44 Results in the "Non-Fiction" category
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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
Turmoil
In Charleston on December 27, 1860, following Major Anderson's occupation of Fort Sumter, newly elected Governor Francis W. Pickens ordered the South Carolina militia to seize remaining federal properties in Charleston Harbor. Although the governorship was mainly ceremonial, Pickens acted against the state legislature's objections. The first target was Castle Pinckney, taken by around 150 militia members who, after scaling the fort's walls, found it nearly empty, occupied only by a lieutenant and some…-
261.4 K • Ongoing
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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
Blood and Dishonor
**Chapter Summary: Blood and Dishonor** On December 27, in Washington, former Assistant Secretary of State William Henry Trescot met with Senators Jefferson Davis of Mississippi and R.M.T. Hunter of Virginia to discuss urgent news. They rushed to the White House to speak with President Buchanan, who was visibly anxious. Trescot noted Buchanan’s nervousness as he made a casual reference to the consul in Liverpool, prompting Davis to shift the conversation to the real concern at hand. Davis inquired if…-
261.4 K • Ongoing
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Chapter
Strange News
In the chapter titled "Strange News," dated December 27, Edmund Ruffin's steamer approaches Fernandina, Florida, as he seeks to sway the state's legislature toward secession. His plans involve taking a train to Gainesville and then visiting the Marion County plantation of his friend, William Owens, before attending Florida's secession convention in Tallahassee on January 3. While on the train, Ruffin receives telegrams, one of which reports that the garrison at Fort Moultrie has moved to Fort Sumter. This…-
261.4 K • Ongoing
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Chapter
Smoke and Cheers
The chapter titled "Smoke and Cheers" from "The Demon of Unrest" begins at Fort Sumter, where the atmosphere is one of gloom and tension. Captain Doubleday describes the fort—its dark, damp, and unfinished structure—with only fifteen guns mounted out of a planned one hundred and twenty. Despite its formidable design as a coastal fortress meant to protect against invasions, it remains incomplete, with debris cluttering the interior, making communication within the fort challenging. The officers,…-
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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