CHAPTER XXIII

THE BEGINNING OF THE CIVIL WAR

Secession of the Cotton States. In 1860 Abraham Lincoln1 was elected President by the Republican party, which was opposed to any extension of slavery, and whose extreme members wished to abolish it in the territory where it then existed. When this occurred, the cotton states gave up hope of enjoying longer fraternal union with the North, and decided to exercise their reserved right of secession, thinking that this course of action was best for their peace and prosperity. South Carolina acted first, passing an ordinance of secession on December 20, 1860. She was followed by Florida, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, and Texas. The movement proceeded quietly, due observance being paid to legal form. The seceded states then formed a new union, called the Con

1 Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865) was born in Kentucky. His parents were of humble origin, and too poor to educate him. He attended school one year only, and after this educated himself. When he was seven years old, his father moved to Indiana, where he spent his early life in hardship and toil. In 1830, the Lincoln family went to Illinois; and, on this journey, young Lincoln walked the whole distance, driving an ox team. He then helped his father build a log cabin, and split rails to inclose a little farm. In 1834, he began to study law, and by borrowing books soon acquired knowledge enough to be admitted to the bar. He next turned his attention to politics; and, after this, his life was a succession of promotions. He was elected to the Legislature, then to Congress, and, in 1860, we find him President of the United States. He was noted for rugged strength and straightforwardness of character, his friends calling him "Honest Abe."

federate States of America, with Jefferson Davis1 of Mississippi as president.

Virginia's Effort for Peace. For a time there was a prospect of bringing the sections together again, and Virginia earnestly desired to do this. She believed in the right of secession, but she doubted the expediency of the act. In addition to this, she was deeply attached to the Union for whose establishment she had done so much. Animated by her love for it, she, through her General Assembly, recommended the holding of a Peace Conference to be participated in by all the states, to settle "the present unhappy controversy in the spirit in which the Constitution. was originally formed." This convention met in Washington, but failed in its efforts to restore harmony.

Diplomacy. After the inauguration of President Lincoln, the Confederate government sent commissioners to Washington to arrange for a peaceable settlement of all questions at issue between the two governments. One thing asked for was the evacuation of all the forts in the territory of the seceded states that were still in possession of the United States. Fort Sumter in Charleston harbor was one of these; and Mr. Seward, Secretary of State under Lincoln, gave assurance2 that the fort would be

1 Jefferson Davis (1808-1889) was a Kentuckian by birth, but when he was a few years old his father moved to Mississippi. He graduated at the United States Military Academy, after which he served for five years in the Indian wars in the West. He then resigned his commission in the army and became a cotton planter in Mississippi. He was elected to Congress; but resigned his seat to serve in the Mexican War, in which he rose to distinction. Later he was elected to the United States Senate. On the formation of the Southern Confederacy he was elected president, and he filled this office till the end of the Civil War. He died in Mississippi in 1889.

2 The assurance that Fort Sumter would be evacuated was given by Mr. Seward to Judge Campbell, who conveyed the information to the commissionSee "Three Decades of Federal Legislation," by S. S. Cox, pp. 147, 148.

ers.

with alacrity to a call made by President Lincoln, during the excitement following the bombardment, for seventyfive thousand troops to reestablish the Federal authority in the Southern states.

Secession of Virginia. When President Lincoln called for troops, Virginia had to decide whether she would remain in the Union or join the Southern Confederacy. Up to this time she had steadily refused to secede. A convention, which had been called in view of the impending crisis, had refused to pass an ordinance of secession by a vote of eighty-nine to forty-five; but two days after Lincoln called for troops, this same convention passed the ordinance by a vote of eighty-eight to fifty-five. When the ordinance was submitted to the people, it was ratified by a large majority, and the state took her place in the Southern Confederacy. Her Heroic Action. This was Virginia's decision when called upon to help make war upon the states further south. She took her action deliberately, well knowing that she would be attacked on the north, east, and west, and would be the battlefield of a war which, if long continued, would be most destructive to her prosperity, let the end be what it might. There is recorded in history no greater act of self-sacrifice than that of Virginia in withdrawing from a Union she did not wish to leave, in order to help other states defend what she had always maintained was her right and theirs.

Actions of Other States. Virginia's example in leaving the Union was followed by Arkansas, Tennessee, and North Carolina. Kentucky wished to remain neutral, but was overrun by Federal troops. So altogether eleven states seceded and twenty-three remained in the Union.

Return of Virginians. In the Federal army and navy there were a number of distinguished Virginia officers,

who, at the opening of the war, had to determine to which side they should render allegiance. There were but few who did not decide that

after their state had left

the Union they no longer owed fealty to the United States. So there was a return of Virginians to defend their native land. Some had already distinguished themselves in the service of the United States, but were destined to win yet greater military renown in the Civil War. Distinguished Leaders who came to Virginia. Among those who resigned. commissions in the United States army were General Albert Sidney Johnston,1 the commander of the military district of the Pacific, and that able and cautious soldier, General Joseph E. Johnston,2 who became the first com

Joseph E. Johnston

1 Albert Sidney Johnston (1803-1862) was born in Kentucky, but was of New England descent. In his early life, he was described as "a handsome, proud, manly, earnest, and self-reliant boy." He was educated at West Point, where he showed great talent for mathematics. He served with distinction in the Black Hawk war and in the Texas war for independence. When General Johnston reached Richmond, he was assigned by President Davis to the command of the Confederate forces in the West. In 1862, he was wounded in the battle of Shiloh and bled to death upon the field. In his death the Confederacy sustained a severe loss. He was a man of courteous manners and of noble and commanding appearance.

2 Joseph E. Johnston (1807-1891), born in Prince Edward County, Va., was the youngest son of Major Peter Johnston of the Revolution. He was educated at West Point, and served with distinction in the Mexican