Fort Sumter, Buchanan, and the collapse of compromise

Bruce Catton turns the Fort Sumter crisis into a study of political institutions under pressure. Major Robert Anderson's move from Fort Moultrie to the stronger Fort Sumter changes the military balance in Charleston Harbor and forces James Buchanan to respond. South Carolina's representatives say the move violated a presidential pledge, while Buchanan must also account for the state's seizure of other federal property. Cabinet resignations and appointments shift the administration toward a firmer Union position as it debates reinforcement, withdrawal, and the danger of bloodshed. Personal honor, constitutional authority, and military initiative steadily narrow the room for compromise.