January 6, 1861 Florida militia takes over a federal arsenal near Appalachiacola. Maryland’s pro-Union governor denounces secession in a speech to the residents of the state. Fernando Wood, mayor of New York, proposes that New York City should secede as well, allowing trade with both the North and South The image is of the steamship [...]

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 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, 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)

January 3, 1861, The Charleston Mercury In the military enthusiasm now pervading our city, it is difficult to keep young men who have responsible posts of business, in which the public are concerned, at their work. The rage for volunteering or active service is so great, that we, in the MERCURY office, have had the [...]

January 3, 1861, The New York Herald Mr. Buchanan’s administration is coming out of this fiery ordeal of revolution as fine gold from the furnace. His reply to the South Carolina Commissioners, as indicated in our Washington despatches, brings him forward in full relief as the man who rightly comprehends his position, his responsibilities and [...]

January 3, 1861, The Charleston Mercury Every effort of the General Government to avert its dissolution, only hastens on its fate. Major ANDERSON abandons Fort Moultrie and garrisons Fort Sumter. The President approves and the Northern press praises the achievement. The New York EVENING POST even declares that this step to coercion raises the price [...]

January 3, 1861, The Charleston Mercury We learn that 150 able bodied free colored men, of Charleston, yesterday offered their services gratuitously to the Governor, to hasten forward the important work of throwing up redoubts wherever needed along our coast.

January 3, 1861 Georgia militia under the command of Francis “Frank” Bartow seize Fort Pulaski, at the mouth of the Savannah River, from a single federal soldier and a contractor. The image is of Fort Pulaski. (Newspaper Illustration Harper’s Weekly Newspaper, December 28, 1861 p. 829.)

January 2, 1861, The New York Herald WASHINGTON, Jan. 2, 1861. The President’s reply to the Commissioners of South Carolina has just been communicated. They demanded, as a preliminary step to the initiation of negotiations, that the troops be withdrawn from the forts in Charleston harbor. The President positively refuses to do this, and reiterates [...]

January 1, 1861, The Charleston Mercury Our readers will perceive, from our telegraphic despatches, that Governor FLOYD has resigned his seat in the Cabinet as Secretary of War, and that General SCOTT has been appointed, as interim, in his place, or Mr. HOYT, who is equally in favor of coercion; and that the war steamer, [...]

January 1, 1861 On New Year’s Day Georgians go to the polls to elect either a pro-Union or pro-Seccession slate of delegates to a state convention to be held in Milledgeville. According to Gov. Brown the results are overwhelmingly pro-secession, however, later research by the Georgia Historical Society indicates that the returns were overstated in [...]

August 2d.—Dr. Boykin and John Witherspoon were talking of a nation in mourning, of blood poured out like rain on the battle-fields—for what? “Never let me hear that the blood of the brave has been shed in vain! No; it sends a cry down through all time.” E N D

July 26th.—I do not write often now, not for want of something to say, but from a loathing of all I see and hear, and why dwell upon those things? Colonel Chesnut, poor old man, is worse—grows more restless. He seems to be wild with “homesickness.” He wants to be at Mulberry. When there he [...]

July 7th. Up early this morning. Waiting for our turn to come for our pay and discharge. July 7th, 1805. The Eighteenth Regiment, Connecticut Volunteers, disbanded. Its members free citizens again. The separation was somewhat sad. We were happy that the end had come. Now came the last good-bye, as we grasped each other by [...]

July 6th. Returned to Hartford to receive our ?nal discharge. Waiting. Reported we must pass one more night in camp. We won’t mind a little thing like that. Tomorrow we will go free.

July 4th. A great parade and reception to our regiment. The welcome home was a grand time. During the march, on the parade, many people were in tears, and we knew the reason why. Their husbands and boys did not come home. While we were happy we did not forget the good fellows and the [...]

July 4th.—Saturday I was in bed with one of my worst headaches. Occasionally there would come a sob and I thought of my sister insulted and my little sweet Williams. Another of my beautiful Columbia quartette had rough experiences. A raider asked the plucky little girl, Lizzie Hamilton, for a ring which she wore. “You [...]