United States Civil War (1861 – 1865) in Real Time

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United States Civil War (1861 – 1865) in Real Time



The United States Civil War (1861 – 1865) in Real Time uses the following sources for its daily updates:

Timeline of events leading to the American Civil War (Wikipedia)

American Civil War (Wikipedia)

American Civil War High Command Chronology

CENTER FOR THE STUDY OF THE CIVIL WAR ERA

American Civil War Timeline - American Civil War .com

Civil War Timeline - National Park Service

House Divided

American Civil War Society - On This Day

The American Presidency Project - Abraham Lincoln

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Events leading up to the United States Civil War, November 6th 1860

Abraham Lincoln wins the 1860 presidential election on a platform that includes the prohibition of slavery in new states and territories and with it will become the 16th President of the United States and the first ever from the Republican Party. The Republican ticket received 1,866,452 votes and 180 electoral votes in 17 of the 33 states. The Northern Democratic ticket of Stephen A Douglas, Illinois, and Herschel V Johnson, Georgia, received 1,376,957 votes, and only 12 electoral votes. The Southern Democratic ticket of John Cabell Breckinridge, Kentucky, and Joseph Lane, Oregon, received 849,781 votes and 72 electoral votes from 11 of the 15 slave states. The Constitutional Unionist Party’s John Bell, Tennessee, and Edward Everett, Massachusetts, received 588,879 votes and 39 electoral votes.

Map: results of the 1860 election



South Carolina

The South Carolina state legislature met to choose Presidential electors and voted for John Cabell Breckinridge and Joseph Lane for President and Vice-President, respectively. Governor William H Gist recommended in his message that in the event of Abraham Lincoln’s election to the presidency, a convention of the people of the state be immediately held to consider and determine for themselves the mode and measure of redress. He expressed the opinion that the only alternative left was the “secession of South Carolina from the United States Union.”

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Events leading up to the United States Civil War, November 7th 1860

South Carolina

Charleston authorities arrest a Federal officer who had attempted to move supplies to Fort Moultrie from Charleston Arsenal.

United States officials resigned in Charleston.

Georgia

Georgia Governor Joseph E. Brown delivers his long Special Message on Federal Relations encouraging separate state action on secession rather than waiting for a convention of Southern states to jointly decide the issue. His message points out, among many positive issues, Southern economic strength and it ends with "To every demand for further concessions, or compromise of our rights, we should reply, 'The argument is exhausted,' and we now 'stand by our arms.'"

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Events leading up to the United States Civil War, November 8th 1860

Georgia

The Georgia state legislature met to discuss secession.

The first flag of independence raised in the South, by the citizens of Savannah.

Drawing: A view of the public meeting in Johnson Square, Savannah, prompted by news of Lincoln's election, where a resolution was adopted for a state secession convention. In the nocturnal scene, the square is crowded with animated spectators surrounding an obelisk, where a banner emblazoned with the image of a coiled rattlesnake and the words "Our Motto Southern Rights, Equality of the States, Don't Tread on Me" is displayed. The scene is lit by fireworks and a bonfire. The old City Exchange building is visible beyond the monument

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Events leading up to the United States Civil War, November 9th 1860

District of Columbia

Outgoing President James Buchanan convenes a cabinet meeting to discuss the national crisis that has been unleashed in the wake of Lincoln’s election. Like the country as a whole, his advisors are split over the issue of secession. Buchanan proposes a convention of the states with the object of hammering out a compromise. Secretary of State Lewis Cass (MI) argues that the Union should be preserved at all costs, even if that means using force. Attorney General Jeremiah Sullivan Black (PA) shares Cass’ opinion. Postmaster General Joseph Holt (KY) opposes both secession and Buchanan’s idea for a convention. Secretary of the Treasury Howell Cobb (GA) believes secession is legal and necessary. Secretary of the Interior Jacob Thompson (MS) agrees with Cobb and says any show of force by the U.S. government will force his native Mississippi out of the Union. Secretary of War John Floyd (VA) opposes secession because he believes it is unnecessary. Secretary of the Navy Isaac Toucey (CT) endorses Buchanan’s convention idea.

South Carolina

Both of South Carolina’s senators, James Chesnut, Jr. and James H. Hammond, resign their seats.

A false report that U.S. Senator Robert Toombs of Georgia has resigned reaches Columbia, South Carolina.

The Palmetto Flag of South Carolina is raised over the Charleston harbor batteries.

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Events leading up to the United States Civil War, November 10th 1860

South Carolina

The South Carolina legislature calls for an election on December 6 for delegates to a convention for December 17 to consider whether the State should secede from the Union.

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Events leading up to the United States Civil War, November 11th 1860

Nothing to report.

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Events leading up to the United States Civil War, November 12th 1860

Virginia

In Preston County, Western Virginia holds its first organizational meeting, expressing a desire to "adhere to the Union".

Georgia

Commencement of an entire week of speeches debating secession before the Georgia legislature in Milledgeville. This was a critical debate since Georgia, Empire State of the South, had the largest population and strongest economy in the lower South.

Georgian Thomas Read Roots Cobb's secessionist speech to the Georgia legislature and guests in Milledgeville. This rousing speech pointed out, among other things, flagrant Northern violations of the Constitution, Northern hatred being promoted at all levels toward the South, Northern fanatical abolitionism, possibility of a wall of free states around the Cotton States, and warns of the "gory head" of civil war.

New York

Prices on the New York financial market drop sharply due to heavy selling.

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Events leading up to the United States Civil War, November 13th 1860

South Carolina

Francis W Pickens was elected Governor of South Carolina.

The South Carolina state legislature voted to raise 10,000 volunteers to defend the state.

Georgia

At the end of a fiery, pro-secession speech, Robert Toombs of Georgia announces his resignation from the U. S. Senate at the end of his term.

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Events leading up to the United States Civil War, November 14th 1860

Georgia

Alexander Stephens gives a response to Toombs' speech the day before, telling state lawmakers at Milledgeville that he does not believe that “good governments” can be created or sustained out of the “impulse of passion.” He expresses a preference to leave threats to the U.S. Constitution to the “fanatics of the North.”

The Georgia legislature calls on the Deep South states to send delegates for a meeting to form a separate confederation.

Mississippi

The Governor of Mississippi "issued a call for a special session of the legislature on November 26 to consider necessary future safeguards for Mississippi."

Alabama

The Governor of Alabama says he will call for an election on December 6 or December 24 for delegates to a convention to meet on January January 7,1861 to consider whether the State should secede from the Union.

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Events leading up to the United States Civil War, November 15th 1860

South Carolina

Major Robert Anderson of the First United States Artillery, a 55-year-old career army officer from Kentucky, was ordered to take command of Fort Moultrie and the defenses in Charleston Harbor, including Fort Sumter.

Florida

United States Navy lieutenant Thomas A Craven, commanding US Naval Forces at Key West, Florida notified Secretary of the Navy Isaac Toucey that he had moved to prevent the seizure of Forts Taylor and Jefferson. Craven defended Fort Jefferson in USS MOHAWK and lieutenant Fabius Stanly of USS WYANDOTTE held Fort Taylor. This enabled the Union to retain the vital Key West posts, which dominated maritime commerce in the Gulf of Mexico.

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Events leading up to the United States Civil War, November 16th 1860

Nothing to report.

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Events leading up to the United States Civil War, November 17th 1860

South Carolina

South Carolina unanimously adopted an Ordinance of Secession.

South Carolina - New York Tribune article dated, November 17, 1860

A few days after Lincoln's election, the New York Tribune published an article by its secret Charleston, South Carolina, correspondent reporting his views of the political situation in that city.

"As near as I can learn," said the correspondent, "a very practical view is taken by the people of South Carolina of the difficulty in which they are placed in the Union. I will try to give it."

He reported an interview he had with a planter "from Wadboo Bridge" who, he said, had a large plantation on Cooper River and owned 2,000 slaves. Wadboo Bridge was probably where the road (the present highway 402) crossed Wadboo Creek, a point about 29 miles North of Charleston as the crow flies.

"Why do you wish to go out?" asked the correspondent. "Lincoln may make a good and a just President."

"That is not the thing," replied the planter, "most of us planters are deeply in debt; we should not be if out of the Union. We should have a direct trade with Europe. We should get a better price for our cotton, and our goods would cost us 50 per cent less than now."

This was a precise and succinct statement of the true reasons for secession. The mathematical relationship between tariff rates and cotton prices confirms that his expectation of higher cotton prices was well founded.

Direct trade with Europe would have brought, among many other benefits, British iron at about half the cost of American iron.

The planter recognized the reality that the balance of power to control tariff rates had irrevocably shifted away from the South. "It don't make much difference what Lincoln does," he said. "We want to secede. We must do it now or never. If we don't secede now the political power of the South is broken."

To explain to the correspondent the effects of the shifting balance of power, the planter recounted how New England had lost its control of political power to the South and the West. "Once New-England was a power in the State," he said. "She made Congress pass just such laws as she pleased. She has had her Adamses, her Websters, and her Tariffs. What is she now? Merely New-England. No power; no one regards her. So it will be with the South if we do not go out now. I say we, for the South will go with us."

There were three factors that bore away southern political control. The population growth in the North in the 1860 census gave it more members in the House of Representatives. Several northern senators who voted with the South lost office in the 1860 elections. The country elected a president who would certainly sign the tariff bills demanded by his party. It meant that tariff rates would rise and cotton prices would plunge, impoverishing cotton planters who were already in debt because of the existing tariff.

That dismal reality contrasted starkly with the bright hope of prosperity in a separate southern confederacy whose trade with Europe was not hopelessly fettered by protective tariffs.

The planter explained his agency theory of the national government as a legal justification for secession. "The United States was nothing more than an agent," he said, "appointed by South Carolina and the other States, and now the agent has become master, tyrant, and dictator to the principals. The State won't stand it."

It was a weak theory of constitutional law. But it was the best the planter had. The real defect lay in the U.S. Constitution that permitted the national legislature to lay on heavy tariffs for the benefit of a few in the North at the cost of impoverishing the vast agriculltural industry. Against a northern government determined to crush rebellion by military might and impose heavy tariffs, the legal exercise was futile.

After reporting further the planter's explanation of his agency theory and his expectation of commercial prosperity, the correspondent concluded: "This ended the conversation, and I send it to you as correctly illustrating the opinions prevailing in this city with regard to the great question disunion."

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Events leading up to the United States Civil War, November 18th 1860

Georgia

The Georgia convention called for, and the legislature appropriated, $1,000,000 to arm the State.

Florida

The Florida legislature voted to call a convention.

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Events leading up to the United States Civil War, November 19th 1860

Georgia

Secessionist Speech of Georgian Henry L. Benning to members and guests of the Georgia legislature in Milledgeville, going into great detail on the amount of Southern wealth flowing north in the form of bounties, tariffs, subsidies, etc.