enthusiastically supported Lincoln in his resolution to preserve the Union. 428. Lincoln Forms His Cabinet and Waits. Like his inaugural, Lincoln's cabinet was planned with a view to unite Union men. William H. Seward, the Secretary of State, represented the Eastern Republicans; he had been a Whig and was Lincoln's strongest rival for the Presidency ($401). Salmon P. Chase, Secretary of the Treasury, who represented the Free Soil Democrats, had also been a prominent candidate. With but one exception, the other members of the cabinet were border state men. WILLIAM H. SEWARD From a photograph by Matthew Neither Lincoln nor Davis wanted to strike the first blow. Thus far the open acts of secession and of seizing national property put the South at a disadvantage, although no battle had been fought. But the time for deeds was at hand. THE WAR FOR THE UNION THE BEGINNINGS OF THE WAR 429. The Attack on Fort Sumter. Early in March Lincoln learned that Major Anderson, for want of food, could hold out but a few weeks longer. A fleet with soldiers and supplies was sent to his relief, but it arrived too late. By order of Jefferson Davis, the nineteen batteries in Charleston Harbor opened fire on Fort Sumter and its little band of one hundred and twenty-eight men. The people of the city in large numbers witnessed the opening spectacle of the war. To them the scene was inspiring. Little did they know then what war meant. The garrison bravely defended its flag all day. By noon next day the fort was on fire and the walls were broken in many places. Smoke and cinders almost choked the men. Some lay upon the ground and covered their heads with wet cloths. Others crept to the portholes for a breath of fresh air. Explosion followed explosion, and yet the men would not surrender. Now and then they fired a gun to show that they were "holding the fort." On Sunday afternoon (April 14th), Major Anderson, without the loss of a man, with his torn flag flying and drums beating, gave up the fort to General Beauregard, From a war-time photograph THE INTERIOR OF FORT SUMTER AFTER THE BOMBARDMENT the Confederate commander. Charleston was wild with excitement and there was rejoicing all over the Confederacy. 430. Lincoln's Call to Arms and the Rising of the North. On Sunday evening Douglas made a long visit at the White House. On Monday Lincoln sent forth his call for seventy-five thousand men, and Douglas informed his followers that he stood by the President in his efforts to "preserve the Union, maintain the government, and defend the Federal capital." Public meetings were held in city, town, and country. The pulpit, the platform, and the press called on men to defend the Union. Flags were flung to the breeze, and the fife and drum joined in kindling the war spirit. On every hand resounded the tramp of volunteers. From farm and field, store and shop, factory and foundry, school and college, from every walk in life, came sons and fathers to answer with their lives. The foreign immigrant and the native-born American marched side by side. A mighty wave of patriotism swept over the North. In ten weeks, more than three hundred thousand men were under arms. 431. Other States Secede; Border States Cling to the Union. The surrender of Fort Sumter and Lincoln's call to arms aroused the war feeling of the Confederacy to a high pitch. Everywhere, as in the North, nothing but war! war! was heard, and soon volunteers by the thousands were marching to the strains of "Dixie." The Southern people now felt sure that Lincoln and the abolitionists were coming down to invade their homes and free their slaves. Accordingly Arkansas, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia left the Union. The withdrawal of Virginia was of immense advantage to the seceded states, for it gave them a base of operations THE WAR SPIRIT IN THE SOUTH near Washington, Richmond, for a capital city, and Robert E. Lee, their greatest soldier. These advantages were partly offset by the fact that forty-five counties of Virginia west of the mountains refused to join the Confederacy, and were later admitted into the Union as West Virginia (1863). "East Tennessee" also threatened to set up as a state, and more than thirty thousand of her sons joined the Union army. (See map facing this page.) The border slave states, Delaware, Maryland, Kentucky, and Missouri, remained in the Union. Although the governors of some of them refused to heed Lincoln's call, these states furnished their share of boys in blue. Many of their citizens, however, went to fight for the Confederacy. 432. The Strength of the Two Sections. In the great struggle about to begin the North had many advantages. She had a population of twenty-two million, while the South had but nine million. Besides, four Southern states did not join the Confederacy. (See map facing this page.) In wealth and in resources we have already seen that the North was far superior (§§ 356-376). The Union 1 Constitution, Article IV., Sec. 3. |