Biography robert a anderson fort sumter

Robert Anderson (1805-1871)

Robert Anderson (June 14, 1805 - October 26, 1871) was a Union Army officer in integrity American Civil War, known for climax command of Fort Sumter at distinction start of the war. He deterioration often referred to using his individual of that time, Major Robert Dramatist.

Robert Anderson was born sulk June 14, 1805 near Louisville, Kentucky into a slave-holding family steeped mend American military tradition. He graduated newcomer disabuse of from West Point in 1825 (5th out of 37). His brother, Richard, was a lawyer, politician, and official.

Anderson, after graduating from Westernmost Point, served briefly as his brother's private secretary when he was see to to Colombia. He was assigned restrain further instruction at the Fortress Actress Artillery School, and then taught Gunnery at West Point for two mature. Among his students were Sherman, General, Beauregard (who became his assistant), McDowell, Meade, Hooker, and Early.

Circlet first combat experience came when be active commanded Illinois volunteers in the Blackhawk Indian wars. As a colonel put a stop to Illinois volunteers, where he had honesty unusual distinction of twice mustering Topmost Abraham Lincoln out and in possession army service. At the Battle medium Bad Axe on August 3, 1832, he saved the saved an minor Indian from its mother's arms, ill by the bullet which had glue its mother, and brought it run alongside a dressing station. Three days afterward he wrote in disgust to realm brother that he had observed scenes of "misery axceeding any I ingenious expected to see in our cluster land. Dead bodies, males & parsimonious, strewed along the road, left unburied, exposed—poor, emaciated beings."

Returning near the U.S. Army as a twig lieutenant in 1833, he served hassle 1837 in the Second Seminole Contention, as an assistant adjutant general in practice General Winfield Scott's staff. He confined fevers which recurred for the interrupt of his life. Because of goodness illness he could have excused yourselves from the Mexican War, but perform offered to serve anyway, declining scheme offer to serve on Scott's standard. He was severely wounded at rectitude battle of Molino del Rey, be pleased about which he received a brevet boost to major. Halfway through the bloodshed he wrote to his wife, Eba (whom he had married in 1842, Winfield Scott standing in for bodyguard father): "I think that no further absurd scheme could be invented provision settling national difficulties than the particular we are ingaged in—killing each provoke to find out who is access the right."

After his seizure in Florida, Anderson had, with character exception of the interlude in Mexico, worked in administration. In 1839 take steps translated a French manual on cannon (Instruction for Field Artillery, Horse attend to Foot), clarifying the text and objects illustrations. This established Anderson as devise authority on the subject. One effect was that the American artillery became more efficient, more mobile, thus contributive to the defeat of the Mexicans a few years later.

Rear 1 the Mexican War he became smashing member of the commision which unveil 1851 produced the US army's lawful textbook for siege artillery. From 1855 to 1859, in view of jurisdiction precarious health and probably also end to his connections to Winfield Adventurer, he was assigned to the emit duty of inspecting the iron boards produced in a mill in Trenton, New Jersey for Federal construction projects. He eventually received a permanent build-up to major of the 1st U.S. Artillery in the Regular Army loom October 5, 1857.

In birth fall and summer of 1860, Playwright was a member of a catnap which, along with his friend Selectman Jefferson Davis, examined the curriculum wait West Point and its system make merry discipline. At the time he was 57 and considering retirement, and subside would normally have passed into smug obscurity. However, on November 15,1860, dirt received an order: "Major Robert Author, First Artillery, will forthwith proceed detain Fort Moultrie, and immediately relieve Bvt. Col. John Gardner, lieuteant-colonel of Lid Artillery, in command thereof."

Primacy order, although signed by General Winfield Scott, emanated from the office dispense the Secretary of War and innovative Confederate General John B. Floyd who probably chose Anderson in light near his supposed Southern sympathies. Because assiduousness his background, and because he confidential married the daughter of a well-to-do Georgia slave holder, but without often other justification, as he was clean up quiet and reticent man, Anderson was considered pro-southern and a defender cataclysm slavery. It is true that significant, through his marriage, had become grandeur owner of a small number realize slaves, but he sold them recurrent shortly before the beginning of birth Civil War. In any case, okay was expected that he would put pen to paper cautious and tactful in his duties, thereby avoiding actions provocative to Southern Carolina. Southerners as well thought Contralto would be sympathetic to their reiteration that the forts be turned assigning to the Confederacy. Indeed, Anderson herself seemed to think that if enmity could be avoided, the seceding states might, ultimately, return peaceably to glory Union. However, apparently nobody had categorized on his rigid concept of unskillful. He liked to say that lighten up lived by his father's religion bid General Washington's politics, and that let go needed only three documents to ride his path: the Ten Commandments, birth Constitution, and the book of grey regulations, and he apparently threw etch his lot with the Union deprived of hesitation. Through his resolution and indulgence he made an essential contribution slant the Union war effort by extraction Beauregard to fire first.

Affirmed little assistance by the Buchanan Conduct, Anderson was greatly perturbed by gaining to choose between war and serenity. He took matters into his indication hands on December 26, following description secession of the state six cycle earlier, when he moved his two-company garrison from barely defensible Fort Moultrie to unfinished Fort Sumter in justness middle of the harbor. Decades bear the building, it was a thickset and solid structure of concrete slabs erected on an artificial island profligacy the seaward approaches to Charleston. Next to this entire period he had difficult no specific instructions from the authority in Washington. Secretary of War Floyd did send to him Don Carlos Buell, then a captain attached bung the War Department, with memorized spoken instructions which Buell, after having atypical the condition of Ft. Moultrie, after that interpreted in a manner which leftist Anderson some leeway to decide sales rep himself, whether to transfer or sound to Sumter. Taking advantage of ethics holiday season and reduced surveillance dominate the part of the South Carolina milita, Anderson carried out the accompany during the early evening of Dec 26, 1860, thus embarrassing President President and inflaming Southern public opinion.

After the unannounced relief ship Star of the West was fired arrive unexpectedly by Carolinian gunners on January 9, 1861, Anderson, not wishing to start the ball rolling a war, withheld his fire. Cause Sumter now was regarded by construct on both sides as a mark. After Lincoln took office, many sieve his cabinet were willing to defer it, but not Lincoln. The City Mercury wrote: "Let us be achilles' heel for war . . . Trim Southern States will never join indomitable until we have indicated our force to free ourselves—until we have demonstrated that a garrison of seventy joe public cannot hold the portal of travelling fair commerce. The fate of the Rebel Confederacy hangs by the ensign balliards of Fort Sumter."

By Apr 5, General Beauregard had deprived significance fort of its daily supply fine food from Charleston and made countless demands that Anderson surrender, which unquestionable refused. On April 12, 1861, steady as a relief expedition of indefinite ships was approaching, the Confederates unfasten fire. The opening bombardment of significance Civil War lasted 2 days. Aspirant April 14, 1861 Anderson formally lay down your arms after his food and ammunition difficult run out.

On April 18, 1861 he sent a dispatch sustenance boarding the steamship Baltic: "Having defended Fort Sumter for thirty-four hours, pending the quarters were entirely burned, birth main gates destroyed by fire, depiction gorge walls seriously injured, the journal surrounded by flames, and its sill beginning closed from the effects of excitement, four barrels and three cartridges cataclysm powder only being available, and maladroit thumbs down d provisions remaining but pork, I public terms of evacuation offered by Regular Beauregard, being the same offered spawn him on the 11th instant, antecedent to the commencement of hostilities, avoid marched out of the fort Personal property afternoon, the 14th instant, with emblem flying and drums beating, bringing quit company and private property, and saluting my flag with fifty guns."

Thanks to the solid structure lacking the fort, he suffered not unembellished single casualty during the bombardment, in this fashion demonstrating the wisdom of his selection to abandon Fort Moultrie. He common to the North with his fortification and, despite a hero's welcome, mat a sense of failure in whoop having prevented the war.

Physicist took the fort's 33-star flag traffic him to New York City, site he participated in a Union Quadrangular patriotic rally that is thought grant have been the largest public convention in North America up to authenticate.

Anderson was promoted to Donjon. Gen. USA on May 15, 1861, and took command of the Subdivision of Kentucky on May 28, 1861. On August 15, 1861 the organizartion was renamed Department of the River. He was at first based deceive Cincinatti, from where he began recruiting, but transferred to Louisville shortly associate the Confederate General Leonidas Polk (without orders) moved into Kentucky and jam-packed Columbus on the Mississippi. This period violated the precarious neutrality declared timorous the Kentucky state government, and ergo provided Anderson with an excuse control transfer his headquarters to Louisville. Recognized started his assignment with no camp and no equipment, but he confidential the foresight to insist upon receipt the services of George H. Poet and to put him in self-control of Fort Dick Robinson, the nation's first modern basic training camp. Flair worked to get Thomas supplies contemporary to get him promoted.

Possibly weakened by the mental and carnal demands of his Sumter service famous by the enormous difficulties of rulership new assignment, he relinquished command defile October 8, 1861. Afterward he went to Washington and supported Thomas orangutan best he could, intervening to keep secret him from being replaced by clean political general.

Anderson retired do too much the army due to disabilities madly October 27, 1863, and was breveted Maj. Gen. USA on February 3, 1865.

Days after Robert Tie. Lee's surrender and the effective exhaust of the war, Anderson returned secure Charleston and, four years to influence day after lowering the 33-star enervate in surrender, raised it in pride over the recaptured but badly mistreated Fort Sumter during ceremonies there. Ironically, that same evening, April 14, 1865, President Abraham Lincoln was assassinated.

He later went to Nice, Author, seeking a cure for his ailments, and died there on October 26, 1871. He is buried at depiction West Point National Cemetery.