The Commissioners, acting as intermediaries for the Confederate government, visited Secretary of State Seward on March 15, 1861, to discuss the escalating tensions and the possibility of peaceful negotiation. Their goal was to avert war and find a resolution through diplomatic channels. However, despite Seward’s political acumen, he informed them that he could not secure an audience with President Lincoln due to opposition from within the Cabinet. Instead, Seward attempted to defuse the situation by suggesting that if President Jefferson Davis had full knowledge of Washington’s political climate, he might not have sent the commissioners. Seward also suggested that the evacuation of Fort Sumter was the most the administration could agree to, a statement that was surprising to the commissioners. The mention of “evacuation” was unexpected, and Campbell, one of the commissioners, saw it as crucial information. He asked for permission to share this with his fellow commissioners, with Seward affirming that Fort Sumter would be evacuated within five days, but he also emphasized that Seward lacked the authority to give such assurances.

Campbell, believing the evacuation information to be important, conveyed it to Martin Crawford, another commissioner. At first, Crawford was skeptical about Seward’s claims, but Campbell remained confident that the evacuation was imminent. He argued that pressing Washington for an immediate response to their demands could backfire, making it harder for the commissioners to secure any formal recognition. Therefore, the commissioners opted to exercise patience, hoping that waiting would lead to a more favorable outcome and better relations with Washington. They sent a telegram to their Secretary of State, Toombs, explaining their decision and their belief that waiting would increase their chances of receiving a positive response. The growing political tension between the Union and the Confederacy hung heavily in the air as the commissioners cautiously navigated their options, aware that their next moves could significantly affect the course of events.

Meanwhile, Seward, in a bid to address the commissioners’ demands, drafted a formal memorandum but chose not to deliver it directly. He feared that providing such a document would be seen as an official recognition of the Confederacy, which he wanted to avoid. Instead, Seward stored the memorandum in the State Department’s archives, where it would remain for over three weeks without being acted upon. He believed that if tensions were allowed to subside naturally, the commitment to secession would fade over time, and the crisis might resolve itself without further escalation. Seward’s decision to withhold the memorandum reflected his belief in a slow diplomatic approach, hoping that avoiding direct confrontation would eventually ease the situation. However, as the days passed, it became clear that this strategy may have been too passive given the mounting pressure from both sides, and the political landscape continued to shift toward a potential military confrontation.

At Fort Sumter, Captain Anderson’s situation became increasingly dire as he surveyed the fort’s dwindling supplies. When he requested an inventory of the provisions, he was alarmed to find that only twenty-six barrels of salt pork and six barrels of flour remained. The fort’s condition was deteriorating rapidly, and the men stationed there were suffering from illness, further exacerbating the crisis. Rumors of a potential surrender began to circulate, adding to the uncertainty and tension surrounding the fort. Captain Foster, however, remained resolute and refused to yield to the rumors, continuing to reinforce the fort’s defenses while simultaneously preparing for the possibility of evacuation. The situation at Fort Sumter exemplified the dire conditions faced by the Union forces, as they struggled to hold onto the fort with dwindling resources and rising threats. The fort’s fate hung in the balance as both sides awaited the inevitable decision on how to proceed, with the commissioners in Washington and the troops at Fort Sumter caught in the crossfire of political and military uncertainty.