The American Civil War
by: Ryan Fyfe
The American Civil War took place in 1861 to 1865 in the southern United States; also in eastern, central and southwestern regions. The outcome of this bloody civil battle was the defeat of the seceding CSA. The primary leaders in the War were the well known Abraham Lincoln and Jefferson Davis. Both of these men were courageous leaders, and huge names of their time, as well as ours.
Casualties of the war include:
Killed in Action: 110,100
Total Dead : 359,500
Wounded: 275,200
The war claimed more American lives than any other conflict in history, with approximately 560,000 total killed which at the time was a stagerring 1.78% of population and over 970,000 casualties which again is a staggering 3.09% of the population. Often times debated, the causes of the civil war, and even the name of the war itself, are still really left up in the air.
When Abraham Lincoln was elected in 1860 seven states existed: These states were: South Carolina (December 20, 1860), Mississippi (January 9, 1861), Florida (January 10, 1861),
Alabama (January 11, 1861), Georgia (January 19, 1861), Louisiana (January 26, 1861), and Texas (February 1, 1861). Lincoln was not even on the ballot in nine states in the South. Several Leaders from South Carolina had long been waiting for an event that might unite the South against the anti-slavery forces. As soon as the election returns were certain, a special South Carolina convention declared “that the Union now subsisting between South Carolina and other states under the name of the ‘United States of America’ is hereby dissolved.” By February 1, 1861, six more Southern states had seceded. As a result, on February 7, the seven states adopted a provisional constitution for the Confederate States of America and established their capital at Montgomery, Alabama.
On March 4, 1861, less than a month later, Abraham Lincoln was sworn in as President of the United States. He stated on this date that he had no intention to invade southern states, but would use force to maintain possession of federal property. The South, especially South Carolina, ignored this plea by Lincoln, and as a result on April 12, the South fired upon the Federal troops there were stationed at Fort Sumter in Charleston, South Carolina. The firing continued until the troops surrendered. This significant event is what many feel was the start of the American Civil War.
Ryan Fyfe is the owner and operator of Civil Spot – http://www.civil-spot.com, which is one of the best sites on the internet for all civil related information.
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The Civil War Begins: Fort Sumter
by: Steven W. Longcrier
“The Storm May Break At Any Moment”
In late December 1860 speculation ran rampant as to what the newly self-declared independent Republic of South Carolina might do concerning the sixty Federal troops still garrisoned in Fort Moultrie near Charleston. Despite writing to authorities in Washington, D.C. that “The clouds are threatening, and the storm may break at any moment,” United States Army Major Robert Anderson received virtually no support from the lame-duck administration of President James Buchanan. Outdated and too large to be adequately defended by so small a force, ironically Fort Moultrie had been surrendered to the British by Anderson’s father during the Revolutionary War. Anderson did not want a repeat of history, with more South Carolina militiamen arriving daily in Charleston.
Although only 90% completed, unoccupied Fort Sumter’s isolated location on a man-made island in the middle of Charleston Harbor made it much easier to defend. Finally taking matters into his own hands, Anderson transferred his small command from Fort Moultrie to Fort Sumter under the cover of darkness on the evening of December 26th. This move further polarized Northern and Southern emotions, with both sides quickly viewing Fort Sumter as a symbol of their respective cause.
A haphazardly executed U.S. Navy relief expedition arrived outside Charleston Harbor on January 9, 1861, with 200 troops aboard the frigate “Star of the West.” But when the ship tried to enter the harbor and head toward Fort Sumter artillery gunners with The Citadel Military College positioned on nearby Morris Island opened fire. Fort Sumter’s guns remained silent, for fear of starting a war, and the Star of the West turned back to sea. Again emotions frayed on both sides, yet an uneasy cease-fire resumed. When the Confederate States of America, including South Carolina, officially formed on February 8th, President Buchanan’s continued indecision paralyzed any effective Federal response.
On March 4, 1861, Abraham Lincoln became U.S. President, vowing in his inaugural address to defend all Federal installations. In the face of strong political opposition, Lincoln ordered a new Fort Sumter relief expedition (of supplies only), and so informed South Carolina’s Governor Francis Pickens. Alarmed, Pickens quickly informed the President of the new Confederacy, Jefferson Davis, as well as Charleston’s Confederate military commander, Brigadier General Pierre Gustave Toutant Beauregard. In another irony of history, Beauregard’s artillery instructor and friend while a cadet at West Point had been none other than Robert Anderson, his new adversary. But now, Beauregard commanded some 6,000 militiamen and 45 artillery pieces of various sizes and quality all aimed towards his mentor inside Fort Sumter.
Meanwhile, President Davis agonized over whether to commit Beauregard to action, and thus “war.” Confederate Secretary of State Robert Toombs of Georgia was Davis’s only Cabinet member to oppose the use of military force against Fort Sumter. Toombs foretold that “the firing upon that fort will inaugurate a civil war greater than any the world has yet seen.” Neither Davis nor Lincoln wanted to fire “the first shot” of any conflict. But Fort Sumter’s impending resupply, and the possibility of South Carolina attacking independently if indecision continued, ultimately prompted Davis to act.
Steven W. Longcrier is the founder and Executive Director of Civil War Heritage Trails, a heritage tourism organization creating, marketing and maintaining multiple Civil War era historic driving trails throughout Alabama, Georgia and South Carolina. Its purpose is educating the traveling public and promoting Civil War era history in all three states through the installation of thousands of new interpretive markers and roadway directional signs. All rights reserved.