Doyle's post below makes sense. I have found no real records that tell of the events surrounding the surrender of the Aresnal in December of 1860 but I have to wonder what the 'climate' was in Charleston in November that may have given Anderson any reason to believe an attack was coming soon. The condition of Moultrie had to have been known by the locals so a military smart move would be to move to Sumter, but then again, it sure looked like a set up to start something. What that something may be (at that time) from Anderson's view is what we don't know. Do we have any knowledge of any 'private' communications he may have had from Washington? "Ordinary channels"? Wonder how much communication was done by other means and what it was?
Pam