At the point in time that Anderson wrote this just what exactly did he expect to do with less than 75 men? The South Carolina government didn't have to attack him to force him to surrender the fort. He could have been more easily blockaded at Fort Moultrie than he was at Fort Sumter.

The South Carolina leadership were, even as you said, sending people to Washington to discuss the future of these forts. Anderson was saying, "If we neglect, however, to strengthen ourselves, she (South Carolina)will, unless these works are surrendered on their first demand, most assuredly immediately attack us." Clearly an overstatement of fact.

Well that statement was, in my opinion, aimed straight at President Buchanan. It was an Army Major telling the President to "get-off-the-stick". The fact of the matter South Carolina had done nothing except talk about their possible secession had they?

This communication, he knew, would ultimately find its way to Buchanan's hands, which was the President he was talking about not Lincoln. Buchanan at this time in November was attempting to hold a non aggressive course. To not be provocative and allow things to maybe settle down so that maybe South Carolina would not carry through on it threat to secede. This is why he and the SC Govenor reached the agreement Not to change the military balance in Charleston in early December. Governor Pickins honored his end of the bargain. He had not called up the SC militia until Anderson did what he did. Anderson's moving to Sumter violated that agreement.

Was Anderson trying to push Buchanan into sending reinforcements? And if Buchanan had, what would than have done? It would have effectively thrown gasoline on a smoldering fire and accomplished what Lincoln had already said he would do. Again a show of force simular to Andrew Jackson solution to the nullification crisis of 1832.

It would seem what we have going on here is a dangerous game of Brinksmanship. Of sending messages "through normal channels" which Anderson knew was probably not secure. And manuvering for position to maybe cause Buchanan to act in a manner that would fit into the Lincoln/Scott plans of operation.

What I see is a continuing series of provactive events by Anderson prior to his unilateral move to occupy Fort Sumter. All of them counter productice to Buchanan's efforts to calm South Carolina fears.