PREFACE TO VOLUME II. MATERIAL for the preparation of this volume has been very complete. Upon almost every chapter head there has been only too much of official documents, statements, letters, views, &c., put forth. Having reserved ample time for the production of this, the second of our three octavos, we have been able to reduce the chaos of witnesses to something like order, and to produce a narrative which we feel willing to trust to the world as the historical estimate that time must affix to the events of the Great Rebellion. It is true we have been only one year removed from these events; but, when the reader considers that the omnipotent press and the vanity of men are both exalted to a degree of communicativeness never before attained, he will realise that we have had ample means of information upon most points of historical interest. Very few are the secret archives which the agents of the press and the inquisitiveness of Committees have not explored in a twelve months' travail for facts. If new evidences do transpire, to modify the views and estimates herein embodied, it shall be our endeavor so to revise the text as to render it a correct interpretation of affairs. Victor Hugo, in his wonderful word-picture of Waterloo, says: “There is a certain moment when the battle degenerates to the combat; when it individualizes itself, and disposes of the whole in details, which, as Napoleon remarks, 'belong to the biography of the regiment rather than to the history of the field'. The historian, hence, has the privilege of generalization. He can catch only the ensemble of the conflict; nor, is it permitted the narrator conscientious for the truth, to eliminate more than the outward form of the frightful shape (cloud) called a battle.” We have sought, in our exposition of campaigns and battles, to paint the whole—all that the future will be concerned in—avoiding those particulars of detail which must have cumbered the narrative and have confused the reader's perceptions. We can afford to leave to others the work of writing the biographies of regiments : our province is to present the history of the War for the Union in its more comprehensive and general sense. In a few instances—where the heroism of men came out clear against the battle-cloud like a signet of glory-we have permitted the pen to trace the picture in detail. Such episodes serve to intensify the general impression which it is the historian's task to produce, and, hence, are admissible. We may repeat our thanks to correspondents for favors which have added materially to our data. We owe little to the Departments at Washington, but much to friends at lieadquarters, who, in the midst of onerous duties, could find time to answer our not always easily appeased demands for facts. Yet, after all, to the omnipotent, omnipresent daily journals do we owe most thanks. Their subtle agencies, spread everywhere over the vast field of operations—insinuating themselves into the Departments, into Bureaus, into camp and staff councils-usurping the double office of witness and judge in the discharge of their duty-official and personal expositors—are now and ever must remain the historian's resources when all others fail. а NEW YORK, April 1st, 1863. CONTENTS. PAGL. CHAPTER I. The Inauguration of Abraham Lincoln as President. His In- 5 II. The Press for Place. Fort Sum. ter to be Abandoned. Effect of The Confederate States threat- in March. Reign of Terror Ini. 15 States. Coercion of the Border over the Fall of Sumter...... 21 IV. The Action of the State Conven- tions during March.......... 25 V. Extra Session of the United States Senate .... 33 VI. Lincoln's Cabinet on the Evacua. tion of Fort Sumter. The Pres. ident's Course. Condition of Fort Pickens. Lincoln's Mes. CHAPTER VI.—Continued, sengers to Fort Sumter. State hood. Its Moral............ 55 VII. The Secret Hope in the South Confidence in a Peaceful Issue. Slave Confederacy........... 60 VIII. The Secret Preparations in New York for Reenforcing Pickens Evident Policy of the Adminis- IX. The Bombardment of Fort Sumter 74 X. President Lincoln's Proclamation CHAPTER I. Proofs of the Design to “Coerce" the United States. Davis' Call Counter-Proclamation of Block- ade and Piracy. On to Wash. nance of Secession,... 87 II. Washington in Danger. States' more. State of Public Feeling. 93 III. Disloyal Attitude of the Border IV. State of Feeling in the North. tion of all Classes in Support of President Pierce, General Cass, Everett, and others, to the Peo- Reign of Patriotism..... 101 V. Major Anderson in New York. Excuse for not Reenforcing him. Fort Pickens Safe. Particulars of its Reenforcement. The Har. New York Seventh.......... 109 VI. Maryland in the Throes of the VII. Extraordinary Session of the Con- federate Congress, Davis' Mes- tion of her Soil. Its Purpose. VIII. Military Activity of the South. Governor Pickens' Address. the Desertion of their Northern Friends. Defiance of the North. of the Confederate States..... 136 IX. Military Movements in the North. Enormous Coutributions of XI. The Crisis in Tennessee. A Dark 152 XII. The Crisis in Missouri. Her AC- tion and Position Toward the Federal Government up to the Final Defection of Governor Jackson, June Thirteenth.... 158 CHAPTER XIII. The Crisis in Kentncky up to CHAPTER XVI.-Continued. the Enemies of the Government. XIV. The Campaign Opened. Occupa- tion of Virginia. Death of Ells. XVII. The Attitude of Foreign Powers Toward the United States. Bri- Avowals of France.......... 192 XVIII. Occupation of York Peninsula. XV. The Disingenuous Policy of the ment. The Big Bethel Dis. XVI. The Policy of the Federal Admin- XIX. The First Western Virginia Cam. istration in the Conduct of the XX. The Wheeling Convention. Reor. ganization of the State (Virgi. nia) by the Loyalists..... 209 HISTORICAL SUMMARY OF EVENTS, No. 5, from July 4th, to November 1st, 1861..... CHAPTER I. Extraordinary Session of the Fed- President. Reports of the Sec- II. Ability of the Loyal States to Sus. tain a State of War.......... 242 III. The Advance Movement upon the Causes of the Disaster.... 247 IV. The First Campaign in Missouri. treat. State of Affairs at St. treat from Springfield. Doings V. The Last Struggle in the South dress, Protest and Resolutions. VI. Meeting of the Confederate Con. Documents Laid Before the Con- fairs in the South during July VII. Rosecrans' Operations in the Ka- up to October 15th........... 307 VIII. Kentucky During its Period of IX. Fremont's Procedure in Missouri. X. McClellan's Campaign in Eastern Virginia up to November First. XI. The First Combined Naval and dition of Government Finances. at Hatteras Inlet. Operations XIII. Kentucky Loyal. Action of the Legislature. Its Address to the People. Military Situation (Sep- tember, 1861.) Generals John- ston's and Buckner's Procla- mations. Persecutions of Loy- al Men. Anderson's Retirement. Sherman's Assumption of Com. XII. State of Public Feeling at the mand. Treason in a “Castle" of North during the Fall of 1861. Battle of Wild Cat.......... 370 HISTORICAL SUMMARY OF EVENTS, No. 6, from Nov. 1st, 1861, to Feb. 1st, 1862... ary, 1862. CHAPTER I. Combined Naval and Land Oper- Terrific Scene. The Forts Cap- tured. Occupation of the Forts tions of Sherman on the Islands. Interesting Incidents. Negroes bardment at Pensacola Bay.. 385 ticulars of the Affair and the Official Papers in the Case... 397 III. Affairs in Missouri during Hunter's Sad Effect of the Retreat from litia in Service. New Military Federal Forces. Hunter's Re. ating it. Fremont's Errors... 411 IV. Operations in Kentucky up to the V. Affairs in the South up to Febru- Jefferson Davis' Revelations by Governor Letch- VI. Meeting of the Federal Congress (December, 1861.) The Anti 436 VII. Halleck's Conduct of the Depart- ment of Missouri-November |
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