Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

SIMON CAMERON.

secretary of war, was born in Pennsylvania. He has been for a long time one of the most influential men in that State, and the success of the Republican party there was greatly indebted to his efforts. Wielding a Wielding a large capital actively employed in railroads, mining operations, and other active enterprises in Pennsylvania, he was enabled to exercise a wide influence, which was owing not less to his financial than to his political ability. His executive talents, thoroughly exercised by his extensive business relations, are calculated to make him an effective officer in the busy department of which he is the chief.

Gideon Welles was originally a printer, and subsequently editor of the Hartford Times, in the skilful conduct of which he has acquired all his political fame. His reputation had, however, hardly extended beyond the limits of his native State of Connecticut, when he was called to a position in Lincoln's cabinet, at the earnest solicitation, it is believed, of his brother-in-law, VicePresident Hamlin. As the editor of the Hartford Times, he was considered one of the most forcible exponents of the Democratic policy. Warmly expressing the doctrine of non-extension of slavery, he soon identified himself with the Republican party, of which he was an ardent supporter. He has frequently represented his State in its own Legislature and Senate, but never in the Federal councils. It may be doubted whether, with his reflective habits as a political thinker and writer, and his

127

restricted experience of the business of state, he has the scope of view and energy of action necessary to the chief of the naval department during a great war.

Montgomery Blair, a son of the vigorous Democratic journalist, Francis Preston Blair, the founder and editor of the Washington Globe, was born in Kentucky. Like his father, he is a valiant defender of the Republican cause, and is supposed to have been one of the most emphatic of the cabinet to urge the full exercise of the Federal authority in checking treason, as he is among the most resolute in favor of vigorously waging war against rebellion. His energy of will and sanguineness of temperament render him a spirited coadjutor of the executive in the stir of conflict; but in the quiet of peace, his fitness for office, and especially that practical one which he holds, might be more questionable.

Edward Bates, the attorney-general, was born in Goochland County, in Virginia, in 1791. Having been carefully educated by a relative of high culture, he emigrated with a brother to Missouri, where he began to practice law. He soon acquired eminence as a jurist. Although he served in the Legislature of Missouri, and represented that State in Congress, his life has been mostly devoted to the pursuits of his profession. In 1847, however, he was a member of the convention which met at Chicago for the advancement of internal improvements, where he commanded attention by a brilliant speech

wise exhibited his sympathy with the free-soil party. An accomplished jurist, he worthily fills his office of attorneygeneral, and a man of dignified personal character, he gives increased weight to the present cabinet.

and his impressive character. Efforts the Lecompton Constitution, and otherwere made to induce him to give to the State the benefit of his acknowledged powers, but he refused office in Missouri and resisted the offer of a place in the cabinet of President Fillmore. His early political bias was shown by his support of Henry Clay and John Quincy Adams, with whose views of public policy he generally accorded. At a later period he opposed the repeal of the Missouri Compromise act, and the admission of Kansas as a State under

Caleb B. Smith, of Indiana, the secretary of the interior, has brought with him from his own State a high reputation for ability and integrity, and he is considered an effective member of the present Government.

CHAPTER XI.

Action of the Confederate States.-Organization of an Army.-Its composition.-Officers.-Resignations in the United States Army.-Buchanan's sanction of Treason. -A change of conduct under Secretary Holt.-The Treason of Twiggs. His Expulsion from the Army.-His Surrender of Government Property to the Authorities of Texas. -Its Character and Value.--Military Career of General Twiggs. His motives for Seceding. -Treachery.-Encouragement of the Confederate States.-Defiant Tone and Attitude.-Commissioners to Washington.-Their Letter to the Secretary of State.-A polite Rebuff.-The Commissioners linger in Washington.-Career of Independent Government of the Confederate States.-A new Flag.-A Political Blunder.-The influence of a bit of Bunting.-The motive for adopting a new Flag.-The Confederate Flag described.-Active preparation for War.-General Beauregard sent to Charleston. Call upon the Confederate States for Militia.-Progress of the Works in the Harbor of Charleston.— Soldiers and Negroes.-Floating Battery.-Ardent Gentlemen as Privates.-Statesmen in the Ranks.-Rumored Evacuation of Fort Sumter. - Courteous relations between Major Anderson and Citizens of Charleston.- Messengers from the Federal Government.-Vigilance of the Batteries.-An Eastern Schooner driven out of the Harbor.-Perplexities of Lincoln and his Cabinet.-A Decision at last.—A Demonstration to be made in favor of Major Anderson. -Preparations.—A Special Messenger sent to the Authorities of Charleston.-The purport of his Message.—The effect upon the Southern Confederacy.-Excitement at Charleston.-Appeal to Arms.-Departure of the Confederate Commissioners from Washington. Their parting Defiance.-Correspondence between Beauregard and the Secretary of War of the Confederates.-Correspondence between Beauregard and Anderson.

1861.

THE "Confederate States" having organized a government, proceeded to prepare to sustain it by the formation of a military establishment. This was composed of one corps of engineers, one corps of artillery, six regiments of infantry, one regiment of cavalry, and of a staff department, making in all ten thousand seven hun

dred and forty-five officers and men. Those who had abandoned the United States for the Confederate service gave the new army a large supply of highly educated and experienced officers. This number was daily increasing.

The government of Buchanan had at first sanctioned the disloyalty of many of our officers by accepting their resig

[blocks in formation]

nations, though their purpose in giving up their commissions could not be doubted. Inspired, however, by the patriotic counsels of his new secretary of war, Holt, Buchanan had become less considerate toward treason. When, Feb, therefore, General Twiggs, a vet18. eran officer of the army of the United States, surrendered the posts which he commanded to the commissioners of Texas, the President, with unusual impatience and severity, did not wait for a resignation, but expelled the disloyal officer from the army.

By this action of General Twiggs, the State authorities of Texas, which was on the eve of its secession from the United States, became possessed of an immense supply of arms and military stores of all kinds, to be added, as none could doubt, to the resources of the Confederate States. In San Antonio, the arsenal contained forty-four cannon and howitzers of different calibres, one thousand nine hundred muskets, rifles, and Sharp's carbines, four hundred Colt's pistols, two magazines full of ammunition, containing one million five hundred thousand ball-cartridges, and five thousand five hundred pounds of powder.

At Forts Brown, Duncan, and Clark there were large numbers of cannon and magazines filled with ammunition. At the various posts there were several thousand mules and horses, many hundred waggons, abundant clothing and stores, and a great variety of valuable implements. The whole of the Federal property thus traitorously dis

posed of amounted in value to nearly a million and a half of dollars.

General Daniel E. Twiggs was one of the oldest officers in the United States army, which he had entered in 1812, at the age of twenty-two years. He had served under our flag with a fair reputation. He was a captain during the war with Great Britain; served as a major under Generals Gaines and Jackson in the Florida campaign; took part in the Black Hawk war; was in command of the arsenal at Augusta during the nullification excitement, and in the Mexican war received the rank of brevet brigadier-general for his services at Palo Alto and Resaca de la Palma; commanded a division at Monterey, and shared with General Scott in the triumphs of our army from Vera Cruz to the capital of Mexico. He was in command of the department of Texas, with his headquarters at San Antonio, when he brought to so dishonorable a close. his long career of reputable military service. He ranked next to LieutenantGeneral Scott, and would have been entitled, if he had remained loyal to his country, to have succeeded him in the chief command of our army. A Georgian by birth, and a large owner of land and slaves, his adherence to his own State was not unexpected, but few thought that one of the most honored officers of the Federal army would have been guilty of adding treachery to treason.

Encouraged by the addition of Texas to the confederacy, and an unconcealed sympathy on the part of some of the

The secretary of state, Mr. Seward, had already declined the request of the commissioners for an unofficial interview with him, and now refused their demand for an official presentation to the President. It is curious, however, at this period, to note with what studied courtesy a high state officer is constrained to address, and with what diplomatic consideration to argue the question of rebellion with its confessed representatives. "The secretary of state," wrote Mr. Seward, "frankly confesses that he understands the events which have recently occurred, and the condition of political affairs which actually exists in the part of the Union to which his attention has thus been directed, very differently from the aspect in which they are presented by Messrs. Forsyth and Crawford. He sees in them, not a rightful and accomplished revolution and an independent. nation, with an established government, but rather a perversion of a temporary and partisan excitement to the inconsiderate purposes of an unjustifiable and unconstitutional aggression upon the rights and the

other slave States, which gave promise questions; that it is neither their interof further acquisitions, the new govern- est nor their wish to make any demand ment at Montgomery, Alabama, assumed which is not founded in strictest justice, a more independent tone and defiant at- nor to do any act to injure their late titude. Commissioners Messrs. John confederates." Forsyth and Martin J. Crawford were appointed to negotiate with the United States. On their arrival at Washington they presented themselves as the representatives of an independent power. March "Seven States," they said, "of the 12. late Federal Union having, in the exercise of the inherent right of every free people to change or reform their political institutions, and through conventions of their people, withdrawn from the United States and reassumed the attributes of sovereign power delegated to it, have formed a government of their own. The Confederate States constitute an independent nation de facto and de jure, and possess a government perfect in all its parts and endowed with all the means of self-support." With this assumption of independence, the commissioners proceeded to declare their purpose. "With a view to a speedy adjustment of all questions growing out of this political separation upon such terms of amity and good-will as the respective interests, geographical contiguity, and future welfare of the two nations may render necessary," they said that they were instructed to "make to the Gov-authority vested in the Federal Governernment of the United States overtures ment, and hitherto benignly exercised, for the opening of negotiations, assuring as from their very nature they always the Government of the United States so must be exercised, for the maintenthat the President, Congress, and people ance of the Union, the preservation of of the Confederate States earnestly liberty, and the society, peace, welfare, desire a peaceful solution of those great | happiness, and aggrandizement of the

« AnteriorContinuar »