Posted on 04/13/2021 6:51:57 AM PDT by Homer_J_Simpson
Free Republic University, Department of History presents U.S. History, 1855-1860: Seminar and Discussion Forum
The American Civil War, as seen through news reports of the time and later historical accounts
First session: November 21, 2015. Last date to add: Sometime in the future.
Reading: Self-assigned. Recommendations made and welcomed.
Posting history, in reverse order
https://www.freerepublic.com/tag/by:homerjsimpson/index?tab=articles
To add this class to or drop it from your schedule notify Admissions and Records (Attn: Homer_J_Simpson) by reply or freepmail.
Link to previous Harper’s Weekly thread
https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/3948261/posts
https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/3948261/posts#41
Bruce Catton, The Coming Fury
Continued from April 12 (reply #42).
https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/3948261/posts#42
Doris Kearns Goodwin, Team of Rivals
Abraham Lincoln: Speeches and Writings 1859-1865, edited by Don E. Fehrenbacher
Mary Chesnut’s Diary, Edited by Isabella D. Martin and Myrta Lockett Avary
The Diary of George Templeton Strong, Edited by Allan Nevins and Milton Halsey Thomas
After breakfast I accompanied Gov. Wise to his room. He advised me to remain a few days before proceeding elsewhere. He still doubted, however, whether Virginia would move before autumn. He said there was a majority of 500 Union men then in the city. But the other Convention, to meet on the 16th, might do something. He recommended me to a friend of his who distributed the tickets, who gave me a card of admission.
SOURCE: John Beauchamp Jones, A Rebel War Clerk's Diary at the Confederate States Capital, Volume 1, p.18
https://civilwarnotebook.blogspot.com/2014/12/diary-of-john-beauchamp-jones-april-13.html
Saturday, April 13.
The news is glorious for us. No one hurt on our side, and no damage of any consequence to our batteries. Your father has been at Morris's Island all yesterday, and all night. He however wrote me not to expect him and I did not feel uneasy, as Captain Hartstein told me it was utterly impossible for boats to land with such a high sea. This morning Fort Sumter is on fire (produced from the shells it is thought). They say the flag is at half mast and has been so all the morning — a sure sign of distress. The fleet will try to relieve him, of course, but it will be in vain, and thus, I trust in God, this business will end. Heaven has favored our side, and we are all grateful to a Kind Providence. I doubt if your father returns before night.
SOURCE: Louise Wigfall Wright, A Southern Girl in ’61, p. 40
https://civilwarnotebook.blogspot.com/2015/07/charlotte-cross-wigfall-to-louise_7.html
The news must thrill the heart of the mighty North, and arouse a. spirit of desperate resistance to the hordes of the secessionists. If war must be, may it be quick and terrible, and may traitors learn that the arm of the government is not yet powerless in the vindication of National honor and of the glory of the old flag.
SOURCE: Corydon Eustathius Fuller, Reminiscences of James A. Garfield: With Notes Preliminary and Collateral, p. 308
https://civilwarnotebook.blogspot.com/2014/08/diary-of-corydon-eustathius-fuller.html
Today’s posts:
“The Coming Fury,” reply #3
“Team of Rivals,” #4
Lincoln’ reply to Virginia Convention, #5
Mary B. Chesnut, #6
George Templeton Strong, #7
Three items from Civil War Notebook, #8
Confederates on April, 12, 1861: “Hey, let’s open fire on Ft. Sumter!’’
Confederates on April 9, 1865: “Maybe bombarding Ft. Sumter wasn’t such a good idea after all’’.
The item on “centralization” of government reminds us that the NYT hasn’t changed its views much over 160 years.
Head Quarters, Confederate States Army,
CHARLESTON, South Carolina,
April 13, 1861.
Major:
I have the honor to report that between one and two o'clock this afternoon, the flag having fallen at Fort Sumter, and its fire having ceased, I left Morris's Island, with the consent and approval of General Simons to demand the surrender of the work, and offer assistance to the garrison.
Before reaching the Fort the flag was again raised. On entering the work I informed Major Anderson of my name and position on the staff of the Commanding General, and demanded the surrender of the Fort to the Confederate States.
My attention having been called to the fact that most of our batteries continued their fire, I suggested to Major Anderson that the cambric handkerchief, which I bore on my sword, had probably not been seen, as I crossed the Bay, and requested him to raise a white flag; which he did. The firing then ceased from all our batteries — when Major Anderson lowered his flag and surrendered the Fort.
The time and manner of the evacuation are to be determined by General Beauregard.
Before the surrender I expressed the confident belief to Major Anderson that no terms would be imposed, which would be incompatible with his honor as a soldier, or his feelings as a gentleman — and assured him of the high appreciation in which his gallantry and desperate defence of a place, now no longer tenable, were held by the Commanding General.
Major Anderson exhibited great coolness, and seemed relieved from much of the unpleasantness of his situation by the fact that the proposal had been made by us that he should surrender the work, which he admitted to be no longer defensible.
I take great pleasure in acknowledging that my success in reaching the Fort was due to the courage and patriotism of Private William Gourdin Young, of the Palmetto Guard; without whose aid I could not have surmounted the obstacles.
LOUIS T. WIGFALL.
MAJOR D. R. JONES,
Asst. Adjutant General,
Confederate States Army.
SOURCE: Louise Wigfall Wright, A Southern Girl in ’61, p. 45-6
https://civilwarnotebook.blogspot.com/2015/07/louis-t-wigfall-to-major-d-r-jones.html
FORT SUMTER, S.C., April 13, 1861 — 20 min. past 2 o'clock.
GENERAL: I thank you for your kindness in having sent your aide to me with an offer of assistance upon your having observed that our flag was down — it being down a few moments, and merely long enough to enable us to replace it on another staff. Your aides will inform you of the circumstance of the visit to my fort by General Wigfall, who said that he came with a message from yourself.
In the peculiar circumstances in which I am now placed in consequence of that message, and of my reply thereto, I will now state that I am willing to evacuate this fort upon the terms and conditions offered by yourself on the 11th instant, at any hour you may name to-morrow, or as soon as we can arrange means of transportation. I will not replace my flag until the return of your messenger.
ROBERT ANDERSON,
Major, First Artillery, Commanding.
Brig. Gen. G. T. BEAUREGARD,
Charleston, S.C.
SOURCES: The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Volume 1 (Serial No. 1), p. 14-15; This letter is quoted in Samuel Wylie Crawford’s The Genesis of the Civil War: The Story of Sumter, 1860-1861, p. 437.
https://civilwarnotebook.blogspot.com/2017/04/major-robert-anderson-to-brigadier_8.html
If only the rest of the war had been as polite.
Well, a few with military training and remarkable foresight, like Sherman, see what's ahead. Mary Chestnut seems to understand with her general sense of dread and foreboding that she can't shake.
Don't forget that Chesnut put the diary together after the war. She used a ton of notes she had written on the dates given in the diary, but she made many revisions and added material to make it more commercially valuable. I don't hold it against here. She was trying to make a living during reconstruction. But if she seems a little too prescient or too knowledgeable about things that people of her class didn't normally learn about until later, then it might have been added later.
Well, first, this is Harper's Weekly, not the New York Times.
Harper's was published from 1857 until 1916 by which time it was a strong supporter of Southern Democrat President Woodrow Wilson.
Second, the editorial's argument for "centralization" here is neither profound nor controversial, it simply notes that throughout history countries united under one government prosper peacefully far more than when divided into many tiny & warring principalities.
It cites the examples of Germany, Italy, France and England which prospered when united, were weak & warring when divided.
And, this particular editorial makes no efforts to discuss the uniqueness of the American experiment in federal government, of states united voluntarily by a democratically ratified Constitution, or of the constitutional problems represented by unilateral, unapproved declarations of secession at pleasure.
But we have, and will, as needed.
Americans don't have the experience of being divided up into smaller countries that are easily dominated by foreign powers, so we tend to underestimate the value of national unity.
But there are two sides to the question. Divided Italy and Germany easily fell under the rule of foreign powers -- France, and in Italy's case also Austria and Spain -- but arguably their greatest cultural moments came when they were still divided into smaller countries. That's certainly true of Italy.
To be fair, though, Harper's couldn't see what the 20th century had in store for Germany and Italy after unification.
TURN ONE: The CONFEDERATE player wins the initiative and attacks Fort Sumter.
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Old wargamer here, as I have a large collection of board games and miniatures rules, some Civil War related stuff will get posted from time to time...
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All of the images are from Boardgamegeek.com as I am not that good a photographer...
Bruce Catton, The Coming Fury
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