Category Archives: Secession

September 22, 1862: Free black men in Ohio

Posted on September 22, 2012 by Allen Gathman

The Richmond Daily Dispatch reproduces a report from an Ohio paper complaining about freedmen “degrading white labor”. First fruits of Africanizing Ohio. –Several farmers of the Abolition persuasion in Athens County–we might mention Pedro and Simpson — have negroes employed … Continue reading →

Posted in Abolitionism, Ohio, Secession, Slavery | 1 Comment

November 30, 1861: States can secede; counties can’t.

Posted on November 30, 2011 by Allen Gathman

Slave population as percent of total, Arkansas, 1860 census The principle of secessionism had to be kept firmly in check in the South, where some areas had strong Union sympathies. West Virginia had already seceded from Virginia to form a … Continue reading →

Posted in Arkansas, Secession, Spies | 2 Comments

November 16, 1861: Slaves throw a Confederate benefit

Posted on November 16, 2011 by Allen Gathman

In Selma, slaves throw a benefit ball for their masters. “This will prove an interesting item to the miserable fanatics at the North who have been very confidently anticipating an insurrection,” the Tennessee Baptist gloats. Of course, slaves in the … Continue reading →

Posted in Alabama, Secession, Slavery | 3 Comments

July 29, 1861: Confederates don’t like secession

Posted on July 29, 2011 by Allen Gathman

The Confederacy espoused the right of secession, but only insofar as it could be used to preserve slavery. Secession was a right of states, not of parts thereof — especially when those parts were controlled by non-slaveowners who had no … Continue reading →

Posted in Secession, Tennessee, West Virginia | Leave a comment

May 20, 1861: North Carolina secedes – but doesn’t revolt

Posted on May 20, 2011 by Allen Gathman

Francis Burton Craige George Edmund Badger North Carolina became the last state to secede. From the journal of the North Carolina Secession Convention: First an ordinance was introduced by George E. Badger listing causes, and declaring the state independent: An … Continue reading →

Posted in Causes of the war, Confederacy, North Carolina, Secession | Leave a comment

May 6: More states secede

Posted on May 6, 2011 by Allen Gathman

Alexander Stephens In Montgomery on May 7, 1861, Alexander Stephens had an optimistic report on the progress of secession. The New York Times reported on it: ANOTHER SPEECH BY A.H. STEPHENS. RESULT OF HIS MISSION TO VIRGINIA — FURTHER DESIGNS … Continue reading →

Posted in Alexander Stephens, Arkansas, Secession, Tennessee | Leave a comment

April 1, 1861: Economics of slavery

Posted on April 1, 2011 by Allen Gathman

As The American Civil War pointed out the other day, the Richmond Daily Dispatch was trying hard to drum up support for secession in Virginia. Here the editor touts the economic benefits of slavery, though I think he’s neglected to … Continue reading →

Posted in Secession, Slavery, Virginia | 2 Comments

March 21, 1861: The Cornerstone Speech

Posted on March 21, 2011 by Allen Gathman

Alexander Stephens, the new vice-president of the Confederacy, gave a speech in Savannah in which he talked about the merits of the new constitution, and the prospects of success of the Confederacy as a nation. One aspect of the constitution … Continue reading →

Posted in Alexander Stephens, Causes of the war, Confederacy, Georgia, Secession, Slavery | 2 Comments

March 19, 1861: Missouri Convention rejects secession

Posted on March 19, 2011 by Allen Gathman

The Missouri Secession Convention, meeting in St. Louis, passed resolutions rejecting secession and endorsing the Crittenden Compromise. The first resolution, rejecting secession, passed 89 to 1. Note the amendment of resolution 5, which steps back from condemning coercive force by … Continue reading →

Posted in Crittenden Compromise, Missouri, Secession | Leave a comment

March 15, 1861: Texas vote fraud?

Posted on March 15, 2011 by Allen Gathman

The unionist Alamo Express of San Antonio claims that the popular vote ratifying Texas’ secession was rigged. Actually the claim is a bit murky. First the editor claims that the low turnout makes the result invalid, then that people were … Continue reading →

Posted in Secession, Texas | 2 Comments