SION; SECESSION IN THE UNITED STATES.
During the autumn of 1860 and the early spring of 1861 the forts, arsenals, custom houses and other government property in those States, with few exceptions, had been seized by State troops, and large sums were voted for arming the States, Georgia leading in Novem ber 1861 by appropriating $1,000,000. Maj. Robert Anderson, a Federal officer, who held Fort Moultrie on the inner line of Charleston harbor, becoming aware of active preparations for capturing that worlc, withdrew, on the night of 26 December, to Fort Sumter (q.i:j In the centre of the harbor. This move hastened results. Inunediate preparations were made for bombarding the fort. The first firing upon the flag was 9 January by the batteries erected against Fort Sumter, the inciting cause being the appearance of the Star of the West (q.v.) off the harbor. This vessel had been sent from New York with provisions for Sumter, and with the accompanying fleet withdrew without replying to the fire.
Delegates from the seceded States met at Montgomery, Ala., 4 February, and 8 February adopted a provisional government, °The Con federate States of America(' (q.v.) and the next day elected Jefferson Davis of Mississippi President, and Alexander H. Stephens of Georgia Vice-President of the Confederacy.
See UNITED STATES- THE CONFEDERACY; CON FEDERATE STATES OF AMERICA.
On 1 March Gen. P. G. T. Beauregard, appointed by the Confederate government, was sent to Charleston and took charge of the preparations for reducing Fort Sumter. On 4 March Abraham Lincoln was inaugurated as President of the United States. On 10 April Beauregard was instructed to demand the sur render of the fort, and, in case of refusal, to reduce it. The next day Anderson received and promptly declined a demand to evacuate, and at daylight 12 April, the Confederate bat teries opened upon Fort Stunter, compelling its surrender on the 14th. The expectation of a relieving fleet probably hastened this attack.
See FORT SUMTER.
With the news of the attack and surrender the country received President Lincoln's proc lamation calling for 75,000 volunteers, and sum moning Congress to meet on 4 July. In an
instant discussion over the power to coerce States, the discussion of peace conventions and movements and all similar perplexing questions were brushed aside, and the North responded with intense enthusiasm, the predominating sentiment bemg the preservation of the Union. The South was equally aflame, rallying under the banner of State rights.
On 8 April President Davis had called for 20,000 volunteers, and the day following Presi dent Lincoln's proclamation he asked for 34,000. Two days later the Confederate Congress au thorized the raising of 100,000 men. Three days after the surrender of Sumter Virginia seceded, followed 6 May by Arkansas and Ten nessee, and 20 May by North Carolina, the be lief being then general that a policy of coercion had been decided upon. The border States of Kentucky and Missouri were held to the Union by their loyal element, and Maryland was held at first by the direct power of the national government, and later by its own loyalty. The first two were represented in the Confederate Congress throughout the War. The movement to talce Missouri into the Confederacy was thwarted by Gen. Nathaniel Lyon, who cap tured Cam Jackson near Saint Louis 10 May, J and on 17 June, having already taken the State capital, in a brief engagement dispersed a force which Governor Jackson had gathered at Booneville. This resulted in relieving the capital from those plotting secession. Ken tucky at first declared for neutrality, but at the election for members of Congress, 20 June, it was made clear that the State was lost to the Confederacy. In May the Confederate capital was moved from Montgomery, Ala., to Richmond, Va., where troops from all parts of the Confederacy were rapidly assembling. In like manner, the Northern States were pouring troops into the national capital, and Washing ton soon became a vast military camp. The Union forces crossed into Virginia 24 May and encamped opposite Washington.