Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1911-05-10

On the EIst the cid frIgate Csastatu.
ton. lying OF Annapolis. was saved
to the Federals by the arrival Of the
Eighth Massa ehusetts, which after
ward was re-enfsseed By the Seventh
New York. On this day the state Ut
North Carolina seized a miat ana ca
the 22d United States arsenal.
Mcclellan Enters the Field.
April % was a momentsus day La
that Il saw the advancement to esH-
fHahd Of tive Aeh whe afteFHsfd
weHla be pitted against each other In
battle. George B. Mcclellan was piae
ed In command Of the Ohio militia and
Robert 2. Lee OF the army Of Viz
ginia. On the 26th Joseph 3. JehnsteH
assumed command of the Confederate
forces at Richmond. One day later
CeioRei I. J. C'Stonewali''1 Jackson
took command at Harpers Ferry, and
General BENJAMIN r. Butler went to
the head Of the Union troops In the
Baltimore district In Maryland. Both
sides were finding their men. although
the south was making more rapid pres-
ACoC Aea AAAoAhe tlC A4tSEa Sh W hVH6h 0H1O
would finally depend.
Up to this time a provisional con-
gress had been the legislative body OF
the Confederates. On April 20 the
first regular congress under the newly
adopted constitution met at Mentgou1-
cry. It was announced by the British
government that there would be no IN
tervsnttun.
The difficulties that confronted Presi-
dent Lincoln may be realised in part
by the fact that on May 1. 1861. the
United States treasury had not dol
lar in ready cash. We were facing the
most moment0us war of our history.
yet the army, navy and even the
finances had to be created and organ
lied with which to meet It There
was one ray of hope. however. Rep
resentatives of the western part Of
Virginia told the president that they
were loyal to the Union ana asked for
troops to help them cut loose and form
q new state. On May IL was an.
nounced that Lincoln finally had won
all Of his cabinet to the support OF q
vigorous war policy.
The heart of Washington was glad
dened on May 2 by the arrival OF Colo
mel E. e. Ellsworth's hremen zouaves.
Ellsworth was a young officer who al
ready had attracted national attention
by the organization Of finely drilled
troop of zouaves in Chicago. He trav-
eled east with Lincoln, and on the call
for troops fastened to New York and
organized a regiment Of zouaves from
the FIRE department
Lincoln's first call was for 5000
three months men, and the quota al
ready had been more than filed. with
the northern states cIamoring for the
privilege of sending more. On May 8
the president made an additional call
for $1,000, about half of these being
three years volunteers. with % 600 reg
ulars and IS, 600 for the navy.
Throughout these troubled months
the country was filed with all man.
ner of alarming rumors. One Of the
most startling concerned a plot to burn
New York and other cities, discovered
by the New York police. The plotters
were known as knights Of the Gold
en- Circle"
South Dreams of Intervention.
One Of the most thrilling and impor-
tant chapters Of the civil war related
to our foreign relations. At no place
does the craftsmanship of Abraham
Lincoln appear to better advantage.
The south counted on intervention by
European powers. Cotton was king,
and as soon as England and France
were short OF cotton those nations
would take a hand and establish the
independence of the Confederacy. How
nearly this dream came to realization
has only been revealed since the war.
Lincoln knew the danger, as was
shown by his notifications OF Sew