Beschreibung:

Anderson, Robert (1805-1871). Union general during the Civil War, famous for being in command at Fort Sumter. DS as Brevet Major General, 1p, 7.75 x 9.75 in., Fort Sumter, SC. March 8, 1861. Twice-signed handwritten deposition sworn before Brevet First Lieutenant Truman Seymour who was present with Anderson at Fort Sumter. Anderson's statement was recorded by a secretary, but he has signed the document in his own hand. In the document, Anderson testifies that on December 26, 1860, his position at Fort Moultrie grew indefensible, prompting him to order "the evacuation of that Post and the transfer of the garrison to Fort Sumter, SC." Kentucky native General Robert Anderson was the commanding officer of US Army forces in Charleston when Confederate forces were ordered to capture Charleston Harbor's Fort Sumter in April of 1861. Thus the very first battle of the Civil War began on April 12, when Confederate forces commanded by Brigadier General P.G.T. Beauregard (who had been a student of Anderson's at West Point) opened fire on the fort. The battle ended when Anderson surrendered just two days later, realizing he was severely outnumbered. Though this was hardly a victory, Anderson's valiant defense made him a hero in the eyes of his compatriots, leading to his promotion to brigadier general on May 15 of that same year. Condition: Minor tears, particularly at creases, with off-center brown line running vertically the length of the document.