History of Virginia :: :: University of Virginia Library

Secession of the Cotton States. — In 1860 Abraham Lincoln[33]
was elected President by the Republican party, which
was opposed to any extension of slavery, and whose extreme
members wished to abolish it in the territory where
it then existed. When this occurred, the cotton states
gave up hope of enjoying longer fraternal union with the
North, and decided to exercise their reserved right of
secession, thinking that this course of action was best for
their peace and prosperity. South Carolina acted first,
passing an ordinance of secession on December 20, 1860.
She was followed by Florida, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia,
Louisiana, and Texas. The movement proceeded
quietly, due observance being paid to legal form. The
seceded states then formed a new union, called the Confederate

Abraham Lincoln

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States of America, with Jefferson Davis[34] of Mississippi
as president.

Virginia's Effort for Peace. — For a time there was a
prospect of bringing the sections together again, and Virginia
earnestly desired to do this. She believed in the right
of secession, but she doubted the expediency of the act.
In addition to this, she was deeply attached to the Union
for whose establishment she had done so much. Animated
by her love for it, she, through her General Assembly,
recommended the holding of a Peace Conference to be
participated in by all the states, to settle "the present unhappy
controversy in the spirit in which the Constitution
was originally formed." This convention met in Washington,
but failed in its efforts to restore harmony.

Diplomacy — After the inauguration of President Lincoln,
the Confederate government sent commissioners to
Washington to arrange for a peaceable settlement of all
questions at issue between the two governments. One
thing asked for was the evacuation of all the forts in the
territory of the seceded states that were still in possession
of the United States. Fort Sumter in Charleston harbor
was one of these; and Mr. Seward, Secretary of State
under Lincoln, gave assurance[35] that the fort would be

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speedily given up. But this was not done; and after some
delay Governor Pickens of South Carolina was notified
from Washington that the fort would be reenforced
"peaceably if permitted, forcibly if necessary," by a fleet
that was then on its way.

Capture of Fort Sumter. — The Confederate government,
accepting the message to Governor Pickens as a
declaration of war, ordered General Beauregard, who was
in command of the Southern troops at Charleston, to demand
the surrender of Fort Sumter. Major Anderson,
the commander of the Federal garrison, refused to evacuate

Fort Sumter

the fort; and thereupon Beauregard bombarded it and
captured it on April 14, 1861.

War now Inevitable — The crisis had at last come. The
Confederates held that the North had acted in regard to
Fort Sumter so as to render the use of force by the South
necessary, and was for this reason the real aggressor,
while the North contended that the South had by firing on
the fort begun the war. Thus each section charged the
other with bringing on the conflict. The cotton states had
already made some preparations for war; and now all over
the South the cry, "To arms! To arms!" was heard. The
people of the North on their part came strongly to the support
of the new Republican administration, and responded

Jefferson Davis

194

with alacrity to a call made by President Lincoln, during
the excitement following the bombardment, for seventy-five
thousand troops to reestablish the Federal authority
in the Southern states.

Secession of Virginia. — When President Lincoln called
for troops, Virginia had to decide whether she would remain
in the Union or join the Southern Confederacy. Up
to this time she had steadily refused to secede. A convention,
which had been called in view of the impending crisis,
had refused to pass an ordinance of secession by a vote of
eighty-nine to forty-five; but two days after Lincoln called
for troops, this same convention passed the ordinance by a
vote of eighty-eight to fifty-five. When the ordinance was
submitted to the people, it was ratified by a large majority,
and the state took her place in the Southern Confederacy.

Her Heroic Action. — This was Virginia's decision when
called upon to help make war upon the states further south.
She took her action deliberately, well knowing that she
would be attacked on the north, east, and west, and would
be the battlefield of a war which, if long continued, would
be most destructive to her prosperity, let the end be what
it might. There is recorded in history no greater act of
self-sacrifice than that of Virginia in withdrawing from
a Union she did not wish to leave, in order to help other
states defend what she had always maintained was her
right and theirs.

Actions of Other States. — Virginia's example in leaving
the Union was followed by Arkansas, Tennessee, and
North Carolina Kentucky wished to remain neutral, but
was overrun by Federal troops. So altogether eleven states
seceded and twenty-three remained in the Union.

Return of Virginians. — In the Federal army and navy
there were a number of distinguished Virginia officers,

195

who, at the opening of the war, had to determine to which
side they should render allegiance. There were but few

Joseph E. Johnston

who did not decide that
after their state had left
the Union they no longer
owed fealty to the United
States. So there was a
return of Virginians to defend
their native land.
Some had already distinguished
themselves in the
service of the United
States, but were destined
to win yet greater military
renown in the Civil War.

Distinguished Leaders
who came to Virginia. —
Among those who resigned
commissions in the United States army were General
Albert Sidney Johnston,[36] the commander of the military
district of the Pacific, and that able and cautious soldier,
General Joseph E. Johnston,[37] who became the first commander

196

of the Confederate army in Virginia. But the
greatest of all the men who came to the help of Virginia
in her hour of need was Colonel Robert E. Lee, a son of
Light Horse Harry Lee of Revolutionary fame. In resigning
his commission in the United States army, he
used the often-quoted expression, "Save in the defense
of my native state, I never desire again to draw my
sword." In speaking of his decision in a letter, written
to his sister, he says, "With all my devotion to the Union
and the feeling of loyalty and duty as an American citizen,
I have not been able to make up my mind to raise my
hand against my relatives, my children, my home." When
Colonel Lee reached Richmond, he was at once made commander
of the Virginia forces.

Military Ardor. — All through the part of Virginia east
of the Alleghany Mountains the people gave themselves up
to preparations for war. Everywhere military companies
were organized and equipped. Drill masters soon became
so much in demand that Major Thomas J. Jackson, a professor
in the Virginia Military Institute, was ordered to
bring a number of cadets to Richmond to assist in the
work of drilling recruits at Camp Lee. Jackson never
returned to his quiet professorial duties. He was appointed
a colonel of volunteers by the governor of Virginia and
soon after entered upon a career of fame second only to
that of General Lee.

Virginia Dismembered. — Western Virginia was opposed
to leaving the Union, and refused to be bound by the action

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of the convention that passed the ordinance of secession.
So the people of this section in a convention held on June
11, 1861, organized a government of their own; and at a
later period this part of the Old Dominion was admitted
by Congress into the Union as a separate state, though
a strained interpretation[38] had to be put upon the Constitution
to bring this about. Thus the Virginia that took part
in the War of Secession was in area about the same as the
Virginia that helped to carry on the Revolution.

QUESTIONS

1. Who was elected President by the Republican party in 1860?
2. Give the leading facts of his life, and state the policy of his party.
3. After his election, what did the cotton states decide to do?
4. What union did they form, and whom did they elect president?
5. Give the leading facts in the life of Jefferson Davis.
6. Why did Virginia earnestly desire peace, and what action did she
take to bring it about?
7. For what purpose did the Confederate government send commissioners
to Washington after Lincoln's inauguration?
8. What particular request did they make? Was it granted?
9. What notification was sent to Governor Pickens in regard to Fort
Sumter?
10. How did the Confederate government accept this notification, and
what happened?
11. On what grounds did each section charge the other with beginning
the war?
12. Why did Lincoln issue a call for seventy-five thousand troops?
13. Why did Virginia secede?

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14. What is said of her heroic action in so doing?
15. Name the states that followed her example.
16. What is said of the return of Virginians?
17. What distinguished generals of the Federal army came to Virginia?
18. Give the leading facts in the life of Albert Sidney Johnston.
19. Of Joseph E. Johnston.
20. What did Robert E. Lee say on resigning his commission in the
Federal army?
21. Describe the military ardor throughout Virginia.
22. When and why was the state of West Virginia formed?

[33]

Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865) was born in Kentucky. His parents were
of humble origin, and too poor to educate him. He attended school one year
only, and after this educated himself. When he was seven years old, his
father moved to Indiana, where he spent his early life in hardship and toil.
In 1830, the Lincoln family went to Illinois; and, on this journey, young
Lincoln walked the whole distance, driving an ox team. He then helped his
father build a log cabin, and split rails to inclose a little farm. In 1834, he
began to study law, and by borrowing books soon acquired knowledge enough
to be admitted to the bar. He next turned his attention to politics; and,
after this, his life was a succession of promotions. He was elected to the
Legislature, then to Congress, and, in 1860, we find him President of the
United States. He was noted for rugged strength and straightforwardness of
character, his friends calling him "Honest Abe."

[34]

Jefferson Davis (1808-1889) was a Kentuckian by birth, but when he was
a few years old his father moved to Mississippi. He graduated at the United
States Military Academy, after which he served for five years in the Indian
wars in the West. He then resigned his commission in the army and became
a cotton planter in Mississippi. He was elected to Congress; but resigned
his seat to serve in the Mexican War, in which he rose to distinction. Later
he was elected to the United States Senate. On the formation of the Southern
Confederacy he was elected president, and he filled this office till the end of
the Civil War. He died in Mississippi in 1889.

[35]

The assurance that Fort Sumter would be evacuated was given by Mr.
Seward to Judge Campbell, who conveyed the information to the commissioners.
See "Three Decades of Federal Legislation," by S. S. Cox, pp. 147, 148.

[36]

Albert Sidney Johnston (1803-1862) was born in Kentucky, but was of
New England descent. In his early life, he was described as "a handsome,
proud, manly, earnest, and self-reliant boy." He was educated at West Point,
where he showed great talent for mathematics. He served with distinction
in the Black Hawk war and in the Texas war for independence. When General
Johnston reached Richmond, he was assigned by President Davis to the
command of the Confederate forces in the West. In 1862, he was wounded
in the battle of Shiloh and bled to death upon the field. In his death the
Confederacy sustained a severe loss. He was a man of courteous manners
and of noble and commanding appearance.

[37]

Joseph E. Johnston (1807-1891), born in Prince Edward County, Va.,
was the youngest son of Major Peter Johnston of the Revolution. He
was educated at West Point, and served with distinction in the Mexican
War. In the early part of the Civil War he was commander of all the Confederate
forces in Virginia. In the battle of Seven Pines he was severely
wounded; and, when he reported for duty again, he was put in command
of the military district of Tennessee. He continued to serve the Confederacy
in the Southern campaigns till the close of the war. He is justly regarded
as one of the ablest generals on the Confederate side.

[38]

The government organized by the people of West Virginia had, when it
was first formed, jurisdiction over only 282,000 of the 1,600,000 inhabitants
of Virginia. But those who adhered to it claimed that it was the true and
lawful government of Virginia; and their legislature authorized the formation
of a new state. This action the Federal government accepted as representing
the consent of Virginia to the division of her territory; and so West Virginia
was admitted as a separate state.