Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1911-06-09
May g. 1861-Lincon Called for Three-Years Volunteers
and More Regulars and Seamen-North and South Prepa
ring for a Prolonged War

Fifty years ago today President Lin
coin issued call for volunteer troops
to serve three years, and for large adj
ditions to the regular army and navy.
This call meant that Lincoln now real
lied that the United States was on the
eve of great war not an affair of 30
days. but struggle that might last for
years, and that the three-months men
who had answered the original call Of
April 10, only Is days before, were no
longer sufficient.
1t meant, too, that he proposed to wage
war on the Confederacy, not merely with
view to repossessing the federal prop
erty, but with the strong intent to over
come It and have but one government
north and south, or to be overcome by
It.
The new proclamation, like the old,
contained no word of war" nor did it
make any specific mention OF the events
that had caused its Issuance. It's pur-
pose was again announced simply as
1.-THE suppression of the insurrectionary
combinations now existing"
1t called for 1904 three-year volunteers
22,714 enlisted men for the regular army
and 1900 seamen for the navy. This
force, the proclamation stated, was in
dispensably necessary to the presidents
purpose.
WHAT APRIL HAD SHOWED.
On April 16 Lincoln had hoped that the
Confederacy and the whole secession
movement might be put to an end by the
show of authority on the part of the
federal government and that actual re-
sort to force might be thereby avoided.
This proclamation had, on the contrary,
only served to rouse the south to action,
and to ally with the Confederacy states
which had hitherto been disposed to re-
main neutral; 1t had drawn sharply the
line between union and secession.
Before half of the 20 days had elapsed
Virginia had seeded, northern troops
had been attacked in Baltimore, the gar
risons at Harper's Ferry and the Gosport
navy yard had been forced to destroy
and abandon them, and Washington had
for days been cut off from the north and
placed in a virtual state of siege.
BY April rs 1t had become very appar-
ent that the only alternative to the accep-
lance of secession and the Confederacy
was a prolonged war, and that for such
war long-term troops were required.
PEACE-WITH UNION.
On April &C. therefore. Secretary Cam
eron had written to the governor of New
Jersey in response to his tender of
troops in excess of the states quota
under the first call: mo further troops
beyond the quota of your state can be
received at present unless they will
agree to volunteer for the period of
three years, unless sooner discharged.
In that event and upon such terms one
or two regiments more would be accept
ed from your state and mustered into
service"
Like replies were sent to the govern
ors of Connecticut, Indiana and Mich
ligan. and from day to day the same gen.
eral notification had been sent to the
other states, until on May the official
call was made in the presidents procla-
nation.
1t was peace and not war that Lin
coin wished for. IT have desired as ar
IDENTIFY as any man." he said to visit
ing military company. April q. "and I
sometimes think more than any other
man, that our present difficulties might
be settled without the shedding Of
blood / will not say that all hope has
gone, but If the alternative is presented
whether the union is to be broken in
fragments and the liberties of the people
lost, or blood be shed, you will probab-
lily make the choice with which shall