The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1861-01-11

ry status. Bearing upon this subject,
refer you to an order issued by the Secre-
tary OF War, on the 18th inst, to Major
Anderson, but not brought to my notice
until the 2lst inst. II is as follows: Memo
randam Of Verbat Instructions to Major Ander-
son, Isl Artillery, Commanding Fort Mouitrie,
South Cirohna
You are aware Of the great anxiety of
the Secretary of War that q collision of
tne troops with the people of this State
snail be avoided, and of his studied deter
mination to pursue course with refer
ence to the military force and forts in this
haroor which shall guard against such
collision. lie has, therefore, carefully alb
stained from increasing the force at this
point, or taking any measures which
might add to the present excited state of
the public mind, or which would throw
any doubt on the confidence he feels that
South Carolina will not attempt by vio-
lence to obtain possession of the public
works or interfere with their occupancy.
" But as the counsel and acts of rash
and lmpulsive persons may possibly dis
appoint these expectations of the Govern
ment, he deems it proper that you should
be prepared, with instructions to meet so
unhappy a contingency. He has, there
fore, directed me verbally to give you
such instructions.
which would nceGlessly tend to provoke
aggression, and for that reason you are not.
without necessity. to take up any position
which could be construed into the as
sumption of a hostile attitude; but YOU
are to hold possession of the forts in this
harbor, and if attacked you are to defend
yourself to the last extremity.
"The smallncss of your force will not
permit you, perhaps, to occupy more than
one of the three forts, but an attack on,
or attempt to take possession of either of
them, will be regarded us an act of hos
tllity, and you may then put your COM
mand into either of them which you may
deem most proper, to increase its power
or resistance. You are also authorized to
take similar steps whenever you have tan
gble evidence of design to proceed to a
hostile act. ID. p. BUTLER,
Assistant Adjutant-General."
Fort Moultrie, S. G., December IL, 1860"
This is in conformity 10 my instructions
to Major Buell.. JOHN b. FLOYD,
Secretary of War"
These were the last instructions trans
mittcd to Major Anderson before his re-
moval to Fort Sumter, with single en-
ception, in regard to a particular which
does not in any degree effect the present
question. Under these circumstances, it
is clear that Major Anderson acted upon
his own responsibility and without author
ity, unless, indeed, he had tangible evil
dence OF n design to proceed to n hostile
act" on the part of the authorities of
South Carolina, which has not been al.
legged. Still he is a brave and honorable
officer, and justice requires that he should
not be condemned without fair hearing.
BE this as it may, when learned that
Major Anderson had left Fort Moultrie
and proceeded to Fort Sumpter my first
promptings were to command him to re-
turn to his former position, and there to
await the contingencies presented in his
instructions. This would only have been
done, with any degree of safety to the
command, by the concurrence of the
South Carolina authorities. But before
any steps could possibly have been taken
in this direction, we received information
that the Palmetto flag fioated out to the
breeze at Castle Pinckney, and large
military force went over last night 1.-THE
27th} to Fort Moultrie."
Thus, the authorities of South Carolina.
without waiting or asking for any expla-
nations, and, doubtless, believing as YOU
have expressed it, that the officer had
acted not only without, but against my
orders, on the very next day after the
night when the removal was made, seized
by military force, two of the three Fed
eral forts in the harbor of Charleston, and
covered them under their own flag, in
stead of that of the United States. At
this gloomy period of our history, start
ling events succeed each other rapidly.
On the very day, the 9th instant, that
possession of these two forts was taken,
the Palmetto flag was raised over the Fed
eral Custom House and Postoffice in
Charleston, and on the same day every
officer of the Observation-Disclosures, Naval OH
GERS resigned. And this, although it was
well known from the language of my Mes
sage, that, as an Executive officer, felt my.
self 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 Hoated only
four days ago; but now, over Two of them
this flag has been supplanted, and the
Palmettof flag has been substituted in stead.
1t is under all these circumstances that
am urged Immediately to Withdraw the
troops from the harbor of Charleston, and
am informed that without this, negotia-
ton is impossible. This cannot do: this
/ will not do. Such an idea was never
thought of by me in any possible emer-
geDcy. No such allusion had been made
in any communication between myself
and any human being. But the inference
is, that am bound to withdraw the troops
from the only fort remaing in the posses
sion of the U. $. in the harbor of Charles
ton, because the officer there in command
of all the forts thought proper, without
instructions, to change his position from
one of them to another
At this point of writing have received
information by telegraph, from Captain
Humphreys, in command of the Arsenal
at Charleston, that sit has to-day Sunday
the 30th,) been taken by force OF arms"
1t is estimated that the munitions of war
belonging to the United States in this Ar
senal are worth half million of dollars.
Comment is needless. After this infor-
nation, have only to add, that whilst it
is my duty to defend Fort Sumter, as q
portion of the publicpropcrty of the Unit
ed States, against hostile attacks from
whatever quarter they may come, by such
means as l may possess forthis purpose,
do not perceive how, such defence can
be construed into amenace against the
city of Charleston.
With great personal regard, remain
yours very respectfully,
JAMES BUCHANAN.
To the Honorable Robert Barnwell,
James II. Adams, James L. Orr.
Gov. Jackson's Message.
81 To,,;s Ton Gov Joolson,u ,,asS