Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1861-01-08

forts in Charleston hsrbor, and 4 have certainly
never authorized any change to be made In their
relative military status. Bearing upon this sub
ject refer you to order issued by the Secretary
OF w ar, on the 18th inst TO Major Anderson, but
not brought TO my notice until the 2ist inst. 1t
| Is Memorandum of Verbal Instructions to Majc,
Andsrson, Fist A,t,iiers, Commanding Fort
Mositris, SeutA Carolina:
Secretary of war that a coli;sisp Of the troo o
with the people Of this State shall be avoided
| and Of his studied determination to pursue
course with reference to the military force and
forts In this harbor which shall guard against
such collision. He has, therefore, carefully ab.
stained from increasing the force at this point or
taking any measure which might add to the
present excited state of the public mind or which
would throw any doubt on the confidence be feels
that South Carolina will not attempt by violence
to obtain possession of the public works or inter.
fere with their occupancy.
"But as the counsel and acts of rash and i'm
pulsve persons may possibly disappoiat these
expectations Of the government he deems IL
proper that you should be prepared with instruc-
lions TO meet SO unhappy contingency He has,
structions I'M
"Iou are carefully to avoid every act which
woa,a heedlessly tend to provoke aggression. and
LOT mat reason you are not without necessity to
take up any position which could be construed
into the assumption Of hostile attitude; but yot
are to hold possession of the forts in this har6of
ana ad II auacked you are to defend yourself to the
"The smallness Of your force will not permit
YOU, perhaps, to occupy more than Of the three
fo!e, but an attack on, attempt to take possss-
sion Of either Of them, will be regarded as an act
OF hostility, and you may then put your command
into either OF them which yoa NAV deem rr ost
proper 70 increase Its power Of resistance. You
are also authorized 10 take similar steps whenever
you nave tangible evidence Of design to pro-
ceeo 10 hostle act I'D. p. BUTLER,
Assistant Adjutant-G eneral
Fort Moultrie, s. c., Dec. IL, 1860
"This is in conformity TO my instructions to
Major Buell.. "JoHy b. FLoyn.
Secretary of War;
These were the last instructions Transmitted To
Major Anderson before his removal to Fort sum
ter with single exception, in regard to a par-
tcular which does not in any degree affect the
present question Under these circumstances II
is clear That Major Anderson acted upon his own
responsibility and without authority unless in
deed, he had tangible evidence Of design to
proceed to hostile act the part Of the author
tiles Of South Carolina, which has not been
alleged. Still he is brave and honorable officer
and justice requires that he should not be con.
demned without fair hearing.
Be this as 1t may, when learned that Major
Anderson had left Fort Moutrie and proceeded
10 Fort Sumpter, my first promptings were to
command him to return to his former position,
ana there await the contingencies presented in
MS Instructions. This would only have been
done with any degree of safety to the command
by the concurrence of the South Carolina author
iues But before any steps could possibly have
been taken in this direction, we received infor-
nation that the " Palmetto flag hoated out TO the
breeze at Castle PinckneY, and large military
force went over last night 1.-THE 27th) to Fort Moul-
Thus, the authorities Of South Carolina with.
out awaiting or asking for any explanations and
doubtless, believing you expressed IT, that the
ofhcer bad acted not only without, but against
my orders, on the very next day after the night
when tue rem oval was made, seized by a military
force two of the three federal forts In the harbor
OF Charleston, and have covered them under their
own flag, instead of that of the United State, At
this gloomy period of our history startling events
succeed each ether rapidly.
On the very day, the 9th inst, that possession
OF these two forts was taken, the Palmetto flag
was raised over the Federal custom house and post
onice In Charleston, and on the same day every
on1cer of the customs-collector naval officer sur
veyor and apPraiser-resigned their Offices And
this, although 1t was well known, from the Ian.
guage or my message, that, an Executive
ohcer, felt myself bound to collect the revenue
at the port Of Charleston under the existing laws
In the harbor of Charleston we now find three
forts confronting each other, over all of which
| the Federal flag foated only four DAYS ago; but
| now, over two Of them, this flag has been sum-
planted, and the Palmetto flag has been substi-
| tuted In its stead.
1t Is under all these circumstances that am
| urged Immediately to withdraw the troops from
| the harbor Of Charleston, and am informed that
negotiation Is impossible This cannot do; this
| | will not do. Such an idea was never thought
| Of by me in any possible contingency No such
| allusion had been made In any communicate
between myself and any human being But the
Inference Is that . am bound to withdraw the
troops from the only fort remaining In the posses
sion OF the United States in the harbor of Charles
| ton, because the officer there in command OF ali
the forts thought proper without instructions, TO
change bis position from one Of them to another
AT this point Of writing have received infor.
nation by telegraph from Captain Humphrey, In
command Of the arsenal at Charleston, that ait
has to day Sunday Both, been taken by force of
arms" Ii is estimated that the munitions of war
belonging to the United States in this arsenal are
worth half million Of dollars
Comment 10 needless. After this information I
have only to add that whilst 1t is my duty to de-
fend Fort Sumter, as portion Of the public pro-
perty of the United States against hostile attacks
| from whatever quarter they may come by such
means as may possess for this purpose, do not
perceive how such a defence can be constr led
into menace against the city of Charleston
With great personal regard, remain yours very
| respectfully JAMES Buchanan
Adams, James L. Orr.