1. I have never found Anderson's reasons for moving to Fort Sumter, nor any detail on his knowledge about the proposed attack, who was going to attack him or how the attack was occur.

2. The excuse that Fort Moultrie was not defensible seems to be unfounded. From November to December Fort Moultrie had been made ready for defense by Captain Foster. All those things that had made it indefensible were fixed and detailed plans to eliminate the threat of exposed areas to elevated small arms fire made...

"SULLIVAN’S ISLAND, S. C., December 22, 1860.
Col. R. E. DE Russy
Commanding Corps of Engineers, U. S. Army, Washington, D. C.:

....

At Fort Moultrie I am still exerting myself to the utmost to make it so defensible as to discourage any attempts to take it. The wet ditch is now completed. The whole of the east front is now raised by solid merlons, two barrels high, and in three positions to a greater height to serve four cavaliers. The guns are provided with good siege-battery embrasures, faced with green hides, and two of them 18-inch howitzers, one in addition furnished with musket-proof shutters working on an axis, elevated over the throat of the embrasure by supports on each
side, and maneuvered by double bars extending back over the gun.

A field howitzer has been put in position on the parapet at the northeast salient by means of a palmetto stockade, so as to sweep the vicinity of that angle better than it was before. Traverses to intercept shot from
the sand hills have been placed on the parapet and upon the terrepleins.

The bridge connecting the barracks and guard-house is completed, the doors arranged with fastenings, doors cut through the partition walls of the barracks, trapdoors cut in the floors, and ladders made. The howitzers in the finished caponiere are pnt in good working order. The second caponiere was commenced yesterdiy morning, with a full force of masons, and by to-night was over six feet in height, with both embrasures completed. Major Anderson wanted me to adopt some more temporary construction, but I showed him that this would be far more valuable in the defense, and having the materials and masons ready, I
could construct it just as quickly and cheaply. On Monday I shall erect a lookout tower or sharpshooter stand on top of the guard-house, at Major Anderson’s request. I have stopped for the present the work upon the glacis in front of the sea front, and pnt all my force upon the above works. The glacis has, however, assumed fine proportions, and is in fact nearly completed. One-half of the interior slope is well sodded, and half of the glacis slope covered with mnck six inches thick.

It will take very little work to complete the whole of it as soon as the present pressing work is finished.

Very truly, yours,
FOSTER,
Captain, Engineers."

3. Now I know Anderson understood his orders and knew he could not act without orders...

December 22, 1860

Anderson...

" I think that I could, however, were I to receive instructions so to do, throw my garrison into that work, but I should have to sacrifice the greater part of my stores, as it is now too late to attempt their removal. Once in that work with my garrison I could keep the entrance of their harbor open until they construct works outside of me, which might, I presume, prevent vessels from coming into the outer harbor.

ROBERT ANDERSON,
Major, First Artillery, Commanding."

---------------------------

But he reverses himself after he moved his command to Fort Sumter...

"The governor of this State sent down one of his aides today and demanded, “courteously, but peremptorily,” that I should return my command to Fort Moultrie. I replied that I could not and would not do so. He stated that when the governor came into office he found that there was an understanding between his predecessor and the President that no re-enforcements were to be sent to any of these forts, and particularly to this one, and that I had violated this agreement by having re-enforced this fort. I remarked that I had not re-enforced this command, but that I had merely transferred my garrison from one fort to another, and that, as the commander of this harbor, I had a right to move my men into any fort I deemed proper. I told him that the removal was made on my own responsibility, and that I did it because we were in a position that we could not defend, and also under the firm belief that it was the best means of preventing bloodshed...Anderson"

This seems to imply that Anderson either had a personality change or someone convinced him after December 22, 1860 that he alone had the authority to destroyed and abandon government property and to move his forces into Fort Sumter.
_______________________
David Upton