There were contradictions about the 'climate' ....
December 18, 1860
....it may be proper that I should state that Captain
Foster mentioned to me this morning that he had obtained yesterday from the Charleston Arsenal forty muskets for Fort Sumter and Castle Pinckney, and that they had been brought down without causing any excitement. He said that they were delivered in compliance with an order issued, I think, before my arrival. This evening he showed me a letter from the military storekeeper, which stated that the fact of his having sent off those muskets had produced great excitement in the city, and that he had felt obliged to pledge his word that they should be returned by tomorrow night. He states that Colonel Huger had directed him not to let any arms be removed from the arsenal....
ROBERT ANDERSON,
Major, First Artillery, Commanding.
-----------------------------------
December 20, 1860.
...I should have mentioned above that on the 19th, when in town to see General Schuierle and allay any excitement relative to the muskets, I found to my surprise that there was no excitement except with a very few who had been active in the matter, and the majority of the gentlemen whom I met had not even heard of it....
Captain Foster, U.S. Engineers
____________________
David Upton