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FORT MOULTRIE, SULLIVAN'S ISLAND, S.C.,
December 20, 1860.
Colonel R.E. DE RUSSY,
Commanding Corps of Engineers, U.S. Army, Washington, D.C.:
COLONEL: I have the honor to inform you that, after closing my letter to you last night, I received (at 2 a.m.) a telegraphic dispatch from the Secretary of War, of which the following is a copy:
"Captain JOHN G. FOSTER.
I have just received a telegraphic dispatch informing me that you have removed forty muskets from Charleston Arsenal to Fort Moultrie. If you have removed any arms, return them instantly.
Answer by telegraph.
JOHN B. FLOYD,
Secretary of War."
To this I immediately replied as follows:
"Honorable J.B. FLOYD,
Secretary of War, Washington, D.C.
I received forty muskets from the arsenal on the 17th. I shall return them in obedience to your order.
J.G. FOSTER,
Captain, Engineers."
It may be well here to explain more fully than I have heretofore done the circumstances connected with this issue of muskets to me. The Ordnance Department on the 1st of November directed that forty muskets should be issued to me. I did not receive them at that time, because Colonel Gardner, commanding at Fort Moultrie, objected to the issue on the ground that it appeared like arming my employs. On the 17th instant I went to the arsenal to obtain two guns which were required at Fort Sumter, and which Colonel Huger had directed to be delivered to me. While there I recollected that the ordnance sergeants at Fort Sumter and Castle Pinckney had applied to me for the arms to which they were entitled, and I asked the military storekeeper in charge of he arsenal for two muskets and accouterments for the those two sergeants. He replied that he had no authority for the issue of two muskets for this purpose, but that the old order for forty musket was on file, and the muskets and accouterments ready packed for delivery to me. So I received them, and after issuing the two muskets to the two ordnance sergeants at Fort Sumter and Castle Pinckney place the remainder in the magazines of those two forts. They were nothing of Colonel Huger's assurances to the governor of the State that no arms should be removed from the arsenal; neither did Captain Humphreys, military storekeeper. Consequently, I was surprised to receive his letter of the 18th, which I inclosed to you yesterday, desiring to have the muskets returned. My reply was also inclosed to you. What followed was as is described in the commencement of this letter.
To-day at 3 o'clock I received another letter from Captain Humphreys, a copy of which is inclosed, as is also my reply.
I should have mentioned above that on the 19th, when in town to see General Schnierle 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.
The order of the Secretary of War of last night I must consider as decisive upon the question of any efforts on my part to defend Fort Sumter and Castle Pinckney. The defense now can only extend to keeping the gates closed and shutters fastened, and must cease when these are forced.
I do not think that I am authorized to make the preparations for extreme measures described in my letter of yesterday, but shall wait until I receive your reply.
I would earnestly, but respectfully, urge that definite instructions be given me how to act in the emergency which, from the eagerness with which rumors and other causes are seized upon to maintain and increase the political excitement, will probably arise sooner or latter. Until I am directed to the contrary, I shall continue the work as at present on Fort Sumter and the preparations for the defense of Fort Moultrie.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
J.G. FOSTER,
Captain of Engineers.
[Inclosure No. 1.]
| December 20, 1860 - Captain F.C. Humphreys to Captain John Foster
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CHARLESTON, S.C., December 20, 1860.
Captain J.G. FOSTER,
U.S. Engineer Corps:
DEAR SIR: During an interview with Governor Pickens this morning he asked me whether or not I could state authoritatively that there had not been twenty enlisted men sent from Fort Moultrie to Fort Sumter. I told him that my conviction was that such was not the case, and that I heard you make the statement yesterday to General Schnierle that you had but one enlisted men at Fort Sumter.
The governor requested as a favor that such assurance should be given him over the signature of an officer of the Army, and knowing that you requested General Schnierle to write you should any rumor obtain concerning you, I make known Governor Pickens' desire to you, and respectfully suggest that you send him immediately (as he said it was important that he had a [denial] of the rumor by night) such communication as you may deem best in the premises.
I regret exceedingly that you deemed it necessary to refer the matter of the issue of the forty muskets, &c., to Washington, for I know that such representations have gone on to the Department as will cause unnecessary excitement, and insure a censure of my course in the matter from the Ordnance Department.
Very respectfully, yours,
F.C. HUMPHREYS,
Military Storekeeper Ordnance, U.S. Army.
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[Inclosure No. 2.]
| December 20, 1860 - Captain John Foster to Captain F.C. Humphreys
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 Click for full-sized scanned image Union Correspondence, etc.
FORT MOULTRIE, S.C., December 20, 1860.
Captain F.C. HUMPHREYS,
Military Storekeeper, U.S. Ordnance Corps:
DEAR SIR: I have received your letter of this date. I regret that I cannot accede to your request to write to the governor-elect of South Carolina and assure him that twenty enlisted men had not, as he had heard, been sent from Fort Moultrie to Fort Sumter. As the governor of a State that has by an ordinance to-day decided to secede from the Union, I cannot, I conceive, properly communicate with him in matters of this kind, except through the Government at Washington.
I regret exceedingly that an unfounded rumor of this kind should have obtained the serious attention of the governor of South Carolina. I, as the officer in charge of Fort Sumter, can assure you that no enlisted men have been transferred from Fort Moultrie to Fort Sumter.
With respect to the issue of the muskets, I consider that you only performed your duty in obedience to existing orders. I certainly think that I did mine. As to my after action in referring the matter to Washington, I am of course, the only one responsible. You cannot, therefore, be censured without cause.
Truly yours, in haste,
J.G. FOSTER,
Captain, Engineers
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[Indorsement]
| December 24, 1860 - Captain Horatio Wright to Secretary John Floyd
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ENGINEER DEPARTMENT, December 24, 1860.
Respectfully submitted to the honorable Secretary of War for his information, and with the earnest request that the instructions solicited by Captain Foster may be promptly given.
H.G. WRIGHT,
Captain of Engineers, in charge.
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