44 Results in the "Non-Fiction" category
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Chapter
Cataclysm
On November 6, 1860, Springfield, Illinois, came alive as cannon fire signaled Election Day. Despite tensions across the nation, the atmosphere was charged with anticipation as citizens flocked to vote. The election featured multiple candidates, with Abraham Lincoln seen as a frontrunner. The outcome was uncertain; if no majority emerged, the decision would fall to the House of Representatives. As Springfield’s residents mobilized toward the polling place, the local ice cream parlor welcomed Republican…-
261.4 K • Ongoing
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Chapter
A Proper Commander
In November 1860, Colonel John L. Gardner, the commander of U.S. Army forces in Charleston, South Carolina, faced mounting anxiety as tensions escalated over the secession movement. Gardner was responsible for several key military installations, most notably Fort Moultrie on Sullivan’s Island, which had historical ties to Edgar Allan Poe. The political climate intensified concerns that local citizens might attempt to seize Fort Moultrie, which was poorly fortified and uniquely vulnerable to internal…-
261.4 K • Ongoing
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Chapter
The Awakening
James Henry Hammond, an atypical planter in the South during the 19th century, was a prominent figure influenced by his minority status at birth. Born in 1807 to a failed father, Hammond was instilled with immense ambition and a yearning for recognition. Educated at a modest preparatory school, he attended South Carolina College thanks to his father’s role as a steward there. The college maintained strict rules to uphold gentlemanly behavior while fostering a fierce sensitivity to honor among its male…-
261.4 K • Ongoing
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Chapter
The Vile Wretch in Petticoats
**The Vile Wretch in Petticoats, The Demon of Unrest** In Washington, South Carolina’s congress representatives found a new source of anger beyond abolitionist petitions when the *National Era*, an antislavery newspaper, published the serialized novel *Uncle Tom’s Cabin* by Harriet Beecher Stowe on June 5, 1851. The portrayal of slavery in this novel incited outrage. The narrative begins in a Kentucky dining parlor, where two men, including one named Haley, a slave trader, plot to purchase a slave…-
261.4 K • Ongoing
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Chapter
Scandal
In the politically charged years between 1857 and 1858, James Hammond, a figure marked by controversy and scandal, was unexpectedly nominated to fill a vacant U.S. Senate seat following the death of its previous occupant. Hammond's political career had been tumultuous, characterized by a significant electoral loss in 1840 and a narrow victory in 1842 for the governorship. Despite his political ambition, his reputation was tainted by a scandalous affair involving his young nieces, which had begun in…-
261.4 K • Ongoing
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Chapter
The Chasm
In June 1858, following James Hammond’s departure from Washington, Abraham Lincoln captured attention at the Republican Illinois State Convention by securing the nomination for the U.S. Senate. Aged forty-nine, Lincoln was set to face the younger Democratic incumbent, Stephen Douglas. Their competition fostered significant interest, especially given their contrasting physical presences—Lincoln’s height of six-foot-four surpassing Douglas’s stature significantly. During the convention closing,…-
261.4 K • Ongoing
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Chapter
The Rubicon
In October 1859, Edmund Ruffin despaired over his unsuccessful attempts to incite disunion in Virginia, exhaustively advocating for secession and denouncing Northern "tyranny." Described as a “fiery agent of disunion,” his physical appearance matched his intense persona—shoulder-length white hair and a sharp demeanor. At sixty-five, feeling ignored and regarded as a fanatic, he contemplated suicide amid personal tragedies. His life felt wearisome, and his passion for reading waned, leading him to…-
261.4 K • Ongoing
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Chapter
Resilience
In January 1860, despite the recent raid led by Brown and the ensuing chaos, the slave trade remained robust. Prices for enslaved individuals were surging; Hector Davis, a trader from Richmond, noted the prosperity of the market, declaring it “very brisk indeed.” He remarked that the price of young men had reached unprecedented heights. Meanwhile, in Charleston, Ryan’s Mart was bustling with activity, hosting numerous slave auctions throughout the month. A staggering total of 658 enslaved Black…-
261.4 K • Ongoing
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Chapter
The Landscape of Fear
In "The Landscape of Fear," set in 1860, Ruffin is disheartened by Lincoln's nomination as the Republican candidate, perceiving him as too moderate to incite the necessary outrage for Southern secession. Ruffin had anticipated a nomination for Seward, whom he believed would incite the South more effectively. Traveling through Virginia en route to meet his daughter Mildred, Ruffin is engulfed by a pervasive fear of slave insurrections, fueled by recent events like John Brown's raid and ominous rumors about…-
261.4 K • Ongoing
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Chapter
Party Malice
In Springfield, Illinois, the mood following the Election Day celebration swiftly transitioned to an unexpected tranquility. John Nicolay noted that the city had returned to its usual calm, nearly forgetting the tumultuous election, as it prepared for Lincoln's formal celebration—a “Jollification”—which was reluctantly anticipated due to Lincoln’s narrow victory. Similarly, young Anna Ridgely expressed her disillusionment with Lincoln’s election in her diary. Despite her father's Democratic…-
261.4 K • Ongoing
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