Unknown to Robert Anderson, January 21, 1861

. Sm. In offering to permit you to purchase in this city, through the instrumentality of an officer of the State, such fresh supplies of provis- —_ jons as you might need, his excellency the governor was influenced solely by considerations of courtesy; and if he had no other motive for refusing to any of your garrison free access to the city to procure such supplies, he would have been moved by prudential reasons for the safety of your people, in preventing a collision between them and our own citizens. As to the manner of procuring your supplies, his excellency is indifferent whether it is done by the officer referred to, or whether your market supplies are delivered to you at Fort Johnson by the butcher – whom you say you have before employed. It is only insisted on that _ the supplies, if sent, shall be carried over it a boat under an oflicer of fithe the State who takes to Fort Johnson your daily mails. His excellency desires me to say that he willingly accedes to your request as to the women and children in Fort Sumter, and that he will afford every __ facility in his power to enable you to remove them from the fort at any _ time and in any manner that will be most agreeable to them. : 1 am, sir,

respectfully, yours,