In December 1860, he was serving as an aide to the governor of South Carolina and the following April participated in the negotiations between the governor's office, South Carolina military authorities, and the Union commander of Fort Sumter in Charleston Harbor.
I december 1860 gjorde han tjeneste som hjælper for guvernøren i South Carolina, og i april året efter deltog han i forhandlinger mellem guvernørens kontor, de militære myndigheder i South Carolina og kommandanten på Fort Sumter i Charlestons havn.