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 [...]

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. [...]

–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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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, [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

January 8th, 1866.—This is Aunt Sue’s birthday and she has invited us to spend it with her. We accepted with pleasure. It is the first time I can remember that she did not spend her birthday with us, but we have no servants. Mrs. James sends milk for Father every night and morning. She, (fortunate [...]

January 8th, 1861.—We are at home again after a day filled to overflowing with excitement and interest. We were in such a hurry to get to town that the convention had not assembled when we reached the Capitol. There were groups of men talking earnestly and there were other men running hither and thither with [...]

January 8, 1861, The New York Herald We have learned, from information gathered from gentlemen recently arrived from the city of Charleston, some few later details relative to that part of South Carolina, which we believe will be interesting to most of our readers. People belonging to the city and State of New York, and [...]

1861. January 8.–South Carolina, it appears, adopted her Ordinance of Secession on the 19th of December, unanimously. It has been hailed with exultation in most of the Southern States. Mr. Mason rather intimates that the movement is designed to compel adequate concessions from the North, or to form a basis upon which the confederacy may [...]

TUESDAY 8 The weather has been moderate today M[ercury]. 44—Streets muddy, and the crossings bad. Statements that troops have been sent to reinforce Maj Anderson at Fort Sumpter created much excitement, a collision is expected. It is reported tonight that the Sec’y of Interior Mr Thompson has resigned, and also that a collision has occured [...]

(Confidential.) New York, Jan. 8,1861. My Dear Sir,–Why is money to very large amounts being transferred to Washington? It may be all right, but it is unusual. Nearly a million of dollars has been sent on in specie within the last week. I write you in confidence. Are these transfers made by order of the [...]

–The Southern Confederacy (published at Atlanta, Ga.), a paper which has been fighting most gallantly for the Union and the laws, says of the late election for members of the Georgia Convention: “It is a notable fact, that, wherever the ‘Minute Men, as they are called, have had an organization, those counties have voted, by [...]

BARRANCAS BARRACKS, FLA., January 8, 1861. SIR: There are rumors that the citizens of Florida and Alabama intend taking possession of the fortifications in this harbor. They have already taken those at Mobile and Savannah. I am stationed with one company (G, First Artillery) at Barrancas Barracks, having also Fort Barrancas in charge. There are [...]

[STATE OF ALABAMA,] EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT, January 8, 1861. Hon. WILLIAM M. BROOKS, President of the Convention of the State of Alabama: In reply to a verbal communication from the body over which you preside, made by one of its members, I make the following statement: My information in regard to Pensacola is that Governor Perry, [...]

January 8, 1861, The Staunton Spectator A correspondent of the Alexandria Gazette, writing from the county of Marion, under date of December the 22nd says: Western Virginia is becoming aroused on the great question of disunion. Groaning under a burden of unequal taxation, the people are wide awake to their interest. The forum of the [...]

The Alabama state convention received Commissioner from South Carolina. North Carolina Senate bill arming the State passed the North Carolina House: yeas 73, neas 26. The Virginia state legislature passed anti-coercion resolution. Jacob Thompson , Buchanan’s Secretary of the Interior, went to Raleigh, to persuade the North Carolina Legislature to vote for secession, November 18, [...]

January 8, 1861, The New York Herald The rumors which prevailed in this city on Sunday last that there was in the wind’s about Governor’s Island, were the cause of great excitement and public concern. The report, which it now appears was not altogether unfounded, was to the effect that a considerable body of federal [...]

January 8, 1861, The New York Herald WASHINGTON, Jan. 5, 1861. Among the causes of the prevailing excitement may justly be designated, as one of the most productive, the telegraphic correspondence from the seceding States. Much of this may be quite correct, but a very great deal of it is extremely exaggerated, and not a [...]

[January] 7th        Elizabeth arrived from the North with her Aunt, who went on to Butlers Island, where she is to stay for some time, a month at least. E. looks very well in health and in spirits, and gives a pleasant account of her visit. John has been appointed Lieutenant in the State Service, and [...]

January 7th, 1861.—I am so glad it is not raining today. I am really going and, little diary, I will tell you all about the day when we get home. 8:30 p. m. We have just finished supper. Mother would not let me write until we had eaten, now she says I can only have [...]

WASHINGTON, January 7, 1861. JOSEPH FINEGAN, Esq. [Tallahassee, Fla.]: MY DEAR SIR: On the other side [following] is a copy of resolutions adopted at a consultation of the Senators from the seceding States, in which Georgia, Alabama, Louisiana, Arkansas, Texas, Mississippi, and Florida were present. The idea of the meeting was that the States should [...]