April 15, 1861 (Monday)

The Craft of a Wordsmith
Lincoln's Proclamation

"Lincoln Declares War," by Ted Widmer, Disunion--New York Times, April 14, 2011 is a fascinating read about Lincoln's thought process, -- his emphasis, what he  crossed out and inserted -- in writing his Proclamation of War on April 15th.   The link provides an interactive with his hand written copy. 

"When seen in its handwritten version...it is more clearly something that came from him, and not simply the great bureaucracy he personified as president.  There are deletions, and inserts, and all the signs of a writer struggling to get it just right.  ...then to the point, with Lincoln's commas coming in rapid succession, like the drumbeats of a muster roll....   then that introductory sentence finally arrives at its terminus, the raison d'etre:  (Read the whole article at the link above to catch a flavor of Lincoln himself.)"


Here is an account of how various states responded to the "call to arms" by President Lincoln.  From New York, New England, Chicago and Washington, the response was thunderous.  However...  "Kid Gloves and Bowie Knives," by Adam Goodheart, Disunion--New York Times, April 14, 2011.


"The Great Rebellion -- The Beginning of the End," New York Times, April 15, 1861 writes "The curtain has fallen upon the first act of the great tragedy of the age."


The narrative of today comes from Civil War Daily Gazette, Lincoln Calls for 75,000, Will Virginia Secede?


Diaries from Today:

A Diary from Dixie:  Daily Observations from the Civil War

"When we had calmed down, Colonel Chestnut (the diarist's husband), who had taken it all quietly enough, if anything more unruffled than usual in his serenity, told us how the surrender came about.  (good read at the link above)"

Village Life in America, Daily Observations from the Civil War

"The storm has broken upon us.  The Confederates fired on Fort Sumter, just off the coast of South Carolina, and forced her on April 14 to haul down the flag and surrender.  President Lincoln has issued a call for 75,000 men and many are volunteering to go all around us.  How strange and awful it seems."