Anderson's Letter On the morning after the inaugural festivities, Lincoln went to his office and found a report from Major Robert Anderson , written on February 28, which had reached Washington on Inauguration Day. Anderson reported that he had made an examination of his provisions and found that his supplies would be exhausted in about four to six weeks. Equally disconcerting, Anderson reported that he and his staff agreed that it would take a considerable land and naval force to relieve and reinforce the fort. Lincoln presented the information to General Winfield Scott for evaluation and received a gloomy response that evening. Scott, who had earlier advised the reinforcement of Sumter , now stated th at the time had passed to save the fort.
Evacuation seems almost inevitable . . .
It had been established by the Buchanan ad ministration following the movement of federal troops to the fort from the mainland.