Mobile, January 5, 1861. DEAR SIR: I have been superseded by Colonel Todd, of the Militia of Alabama, and he took and receipted for all the property belonging to the Ordnance Department and fort. I wait for orders from the Adjutant-General. ……….I am, very respectfully, S. PATTERSON, Ordnance Sergeant, U. S. Army. The ADJUTANT-GENERAL.

January 5th, 1861.—This is Saturday and Mother lets Lulu make candy on Saturday and if she, my black mammy, will let us, we help with it. She says we “do not help but hinder;” maybe she is right. Cousin Rob is spending the day here and Lulu has promised to teach us how to make [...]

January 5, 1861, The New York Herald The conservative masses of the people, North as well as South, have become fairly aroused to the conviction that, in this most critical period of our nation’s history, no remedy whatever is to be looked for from their representatives in Congress. A background of incapacity, stupidity, imbecility, gross [...]

January 5, 1861, The Charleston Mercury It is our pleasing duty to record, this morning, the patriotic course of another son of South Carolina, in the resignation, some days since, of Mr. WILLIAM WILKINSON, from the Naval School at Annapolis. The opportunity of a naval education and position have thus voluntarily been abandoned from a [...]

January 5, 1861, The Charleston Mercury We learn that P.D.J. WESTON, Esq; has presented to the Georgetown Rifle Guard, Captain E.J. WHITE, one hundred and twenty of the fine English weapon known as the ‘Enfield Rifle’ with accoutrements and ammunition ample for a long campaign, besides placing funds at the disposal of the company. The [...]

January 5, 1861, The Charleston Mercury A detachment of the Richardson Guard, Lieut. C.H. AXSON, were out on duty Sunday afternoon. Another platoon passed the MERCURY office yesterday afternoon, under the command of Lieut. BOAG. The detachment of Citadel Cadets who have been on the seashore since the first of January, passed our office yesterday [...]

January 5, 1861 At the last minute General Winfield Scott substitutes the Star of the West, a New York based merchant marine vessel for the Brooklyn, a heavily armed and reinforced sloop ordered to sail to Fort Sumter to resupply the federal outpost. The Brooklyn, however, is to travel to Fort Sumter with the Star [...]

January 4th, 1861.—I can hardly keep my mind on my books I am thinking so much of the probable action of the convention. I know Father must have been glad when the school bell rang this morning, it seems impossible for me to refrain from asking him questions, which, of course, must be troublesome. Susan [...]

FRIDAY, JANUARY 4, 1861. A Mild and pleasant day but I think people feel much like wearing sackcloth and observing the day as recommended. There has been services at most of the churches which were crowded. Myself and wife went to the Capitol to hear Doct Stockton the Chaplin at the “House.” The Hall of [...]

William Henry Trescot[i] to Howell Cobb. E. (Private and confidential.) Barnwell Island, Near Beaufort, So. Ca., Jany. 14, 1861. My Dear Mr. Cobb, I reached home on Friday last with the intention of returning to Charleston today; but having been too late for the railroad I find time enough to do what I have been [...]

–Great excitement prevailed at Norfolk, Va., in consequence of the report that four companies of soldiers at Fortress Monroe had been ordered to Charleston.–Balt. Sun. –It is stated in Washington, on the authority of a member of the Georgia delegation, that the United States revenue cutter Dolphin was fired upon and seized to-day, by the [...]

HEADQUARTERS OF THE ARMY, Washington, January 4, 1861 Maj. ZEALOUS B. TOWER,   U.S. Engineer Corps: SIR: With this you will receive an order assigning you to duty according to your brevet rank, and placing you under my command. You will proceed without delay to the Barrancas and assume the command of the troops and [...]

MOUNT VERNON ARSENAL, January 4, 1861. SIR: I have the honor to inform you that this arsenal was taken possession of by four companies of volunteers from Mobile at daylight this morning. I did not make, nor could I have made, any resistance, as they had scaled the walls and taken possession before I knew [...]

. NEW YORK, January 4, 1861. Lieut. Gen. WINFIELD SCOTT, Washington, D. C.: DEAR GENERAL: I had an interview with Mr. Schultz at 8 o’clock last evening, and found him to be, as you supposed, the commission, and together we visited Mr. M O. Roberts. The latter looks exclusively to the dollars, whilst Mr. S. [...]

EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT, Montgomery, Ala., January 4 [?], 1861. To his Excellency JAMES BUCHANAN, President of the United States: SIR: In a spirit of frankness I hasten to inform you by letter that by my order Fort Morgan and Fort Gaines, and the United States Arsenal at Mount Vernon were on yesterday (*) peacefully occupied, and [...]

HEADQUARTERS OF THE ARMY Washington, January 4, 1861. Captain MEIGS,   U. S. Engineers: SIR: With this letter you will receive one hundred muskets and accouterments complete, with one hundred rounds of cartridges for each musket, to be used in defense of Fort Jefferson if you can find hands to use them. Major Arnold with [...]

January 4, 1861, Richmond Enquirer The rush of events is fast hurrying the final dissolution of the Confederacy; the excitement increases as despatch after despatch is made public, and subsides into deeper resentment and more determined resistance. Men ─ who a few months ago were Union men ─ soon become cooperationists, and are now the [...]

January 4, 1861.–South Carolina has passed a secession ordinance, and Federal laws are set at naught in the State. Overt acts enough have been committed. Forts and arsenal taken, a revenue cutter seized, and Major Anderson besieged in Fort Sumter. Other cotton States are about to follow. Disunion and civil war are at hand; and [...]

January 4, 1861, The New York Herald The reports from the South are again of a startling character. It is announced from Georgia that the Governor of that State has seized and garrisoned with militia the forts in the harbor of Savannah, and there is reason to believe that a plan has been matured by [...]

January 4, 1861, Richmond Enquirer This city was never before within our recollection, in such a state of excitement. The all-absorbing topic of conversation is the action of South Carolina, and on every man’s lips there is an eager cry of ‘What’s the news?’- and bulletin boards are watched for each new message, with intense [...]

January 4, 1861 Alabama troops seize an arsenal near Mobile. The image is of Fort Sumter, seen from the rear, at low water (Harper’s Pictorial History of the Civil War)

THURSDAY 3 The affairs of the Country appear so desperate that the subject engrosses the attention of all men in all places. Public questions are discussed in my room at the patent office full as much as applications for Patents. It is frequently asked what patents will be worth if the Union is dissolved. But [...]

–The order for the removal of guns from the Allegheny arsenal to southern forts is revoked by the War Department, under a decision of the Cabinet. –Fort Pulaski, at Savannah, Ga., is taken possession of by State troops, by order of the Governor. –A book is opened in New York city, for the enrolment of [...]

(Private.) New York, Jan. 3, 1861. My Dear Sir,–I have been so pressed with outside business during the last ten days (trying to save the Union) that I have been unable to write to you. The first time we began to breathe freely was when Mr. Holt took Governor Floyd’s place in the War Department. [...]