The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-04-17

Carolina, Tennessee and Texas rapidly followed In seceding.
 On the 4th of February, 1861. delegates from the seceding States met in Mont- gomery, Ala, and formed new union under the name of the Confederate States of America. Jefferson Davis of Mississip- pi was elected President and Alexander H. Stevens of Georgia. Vice President. The Confederate authorities took posses sion of forts and other United States property within their sections or country. but made no attack upon those held by United States troops.
 As we have stated. tho Southern States hoped to withdraw peacefully from the Union, but the Federal troops. In posses sion of Fort Sumter, in Charleston Har- Dor, were a constant menace to South Carolina's tranquility. so their removal was insisted upon.
 Major Anderson. U. s. A, was in com- mand. and refused to surrender to South Carolina wien the demand was made. The Confederate Government sent peace commissioners to Washington, and they addressed a note to Mir. Seward. the new Secretary of State. requesting that peaceful settlement be made of all ques- tions at issue. Mir Seward replied that he was in favor of peace, and that Fort Sumter would be evacuated in ten days. A fleet of vessels was meanwhile being fitted out. and wheu the commissioners heard of this and inquired it's meaning, MT Seward replied in writing. Faith as | to Sumter fully kept; walt and see" And | the South quietly waited, but early in | April the Governor of South Carolina was | notified that the authorities at Washing ton had sent troops by sea to reinforce | Fort Sumter. sA
 l It became imperative for General Beau regard to act at once. By order of the l Confederate authorities. he commenced l the bombardment. of Fort Sumter on April IF. 1861, and the first gun was fired from James Island. After thirty-four hours of furious firing. during which time the fort was several times set on fire, Anderson was forced to surrender.
 In 1861 the American Union was com posed of thirty-three States. voluntarily | joined together under the name of 'The United States of America"
 When eleven of these States seeded
 from this Union, for reasons we have | already mentioned. and established a new 1 republic, styled The Confederate States l of America" the remaining twenty-two States declared war upon them to com | pei them to renounce the government of their choice and return to the Union | which had failed to maintain for them the justice and protection for which it | was tnStituteu. SUCH III DTleI was kne | Civil War. Eleven States with about five million people on one side fighting for l their independence and sovereignty. l which was recognized by the constitution of the United States: and twenty-two | States with about twenty-two millions of people fighting against these principles.
 After four long years of fighting and
 bloodshed, of suffering and hardship. the
 war ended-reasonably the twenty-twc million defeated the live million.
 It Is quite time for the formation oi
 clubs and societies all over our land for
 the study of the truths of American his l tory. In the South the Daughters oi
 the Confederacy are actively and enthu-
 siastically engaged in collecting and
 preserving records which will prove in-
 valuable to future generations; and espe.
 cialiy should the people of our Southland
 inform themselves. for there Is no section
 which has suffered so much from criti-
 cism due to prejudice and ignorance. and
 no section of our great country which
 has so much glory to gain by recording
 an accurate knowledge of it's history and
 achievements.
 Daughter of the Confederacy.