Maryland, My Maryland

While Lincoln's call for 75,000 volunteers to invade the 7 Southern states that had seceded was received enthusiastically by many Northern states, the border states viewed it as as an act of tyranny.  Governor Magaffin of Kentucky replied to the order saying :" I say emphatically Kentucky will furnish no troops for the wicked purpose  of subduing her sister Southern states" and Governor Jackson of Missouri was even stronger in his reply to Lincoln :" Your requisition is illegal, unconstitutional, revolutionary, inhuman, diabolical,  and cannot be complied with".  As a result of Lincoln's order the border states of Virginia, Tennessee, North Carolina and Arkansas seceded and secession efforts were in progress in Missouri and Kentucky.  Maryland was also against the order.  one of Lincoln's first steps was to secure the
Northern Capitol and in order to accomplish this the mustered Union regiments had to march through Baltimore.  On the 19th of April the 6th Massachusetts chose to march through Baltimore fully armed and in military formation and consequently were jeered by unsympathetic bystanders.  To make matters worse the troops fired on the crowd killing 12 civilians.  The fire was returned by the crowd and 4 soldiers were killed.  These 16 were the first casualties in a long bloody struggle that would claim more than 620,000 lives.  By May, Lincoln was closing dissenting newspapers form New York to Chicago and he also suspended the writ of Habeas Corpus, a Constitutional guarantee of the Bill of Rights.(Habeas Corpus is a fundamental liberty which prevents the arbitrary arrest and imprisonment indefinitely without defined charges, trial, or means of release.  Habeas Corpus can only be suspended temporarily under conditions of civil disorder but the suspension must be authorized by congress within 30 days.  Lincoln did not comply with these rules of government.) After the arrest of Baltimore resident, John Merryman, (without charges or trial) and the subsequent order of arrest of U.S. Chief justice Robert B.Taney, for defending Mr.Merryman and for speaking out against the injustice perpetrated by the government, Maryland began to seriously consider seceding.  However, Northern informants made this known to the government, and Secretary of War Simon Cameron issued an order that "all or any part of the legislative members must be arrested to prevent secession" and so Lincoln took over Maryland (as well as Missouri and Kentucky) to prevent them from seceding.  As Maryland's state song (which was directed against Lincoln, his cabinet and his generals) says:

The despots heel is on thy shore

Maryland, My Maryland!

His torch is at thy temples door

Maryland, My Maryland!

Avenge the patriots gore,

That flecked the streets of Baltimore,

And be the battle queen of yore,

Maryland, My Maryland

Dear Mother, Burst the tyrants chain,

Maryland, My Maryland!

Virginia should not call in vain,

Maryland, My Maryland

 She meets her sisters on the plain,

'Sic Semper' is the proud refrain,

That baffles minions back amain,

Maryland, My Maryland

Arise in Majesty again

Maryland, My Maryland

Lincoln's Despotism and War against dissent in 6 Northern States

Though it has been covered up by politically correct history, Lincoln was actually fighting 2 ruthless wars.  One against the Confederacy and one against dissent in 6 Northern States (Those states being New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and Wisconsin).  Many Democratic Northern newspapers and politicians voiced reservations on the justice and wisdom of the war and were in favor of a negotiated peace to end the war.  They also spoke out against Lincoln's conduct in the war.  Lincoln and his cabinet responded with ruthless despotism, beginning with the suppression of over 300 dissenting newspapers, critical of Lincoln, the government, or the conduct of the war.  Dissenting Editors, Politicians, Clergyman or anyone suspected of disloyalty to the Union or of being critical to Lincoln were arrested without formal charges or trial.  Pastors were barred from preaching if they refused  to support Lincoln in their sermons and prayers.  Freedom of speech and Freedom of the press were non-existent and it is estimated that 14,000 to 38,000 Northern civilians were arrested and taken to unknown places of confinement for voicing their opinions against Lincoln, others simply disappeared.  In July of 1863, 50,000 New York state and citizen militia fought against federal troops and New York city police in a battle against federal tyranny and despotism.  It took 4 days for federal troops to suppress the organized revolt and thousands were killed or wounded.  As General Sherman said, half the Union Army was tied up suppressing dissent in 6 Northern states.

Who Started The War???

This is a detailed timeline that I made to go with the previous post 

"Fort Sumter and the War Conspiracy" to put the firing on Fort Sumter into perspective.

So I hereby present :

Who Started The War? : Facts and events that led up to the firing on Fort Sumter.

      

November 6th, 1860*
** Abraham Lincoln elected as 16th President.
State secession conventions meet leading to 7 states seceding by his inauguration.  

                                          

* In late 1860 most Northerners believed secession was a constitutional right.

** As opposed to all the Presidents before him and most Northerners, Lincoln did not

 believe secession was a legal right.

December 9th
An agreement between President Buchanan and the South Carolina Congressmen is reached.  Forts Moultrie and Sumter will not be attacked as long as they are not reinforced or act aggressively.

December 12th  
Lincoln (before his inauguration) sends orders to Army Chief,Winfield Scott, with instructions to prepare to hold or retake the forts after his inauguration on March 4th.

Fort Sumter was unoccupied except for construction crews.    

December 20th 
South Carolina secedes from the Union.

December 26th 
Maj. Robert Anderson moves his 84 men from Fort Moultrie to Fort Sumter causing a stir in Charleston.  Shortly after his move he reported to headquarters that he had provisions for 4 months (enough to last 'till April 26th).  A few days later he wrote to a trusted friend saying he actually had provisions for 5 months (enough to last 'till May 29th).

December 31st 
General Scott, secretly and unbeknownst to President Buchanan, has the Navy ship, Brooklyn, outfitted to supply and reinforce either Fort Sumter or Fort Pickens.  Besides supplies and ammunition, it carried 200 artillery soldiers under Army Capt. Vogdes.

January 7th 
Under orders of General Scott, the merchant steamer, The Star of the West, leaves the Norfolk area with supplies for Fort Sumter and 200 soldiers concealed below deck.

January 9th 
The Star of the West sails int Charleston harbor making for Fort Sumter. Charleston batteries fire a warning shot across her bow. She continues towards the fort but turns back after the Charleston batteries begin to fire in earnest.

January 10th 
Florida secedes.

That night the commander at Fort Barrancas on Pensacola Bay moved his men to Fort Pickens.

January 21st 
The Brooklyn with Army Capt. Vogdes and his 200 artillery men arrive in Pensacola Bay and are joined by the Sabine and Wyandotte.

January 29th 
Following tension between Confederate civil authorities and Gen. Braxton Bragg an armistice is signed by Union Secretary of War and Navy Secretary, Toucey, agreeing that Fort Pickens will not be attacked unless reinforced or acting aggressively towards Confederate forces.

February 7th  
Retired Navy Capt. G.V.Fox presents an aggressive plan to reinforce Fort Sumter.

February 18th 
President Buchanan vetos the plan presented by G.V.Fox knowing that reinforcing Fort Sumter or Fort Pickens would be an act of war.

February 20th
Gen. Scott renews the reinforcement plan.

February 25th 
Confederate President, Jefferson Davis, appoints 3 high ranking peace commissioners to go to Washington to discuss the disposition of Forts Sumter and Pickens.

                     

* Lincoln refused to see them, however they received promises from Secretary of State William Seward, that Fort Sumter would be evacuated.

March 3rd 
President Davis assigns Brig. Gen. P.G.T.Beauregard as Confederate Army Commander.   

March 4th 
Abraham Lincoln is inaugurated.

March 9th 
Lincoln proposes to his cabinet that Fort Sumter be reinforced. Only 2 support him.

March 12th 
Gen. Scott orders reinforcement of Fort Pickens.

March 15th
Lincoln again proposes reinforcing Fort Sumter to his cabinet with negative results.

March 21st 
Capt. Fox is sent on a special mission to see Maj. Anderson and S.C. Governor, Pickens,  to asses the situation and possibilities of reinforcing the fort.

March 29th 
Lincoln's cabinet is finally persuaded to approve Lincoln's plan to reinforce Fort Sumter though they all know it means war.

April 1st
Lincoln issues 6 secret orders to various naval personell (without consulting the Secretary of the Navy or the Secretary of War) concerning the outfitting of the Powhatan, one of the fastest, most heavily armed ships, for a secret mission to fort Pickens.  Also Army Capt. Vogdes finally delivers the March 12th order from Gen. Scott to reinforce Fort Pickens to the squadron commander, Navy Capt. H.A.Adams.  Adams refuses to comply since it would violate the armistice.

* By this time Northerners are beginning to reassess their position on secession after  seeing how it will affect their revenues.

April 4th 
Maj. Anderson receives notification to expect reinforcement by the 15th.

April 6th 
Adams sends a letter to Navy secretary, Welles, to authenticate the orders from Gen. Scott.  

 Lincoln gives the final order to reinforce Fort Sumter. 
The Pocahontas, the Pawnee, the Harriet Lane, the Baltic ( which would carry 200 troops) and the Powhatan are assigned to the task force.

April 7th 
The Confederate peace commission is still in Washington listening to Seward promise that Fort Sumter will be evacuated.  However, they have grown suspicious and surmise that the fleet is already on its way to Fort Sumter.

April 8th 
S.C. Governor Pickens receives and envoy saying :" I am directed by the President of the United States to notify you to expect an attempt will be made to supply Fort Sumter with provisions only, and that if such an attempt be not resisted, no effort to throw in men, arms and ammunition will be made without further notice, or in case of an attack on the fort". 
In the meantime, Lincoln had planted in the Northern press the misinformation that the garrison at Fort Sumter were starving and in great need of provisions.

April 9th 
Beauregard sends Col. James Chesnut and Capt. Stephan D. Lee to demand the surrender of the Fort, to which Anderson refuses.    

April 11th 
Union reinforcement warships arrive and are within striking distance of the fort and Charleston.

April 12th 
Capt. Adams receives confirmation from Welles that Fort Pickens must be reinforced immediately.  The Pensacola task force is joined by the Powhatan which sails into Pensacola Bay deceptively flying the British colors. Under cover of night they succeed in reinforcing the fort.  Confederate General Braxton Bragg takes no immediate action, still hoping for peace.

    

     3:20 am 
Beauregard sends a message to Maj. Anderson saying the fort will be bombarded within the hour.

    4:30 am 
Confederate Batteries around Fort Sumter begin their bombardment.

    6:30 am 
Fort Sumter begins returning fire.  

The Union flotilla does not engage and keeps it's distance.

April 13th 
The warship Pocahontas arrives.

    7:30 am  
Seeing that the Fort is on fire the Confederates cease firing and offer a fire engine which Anderson refuses. 

Firing recommences. 

    2:00 pm 
A white flag is displayed from the fort and the almost 34 hour bombardment ends.

The defenders of the fort are evacuated with all honor.

April 15th 
 Lincoln calls for 75,000 volunteers to invade the South for "attacking the half starved garrison and preventing ships from bringing them provisions". And so the bloody 4 year war starts.

So it was not the South, and it was technically not the North.  It was a war started by Lincoln to prevent Southern Independence.

                 

Fort Sumter and The War Conspiracy

It is necessary to state that the South wished for a peaceful separation from the Union and went so far as to include that fact very specifically in section 2, article VI of the Confederate Constitution: " The Government...hereby declaring it to be their wish and earnest desire to adjust everything pertaining to the common property, common liability, and the common obligations of that Union upon the principles of right, justice, equity and good faith".  Many Northerners at this time believed that secession was a legal, constitutional right. Therefore, working towards achieving this end, South Carolina Congressmen met with President Buchanan to discuss the disposition of several coastal forts, of which the most important were Fort Sumter in Charleston Harbor and Fort Pickens near Pensacola.  An agreement was reached stating that Forts Sumter and Moultrie in Charleston would not be attacked by South Carolina forces unless reinforced or acting aggressively towards the Confederates.  Abraham Lincoln (having been elected the 6th of November) sent orders to Army Chief Winfield Scott to prepare to hold or retake the forts after his inauguration on the 4th of March.  Lincoln, as opposed to all the previous presidents and most Northerners, was strongly opposed to secession and did not believe it to be a legal right of the state.  After the Union commander at Fort Barrancas relocated to Fort Pickens, the Confederates reached an armistice with the Union Secretary of War, Holt, and Navy Secretary, Toucey, that Fort Pickens would not be reinforced.  However, during this time secretly and unbeknownst to President Buchanan, Maj. Robert Anderson relocated to Fort Sumter with a garrison of 84 men and General Scott prepared to reinforce the forts.  An attempt was made smuggle 200 soldiers into Fort Sumter but was unsuccessful. Nonetheless the Confederates did did nothing against the forts as they hoped for peace.  Several aggressive reinforcement plans were presented but were vetoed by President Buchanan who said that it would be an act of war to break the armistice with the Confederate states.  After his inauguration, Lincoln proposed a plan to reinforce Fort Sumter even while Secretary of State, William Seward was promising the Southern peace commission that Fort Sumter would be evacuated.  After proposing his plan 3 times, Lincoln finally convinced his cabinet to approve it, even though they all knew it was an act of war.  Lincoln planned everything carefully so that the Southern batteries in Charleston would have to fire the first shot and thus "cause" the war.  However, the North broke the armistice many times before the South attacked Fort Sumter and their only reason for attacking it was self defense against the union warships that the government had sent to reinforce the garrison.