March 19, 1861 – Forts Sumter and Pickens

Special Despatch to the N. Y. Tribune

WASHINGTON, March 17. —The decision in regard to the withdrawal of Major Anderson’s command now rests exclusively with the President. He has had the fullest oral and written opinions of General Scott and the most skillful officers of the army, and the spoken and written counsel of every member of his Cabinet. No determination was reached yesterday. Mr. Lincoln is fully sensible of the important responsibility which rests upon him, and will decide finally with the full knowledge that he is to bear it before the country.

It is known that after a deliberate investigation of all the facts, the Cabinet, with one exception, approve the military judgment of Gen. Scott, and yield to it as a necessity which cannot be avoided. This almost unanimous concurrence on the part of men who have been supposed to regard this subject from opposite standpoints, and to hold different views of policy for its treatment, is sufficient to show that there must be the most sufficient reasons for this conclusion.