But, as the counsel of rash and impulsive persons may
possibly disappoint these expectations of the Government, he deems it
proper that you should be prepared with instructions to meet so unhappy
a contingency. He has, therefore, directed me, verbally, to give you
such instructions.
"You are carefully to avoid every act which would needlessly tend to
provoke aggression; and, for that reason, you are not, without evident
and imminent necessity, to take up any position which could be construed
into the assumption of a hostile attitude; but you are to hold
possession of the forts in this harbor, and, if attacked, you are to
defend yourself to the last extremity. The smallness of your force will
not permit you, perhaps, to occupy more than one of the three forts; but
an attack on or attempt to take possession of either of them will be
regarded as an act of hostility, and you may then put your command into
either of them which you may deem most proper, to increase its power of
resistance. You are also authorized to take similar defensive steps
whenever you have tangible evidence of a design to proceed to a hostile
act.
"D. P. Butler, _Assistant Adjutant-General_.
"Fort Moultrie, South Carolina, _December 11, 1860_.
"This is in conformity to my instructions to Major Buel.
"John B. Floyd, _Secretary of War_."
These were the last instructions transmitted to Major Anderson before
his removal to Fort Sumter, with a single exception in regard to a
particular which does not, in any degree, affect the present question.
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