1860 - Year of Turmoil
The 1860 year saw one of the most disturbing presidential election in the American history (even more than 1901 presidential election during which presidential candidate was shot and despite his wounds continued speech) as anti-slavery Republican Party composed from ex-members of the Whig and Free Soil Party gained strong support from Northern abolitionists centered around moderate Republican Former Representative from Illinois Abraham Lincoln and his vicepresidential choice Hannibal Hamlin who won election gaining 180 Electoral votes and 39,5% popular vote thus defeating divided Democrat Party. Supported by Southern Democrats John Breckinridge "favourite son of Kentucky" gained electoral votes from all southern states except Missouri winning 111 of them and 18,3% popular vote. Backed by Northern Democrats Stephen A. Douglas won only state of Missouri despite gaining 29,5% popular vote while John Bell suffered devastating defeat losing his home state Tennessee to Breckinridge by 119 votes.
Douglas and Bell both claimed that Lincoln's election would not neccessary mean disunion but Southern states openly supported Breckinridge in order to protect states' rights and peculiar institution (euphemism describing slavery) against Republican Northener from Illinois (actually, Lincoln was from Kentucky just like Breckinridge and Jefferson Davis). Many people saw themselves as more Southern than American and were more willing to fight for their home states than Union just like General Robert E. Lee who at the beginning sided with Union but after Virginian secession resigned from command and arrived in Richmond where he was commisioned into Confederate States Army as Brigadier General. Another example of separatism was Major General Montgomery Meigs, Quartermaster General in Confederacy who defected after Georgian secession and became on of the important persons in the new state.
Secession began on December 20, 1861 when South Carolinian state convention adopted "Declaration of the Immediate Causes Which Induce and Justify Secession of South Carolina from Federal Union". It was followed by the Cotton States - Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, and Texas during next two months. These states on 4 February created new form of federal government - the Confederate States of America an took control of federal forts and properties with little or none resistance from President of the United States Buchanan. Entire Texan garrison - one fourth of US Army surrendered and its commander David E. Twiggs joined new state as Major General.
On 12 April rebelled states attacked Fort Sumter which was surrendered two days later. As response Lincoln called all states to deliver 75,000 of volunteers and financial support to crack down Southern rebellion but this order outraged other Southern states - Virginia, Tennessee, North Carolina, Kentucky, Missouri and Arkansas refused to fullfil this and all but Missouri and Kentucky seceded and joined Confederacy. Kentuckia and Missourian governors declared neutrality but both of them held pro-Southern sympathies and began to scheme against Federal government in order to join Confederate government.
CHARLESTON
MERCURY EXTRA
THE UNION DISSOLVED!