ANDERSON, ROBERT. 



19 



eral Atkinson. The war against the Sac In- 

 dians having terminated, he passed the follow- 

 ing three years in the performance of garrison 

 and ordnance duties, and the succeeding two 

 at the Military Academy in giving instructions 

 in the department of artillery. In 1837-'38 he 

 served in the Florida War, was engaged in sev- 

 eral sharp actions with the Seminoles, and for 

 his gallantry and successful conduct during 

 these hostilities was brevetted captain April 2, 

 1838, the date of his capture of forty-five In- 

 dians near Fort Lauderdale. From May 9 to 

 July 7, 1838, he was aide-de-camp to Major- 

 General Scott during the emigration of the 

 Cherokees to the west of the Mississippi, and 

 at the latter date, on the reorganization of the 

 staff of the army, was made assistant adjutant- 

 general, continuing on duty with General Scott 

 at New York, the headquarters of the Eastern 

 Department, until July, 1841, when he became 

 a member of a board of officers to examine his 

 own translation from the French of " Instruc- 

 tion for Field Artillery Horse and Foot," 

 which he had prepared for the service of the 

 United States and published in 1840. This 

 work he supplemented in 1860, with a trans- 

 lation of "Evolutions of Field-Batteries." He 

 was promoted October 23, 1841, to a captaincy 

 of artillery, preferring which he accepted his 

 line and relinquished his staff appointment. 

 Until 1847 he was engaged on board and gar- 

 rison duties, and then joined his old com- 

 mander in his great campaign in Mexico, con- 

 tinuing with him from the siege of Vera Cruz 

 until disabled by a severe wound received Sep- 

 tember 8, 1847, in assaulting the enemy's works 

 at Molino del Rey, where, for his bravery, he 

 was brevetted a major. After recovering from 

 his wound he was placed on garrison and ar- 

 tillery board duty until July 11, 1853, when he 

 became governor of the branch military asylum 

 at Harrodsburg, in his native State, an institu- 

 tion of which he was the founder. After hold- 

 ing this appointment until November 1, 1854, 

 he was put on various board and inspection 

 duties until the autumn of 1860, in the mean 

 time, October 5, 1857, being prompted major 

 of the First Artillery. Holding this rank, he 

 was selected by General Scott, with whom he 

 had always been a favorite, to command the 

 United States troops in Charleston harbor, 

 where there was already a speck of war ap- 

 pearing above the horizon. General Scott 

 selected Major Anderson for this position, 

 from his full confidence in his integrity, though 

 knowing him to be extensively connected with 

 the South both by birth and marriage. Owing 

 to the directions of John B. Floyd, Buchanan's 

 Secretary of War, Anderson was not allowed 

 a battalion, but only two skeleton companies 

 (80 officers and men in all), and November 20, 

 1860, made his headquarters at Fort Moultrie, 

 appealing constantly, but in vain, to the Gov- 

 ernment for reinforcements and supplies. 

 Deeming Fort Moultrie untenable, under the 

 threatened assault of the secessionists, he 



transferred his entire command to Fort Sum- 

 ter, during the night of December 26th, taking 

 with him all the provisions, munitions, etc., 

 that could be conveniently transported. The 

 removal was effected by means of two schoon- 

 ers, which made several trips during the night, 

 passing directly by the harbor guard-boat Nina, 

 and affecting no concealment. The news of 

 this movement roused the nation to the con- 

 sciousness of approaching hostilities. The se- 

 cessionists assailed the major as guilty of a 

 "gross breach of faith," while in the loyal 

 States it was hailed as an act of judicious pa- 

 triotism. The firm attitude and unfaltering 

 loyalty of Anderson during the succeeding 

 days soon brought matters to a crisis. He gave 

 formal notice to Gov. Pickens, of South Caro- 

 lina, that he was determined to replenish his 

 nearly exhausted supply of provisions. This the 

 secessionists were determined not to tolerate, 

 and General Beauregard, who had telegraphed 

 Major Anderson's decision to Montgomery, re- 

 ceived orders thence to demand the prompt 

 surrender of the fort, and, in case of refusal, 

 to reduce it. The demand was accordingly 

 made at 2 p. M. on April llth, and courteously 

 declined. General Beauregard at 11 p. M. again 

 addressed Major Anderson, asking him to state 

 at what time ho would evacuate Fort Sumter, 

 if unmolested, and was answered that he 

 would do so at noon on the fifteenth, should he 

 not have received " controlling instructions " 

 from the national Government, or additional 

 supplies. This answer was deemed unsatisfac- 

 tory, and, at 3.20 A.M. of the 12th, Major An- 

 derson was duly informed that fire would be 

 opened on Fort Sumter in one hour. What 

 followed is best told in the brief report which 

 Major Anderson sent to the Government: 



STEAMSHIP BALTIC, OFF SANDY HOOK, ) 

 April 18, 1861. f 

 The Hon. 8. Cameron, Secretary of War : 



SIB : Having defended Fort Sumter for thirty-four 

 hours, until the quarters were entirely burned, the 

 main gates destroyed, the gorge-wall seriously in- 

 jured, the magazine surrounded by flames, and its door 

 closed from the effects of the heat, four barrels and 

 three cartridges of powder only being available, and 

 no provisions but pork remaining, I accepted terms of 

 evacuation offered by General Beauregard (being the 

 same offered by him on the llth instant, prior to the 

 commencement of hostilities), and marched out of 

 the fort on Sunday afternoon, the 14th instant, with 

 colors flying and drums beating, bringing away com- 

 pany and private property, and saluting my flag with 

 fifty guns. 



EGBERT ANDEKSON, Major First Artillery. 



The day after leaving Fort Sumter, Ander- 

 son, with his little tried band of seventy men, 

 sailed for New York, where he was most en- 

 thusiastically received, the city authorities 

 marking their approbation of his services by 

 conferring upon him the freedom of the city. 

 In 1865 he was permitted to hoist the Union 

 flag again over th.e ruins of Fort Sumter. 



President Lincoln, in recognition of Ander- 

 son's services, appointed him, May 15, 1861, a 

 brigadier-general in the Regular Army, and 



