Posted inUS Civil War

March 9, 1861 – Gov. Ellis in Wilmington

We learn from the Journal that Gov. Ellis was in Wilmington on the 5th, had a reception at the hands of his brother disunionists, and made a speech—The Journal says:

“The Governor referred to the position of public affairs in Congress and throughout the country to Mr. Lincoln’s declarations to his sneaking into Washington to the total failure of all plans of adjustment to the coercion policy of Lincoln’s message to the necessity of resistance, and to the inevitable course of things leading North-Carolina to join her fate with her sisters of the South, and that at no distant day. He did not know how the election in this State had resulted, but however it had resulted the march of events was still onwards. If we had not a convention now, we would have one very soon. When he looked around and saw the spirit manifested here he felt that the spirit of resistance to oppression which animated the men of ’76 was still alive, and its fires still burning.

Neither the law nor the constitution gave the President power to coerce any State, and the attempt to do so would be an act of usurpation that the people themselves had the natural and indefeasible right to resist, even should it be necessary to do so without waiting for the forms of authority.

Posted inUS Civil War

March 5, 1861 – Washington Correspondence

Special to the New Orleans Crescent

Washington, February 22, 1861

The “natal day” has been celebrated here in grand style. People from the adjoining cities and counties gathered here by thousands, more to witness the parade of the small federal army than anything else. This came off about 3 o’clock P. M. on Pennsylvania Avenue. The troops posted themselves opposite the Center Market, near Seventh street, and made an imposing display with their cannon and horses. Suddenly the bugle sounded a charge, and away the cavalry and howitzers dashed up towards the President’s House, making a great noise, kicking up a mighty dust, but eliciting no cheers. The populace was too scared for that. All feel as if war must come, and that a military despotism is inevitable. Out of some thousand citizen soldiery (including the militia) only one company refused to join in the celebration. The National Rifles turned out, but took no part in the general procession. The men who compose this company, by far the best drilled in the city, are Southern, and do not intend to light for Marse Abe. Lincoln’s speeches at Trenton and Philadelphia leave little room to hope that he will not practice coercion. “It may he necessary to set the foot down firm.” And the New Jerseymen, the truest of all the Northerners to the South, applauded loudly and long. He is willing to live and die by the “indiscreet things” he uttered at Indianapolis, and would “rather be assassinated—even shot“—notice the anti-climax ! ” than abandon the principles which gave liberty to all the world”—negroes not excepted, of course.

That villainous sheet, the Washington Star, thinks that Arkansas has initiated the counter revolution in the Confederate States, and the States and Union quotes a recent Union-shrieking article, letter or item, which appeared in the Picayune of your city, the tendency of which is to confirm Lincoln in his coercive policy. Nothing would please the fanatics of the North more than to see Southerners cutting each other’s throats for the sake of getting back into this glorious Union.

Posted inUS Civil War

March 4, 1861 – Letter from Lieutenant A. J. Slemmer to his Brother

Photograph of Adam Jacoby Slemmer by Brady, 1864

February 20, 1861.— Dear Brother—As a special messenger will leave here for Washington to-morrow I will ask him to carry some private letters, with his public ones, and let you know some little about Fort Pickens and the inhabitants thereof. I only wish it were not so much of a one-sided arrangement, as we need letters down here more than you fortunate people up North can. The papers come through sometimes, but letters never. It quite surprises me to see my name figuring so extensively in the newspapers. I have simply done my duty; but I suppose the doing it, under such a pressure of opposition, makes it appear creditable. The troops are leaving the opposite shore, disgusted at playing soldier, I suppose. They say there are only about three hundred remaining, and these are regulars, haying enlisted for one year. My messenger to the yard, this morning, said they were afraid we would attack them now. We could do so, and get possession again of everything in an hour, if we were only permitted to take such a course.

I have now mounted nearly all the guns—that is, all that are really necessary to enable this work to be defended by a force of five hundred men. We have worked like horses to accomplish this, but great tbings can be done by small means when one knows how. This small command has done more than Chase or Lomax could have done with their two thousand men, and they know it. Having seen our guns go up so rapidly, they swear we have bad reinforcements. In fact, the papers say, nothing else could be expected—that we nave smuggled in men from the vessels. It is true we could have done so, and they be none the wiser; but not a man has been added to this command from them. In fact, so particular are we, that not even an officer has come ashore, with the exception of Captain Vogdes, and he only once, when the vessels first came.