REBELLION, WAR OF THE, the conflict between the northern and southern states of the union in 1861-65; ostensibly and immediately occasioned by disagreement between the two sections on the subject of slavery, but perhaps not less the result of long-stano ing political and economical differences, and of a general failure to assimilate on tie part, of the northern and southern people. The question of ,slavery had rested for 10 years after the Missouri compromise of 1821; but the formation of anti-slavery soeictie.; in the north in 1832, and the public agitation which followed, led by Arthur Tappan, William Lloyd Garrison, Wendell Phillips, and other prominent abolitionists, aroused a strong public sentiment in opposition to slavery. This sentiment found expression in the nomination of anti-slavery candidates for the presidency and vice-presidency at each election from 1840; by the introduction into congress of the " Wilmot proviso" in 1840; and by the John Brown raid at Ranier's Ferry in 1859; while the opposition which it created was signified by the repeal of the Missouri compromise act in 1854; the "Dyed Scott" decision in the U. S. supreme court in 1857; and the adoption of the Kansas (Lecompton) constitution of 1858. The John Brown affair (see BnowN, JouN) had greatly intensified popular feeling north and south; and at the presidential election of 1860 four candidates were in the field: Stephen A. Douglas of Illinois, and John C. , Breckenridge of Kentucky, nominated by the two wings of the democratic party; John Bell of Tennessee, nominated by the so-called "union," or compromise party; and Abraham Lincoln of Illinois, nominated by the republican party. The election was hotly contested, and during the campaign both sections were excited to fever heat by the powerful addresses made by the leading political speakers of all parties. Abraham Lincoln was elected president; the vote being: Lincoln, electoral 180, popular 1,857,610; Douglas, electoral 12, popular 1,365,976; Breckenridge, electoral 72, popular 847.952; Bell, electoral 39, popular 590,631. The result of the election was to precipitate rebel lion. Nov. 7 the legislature of South Carolina called a state convention to consider the propriety of seceding from the union. This convention, met at Charleston, Dec. 17, and on the 20th passed "an ordinance to dissolve the union between the state of South Carolina and other states 1111 ited with her, under the compact entitled the constitution of the United States of America;" declaring that "the ordinance adopted by us in conven tion on the 23d day of May, in the year of our Lord 1788, whereby the constitution of the United States was ratified, and also all acts and parts of acts of the general assem bly of the state ratifying amendments of the said constitution, are hereby repealed; and that the union now existing between South Carolina and other states, under the name of the United States of America, is hereby dissolved." This example was fol lowed by secession acts similarly phrased, passed by the different southern states in the following order: Mississippi, Jan. 8, 1861; Florida, Jan. 10; Alabama, Jan. 11; Georgia, Jan. 19; Louisiana, Jan. 26; Texas, Feb. 1; Virginia, April 25; Arkan las. May 6; North Carolina, May 20; Tennessee, June 8. The avowed reasons for this course on the part, of the states named were: " the. refusal of fifteen of time states, for years past, to fulfill their constitutional obligations;" and "the election of a man to the high office of president of the United States, whose opinions and purposes are hostile to slavery." The states of Kentucky and Missouri were divided in sentiment on the question of secession, and thereafter had representative's in the governments and armies of both sections. Feb. 4, 1861, a congress met at Montgomery, Ala., in which were represented all the states which had passed ordinances of secession previous to that date. This congress adopted for the new organization of states a constitution, and the titLi "Confederate States of Ameriel,." Jefferson Davis, of Miss., was elected president. and Alexander II. Stephens, of Georgia, vice-president, of the new confederacy. In the mean time the state forces of South Carolina had seized the U. S. custom-house. post office, and arsenal in Charleston, and had taken possession of forts Pinckney and Moul trie in the harbor of that city; maj. Robert Anderson, in command of fort Moultrie, with a force of only 80 men, having withdrawn to fort Sumter,which he considered more defensible. April 12, 1861, hostilities began with the bombardment of fort Sumter, which, after a brave defense, although several times set on fire by missiles, was surren dered on the 14th by m:ij. Anderson—the small garrison marching out with the honors of war. On the day this event president Lincoln issued a prochunation call ing for 75,000 volunteers for three months; and on May 3 a second call for 64,000 men for the army, and 18,000 for the navy, to serve "during the war." The U. S. regular army consisted Jan. 1, 1861, of 16,402 officers and men; but these land been dispersed by Mr. Floyd, secretary of war under 13ttchaman, to the most distant parts of the country. Under his directions, also, vast quantities of arms and ammunition bad been transferred from northern to southern arsenals during 1800; and the slips of the U. S. navy were mostly absent on foreign stations. It is to be observed here also that a very huge pro portion of the southern army officers resigned and entered the cot& iterate service; this course was by no means so general on the part of southern born officers in the navy. In the southern states preparations for war were carried on with great energy. Gen. Robert E. Lee was appointed commander-in-chief of the confederate forces in Virginia, their main body being concentrated at Manassas Junction (Bull Run). The Mississippi river was blockaded by the confederates at Memphis, Tenn., May 10; the president of the United States proclaimed a blockade of all southern ports April 19; on June 10 a union force was repulsed by the confederates at Big Bethel, Va.; and on July 21 was fought the first battle of Buil Run, when the confederates, about 30,000 strong, under Bens. Johnston and Beauregard, defeated the federals, in about the same force, under gen. Irwin McDowell, and threatened the capital. The union loss was 481 killed, 1011 wounded, 1460 missing; the confederates lost 378 killed, 1489 wounded, 30 missing. This was the first important battle of the war, and its effect was to rouse both sides to their uttermost, for what was now understood to promise a long and bloody struggle. Meanwhile, gen. George B. McClellan Mid succeeded in wresting the western portion of Virginia from the confederates; and, on the day following the disastrous 'defeat at Bull Run, lie was appointed commander-in-chief of the army of the Potomac. His skill in organizing and disciplining large bodies of men, and making valuable soldiers out of raw and inexperienced recruits, doubtless qualified that army for the magnificent part it afterward took in the war. The congress of the United States met in extra session 5, 1861, and the president called for men and money. To this congress responded by voting half a million men and $500.000,000. At the south the enlistment of 400,000 men wits going otrunder a call from the confederate congress. The northern states in their individual capacity had before this period drawn upon their own resources in behalf of the union cause: New York and Pennsylvania each voting.3.000,000 for the
prosecution of the war; Massachusetts and other New England states sending regi ments into the field fully armed and equipped; while in every city, town, and hamlet volunteers/were gathering and forming themselves into companies and regiments, to be afterward offered to the governors of the respective states, and through those officials to the country. The latter half of the year 1861 was devoted mainly to organization, and the engagements that occurred were generally without great importance. The confed erates had possession of the U. S. arsenal at Harper's Ferry and the navy-yard at Norfolk, Va., where they had seized 2,000 cannon and the steam-frigate Merrimack, one of the finest in the U. S. navy. Oct.. 21 they gained a success by almost annihilating thermion force of 1500 to 1700 men under gen. Charles P. Stone and col. E. D. Baker. which had been sent to Ball's Bluff on the Potomac. and left there unsupported. NOV. 7 gen. U. S. Grant, after having seized Paducah, at. the month of the Tennessee river. and another important strategic point• at the month of the Cumberland, captured the confederate camp at Belmont, Mo.. nail thus checked the advance of gen. Jeff. Thompson with it rebel force in that direction, On the same date a U. S. naval force under admiral Dupont captured forts Walker and Beauregard at Port Royal, S. C. The following day became important in history as that, in which the confederate commissioners Nilson and Slidell were taken by rapt. Wilkes of the U. S. frigate ban Jacinto from the 13rit MI mail steamer Trent, while on their wayc to their respective missions to England and France. This act, which was near involving the United States in a war with Great Britain, was disavowed by the U. S. government, and the envoys were surrendered, thus averting the danger. The union force in the field in the beginning of 1862 was about 450,000 men; the confederate force numbered about 350,000. 'During January some slight successes were gained in Kentucky, at Prestonburg and Mill Spring, by the federals under col. Garfield and gen. Thomes. Gen. Grant, aided by a naval force under commodore Foote, captured fort Henry on the Tennessee river Feb. 6; and ten days later gem Grant attacked fort Donelson, on the Cumberland. which surrendered with 12,000 prisoners and 40 cannon. A naval expedition under gem Burnside and commodore Goldsborough captured Roanoke island, New Berne, N. C, and Beaufort, between Feb. 8 and April 25. Mar. 9 occurred the remarkable naval engagement between the floating battery Monitrie and the confederate iron-clad Virgink (formerly the Merrimack). resulting in the defeat of the latter off fortress Monroe, and her hasty retreat to Norfolk. This experiment with the _Monitor wns followed by the construction of a fleet of vessels after the same model by the U. S. government, On Mat'. S occurred the battle of Pea Ridge, in western Arkansits, which lasted three days, in which the federals under gen. S. R. Curtis defeated the confederates under gen. Earl Van Dorn. April 6 gen. Grant was defeatea at the battle of Slidell, being driven to the Tennessee river; butt renewed the battle with victory on the following day. On the same date gen. Pope and commodore Foote cap tured Island No. 10, in the Mississippi river, with 8,000 prisoners. Fort Pulaski, near Savannah, Ga., was bombarded and captured by maj. Gillinore April 11; and in this month the first attacks on the forts below New Orleans were made by admirals Far remt and Porter. The army of the Potomac, which had devoted its time durine. the winter of 1861-62 to organization, moved early in the spring to the peninsula formed the .James river and Chesapeake bay and gained the important battle of Williamsburgh in May, the evacuation of the town and works being the result of the attack by gen. Hancock, then in command of two brigades, and who bore the brunt of the lighting. Aver this battle the army of the Potomac advanced up the peninsula to the Chi•ka hominy. and fought the desperate battle of Fair Oaks on May 31, which was a union vic tory: but the approach of Stonewall Jackson to co-operate with Lee'inade it necessary in the judgment of McClellan to effect a change of base to the James river, and this hazard ous movement was accomplished at the expense of a series of the hardest fought engage ments of the war—those of Oak Grove, June 25; Mechanicsville, June 26; Gaines' 3111l, June 27; Savage Station, .June 29; White Oak Swamp, June 30; and Malvern Hill. July 1. As a result of the peninsula movement and "the change of base," the advantage remained with the confederates, who had successfully defeated the original plan for the capture of Richmond by this route. Aug. 29-30 occurred the second battle of Bull Run, between the union forces commanded by gen. John Pope and the confederates under Lee, Jackson, and Longstreet. Pope was utterly defeated, and his broken.and dispirited columns driven back upon Washington, the union losses being about 11,0iI0 and the confederate 8,000. McClellan, who had been removed from his command, in favor of Pope, was now hastily recalled; and on Lee advancing into Maryland, defeated and routed him at South Mountain and Antietam, Sept. 14 and 17, and Lee was driven across the Potomac. Harper's Ferry, which had been evacuated by the confederates in June, was recaptured by Stonewall Jackson Sept. 15, 1862, when 11,583 men and a vast quantity of munitions of war fell into the hands of the confederates. Nov. 7, gen. MaClellan was superseded by gen. Burnside. by order from Washington and imainst the wish of the latter; and Burnside was immediately defeated disastrously at Fredericksburg, Va. (Nov. 13), with a loss of 12,000 men. On Jan. 25, 1863, gen. Burn side was relieved by gen. Hooker, who was defeated at Chancellorsville, May 24, losing more than 11,000 men. Lee followed up his success by invading Maryland again, and early in June made a descent on Pennsylvania. June 28, Hooker was relieved from the command of tha army of the Potomac, which was bestowed on gen. George G. Meade, and the latter at once pursued the confederates with such celerity and determination, that Lee was forced to stop and give battle. The field of tit,: battle of Gettysburg was appointed by gen. Hancock, at the request of gen. Meade that he "should use his own jndament as to the best spot to fight. Meade's own preference was for Pipe-clay creek, some distance away from the chosen field. Gen. Hancock commanded the left-center of the line during the battle, which lasted July 1-3, and was shot from his horse on the last day, and dangerously wounded. •Gen. Reynolds was shot in the first day's fight, and instantly killed. The result of the three days' battle was a complete union victory, there being Ifetween 70,009 and 100,000 engaged on either side: the loss of the confederates 36,000; the million loss 23,190. The rapid movement and skillful generalship by which gen. Meade intercepted gen. Lee, and forced him back into Virginia, may be esteemed among the most brilliant acts of the entire war. Lee, having recrossed the Potomac, now retreated to a position on the Rapidan, and strategic movements on the part of the two armies occupied the time until winter, accompanied by occasional heavy skirmishing,.