In all of these orders I do not see where Anderson was authorized to abandon Fort Moultrie and occupy any other structure for his self defence. In fact he is ordered NOT to take any provocative actions and to surrender, if necessary, when faced with superior forces.

Was Anderson ever confronted with any such force before he evacuated Fort Moultrie? Could Anderson have requested that Governor Pickens to order the South Carolina Militia to protect Anderson's garrison in Fort Moultrie as a buffer from any hostile mob, as Governor Pickens did at the Charleston Arsenal?

In my experience the last orders recieved are the reliment orders. And all others orders when in conflict with the latest orders recieved are superceeded. Anderson with only 80 men could not have reasonably have hoped to have resisted an assualt from any position, including Fort Sumpter, without outside support, which he could not reasonable expect.

Given Buchanan's agreement with Governor Pickens regarding the military situation in Charleston that the United States would not fortify nor reenforce its garrisons in the Charleston area. Nor in any way change the military balance of powers within Charleston. Anderson's actions were entirely provocative in nature.

Didn't in fact Anderson violate all of his previous orders? And including the order to return to Fort Moultrie? His claim that Fort Moultrie was no longer serviceable was not the southerners fault. Wasn't it his actions which made Fort Moultrie unserveable?

Was the situation tense? Yes it certainly was. But I wonder how Major Anderson would have reacted as the Marine Commander of the American Embassy in Tehran, Iran during the Iranian Hostage crisis in 1978? Would he have disobeyed orders then and open fire on the Iranians who were climbing over the Embassy walls and gates?