February 5, 1861; The New York Herald The Peace Conference met at Washington yesterday, and organized temporarily by appointing Mr. Wright, of Ohio, Chairman, and A.E. Ward, of Maryland, Secretary. A committee to select permanent officers was appointed, and it is supposed ex-President Tyler will be chosen to preside. Without transacting any other business, at [...]

February 5, 1861; The New York Herald We publish in another column a strong and significant address from Senators Slidell and Benjamin, and other Congressional representatives of Louisiana to the Convention of that State which decreed its secession from the United States, strongly urging an immediate co-operation with South Carolina, and approving of the seizure [...]

February 5, 1861 “Fort Sumter will not be surrendered” messages came from various people in the Buchanan Administration in response to a demand for surrender from South Carolina

February 4, 1861; The Charleston Mercury Today meets a body charged with the duty of constructing a Confederate Government for those States which have seceded from the Union of the late United States. It is a grave mission. Since the framing of the United States Constitution and Government, no work of such magnitude and importance [...]

February 4, 1861; The New York Herald Our despatches from Washington this morning are interesting. A despatch received from Governor Pickens assured his friends at the federal capital that no attempt would be made to take Fort Sumter until all peaceable means to get possession had been exhausted. The seizure of the revenue cutter Robert [...]

February 4, 1861; The Charleston Mercury Harper’s Weekly has the following well deserved compliment to the Washington Artillery, Capt. WALTER, accompanied by a cut representing the uniform of the company. ‘This is the largest and most efficient corps in this branch of the service among the citizen soldiers of Charleston, having a roll of one [...]

February 4, 1861; The Charleston Mercury A detachment of the Sumter Guard, Lieut. H.C. KING commanding, were out for special duty on Friday afternoon; they were well equipped, and presented a substantial appearance. A detachment of the Charleston Riflemen, Lieut. MILLS commanding, passed our office on Saturday afternoon on special service. Conspicuous in the ranks [...]

February 4, 1861; The New York Herald WASHINGTON, Feb. 3, 1861. Governor Pickens has assured his friends here that there will be no hostile movements on the part of South Carolina, or any attempt made to take Fort Sumter until all efforts have been exhausted to get peaceable possession of that fort. It will be [...]

February 4, 1861 Washington Peace Conference (also called Convention or Congress) convenes In Montgomery, Alabama, delegates from six break-away U.S. states meet in Convention of Seceded States. Georgian Howell Cobb is elected President of the Convention. John Slidell and Judah Benjamin of Louisiana withdraw from the U. S. Senate Elections in Virginia create a pro-Union [...]

February 3, 1861; The New York Herald Col. Hayne, the South Carolina Envoy, sent a communication to the President yesterday, in which he proposes to open negotiations for the transfer of the federal property to the State, and in case of non-compliance threatens the capture of Fort Sumter. The President summoned his Cabinet on the [...]

February 3, 1861; The New York Herald The reports of the proceedings of the Abolition Convention at Syracuse, which we published a day or two ago, show that a strong reaction has set in against the abolition sentiment in a city of this State, the scene of the Jerry rescue, and long the stronghold of [...]

February 3, 1861; The New York Herald WASHINGTON, Feb. 2, 1861. The President has received Colonel Hayne’s communication in regard to the public property in South Carolina, and demanding, in case he will not enter into negotiations for it, the surrender of Fort Sumter. This letter has been prepared with great care, having been submitted [...]

Civil War Portraits—Leaders, Influencers, and the Incidentally Important #001 Lieutenant Hall, USA, Bearer of Despatches from Major Anderson to Governor Pickens (Norman Jonathan Hall was initially sent with messages to Governor Pickens after the Star of the Wst was fired on.) The Star of the West was fired upon on January 9, 1861. From a [...]

February 2, 1861 Texas adopts a Declaration of Causes.

February 2, 1861; The Charleston Mercury WASHINGTON, January 30, 1861. It was a matter of suprise this morning to every one to learn that Col. HAYNE had received no instructions in regard to demanding the surrender of Fort Sumter. The unanimous declination of Virginia’s mediation could only have looked to immediate action on the part [...]

February 2, 1861; The New York Herald There are reports from Charleston in circulation that the military authorities there have completed their preparations for an attack upon Fort Sumter, and only await the order to open the batteries. It is also reported that Gov. Pickens has directed Col. Hayne to demand of the President the [...]

February 2, 1861; The New York Herald The statistics of the colored population in New York, which we published the other day, must suggest to every thinking mind the inferiority of condition which characterizes the negro race in the free States, as compared with the African living under the Southern system of servitude. Since 1850 [...]

February 2, 1861; The Charleston Mercury  FORT PALMETTO. – COLE’S ISLAND. – One of our brave volunteers, writing to us, from this point says: ‘This has been quite an exciting day. At 12 o’clock, we were formed into line, and marched to the fort, when we fired six guns in honor of the Seceding States. [...]

February 2, 1861; The New York Herald The leaders of the republican party find themselves in a peculiarly perplexing position. They are opposing with all their might the meeting of Commissioners to consider the Virginia resolutions, and they are determined to resist the Bigler proposition to submit the whole question to the people. In both [...]

February 2, 1861; The Charleston Mercury KEY WEST, FLA., Jan. 26. The steamship Joseph Whitney, Captain LOVELAND, arrived at Fort Jefferson, Garden Key, Tortugas, the morning of the 18th, and landed Major ARNOLD and his command the same day. There being no heavy ordnance at Fort Jefferson Capt. MEIGS, the Engineer Officer in charge, made [...]

February 2, 1861; The New York Herald Among the many measures that have exercised the wisdom of the South Carolina Legislature recently, is one on the subject for the adoption of a national or State flag. About one week after the passage of the secession ordinance the South Carolina Legislature adopted a flag of the [...]

February 1, 1861 Texas secessionist convention votes 166 to 7 to secede, calling for a ratification election by the people

February 1, 1861; The Charleston Mercury NASHVILLE, January 28, 1861. The Legislature has called a Convention. The election takes place on the 9th of February, and they meet on the 25th of that month. There is strong sympathy here with all parties, for the seceding States, and everybody declares that any effort to force any [...]

February 1, 1861; The Charleston Mercury The Israelites of South Carolina are amongst the most faithful and patriotic of the people of South Carolina. On every occasion of difficulty and danger they have exhibited a devotion to the State worthy their well known characteristics of a hatred of oppression, and a dauntless spirit to resist [...]