the claim that he had advised Anderson
to transfer his force from Moultrie to Sumter.
A letter from this same officer will be given in
the forthcoming Memoir, and the world will
be able to judge between the words that were
given before and those written after the death
of Major Anderson.

Further evidence in regard to the respon
sibility for the transfer is given in the letter
here cited from Major Anderson to his wife:

"FORT SUMTER, S. C.,

" 8 P. M., Dec. 26, 1860.

" Thanks be to God. I give them with my
whole heart for His having given me the will,
and shewn me the way to bring my command
to this Fort. I can now breathe freely. The
whole force of S. Carolina would not ven
ture to attack us. Our crossing was accom-

9

plished between six and eight o'clock. I am
satisfied that there was no suspicion of what
we were going to do. I have no doubt that
the news of what I have done will be tele
graphed to New York this night. We saw
signal rockets thrown up all around just as
our last boat came over. I have not time to
write more — as I must make my report to the
Ad. Genl. . . . Praise be to God for His
merciful kindness to us. I think that the
whole country North and South should thank
Him for this step."

During weary months, with no instruc
tions, or no comprehensible instructions, from
the Government, Anderson was left to his own
responsibility. The harbor was closed, so
that no reinforcements could reach him.
Provisions from Charleston were stopped and
batteries were erected around the doomed fort.
Anderson was, as he pitifully expressed it, like
" a sheep tied watching the butcher sharpening
a knife to cut his throat." By orders subse-

10

quently received, he had been forbidden to open
fire unless Fort Sumter was actually attacked.

A devoted friend wrote Major Anderson
that he had heard from Colonel Lamon — who
had been sent from Washington to report on the
condition of affairs, — that he intended to blow
up the Fort. I quote part of his answer:

" I do not, of course, know what terms Col
onel Lamon used in repeating the declaration
referred to. So great was the excitement in
S. Carolina against this command, when I
came into this Fort, and for weeks afterwards,
that I was satisfied, that, if attacked, and over
come, not a soul would have been left alive, and
I did, during that time, say, more than once,
that, rather than let my garrison suffer that
fate, I would blow up the Fort as they entered
the walls, and all who might be in it. I told
Colonel Lamon that I had made that remark.

" Cut off from all intercourse with my Gov
ernment,. I have been compelled to act accord
ing to the dictates of my own judgment, and,
had the contingency referred to, arisen, I

II

should, after prayerfully appealing to God,
to teach me my duty, have cheerfully and
promptly performed it.

* You have not time, my dear General, to
read, nor have I time to detail, the delicate
and important points which have arisen since
I have been in this harbour. I have tried to
perform all my duty, and I trust that I have,
by the blessing of God, so acted, that the most
searching investigation shall show that I have
done nothing amiss.

' I must say that I think the Gov. has
left me too much to myself — has not given
me instructions, even when I have asked for
them — and that responsibilities of a higher and
more delicate character have devolved upon
me than was proper — and I frankly say that
such is the fact at this present moment.

' Were it not for my humble, but firm re
liance upon God, my heart would have no
spring, no hope — but I know that He will,
in His own time, dispel the clouds which now
hang over our Country, and give us Light."

12

Offers came from the Confederate author
ities to this commander, seemingly abandoned
by his Government, which allowed him to
withdraw his garrison, taking with him all
the property, public and private, and saluting
his flag. The promise was given that the
garrison would be sent to any point of the
United States that Anderson might select.
This offer was respectfully declined. Ander
son stood undaunted, firm in his faith that God
would show the way.

On the morning of the 12th of April, just
fifty years ago, the rebel force, about ten thou
sand strong, opened fire upon the devoted
garrison, which comprised in all, officers, non
commissioned officers, privates, and the band,
some sixty men.

After a glorious resistance, the Fort was
evacuated; the terms of evacuation being the
same that had been offered and refused a few
days before. " That flag which has been
raised with prayer, shall never be lowered
except with honor."

13

The rebels lined their batteries and cheered
the garrison as the men left the Fort and
passed out to the fleet beyond the bar. The
garrison reached New York on the 19th of
April, 1861.

The enthusiasm was unbounded. The whole
Country realized that the honor of the Nation
had been fully vindicated by his loyalty.

Even those who later, either through jeal
ousy or personal enmity, tried to belittle him,
joined in the universal praise. I quote from
a letter of one of his officers to him at this
time : ' The whole Country looks to you with
a depth of affection which has not had its
parallel since the days of Washington."

These honeyed words were from the same
officer who, after Major Anderson's lips were
sealed in death, dared to say that his Com
mander was not a Union man.

In answer to the false statement that An
derson had surrendered the fort, I give a copy
of his despatch to the Government of April
18th:

14

" STEAMSHIP * BALTIC ' OFF SANDY HOOK,
"April 18, 1861. 10:30 A.M., via New York.

" Having defended Fort Sumter for thirty-
four hours, until the quarters were entirely
burned, the main gates destroyed by fire, the
gorge walls seriously impaired, the magazine
surrounded by flames, and its door closed
from the effects of the heat, four barrels and
three cartridges of powder only being avail
able, and no provisions remaining but pork,
I accepted terms of evacuation offered by
General Beauregard (being the same offered
by him on the llth instant, prior to the com
mencement of hostilities) and marched out of
the Fort on Sunday afternoon, the 14th in
stant, with colors flying and drums beating,
bringing away company and private property,
and saluting my flag with fifty guns.
" ROBERT ANDERSON,
"Major First Artillery,

" HON. SIMON CAMERON,

ff Secretary of War,

" Washington, D. C."

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His health was completely shattered —
from the fearful responsibility resting upon
him for so many months, acting upon a con
stitution enfeebled from want of food and
sleep. But when the Legislature of Kentucky
notified him through the President that he
was the only Union officer whom the State
would allow to raise troops within her terri
tory, he answered the call. He did not care
or think of himself, his whole heart and soul
were absorbed in his determination to save his
State " from the sin of secession," and he ac
complished the task. After organizing the
Army of the Cumberland, and leaving his old
Lieutenants Thomas and Sherman to go on
with the work — then and not until then was
he forced to ask to be relieved. He was never
after that date on active service. But what
a glorious war record! He saved his coun
try's honor in Charleston Harbor, and kept
old Kentucky a Union State.

I want also to emphasize with the readers
of this generation certain things that were

16

not fully understood by men whose loyalty
was of a less exalted type than that which char
acterized Anderson. He was born in Ken
tucky, but the early influences that surrounded
him were all in favor of the support of the
Union. Anderson knew no North and no
South. When still young he left home for
West Point, and from the time of his entry
into the army to the close of his service his
duties had carried him into nearly every part
of the United States.

He was nothing of a politician. He never
voted in his life, having an old-fashioned idea
that a soldier owed his allegiance to the Gov
ernment no matter of what party, and that
therefore he had no business to have any
political bias.

His feeling about the duty of a soldier
can be well illustrated by his remarks to
an officer from the South, who said that
while he loved the flag, he loved his State
better, and who had convinced himself that
his duty lay with his State. Major Ander-

17

son's reply was: ' The selection of the
place in which we were born was not an act of
our own volition; but when we took the oath
of allegiance to our Government, it was an
act of our manhood, and that oath we cannot
break."

An expression has been quoted by some who
could not understand his absolute devotion to
the cause of the Union. The words were:
" My heart is not in this war." I quote what
my father often said and what he felt from
his very heart. His love was for the whole
country.

" Our Southern brethren have done griev
ously wrong, they have rebelled and have at
tacked their father's house and their loyal
brothers. They must be punished and
brought back, but this necessity breaks my
heart." Is this loyalty or treason?

On the 14th of April, 1865, the original
flag which had been taken down by Major
Anderson was again raised by him over the
ruins of Fort Sumter. I give a facsimile of

18

the order for the raising. That flag now
rests in a glass case in the office of the
Secretary of War in Washington with this
inscription :

" This flag floated over Fort Sumter, South
Carolina, during the bombardment April 12th
and 13th, 1861, and upon the evacuation of
the fort, April 14th, 1861, was saluted and
lowered by Major Robert Anderson, First
U. S. Artillery, Commanding. On April
14th, 1865, Brevet Major-General Anderson
raised this same flag and planted it upon the
ruins of Fort Sumter, when it was saluted
by one hundred guns and by a National
salute from every fort and battery that fired
upon Fort Sumter."

To all children of the present day, I com
mit this brief sketch of the services rendered
by Major Anderson to his country during the
bombardment of Fort Sumter. Let his ex
ample of devotion as a Christian, as a soldier,
and as a patriot be for you a guide and in
centive. Never forget that this Christian

19

soldier loved his country next to his God.
Take for your watchword the words of Mr.
Crittenden in his farewell address to the
Senate :

" Long after Fort Sumter shall have crum
bled away, brightly will stand forth the ex
ample of Anderson as that of a soldier true
to his standard, and of an American true to
his country."

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