April 21, 1861 (Sunday)

"Lift up a standard to the people."
Dr. Osgood's sermon, Church of the Messiah, NYC, 1861

From Blue Gray Review, "Fervor in the Pulpit," an article about the  gatherings on this Sunday morning. 

From the Long Recall, "From the Pulpit -- Section." The American Interest, April 21, 1861.  Four sermons that were preached today in New York, New Jersey, and Providence, Rhode Island are presented.   (scroll down from the link to this section)  Also, a new updated Secession Map as of April 21st is presented to the reader. 

The narrative of the day from Civil War Daily Gazette -- "Beat Your Ploughshares into Swords!  -- Washington DC effectively cut off."


The narrative of events that describes the beginning of the siege of Washington DC is presented in the article below.  Lincoln was in such a fragile place with no re-enforcements able to get to the Capital.  This surely could have come out bad for the North at the start.
"State of Siege:  The Siege of Washington DC," by John Lockwood and Charles Lockwood, Disunion--New York Times, April 20, 2011.


Diary of a young officer -- Josiah Marshal Favill:  "...wondering what sort of beds we should probably have in the army," Daily Observations from the Civil War. 

From A Diary of American Events, April 20, 1861, there is a report on what happened in churches this day. 

"In nearly all the churches in New York -- and probably in a majority of churches through-out the country -- the sermons of today were mainly in reference to the war.  Many congregations have made the day an occasion for patriotic contributions for the outfit of volunteers, or for the support of their families...or asking for uniforms for recruits.  In the Broadway Tabernacle, the pastor, Rev. J. P. Thompson D. D., preached a sermon in the evening on 'God's time of Threshing.'  Dr. Osgood's text was: 'Life up a standard to the people.'  In Dr. Bellows' church the choir sang 'The Star-Spangled Banner' which was vigorously applauded by the whole house.  Dr. T. D. Wells (Old School Presbyterian) preached from the words:  'He that hath no sword, let him buy one.'  Many of the churches -- of all denominations -- are sending some of their most active members to the field as volunteers."


This weeks Harper's Weekly is published:


Baptists and the American Civil War:   Challenges of faith in the coming years

"Few people at this time realize that the South's treason will lead to four years of massive death and destruction.  Many believe, or at least hope, the conflict will be resolved quickly.  And on both sides, in the coming years many politicans, officers, and soldiers will be sustained and/or challenged by their faith convictions, none more so that ex-Baptist Abraham Lincoln."