44 Results in the "Non-Fiction" category
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Chapter
Ominous Doings
**Chapter Summary: "Ominous Doings"** From December 28 to 31, South Carolina exhibited ominous signs of preparing for war as tensions escalated around Fort Sumter. Governor Pickens emphasized the need for local planters to construct gun batteries along the Santee River and Winyah Bay, evoking a sense of patriotism reminiscent of their forefathers from the Revolutionary War. On December 28, he imposed a prohibition on all arms shipments to Fort Sumter, while allowing mail delivery, stating that the ban…-
261.4 K • Ongoing
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Chapter
The Real Danger
The chapter titled "The Real Danger" details the tense situation in the United States as Abraham Lincoln prepares to assume the presidency amidst rising unrest. With Anderson at Sumter, the national crisis intensifies, and Lincoln’s frustration grows. This frustration stems from the political vacuum left by President Buchanan, a flood of petitions for patronage jobs, and ominous threats suggesting plots against Washington. The Springfield Republican reported a warning from radical senator Louis T.…-
261.4 K • Ongoing
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Chapter
Dorothea’s Warning
On a Saturday in January 1861, Dorothea Dix arrived at the Philadelphia office of Samuel M. Felton, Sr., the president of the Philadelphia, Wilmington, and Baltimore Railroad, to share a troubling discovery made during her travels in the South. Although her mission was to advocate for humane asylums, she brought news concerning political turbulence rather than mental health issues. Felton, who knew Dix well, had long respected her dedication and offered her a rail pass for her travels. Now at fifty-eight,…-
261.4 K • Ongoing
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Chapter
Crisis
In the chapter titled "Crisis," set during January 1-8, Edmund Ruffin embarks on a significant journey from a plantation near Gainesville, Florida, to Tallahassee to attend the state secession convention. On his way, he learns of Major Anderson’s maneuvers at Fort Sumter and the potential for conflict, stirring his belief that the war's advent could accelerate decisions within the convention. Florida remained cautious, with Ruffin insisting that immediate action was imperative, as they awaited responses…-
261.4 K • Ongoing
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Chapter
Crossing the Bar
**Crossing the Bar: The Demon of Unrest** On January 8, the *Star of the West* was met with unexpectedly fine weather while navigating toward its destination. The officer in charge, Lieutenant Woods, unknowingly distributed guns and ammunition to the troops, oblivious to the revelation that their mission had been canceled. As the ship drew closer to Charleston at midnight, Captain John McGowan ordered all lights extinguished to avoid detection. Despite the darkness, which was further compounded by a new…-
261.4 K • Ongoing
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Chapter
A Confidential Visit
In "A Confidential Visit," set during December 11-14, Major Anderson at Fort Moultrie grapples with the rising tensions in Charleston harbor amidst impending conflict. Capt. Truman Seymour, an artillery officer and seasoned veteran, delivers a memorandum to Anderson, outlining defensive strategies against anticipated attacks. He suggests that the Carolinians might employ deceptive tactics, such as setting fire to a nearby building to divert attention during an assault. Seymour emphasizes the need for…-
261.4 K • Ongoing
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Chapter
To Dare
In December 1860, South Carolina’s political elite convened in Columbia, shrouded in fog, for a significant convention amidst rising tensions surrounding secession. The assembly comprised 169 prominent figures, including former congressmen, governors, and senators, each with substantial wealth, most owning slaves. The convention's atmosphere was charged with both excitement for disunion and anxiety, particularly regarding the potential consequences of Abraham Lincoln's election. The choice of Columbia…-
261.4 K • Ongoing
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Chapter
A Wife’s Disappointment
In the chapter titled "A Wife’s Disappointment," set against the backdrop of rising tensions in Washington, the creation of a "Select Committee" highlights a deepening suspicion within the government regarding potential treasonous acts. This "Committee of Five"—comprised of two Republicans, two pro-Union Democrats from the North, and one Southern Democrat—casts a wide net of inquiry, spurred on by information from Edwin M. Stanton, the new attorney general. Stanton's covert communications point to a…-
261.4 K • Ongoing
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Chapter
Frustration
In this chapter titled "Frustration," set between December 20 and 24, Navy Lieutenant David Dixon Porter navigates the political tensions in Washington amidst the secession crisis. While en route downtown, he encounters the residence of Senator Jefferson Davis, where a vibrant party is underway. Although Porter is a loyal Unionist, he maintains friendships across political lines to gauge prospects for peace. His connection to the Davis family leads him to attend the gathering, where excitement over South…-
261.4 K • Ongoing
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Chapter
The Major Gets an Idea
In the chapter titled "The Major Gets an Idea," the narrative unfolds around Capt. John G. Foster of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, responsible for bolstering defenses in Charleston Harbor during the tense days following South Carolina's secession in December 1860. Foster, a thirty-seven-year-old veteran with a distinctive appearance and a limp from past combat, had been independently working to reinforce Fort Sumter and Fort Moultrie. His efforts included hiring civilian workers to dig a wet ditch…-
261.4 K • Ongoing
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