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    392 Results with the "Biography" genre


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      Subterfuge

      Subterfuge Cover
      by testsuphomeAdmin Subterfuge was at play as Major Anderson devised a cunning strategy to occupy Fort Sumter amidst the rising tensions with South Carolina’s forces. Recognizing the imminent threat to Fort Sumter, Anderson made the decision to evacuate the families of twenty women and twenty-five children from Fort Moultrie to Fort Johnson, presenting this move as a precaution against potential violence. Under the guise of ensuring their safety, Anderson chartered three schooners, intending to mislead observers about his…
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      Strange News

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      by testsuphomeAdmin Strange News reached Edmund Ruffin as his steamer neared Fernandina, Florida, in late December 1860. Ruffin, eager to influence Florida's legislature toward secession, planned to travel by train to Gainesville and then visit his friend William Owens’ plantation in Marion County before attending the secession convention in Tallahassee on January 3. While en route, Ruffin received several telegrams, one of which informed him that the garrison at Fort Moultrie had been moved to Fort Sumter. This startling…
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      Storm

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      by testsuphomeAdmin Storm clouds loomed on April 8 as Captain Fox set out to lead his fleet, confident that the presence of the Powhatan would guarantee a successful mission to Charleston. Having transitioned from Navy service to overseeing a critical military operation, Fox was optimistic that his fleet would soon rendezvous off the coast of Charleston. The tug Uncle Ben departed New York that evening, followed by Fox aboard the Baltic the next morning, expecting to meet up with the rest of the fleet two days later. Fox’s…
    • Sources and Acknowledgments Cover
      by testsuphomeAdmin Sources and Acknowledgments is an important section of The Demon of Unrest, where the author delves into the research process and the individuals who contributed to the development of the book. The journey began in early 2020, amidst the global upheaval of the COVID pandemic. At this time, the author became deeply interested in the Civil War, especially the pivotal events at Fort Sumter. The social and political unrest caused by the pandemic made the author question the origins of the war and prompted a…
    • Some Good Thing in the Wind Cover
      by testsuphomeAdmin Some good thing in the wind seemed to drift through the air in late March 1861, as President Lincoln took steps to assess the pro-Union sentiment in South Carolina, particularly in Charleston. He sent two emissaries, Stephen A. Hurlbut and Ward Lamon, to gauge the local mood following Captain Fox’s recent evaluation of Fort Sumter. Hurlbut, a former South Carolina resident with a less-than-clear past, used his visit under the guise of family matters but quickly reported back to Lincoln on the rising war…
    • Smoke and Cheers Cover
      by testsuphomeAdmin Smoke and Cheers lingered in the atmosphere at Fort Sumter, where an air of tension and unease prevailed. Captain Doubleday vividly described the fort’s damp, dark, and unfinished state, with only fifteen of the planned one hundred and twenty guns mounted, signaling the incomplete nature of the fortress. Despite its impressive design, intended to safeguard the area from external threats, much of the fort remained under construction. The cluttered interiors, filled with debris, made daily life difficult…
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      Sickened

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      by testsuphomeAdmin Sickened by the unfolding events in Charleston, Edmund Ruffin read Lincoln’s inaugural address, which had been telegraphed to the Mercury on March 4. As the public gathered to listen to Lincoln’s address, Ruffin found his belief in the inevitability of war becoming even stronger. The speech, he believed, only confirmed what he had long suspected—that a direct confrontation was imminent. The possibility that Confederate General Beauregard might move to strike Fort Sumter soon felt like an unavoidable…
    • Seward’s Trick Cover
      by testsuphomeAdmin Seward’s trick, a politically calculated maneuver, unfolded just days before Abraham Lincoln’s inauguration, revealing the intricate webs of political rivalry and strategy that permeated the formation of the new administration. At the heart of the tension was the heated debate surrounding Lincoln’s cabinet, a process marred by various political factions vying for power and influence. While Lincoln had already secured William Seward’s agreement to serve as Secretary of State, other crucial…
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      Seward’s Play

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      by testsuphomeAdmin Seward’s play on April 1, 1861, involved a private meeting with Justice Campbell, who visited the State Department to discuss Governor Pickens’s telegram about the evacuation of Fort Sumter. In this meeting, Secretary Seward prepared a statement for Campbell, revealing that while President Lincoln might consider supplying Fort Sumter, he would first notify Governor Pickens. This announcement left Campbell startled, as he questioned the implications of Seward's wording, which seemed to suggest a level…
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      Scandal

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      by testsuphomeAdmin Scandal loomed over James Hammond’s political career in the late 1850s, particularly following his unexpected nomination to fill a vacant U.S. Senate seat in 1857. Hammond, despite facing a series of personal and political challenges, had spent years embroiled in controversy. His previous electoral losses in 1840 and 1842, combined with his involvement in multiple scandals, made his rise to political prominence highly contentious. One of the most damaging aspects of his personal life was his affair with…
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