As many journalists might tell you, significant news rarely occurs around Christmas, when families gather to celebrate. However, in Charleston in 1860, the atmosphere was tense. On December 20, South Carolina had seceded from the United States, and the Secession Convention was deliberating over the fate of U.S. military properties in the new republic, particularly the Arsenal on Ashley Avenue and three forts: Fort Moultrie, Castle Pinckney, and Fort Sumter. These installations were designed to protect against naval attacks, not landward assaults.
At that time, Castle Pinckney was primarily a storage facility, while Fort Sumter was still under construction. Fort Moultrie was the only active military fortress, housing 65 to 80 members of the 1st U.S. Artillery Regiment under Maj. Robert Anderson.
Believing that secession was imminent, South Carolina’s congressmen met with President James Buchanan on December 10, demanding the surrender of the forts and arsenal. Although Buchanan was reluctant to provoke a civil war during his final days in office, he also refused to relinquish control of the forts. He assured South Carolinians that he would not reinforce Charleston’s forts until a peaceful transfer could be arranged, provided they promised not to attack the forts in the meantime.
Prior to the secession vote, Maj. Anderson had reached out to Washington expressing concerns about the security of Fort Moultrie and requesting reinforcements. Buchanan's response on December 11 instructed him to hold the forts and defend them if attacked. He emphasized that Anderson could choose the safest fortification for his troops. The message put the responsibility on Anderson: “You are also authorized to take similar steps wherever you have tangible evidence of a design to proceed to a hostile act.”
Let’s take a moment to examine who Maj. Robert Anderson was. While figures like Lincoln, Davis, and Lee are well-remembered, Anderson's role is less known. His decisions on December 26 would change the course of American history.
Born near Louisville, Kentucky, Anderson’s father had served as an aide-de-camp to Marquis de Lafayette during the American Revolution. He graduated from West Point in 1825 and returned to teach military strategy. He distinguished himself in the Mexican War, where he was wounded, and served in the Black Hawk War, coincidentally inducting Abraham Lincoln into military service. After capturing Black Hawk, Anderson and Col. Jefferson Davis escorted the prisoner to detention.
Major Robert Anderson
Credit: Mathew Brady
Anderson, a skilled strategist, published a military textbook in 1839 and taught notable students, including Pierre G.T. Beauregard. In November 1860, just after Lincoln’s election, Anderson was assigned to command U.S. forces in Charleston, a decision reflecting his solid military reputation and Southern background.
Anderson with his wife, Eliza Bayard Anderson, and son, Robert Jr.
On Christmas Day 1860, Anderson considered his options based on Buchanan's last correspondence. Aware that Fort Moultrie was vulnerable to land attacks, he felt he had “tangible evidence” of a hostile threat. Consequently, he decided to move his men to the more defensible Fort Sumter. He informed Washington of this move, stating his men had four months’ worth of supplies.
By the night of December 26, Anderson and his troops were prepared to transfer to Fort Sumter. Capt. Abner Doubleday, later credited with inventing baseball, recalled, “I have determined to evacuate this post immediately, for the purpose of occupying Fort Sumter; I can only allow you twenty minutes to form your company and be in readiness to start.”
Captain, later Major General Abner Doubleday
Doubleday noted that a small group remained at Fort Moultrie to destroy its heavy cannons, ensuring they couldn't be used by the Confederates. Many Charlestonians viewed Anderson’s move as a provocation, believing he had violated the agreement with Buchanan.
President Buchanan reacted strongly to the news, convening his cabinet on December 27, the same day Charleston militia seized Castle Pinckney and Fort Moultrie. The next day, Buchanan declared Washington’s refusal to surrender Fort Sumter. The stage was set for a confrontation.
Robert Anderson's telegram announcing the surrender of Fort Sumter
Maj. Robert Anderson is now commemorated with a monument atop Fort Sumter in Charleston Harbor, a testament to his pivotal role in this crucial moment in American history.
Major Robert Anderson is honored with his likeness inscribed in a monument atop Fort Sumter in Charleston harbor
