Fort Moultrie, while giving a very hesitating approval of the
application, expressed "_grave doubts of the loyalty and reliability
of the workmen engaged on the fort_," and closed his letter (dated
November 8th) by recommending that the garrison of Fort Moultrie should
be reinforced, and that both Fort Sumter and Castle Pinckney should be
garrisoned by companies _sent at once_ from Fortress Monroe, at old
Point Comfort. A few days later he ordered the ordnance officer at the
Charleston office to turn over to him, for removal to Fort Moultrie, all
the small arms and ammunition which he had in store. The attempt to make
this transfer was successfully resisted by the Charleston mob.

This evidence of loyalty on the part of the commanding officer of the
troops in Charleston harbor was not appreciated at Washington. His
removal was promptly ordered by the Secretary of War. The officer thus
summarily dealt with was Lieutenant-Colonel J.C. Gardner, First
Artillery, U.S.A., a native of Massachusetts, and an old veteran of the
war of 1812. Thus, so far as history reveals, was a son of the old Bay
State the _first_ to resist the encroachments of the Southern
conspiracy. It is worthy of note, also, that the removal of Col. Gardner
was in a measure due to the recommendation of Major (afterwards General)
Fitz John Porter.

Major Robert Anderson was ordered, on November 15th, to take command of
Fort Moultrie. He was chosen probably in the belief that, being a
Southern man, he would eventually throw his fortunes with the South. On
the 21st of November Major Anderson arrived at the fort, and on the 23d
of the same month he wrote to Secretary Floyd as follows:--


Fort Sumter and Castle Pinckney _must_ be garrisoned immediately