New York, December, 1862.
Hon. E. M. Stanton,
Secretary of War.
Sir: Although
by the strict advice of my medical advisers I am prevented from undertaking any
correspondence, the subject upon which I now have the honor to address you is
one involving so much that I am induced to incur a risk, in order to bring it
to your notice. I have observed in published Orders No. 181 that the brevet of
major for the distinguished part taken by him in the transfer of the garrison
of Fort Moultrie to Sumter, South Carolina, has been conferred upon Captain
John G. Foster, Engineer Corps, to date from December 26, 1860. It is proper
that I should here refer to the part taken by the different officers in that
move; the only part Captain Foster took in the removal was his compliance with
my request in directing Lieutenants Snyder and Meade to report to me with their
boats' crews to aid in the move. To Lieutenants Snyder and Meade we were
greatly indebted for their active and laborious exertions in making the
transfer. I regret more deeply that neither of those officers can receive the
favorable notice of our Government; the former is dead, and the latter has left
our service. Assistant Surgeon Crawford returned to Fort Moultrie on the 27th,
and was very active in sending over some ammunition, which was of material and
essential service to us during our fight; and articles which Lieutenant Hall,
to whom I was greatly indebted for his activity and energy in sending off the
greater part of the stores which I had been unable to take over. From this it
will be seen that if the Department desires to reward any officers for this
service, that Brevets should be conferred upon those just named.
In my letters to the Adjutant-General, whilst at Fort
Sumter, numbered 43, 44, 45, 58, 62, 74, 54, 66, 83, 93, and 94, I make a
special mention of the services of Captain Seymour, Dr. Crawford, Lieutenants
Snyder and Meade; these officers, in addition to their appropriate duties,
contributed in no small degree to the maintenance of our position at Fort
Sumter, and whose service deserves a special mention from me. If the Government
deems any brevets due, it is to these officers.
It will be seen by reference to my letters I have mentioned,
I have in letter No. 83 given credit to Captain Doubleday for an important
suggestion; I now take advantage of this occasion to renew the commendation
thus made, and to respectfully recommend that as a measure of justice to the
officers named, a brevet, to date from April 14, 1861, should be bestowed
either upon those of whom a special mention is made, or, as an act of justice to
all, each one of the officers under my command should alike receive a brevet;
and I again implore the Department that the distinction now contemplated for
one only of the officers shall not be bestowed alone, it being in my estimation
neither deserved upon his part nor just to his brother officers. As this matter
has become the subject of official notice, it renders it more important that I
should, as soon as possible, undertake an official report of the closing scenes
of the occupancy of that work, which I have been thus far prevented from
complying with from the strict orders of my physician. As soon as I can write,
with the assistance of my friends I will make the report.
Very respectfully,
Robert Anderson,
Brigadier-General.
Letter No. 54, thanks to Dr. Crawford, and to Lieutenant
Snyder, and Lieutenant Meade.
SOURCE: Samuel Wylie Crawford, The Genesis of
the Civil War: The Story of Sumter, 1860-1861, p. 471-2