The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1911-04-19
Semicentennial of the
First Year of Nation s
Life and Death StruS-
sle---The Going Out 0
the Cotton Republics.
BY JAMES A. EDGERTON.

BY JAMES A. EDGERTON.
~ NE most fortunate fact fur
IA nishes the keynote to the fif-
~ tieth anniversary of the begin
ming of the civil wai-thp
Union is now SO firmly cemented that
the celebration cannot disturb in the
slightest degree the fraternal relations
between the two sections. There could
be no more complete vindicatiOn of
popular government. Not only did the
Union sustain the shock of the great
est internal war in history, but in less
than Il single lifetime is more strongly
knit together than ever before
The first year of the war was not
conspicuous for the number or size OF
its battles. Indeed, the first Bull RuH
was the only general engagement nf
first class Importance. IT was Il ti'..r
of preparation, of the mastering IN
and drilling of armies. of the plannig
of campaigns, of a political struggle
over the border states and of the SO
lection of generals.
The preliminary steps leading TO tir
struggle had taken place in the last
days of 1850. They began immediate
ly after the election. when congress
met there were various conferences Of
the southern senators and representa-
tives. followed by addresses TO their
states and preparations for with
drawal. South Carolina led the way
in actually seeding from the Union,
her ordinance having been adopted on
Dee. 20, or nearly three weeks prior to
that of any other state.
Without Compass or Rudder.
The new year opened in gloom and
uncertainty. The outgoing administra
ton was vacillating between the doc
trine of nOncoercion on the one side
and the stiffening Union sentiment Of
the north on the other and was doin"
nothing etfectual. Mr.. Lincoln was
silent as to his coming policy The
ship of state seemed to be drifting
without compass or rudder. In this
period of doubt the condition of the
public mind may be imagined. The
only people who seemed to know eX-
actly what they wanted were the
southern leaders. There was no Lack
of decision here. On Jan. Mississippi
went out Florida followed on the 10th
and Ala bama on the 11th. Jan. 10
Georgia cast in her lot with he" Sc.
ccdinG sisters and one week later. on
the Doth Louisiana cut loose her moor.
ings. Then came Texas on Feb. l.
completing the seven cotton states. or
cotton republics. as they were called
IL the prints of the day, that formed
the first provisional government of the
southern cOnfederacy.
Events moved swiftly at the south
On Feb. the provisional congress met
at Montgomery and on the Sth had
completed the plans for provisional
government. The next day jefferson
Davis. who had resigned his post us
United States senator from Mississippi
only few days before, was eerted
provisional president and nine days
later, on Feb. Is. was inaugurated, So
matters stood when Abraham Lincoln
became president on March 4.
Things now began to happen also at
the north. There was caution, yes, but
no more indecision or halting. The
difference was that the new head of
the Washington administration knew
as definitely what he wanted as did
the leaders at Montgomery. His ell
tire inaugural address had been de-
voted to the one theme of preserving
the Union. Perhaps he did not YET
realize the stupendous nature of the
struggle to reach that end. Nobody
did. Mr.. Lincoln, inexperienced as he
was and unfamiliar with recent inside
facts at Washington, yet seemed tc
have a keener insight into the SitrIa.
tion and a more lively appreciation of
the gravity of the crisis, however than
did those who surrounded him. On the
very first day of his term he was face
TO face with the question that was tC
prove the actual starting point of tn,
war, that of provisioning and holding
Fort Sumter
The Fall Of Sumter.
The anniversary of the firing OF
Fort Sumter, which occurred on Apri
u, has already been celebrated
throughout the land. The supplies an,
re-enforcements ordered by Lincoh
were on their way and approached TIN
fort during the bombardment, only L
he turned back Despite the discour
agements, the disparity in numbers
the exhausted food supply and the fail
ing ammunition, the little garrison
held out for three days, finally capitu
lating on the 14th. On the next da
President Lincoln sent out call TO
$4,000 three months troops. There wa
no more indecisiOn. AS Greeley sal
in the Tribune, the government at las
had ''man at the head of it," Th
challenge was accepted the moment
was made.
Major Robert Anderson, the hero {
Fort Sumter, had a part later in til
year. He was appointed to recru
Union troops in his native state q
Il l.. i