[Doug64]

March 9, Saturday

The Federal Cabinet meets with the President to consider the Fort Sumter situation. In a lengthy session, they debate whether to evacuate or reinforce and resupply, or just what to do. Time is running out. The consensus seems to be that evacuation is necessary. To General Scott the President writes asking how long Anderson can maintain his position without fresh supplies or reinforcements and whether the Army can supply or reinforce the fort.

The Confederate Congress at Montgomery authorizes issuance of treasury notes up to a million dollars. Congress also sets up an army for the Confederate states.

In St. Louis the Committee on Federal Relations of the Missouri Convention points out the errors of both sides and declares there is no cause to compel Missouri to dissolve her connection with the Union.

[Zionist Nationalist]

[annatar1914]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jugp3Bm8bAs&t=122s

Political ideas have consequences, often measured in human lives.

[Doug64]

I remember a chronological series of photos of President Lincoln someone once put together. You could see how the war was wearing on him, measured in the deepening lines on his face and shadows under his eyes. He was known for his sense of humor, but he desperately needed it.

[annatar1914]

I remember a chronological series of photos of President Lincoln someone once put together. You could see how the war was wearing on him, measured in the deepening lines on his face and shadows under his eyes. He was known for his sense of humor, but he desperately needed it.

A very heavy burden, especially of not being particularly understood or trusted. And very vilified and attacked even in the North.

[Libertarian353]

A very heavy burden, especially of not being particularly understood or trusted. And very vilified and attacked even in the North.

He looks alien in with wax feature.

[annatar1914]

He looks alien in with wax feature.

I used to work in Hospice care and in Hospitals and Nursing Homes, stress and a broken heart will do that to people. The strain of leadership and responsibility during the American Civil War, the constant reports of casualties and seeing the dead and wounded himself, the loss of all his children except Robert (who very much wanted to go sign up into the army and be a hero for his dad, foolish boy) and the mental instability of the First Lady, combined with unceasing attacks in the media and having to run for re-election and all on top of that trying to end the scourge of Slavery.... I'd say he earned every bit of his face. He's more beautiful a man to me than most, and the horror etched on his face moves me to tears every time I look at him.

Show some respect.

[Doug64]

March 11, Monday

The Confederate Congress unanimously adopts the Constitution of the Confederacy and sends it to the states for ratification.

Brig. Gen. Braxton Bragg assumes command of Confederate forces in Florida.

In Washington Gen. Winfield Scott answers Lincoln’s question as to Sumter: it is uncertain how long Maj. Anderson can hold out; the Army cannot reinforce Fort Sumter within many months and it would require a fleet of war vessels, transports, five thousand regulars, and twenty thousand volunteers.

President Lincoln is still very much involved in making appointments.

[Potemkin]

March 11, Monday

The Confederate Congress unanimously adopts the Constitution of the Confederacy and sends it to the states for ratification.

Brig. Gen. Braxton Bragg assumes command of Confederate forces in Florida.

In Washington Gen. Winfield Scott answers Lincoln’s question as to Sumter: it is uncertain how long Maj. Anderson can hold out; the Army cannot reinforce Fort Sumter within many months and it would require a fleet of war vessels, transports, five thousand regulars, and twenty thousand volunteers.

President Lincoln is still very much involved in making appointments.

Maybe I'm missing something, but I don't see any military or strategic sense in reinforcing Fort Sumter. If the Federal government sent those reinforcements, it would guarantee war. And in the event of a war with the South, those 20,000 or more troops would be better employed elsewhere than being pinned down in some fort. So why were they even discussing reinforcing Fort Sumter? Let the South capture it; it would at least clarify matters.

[Doug64]

Maybe I'm missing something, but I don't see any military or strategic sense in reinforcing Fort Sumter. If the Federal government sent those reinforcements, it would guarantee war. And in the event of a war with the South, those 20,000 or more troops would be better employed elsewhere than being pinned down in some fort. So why were they even discussing reinforcing Fort Sumter? Let the South capture it; it would at least clarify matters.

At this point Lincoln was probably just finding out what his options were. Which, as it turns out, weren’t much—considering all the shore batteries that could range on Fort Sumter holding the fort probably meant conquering the city, so adding more troops would simply be increasing the number of targets.

[Potemkin]

At this point Lincoln was probably just finding out what his options were. Which, as it turns out, weren’t much—considering all the shore batteries that could range on Fort Sumter holding the fort probably meant conquering the city, so adding more troops would simply be increasing the number of targets.

Indeed. At which point Lincoln would, in effect, have been invading the South. This was clearly not what he wanted to do, at least judging by his public speeches so far. No, his best option was to simply leave Anderson dangling in the breeze, conserve his military forces, and let the South start the war by taking the fort. Which, in fact, is more or less what actually happened.

[Doug64]

Indeed. At which point Lincoln would, in effect, have been invading the South. This was clearly not what he wanted to do, at least judging by his public speeches so far. No, his best option was to simply leave Anderson dangling in the breeze, conserve his military forces, and let the South start the war by taking the fort. Which, in fact, is more or less what actually happened.

Along with an attempt at resupply, just to make it clear that the Union isn't just abandoning the fort, yeah, pretty much.

[annatar1914]

Along with an attempt at resupply, just to make it clear that the Union isn't just abandoning the fort, yeah, pretty much.

The Crisis of Slavery and the American Civil War show why President Abraham Lincoln was probably the wisest of all Presidents, and indeed the Second Founder of the United States. He proved it from the start, by what you and Potemkin have discussed about Fort Sumter

[Potemkin]

Along with an attempt at resupply, just to make it clear that the Union isn't just abandoning the fort, yeah, pretty much.

Indeed. Lincoln was nobody's fool.

[Doug64]

March 12, Tuesday

Forth McIntosh, Texas, is abandoned by Federal troops.

In Britain the newspapers and public are rapidly taking sides regarding recognition of the Confederacy.

[Doug64]

March 13, Wednesday

Alabama ratifies the Confederate Constitution.

President Lincoln tells Seward not to see the Confederate commissioners, as that would be admitting that the Southern states are out of the Union, a proposition the President cannot now and never will officially accept.

President Lincoln confers with former naval officer Gustavus Vasa Fox on plans for possibly resupplying Fort Sumter.

[Potemkin]

President Lincoln tells Seward not to see the Confederate commissioners, as that would be admitting that the Southern states are out of the Union, a proposition the President cannot now and never will officially accept.

Seward disobeyed Lincoln's orders in this regard, which suggests that the inexperienced Lincoln was having difficulty asserting his authority even over his own subordinates at this stage of his Presidency. Given the enormity of the task facing him, it's remarkable how well Lincoln was to perform during the Civil War.

[Doug64]

Seward disobeyed Lincoln's orders in this regard, which suggests that the inexperienced Lincoln was having difficulty asserting his authority even over his own subordinates at this stage of his Presidency. Given the enormity of the task facing him, it's remarkable how well Lincoln was to perform during the Civil War.

I can’t remember which historian commented that Lincoln filled his Cabinet with men that thought they’d make better presidents than him—then bucked his entire Cabinet when he thought they were wrong. That says a lot about both his humility and his self-confidence.

[annatar1914]

I can’t remember which historian commented that Lincoln filled his Cabinet with men that thought they’d make better presidents than him—then bucked his entire Cabinet when he thought they were wrong. That says a lot about both his humility and his self-confidence.

All this is true, although I seem to have read somewhere that there was also a suggestion of canny political wisdom in Lincoln's letting his Cabinet shoot their mouths off from time to time, because the resulting outcries reduced their political capital and not his, and he's rein them in.

We also have to consider that the Republican party was very new, and full of ideological misfits and oddballs gathered into a coalition, and few with any political sense. Only Lincoln knew what he was doing and why, and that made all the difference.

[Doug64]

March 14, Thursday

The Federal Cabinet meets once more on the crisis at Fort Sumter and also considers appointments.

Louisiana receives the thanks of the Confederate Congress for turning over $536,000 taken from the former U.S. mint in New Orleans.