CHAPTER XIII. THE ADVANCE ACROSS THE POTOMAC. THE month of May found the country | a regiment was in arms and on its way everywhere engaged in preparations for to Washington. "Not only the officers active war. The forces called for by the of the regiment," says an enthusiastic President were mustering into service in chronicler of the day, "but the Governor the loyal States; officers were busy at and Lieutenant-Governor led the van, the recruiting stations; companies were bearing with them the sovereignty of the forming; men were enlisting in favorite State. With the side-arms of the officers regiments; State and municipal authori- and the shouldered muskets of the prities were lending their aid; money in vates, came, in the simple blouse of their private contributions and legislative loans uniform, the representatives of more than or grants was liberally placed at the dis- $30,000,000 of wealth. No such event position of the local committees and the has ever before been recorded in war, government agents. Millions were fur- nor has there been seen, by the past or nished for the war, in the fortnight follow- present generation, such an impersonation ing the day of Sumter, of which a large of the muscle and the material aid of a proportion was the voluntary gift of campaign upon its muster and within its individuals. Within the same time at roll call." The Massachusetts men were least one hundred thousand men were attended to the Capital with similar in active preparation for the field. Of plaudits. "God save the Commonwealth these about thirty thousand New York, of Massachusetts!" exclaimed another Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Penn- journalist "the State that compromise sylvania troops were already at Wash- was to leave out of the new Confederacy, ington or on their way thither. On one and blessings be upon the State of Roger day, Sunday the 21st of April, while Williams, so confidently calculated on as the land route was interrupted, more the first of the Northern States that than four thousand men of New York, would avow its allegiance to the piratical Rhode Island and Massachusetts left government of Jeff. Davis." Nor were the city of New York for the Capital, the other eastern, middle and western by way of the Potomac, in five ocean States deficient in the work. Under the steamers. The alacrity and efficiency of animating impulse of their several Govthe Rhode Islanders was the subject of ernors, all moved quickly and steadily general comment. comment. A meeting of the onward according to their several opporLegislature of the State, specially sum- tunities. New York, under Governor moned, was held within a few days of the Morgan, assisted by General Wool and call of the President, money was liber- the Union Defence Committee, gathered ally voted, and before the week was over her tens of thousands to the camp; furnishes indubitable evidence of the patriotism of Indiana and her entire devotion to the Union. Without distinction of party, condition or occupation, men have rallied round the nationa! standard, and in every part of the State may be heard the sound of martial music, and witnessed the mustering of companies into the field."* Governor Curtin did the same in Penn- most gratifying and extraordinary, an sylvania, and Governor Dennison of Ohio speedily laid the foundation of an Army of the West. We shall have occasion hereafter to speak particularly of the services of Governor Yates of Illinois. Nor should the names of Morton of Indiana or Randall of Wisconsin be here forgotten. In the message which the latter delivered to the State legislature in May he had, with the full sympathy On the 3d of May President Lincoln, of the people, urged the energetic prose- by a Proclamation, made a second call cution of the war; recommending the upon the country for troops. Avoiding immediate equipment of six regiments the threatened evils of the short three of volunteers, the purchase of rifled can- months' enlistment, he made the renon, and an appropriation of one million quisition for a period of three years, of dollars. In conclusion on that occa- unless sooner discharged. 42,034 volunsion he said, with indignant severity, teers were thus called for, while the reg"The people will never consent to any ular army was directed to be increased cessation of the war, forced so wickedly by the addition of eight regiments of inupon us, until the traitors are hung or fantry, one of cavalry and one of artillery, driven into an ignominious exile. This making an aggregate of nearly 23,000, war begun where Charleston is-it should officers and men. 18,000 seamen were end where Charleston was. The Su- at the same time ordered to be enlisted preme Ruler can but smile upon the for the naval service of the United efforts of the law-loving, government-States. The several proceedings, the loving, liberty-loving people of this land, Proclamation announced, would be subin resisting the disruption of this Union. mitted to Congress as soon as it assemThese gathering armies are instruments bled. "In the mean time," added the of His vengeance, to execute His judg- President, "I earnestly invoke the coments-they are His flails, wherewith operation of all good citizens in the meaon God's great southern threshing floor sures hereby adopted for the effectual He will pound rebellion for its sins."* suppression of unlawful violence, for the In less than eight days after the call impartial enforcement of constitutional of Governor Morton for the quota of laws, and for the speediest possible retroops to be furnished by Indiana in storation of peace and order, and with accordance with the President's Proc- those, of happiness and prosperity lamation, more than 12,000 men, about throughout our country. three times the number asked for, While these preparations were being tendered their services in eager emula-made at the North a similar activity was tion for a place in the ranks. This re- witnessed at the South. The work of sponse, says the Governor, "has been Message of Governor Alexander W. Randall to the Legislature of Wisconsin, at its extra session May, 1861. * Message of Governor Oliver P. Morton delivered at the called session of the Indiana Legislature. April 25, 1861. spoliation begun at Charleston, Savannah eracy. Early in the year, on the 30th, and New Orleans, was also vigorously of January, an act was passed by the carried on in other regions of the country. Within a few days of the fall of Sumter the steam transport Star of the West, loaded with provisions, sent for the relief of the United States troops in Texas, was treacherously seized at Indianola by a body of insurgents, under Colonel Van Dorn; the arsenals at Liberty, Missouri, Fayetteville, North Carolina, Napoleon, Arkansas, with stores of arms and ammunition, were plundered by the rebels; Fort Smith, Arkansas, was taken possession of by Colonel Solon Borland, the leader of a volunteer band of secessionists. In consequence of the various acts of robbery and violence in Virginia and North Carolina, defeating the exercise of the proper powers of the Federal Government, President Lincoln, on the 27th of April, by proclamation, extended the blockade of the Southern coast to those States. Democratic Legislature referring the question of a State convention to a vote of the people and, taking it for granted that the convention would be authorized, delegates were at the same time directed to be chosen for that body. When the vote was taken on the 28th of February, it stood 46,672 in favor of calling the convention, and 47,333 against it, giving a "no convention" majority of 661; while at the same time 84 Union delegates were elected to 36 disunion, showing on the latter issue a popular Union majority of at least 10,000 voters. The convention, of course, did not meet and matters remained in their old condition till the fall of Sumter. We have seen the irate and intemperate reply which Governor Ellis made to the call of President Lincoln for troops to sustain the Government and the terms in which he summoned a special session of the Legislature to meet on the 1st of May.* That body when it did assemble, in accordance with its previous inclinations, promptly passed an act directing a new election for a convention to be held on the 13th. It was no time then for an impartial verdict of the people when, as in Virginia, Union men were coerced and proscribed and allegiance to the national Government was denounced as treason to their own State. Under the influence of violence, artfully stimulated prejudices and false political doctrines, the voice of the Unionloving people was so far silenced or their judgments perverted that a majority of secessionists were elected for the convention. This body met a week after on the 20th and, without submission of their act The formal work of revolt was going on with great rapidity under the impulses of the leading conspirators. Two new States, Arkansas and Tennessee, passed ordinances of secession on the same day, the 6th of May, and fourteen days after, North Carolina followed their example. The proceedings by which the last mentioned State was separated from the Union were of the most unhappy character, conflicting as they evidently did with the better judgment and long settled convictions of the people. The majority at the outset was clearly for the preservation of the national Union, and had the State authorities been disposed to consult the popular will in this matter, there is reason to believe North Carolina might have been saved from her destruc- to the people for their confirmation, the tive alliance with the Southern Confed * Ante, p. 128. same day passed an ordinance of recession and handed the State over to the Southern Confederacy." instrument "the whole military force and military operations, offensive and defensive, of the State of Tennessee, in the imIn Tennessee, early in May, a virtual pending conflict with the United States, act of secession was passed by the Legis- were placed, to be employed for the comlature in secret session, in direct dis- mon defence under the chief control and agreement with a previous expression direction of the President of the Confedof the will of the people of the State, erate States, upon the same basis, princiwho had in February refused to hold a ples and footing as if said State were now, convention for the purpose. By this act and during the intervals, a member of the a "Declaration of Independence and or- said confederacy." The league thus dinance dissolving the Federal relations formed was on the same day consumbetween the State of Tennessee and the mated and ratified by a joint resolution of United States of America," was no- the Senate and General Assembly. Ir minally required to be submitted to a the former the vote stood for the adoppopular vote, to be taken a month after- tion ayes 14, nays 6, absent and not votward, on the 8th of June; but the Legis- ing 5; in the latter, ayes 42, nays 15, lature did not wait for this ratification. absent and not voting 18. There was Already, on the 1st of May, previous one peculiarity in the language of the even to the passage of the act, the two Declaration of Independence submitted Houses, following the precedent of Vir- to the people. It frankly put the proginia, had taken the preliminary steps ceeding forward as a revolutionary meafor the formation of an intimate alliance sure."Waiving an expression of opinwith the rebel government at Montgom-ion," were its words, "as to the abstract ery, by adopting a resolution that commissioners should be appointed on the part of Tennessee "to enter into a military league with the authorities of the Confederate States, and with the authorities of such other slaveholding States as may wish to enter into it; having in view the protection and defence of the entire South against the war that is now being carried on against it." Governor Harris accordingly appointed Gustavus A. Henry, Archibald O. W. Totten and Washington Barrow commissioners. They were promptly met at Nashville by Henry W. Hilliard, a delegate with similar powers from the Confederate States, with whom a convention was entered into on the 7th of May. By the terms of this * N Y. Herald, May 20, 1862. N. Y. Tribune, May 22, 1862. doctrine of secession, but asserting the right as a free and independent people to alter, reform or abolish our form of government in such manner as we think proper, do ordain and declare that all the laws and ordinances by which the State of Tennessee became a member of the Federal Union of the United States of America are hereby abrogated and annulled, and that all obligations on our part be withdrawn therefrom." We shall see in another chapter how the "act" was received by the people. Eleven States were thus enrolled under the government of Jefferson Davis and the Southern Confederacy. Missouri might probably have made a twelfth but for the strong arm of military interference. Kentucky was saved by the energy of her own people. Mindful of Henry Clay, A FLAG RAISING AT WASHINGTON. and with no disposition to follow Southern dictation, they would not desert the old flag of the Union. 193 concerning the employès at the public offices, to testify their loyalty to the Administration. To the President was assigned the honor of raising the flag to the mast-head. After a few preliminary words suitable to the business in hand, the cords were placed in his hands and the banner ascended to its position. The air happening to be quiet at the moment it at first clung motionless to the staff, when it was caught by a gentle wind rising from the north and fully displayed to the assembly, who hailed the sight with enthusiasm. Pleasantly turning the incident to account, the President said to the multitude, "I had not thought to say a word, but it has occurred to me that a few weeks ago the 'Stars and Stripes' hung rather languidly about the staff all over the nation. So, too, with this flag, when it was elevated to its place. At first it hung rather languidly but the glorious breeze came and it now floats as it should. And we hope that the same breeze is swelling the glorious flag throughout the whole nation." The Administration at Washington, meanwhile, impatient of the work of revolt, and determined, at the hazard of a stretch of prerogative, to arrest if possible the traitorous communications of agents and sympathizers with secession, gave instruction for the seizure at the leading telegraph offices through the northern States of any despatches that may have been sent or received with purposes hostile to the Government or in relation to supplies of arms or provisions purchased or forwarded to the Southern rebels." This was successfully accomplished by the United States Marshal by a simultaneous movement on the afternoon of the 20th of May. As the despatches which had been sent and received were kept on file at the offices, and the secrecy and suddenness of the descent gave no opportunity for their destruction, much valuable information was gained in this way which was doubtless employed with effect in repressing the acts of northern "sympathizers," and checking the schemes of the rebellion. A flag raising over the General Post-represented by the flag. It was the esOffice building at Washington at noon of the 22d of May, was a proceeding of more than ordinary interest among the frequent displays of this kind, attended as it was by the President and several members of the Cabinet who spoke on the occasion. The flag was the gift of the officers and clerks of the Department, who took this opportunity in the midst of rumors of disaffection prevalent Postmaster-General Blair was then called for, and replied in a few remarks, in which he maintained the national cause still, spite of Southern disunion, pecial emblem, he said, of that popular government so dear to the heart of the nation. "It is for that and that only, that the people of this country are rising, not as a party, for we have ceased to be parties. We are no longer democrats, we are no longer whigs, we are no longer republicans-we are Americans-standing up for free institutions. And we intend to exhibit to the world that in the presence of the great principle of main* Instructions of E. Delafield Smith, United States Dis- taining free institutions we are as one trict Attorney, New York, to the United States Marshal for the Southern District of New York, people, devoted unto the end, be that end |