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Chap. IV. of Virginia into the open sea, this fortress, in the hands of a strong maritime power, controlled the access not only to Richmond, by the James, but to all the interior waters of the bay, and secured to its possessors a foothold, which could not be shaken off, upon all the lower or "tide-water" part of the revolted State.

In the meanwhile, the Confederate Government, which still remained at Montgomery but subsequently removed to Richmond, was preparing, as it best could, to meet the coming storm. storm. On the 6th March the Congress had passed a short Act, by which, "in order to provide, speedily, forces to repel invasion, maintain the rightful possession of the Confederate States of America in every portion of territory belonging to each State, and secure the public tranquillity and independence against threatened assault," the President was authorized to employ the militia, military and naval forces of the Confederacy, and to "ask for and accept the services of any number of volunteers, not exceeding 100,000," to serve for twelve months, unless sooner discharged. This power was exercised immediately after the outbreak of the war;1 and in the first flush of excitement the efforts of the Administration were seconded, and indeed outrun, by the enthusiasm of the people. "The military spirit raised by President Lincoln's proclamation reached an indescribable state of excitement during the months of April and May. It was estimated that 100,000 men were then organized, armed, and

1 Mr. Davis's Message, delivered on the 29th April, contained the following passage :

"There are now in the field at Charleston, Pensacola, Forts Morgan, Jackson, St. Philip, and Pulaski, 19,000 men, and 16,000 are now en route for Virginia. It is proposed to organize and hold in readiness for instant action, in view of the present exigencies of the country, an army of 100,000 men. If further force be needed, the wisdom and patriotism of the Congress will be confidently appealed to for authority to call into the field additional numbers of our noble spirited volunteers, who are constantly tendering their services far in excess of our wants."

awaiting orders from the Confederate Government, in Chap. IV. the seven States which first seceded. In Virginia 60,000 were under arms. This number included the troops from the other States, together with the militia of Virginia. This latter class were ready and disposed, in all parts of the State, except the western, to turn out almost en masse. This enthusiasm, the prosperous condition of the people generally, and the cause of selfdefence and self-preservation in which they conceived they were about to fight, rapidly furnished the Government with the men and munitions required." The Virginian troops in the field on the 30th June were reported as 41,885 men, and at the close of the year they were estimated at 70,000.

"For this struggle, so suddenly commenced, Virginia had for some time been making such preparations as her means enabled her, and although she was not so well provided as the Secessionists desired, still she was better prepared than most of her Southern sisters-better, perhaps, than any one of them. For some time anterior to the secession she had been engaged in the purchase of arms of different kinds, ammunition, and other necessary articles, and in mounting artillery, in anticipation of the event which subsequently occurred. A large portion of the ammunition which was used during the year was captured at Norfolk, and the heavy guns supplied to the Southern States for coast, river, and land defence, were captured at the same time with the navy yard. All the field artillery issued belonged exclusively to the State of Virginia, and much the larger part of it had been in her possession for half a century. The small arms were all her own exclusive property, save 7,500 altered percussion muskets, furnished by Governor Ellis, of North Carolina."-American Annual Cyclopædia for 1861, p. 740.

Of these levies the larger number were hurried forward, as fast as they could be brought into the field, to the northern frontier of Virginia, and massed so as to resist the approach of an enemy who should attempt to penetrate the State from Maryland. Two armies were thus gradually formed: one, disposed behind the Potomac, occupied the plain and the woody undulating

1 American Annual Cyclopædia for 1861, pp. 146, 147.

Chap. IV. ground which slopes westward to the hills, and which was afterwards the scene of the battle of Manassas Gap or Bull Run; the other, west of the Blue Ridge and, therefore, within the Alleghany ranges, held the line of the Shenandoah, and manœuvred, when it was judged expedient, on that of the Upper Potomac, above Harper's Ferry.

On the 17th April, two days after President Lincoln's call for troops, Mr. Davis issued a Proclamation inviting applications for letters of marque and reprisal:

"PROCLAMATION.

"Whereas Abraham Lincoln, President of the United States, has by proclamation announced the intention of invading the Confederacy with an armed force for the purpose of capturing its fortresses, and thereby subverting its independence and subjecting the free people thereof to the dominion of a foreign power; and whereas it has thus become the duty of this Government to repel the threatened invasion and defend the rights and liberties of the people by all the means which the laws of nations and usages of civilized warfare place at its disposal.

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Now, therefore, I, Jefferson Davis, President of the Confederate States of America, do issue this my proclamation, inviting all those who may desire by service in private armed vessels on the high seas to aid this Government in resisting so wanton and wicked an aggression, to make application for commissions or letters of marque and reprisal, to be issued under the seal of these Confederate States; and I do further notify all persons applying for letters of marque to make a statement in writing, giving the name and suitable description of the character, tonnage, and force of the vessel, name of the place of residence of each owner concerned therein, and the intended number of crew, and to sign such statement, and deliver the same to the Secretary of State or Collector of the Port of Entry of these Confederate States, to be by him transmitted to the Secretary of State; and I do further notify all applicants aforesaid, that before any commission or letter of marque is issued to any vessel or the owner or the owners thereof and the commander for the time being, they will be required to give bond to the Confederate States, with at least two responsible sureties not interested in such vessel, in the penal sum of 5,000 dollars, or, if such vessel be provided with more than 150 men, then in the penal sum of 10,000 dollars, with the condition that the owners, officers, and crew who shall be employed on board such commissioned vessel shall observe the laws of these Confederate States and the instructions given them for the regulation of their conduct, and shall satisfy all damages done contrary to the tenor thereof by such vessel during her commission, and deliver up the same

when revoked by the President of the Confederate States; and I do Chap. IV.
further specially enjoin on all persons holding offices, civil and military,
under the authority of the Confederate States, that they be vigilant and
zealous in the discharge of the duties incident thereto; and I do, more-
over, exhort the good people of these Confederate States, as they love
their country, as they prize the blessings of free Government, as they
feel the wrongs of the past and those now threatened in an aggravated
form by those whose enmity is more implacable because unprovoked,
that they exert themselves in preserving order, in promoting concord, in
maintaining the authority and efficacy of the laws, and in supporting and
invigorating all the measures which may be adopted for a common
defence, and by which, under the blessing of Divine Providence, we
may hope for a speedy, just, and honourable peace.

"In witness whereof, I have set my hand and have caused
the seal of the Confederate States of America to be
attached this 17th day of April, in the year of our
Lord, 1861.

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At the time when this Proclamation was issued, the Confederate Congress was not in Session. It met on the 29th April, and on the 6th May passed an Act "recognizing the Existence of War between the United States and the Confederate States, and concerning Letters of Marque, Prizes, and Prize Goods." This was followed on the 14th May by "An Act regulating

the sale of Prizes and the distribution thereof."

1

On the 19th April the following Proclamation was issued by President Lincoln :

"PROCLAMATION.

"Whereas an insurrection against the Government of the United States has broken out in the States of South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Florida, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas, and the laws of the United States for the collection of the revenue cannot be effectually executed therein conformably to that provision of the Constitution which requires duties to be uniform throughout the United States;

"And whereas a combination of persons, engaged in such insurrection, have threatened to grant pretended letters of marque to authorize the bearers thereof to commit assaults on the lives, vessels, and property of good citizens of the country lawfully engaged in commerce on the high seas, and in waters of the United States;

1 See Note II at the end of the Chapter.

Chap. IV.

“And whereas an Executive Proclamation has been already issued, requiring the persons engaged in these disorderly proceedings to desist therefrom, calling out a militia force for the purpose of repressing the same, and convening Congress in extraordinary session to deliberate and determine thereon:

"Now, therefore, I, Abraham Lincoln, President of the United States, with a view to the same purposes before mentioned, and to the protection of the public peace, and the lives and property of quiet and orderly citizens pursuing their lawful occupations, until Congress shall have assembled and deliberated on the said unlawful proceedings, or until the same shall have ceased, have further deemed it advisable to set on foot a blockade of the ports within the States aforesaid, in pursuance of the laws of the United States and of the Law of Nations in such case provided. For this purpose a competent force will be posted so as to prevent entrance and exit of vessels from the ports aforesaid. If, therefore, with a view to violate such blockade, a vessel shall approach, or shall attempt to leave, any of the said ports, she will be duly warned by the commander of one of the blockading vessels, who will endorse on her register the fact and date of such warning, and if the same vessel shail again attempt to enter or leave the blockaded port, she will be captured and sent to the nearest convenient port, for such proceedings against her and her cargo as prize as may be deemed advisable.

"And I hereby proclaim and declare that if any person, under the pretended authority of the said States, or under any other pretence, shall molest a vessel of the United States, or the persons or cargo on board of her, such person will be held amenable to the laws of the United States for the prevention and punishment of piracy.

"In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand, and caused the seal of the United States to be affixed.

"Done at the City of Washington, this 19th day of April, in the year our Lord 1861, and of the Independence of the United States

the 85th.

(Signed)

"ABRAHAM LINCOLN."

The blockade thus declared was extended by Proclamation, on the 27th April, to the ports of North Virginia.

The naval resources of the United States were at this time very limited. At the date of Mr. Lincoln's accession, the whole naval force, excluding ships unfinished or otherwise useless for war, consisted of 69 vessels of all classes, only three of which were of the rank of frigates. Of the 69, 42 only were in commission, and of these again the great bulk were on foreign stations.

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