Telegrams were hard to keep secret, too many non-interested parties involved; i.e. the orders from Washington to re-enforce Pickens came overland.

Do you believe that Slemmer had no immediate reason to move from Barrancas to Pickens, much like I believe Anderson had no legitimate reason to move from Moultrie to Sumter; other than his own unprovable fears? I ask this because I have neglected to set in my mind or failed to study the messages and orders between the U.S. forces at Pensacola and Washington with as much effort as those between Anderson and his superiors (I'll get around to it); enough at least to form a firm opinion. This comparision is an interesting possibility that I had not thought of.

David