Friday, January 9, 2026

Terrible Accident at Castle Pinckney.

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January 9, 1861, The Charleston Mercury We are pained to record, that, on Monday night, shortly after 10 o’clock, as one of the sentinels at Castle Pinckney was going on is rounds, he was approached by a person at the time unknown. The sentinel presented his musket in the act of challenging him, when the [...]

Civil War Day-by-Day

“Fires and Burglaries occur every night. I sleep with a loaded revolver within reach.”—Horatio Nelson Taft

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WEDNESDAY 9 Mr Thompson has resigned and another day has passed in the greatest anxiety of all classes to hear from Charleston, but there is no news from there today. The City is arming for self-protection and some Companys of U S troops are expected tomorrow. Fires and Burglaries occur every night. I sleep with [...]

Diary of US patent clerk Horatio Nelson Taft.

The Letters of Samuel Ryan Curtis

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H R Washington Jany 9. 1861 My dear Wife Your letter of the 2d and one from Goodi– on the subject of changing our household arrangements were received last night. I am inclined to think we had better give up housekeeping, some time soon, but I dislike to do so without some further reflection: for [...]

The Letters of Samuel Ryan Curtis

The Crisis

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January 9, 1861, The New York Herald WASHINGTON, Jan. 8, 1861. Secretary Thompson this morning called upon the President and showed him a despatch which he had just received from Judge Longstreet, of Charleston, desiring to know whether reinforcements had been sent to Major Anderson. The President at once informed him that the steamer Star [...]

Civil War Day-by-Day

The News

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January 9, 1861, The New York Herald The news from Washington is highly important. Mr. Thompson yesterday resigned his post as Secretary of the Interior. The despatch of reinforcements to Major Anderson at Fort Sumter by the Star of the West from New York is the cause of this step on the part of Mr. [...]

Civil War Day-by-Day

A Diary of American Events – January 9, 1861

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–Mississippi State Convention passed the ordinance of secession. Delegations from South Carolina and Alabama were invited to seats in the Convention. They were greeted with applause. Efforts were made to postpone action, which were voted down. The fifteen delegates who opposed the ordinance will sign it to-morrow, making the vote unanimous. Fireworks were displayed at [...]

The Rebellion Record – A Diary of American Events; by Frank Moore

Secretary of War denies information request of Senators from Florida—Operations in Florida

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WAR DEPARTMENT, Washington, January 9, 1861. Hons. D. L. YULEE and S. R. MALLORY: GENTLEMEN: In reply to your note of the 2d instant I have the honor to state that the interests of the service forbid that the information which you ask should at this moment be made public. Very, &c., J. HOLT, Secretary [...]

War of the Rebellion: from the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies and Navies

“They came to my door at the time above stated and demanded the keys of the magazine of me. I told them I would not give up the keys to any person with my life.”—The Secession of North Carolina

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FORT JOHNSTON, N. C., January 9, 1861–9 o’clock a. m. SIR : I have the honor to report herewith that this post has been taken possession of this morning at 4 o’clock a. m. by a party of the citizens of Smithville, N. C. They came to my door at the time above stated and [...]

War of the Rebellion: from the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies and Navies

Star of the West — Operations in Charleston Harbor

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FORT SUMTER, S.C., January 9, 1861. (Received A. G. O., January 12.) Col. S. COOPER, Adjutant General: COLONEL: I have the honor to send herewith the correspondence which took place to-day between the governor of South Carolina and myself in relation to the firing by his batteries on a vessel bearing our flag. Lieutenant Talbot, [...]

War of the Rebellion: from the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies and Navies

Affairs at the Forts

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January 9, 1861, The Charleston Mercury Up to one o’clock last night, when our reported left the vicinity of Fort Sumter and Morris’s Island, all was quiet in our harbor. The guard boats were actively plying up and down the entrance, overhauling every unknown craft. The rumors that the Star of the West would make [...]

Civil War Day-by-Day

Civil War Day-by-Day

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Firing on the 'Star of the West' from the South Carolina Battery on Morris Island, January 9, 1861

January 9, 1861 “Star of the West” incident occurs near Charleston, South Carolina. Secessionist forces in South Carolina fire at the Star of the West, forcing it to withdraw. Artillery fires on the Star of the West from Morris Island as it crosses into the main entrance channel to Charleston Harbor. As the ship comes [...]

Civil War Day-by-Day