Defender of
Fort Sumter in 1861; born near
Louisville, Ky., June 14, 1805.
He was a graduate of
West Point Military Academy, and entered the artillery.
He was instructor for a while at
West Point.
He served in the
Black Hawk War q. v.), and in
Florida.
In May, 1838, he became assistant adjutant-general on the stair of
General Scott, and accompanied that officer in his campaign in
Mexico, where he was severely wounded in the battle of
Molino Del Rey (q. v.) In 1857 he was commissioned major of artillery, and in October, 1860,
Secretary Floyd removed
Colonel Gardiner from the command of the defences of
Charleston Harbor, because he attempted to increase his supply of ammunition.
and
Major Anderson was appointed to succeed him. He arrived there on the 20th, and was satisfied, by the tone of conversation and feeling in
Charleston, and by the military drills going on, that a revolution was to be inaugurated there.
He communicated his suspicions to
Adjutant-General Cooper.
In that letter
Anderson announced
to the government the weakness of the forts in
Charleston Harbor, and urged the necessity of immediately strengthening them.
He told the
Secretary of War that
Fort Moultrie, his Headquarters, was so weak as to invite attack.
“
Fort Sumter and Castle Pinckney,” he said, “must be garrisoned immediately, if the government determines to keep command this harbor.”
Fort Sumter, he said, had 40,000 lb. of cannon powder and other ammunition, but was lying completely at the mercy of an enemy.
He informed the
Secretary of evident preparations for a speedy seizure of the defences of the harbor by South Carolinians.
General Scott, aware of the weakness of the Sounthern forts, urged the government.
from October until the close of December.
to reinforce those on the coasts of the slave States.
But nothing was done, and
Anderson, left to his own resources, was; compelled to assume grave responsibilities.
He began to strengthen Castle Pinckney, near the city, and
Fort Moultrie.
When the
South Carolina ordinance of secession had passed, menaces became more frequent and alarming.
He knew that the convention had appointed commissioners to repair to
Washington and demand the surrender of the forts in
Charleston Harbor, and he was conscious that the latter were liable to be attacked at any moment.
He knew, too, that if he should remain in
Fort Moultrie, their efforts would be successful.
Watch-boats were out continually spying his movements.
He had applied to the government for instructions, but receive none.
and he determined to leave
Fort Moultrie with his garrison and take post in stronger
Fort Sumter.
This he did on the evening of Dec. 26.
The vigilance of the
Confederates had been eluded, They, amazed, telegraphed to
Floyd.
The latter, by telegraph, ordered
Anderson to explain his conduct in acting without orders.
Anderson calmly replied that it was (done to save the government works.
In
Sumter, he was a thorn in the flesh of the
Confederates.
Finally they attacked him, and after a siege and furious bombardment, the fort was evacuated in April, 1861.
In May, 1861, he was appointed a brigadier-general in the regular army, and commander of the Department of the Cumberland, but failing health caused his to retire from the service in 1863, when he was brevetted a major-general.
In 1868 he went to
Europe for the benefit of his health, and died in
Nice, France, Oct. 27, 1871.
See
Pickens, Fort;
Sumter, Fort. 
