Page:Confederate Military History - 1899 - Volume 1.djvu/373

CHAPTER VIII.

SECESSION MADE INEVITABLE.

VIGOROUS WORK TO STRENGTHEN FORT SUMTER—CABINET OFFICERS RESIGN—BUCHANAN’S POLICY LOOKS WARLIKE—SEWARD CALLS SECESSION A HUMBUG—LINCOLN INSTRUCTS AGAINST COMPROMISE—ELECTION IN SOUTH CAROLINA AND SECESSION ORDINANCE PASSED—COMMISSIONERS FROM SOUTH CAROLINA SENT TO WASHINGTON—ANDERSON’S STRATEGY IN MOVING FROM FORT MOULTRIE AN ACT OF WAR—LINCOLN IN DECEMBER ADVISES SCOTT TO HOLD THE FORTS OR RETAKE THEM—FAILURES OF PEACE MEASURES IN CONGRESS—THE DARK DAY.

SUSPENDING attention to the action of Congress during December, it will be observed that events were thickening the political sky of the Union, of which a mere summary is all that need be given. December 1st, Maj. Anderson informs Adjutant-General Cooper that South Carolina regards the landing of stores at the forts, and the proposed vigorous work to put them in a state of defense as acts of aggression and advises the government to determine at once its course in the event of the secession of the State. Mr. Floyd, secretary of war, instructs Anderson, December 11th, to avoid every act which would provoke aggression, but to hold possession of the forts and if attacked to defend them to the last extremity. The South Carolina State government resolves to permit no assault by any unorganized body of men on the forts and to await the assembling of the convention. Mr. Cobb, secretary of the treasury, resigns, assigning as his reason that his duty to Georgia demanded it, and the vacancy was supplied by the appointment of Mr. Philip