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Southern and War Items.

The state rights party of Fayetteville, N. C., on Saturday, raised a flag with the fifteen slaves states' coat-of-arms, and the mottoes, "No submission to the North," and "Southern rights." The Union men displayed the national flag from Capitol Hill, with thirty-four stars. An immense crowd assembled, and was addressed by Union and secession speakers.

The State Department has replied to the note of the Confederate State Commissioners, declining to receive them in their official capacity, but expressing deference for them as gentlemen. The Secretary expressed a peaceful policy on the part of the Government, declaring a purpose to defend only when assailed.

A deplorable example of the demoralization of the public mind in the South has recently come to light at Washington. In hastily opening one of the mail bags from Virginia, a small box was thrown upon the floor and broken, from which escaped two venomous snakes. It was addressed to the President of the United States, and but for this accident would have been sent to him and opened without hesitation, according to the design of the cowardly wretches who conceived this infamous plot. Being free, there was no post-mark by which it might be traced.

The Secretary of the Navy has taken a decided stand in regard to such officers as exhibit any hesitation about obeying orders. Some of them intimated an indisposition to go South, and he immediately signified that whoever raised that point, or any other concerning the performance of duty, should be immediately stricken from the roll of the army. No complaints have been heard since this intention became known.

Ben McCulloch, whose presence in Virginia has so alarmed the Union men, left on Tuesday for Texas.

Active preparations are going on at Washington and in Maryland for the defense of the capital. The secretary of war has decided to accept volunteers, if necessary, as a posse comitatus.

Capt. Johns has returned from New York to Washington, under arrest for refusing to go South with the troops ordered from New York Harbor.

Offers of volunteers from the border states continue to be sent to Montgomery and tenders of 7000 "border ruffians" and 2000 Indian warriors have been received there from the West. So says the Herald's dispatch.

President Jeff. Davis on Tuesday made a requisition on the governor of Alabama for 3000 troops.--A Mississippi brigade, 1800 strong, arrived at Pensacola on the 7th, and 370 Georgia troops, en route for Pensacola, passed through Montgomery Monday.

Gen. Sumner, U.S. A., had been sent to supersede Gen. Johnston in the command of the Pacific Division of the Army. Johnston is a kinsman of Floyd, and there is reason to suspect his loyalty. Gen. Sumner is a man of Northern birth, and of approved fidelity and capacity.

A letter to the Times, from on board the steamer Brooklyn, says the commander at Fort Taylor, Key West, compelled the inhabitants to haul down the Confederate States' flag, with the polite intimation that two different nationalities could not rule in the same place.

The rumor that the Brooklyn had landed men at Fort Pickens proves untrue.

Lieut. Bowen has arrived at Washington, with dispatches to the government from Col. Waite, commanding the department of Texas. He left San Antonio on the 27th of March. Colonel Waite was carrying out the orders of General Twiggs. A large number of troops had already embarked, and very soon nearly the entire force would be in readiness to leave the country. He says there is no truth in the statements that the Texans had interfered with or attempted to molest the United States troops. The relations between them were friendly and peaceful. He says he heard nothing about the United States troops being wanted there, and that he does not believe the reports that the government contemplates sending any there. He says that if anything of the kind had been known in Texas, he would have heard something about it. At least, the officer commanding the department of Texas would probably have been consulted about it.

In regard to political affairs, Lieut. Bowen says there had been considerable change among the people. They seemed to be averse to the course which the secessionists were pursuing, and he believes there will be a complete revolution in affairs. He says the Union sentiment has always been pretty strong there, owing to the large German element that resides in that section of the State.

The South Carolina convention adjourned Wednesday, subject to a call of the president. Before adjourning, it passed resolutions approving of the treason of Twiggs in skulking from duty under the cloak of a resignation, and stealing the federal property for the benefit of other traitors. Gov. Pickens attended a secret session of the convention Wednesday.

Col. Ripley, late superintendent of the Springfield Armory, who had a long leave of absence from secretary Floyd, returnd from his travels in the steamer Persia on Tuesday. He was known to be a true man, and being second in command in the ordnance department, we presume that the Washington traitors were very glad to get him out of the way. Hearing of the troubles in the country, he has returned and is ready for duty. Col. Ripley was in command at Charleston, in the times of the Jackson secession, and owes treason no good will.

(c) Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Association, Deerfield MA. All rights reserved.
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There is currently no available "Beginner" label. The following is the default level label: On the 12th of April, 1861, three days before this report was published in the Greenfield Gazette, the Confederate States had begun shelling Fort Sumter in the harbor of Charleston, South Carolina. Although President Abraham Lincoln did not make a declaration of war, in effect the war had begun between the Union and Confederacy. By the 15th Fort Sumter had surrendered and had been evacuated. On the 15th President Lincoln made his first call for troops, 75,000 volunteers to serve for ninety days. The uncertainty and confusion of those days is evident in this report. Although the two countries were at war, it would not be until July that the first real battle would be engaged. It was near Manassas, Virginia, in the chaotic battle that would be known as the First Battle of Bull Run.

 

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"Southern and War Items"

publisher   Greenfield Gazette and Courier
date   Apr 15, 1861
location   Greenfield, Massachusetts
width   2.5"
height   15.75"
process/materials   printed paper, ink
item type   Periodicals/Newspaper
accession #   #L02.122


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See Also...

"Sundry Items"- military figures for states

"Jeff Davis' Proclamation"

"The Traitor's Confederacy"

Admiral Francis John Higginson (1843-1931)


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