Page:Cambridge Modern History Volume 7.djvu/483

 i86i] The Northern armies. 451 War having been thus begun by the unprovoked attack by the Confederate forces, President Lincoln on April 15 issued his proclama- tion calling to the service of the United States 75,000 three-months'* militia. To this every governor of a Free State responded with enthu- siastic loyalty, and tendered at least double the number of regiments called for. A proclamation from Jefferson Davis, on April 17, proposing to issue letters of marque and reprisal against Federal commerce, was met two days later by the counter-proclamation of President Lincoln, instituting a blockade of the Southern ports and threatening privateers with the laws against piracy. In both the North and the South the war-spirit and hostile demonstrations rose to a high pitch, and the usual peaceful energies of communities were quickly turned to enthusiastic and active military preparation. The regular army of the United States numbered 17,113 officers and men. Scattered in small detachments to guard the vast western frontier against hostile Indians, it could not immediately be withdrawn. It was quickly seen that the 75,000 militia called into service by the President's proclamation would be insufficient to meet the rapid de- velopment of the insurrection ; and the formation of a new army was immediately begun. By a proclamation of May 3, 42,034 three-years 1 volunteers, 22,714 enlisted men (adding ten regiments to the regular army), and 18,000 seamen were called into service, swelling the entire military establishment of the United States to an army of 156,861 and a, navy of 25,600. There existed no legal authority for this increase; but the special session of Congress legalised the President's action, and by additional laws, approved July 22, 25, and 29, authorised him to accept the service of volunteers for three years, or during the war, to a number not exceeding one million. Such was the patriotic enthusiasm of the people of the loyal States that before July 1 seventy-two regiments and ten batteries had been enlisted and mustered in; and within a year from the call 637,000 volunteers were in service. Immense as then seemed such a preparation for hostilities by a peaceful nation, it was but the serious beginning of the war. During the following three years of conflict ten additional calls were made by President Lincoln for troops to be furnished from the several States by volunteering and by draft. In response to these calls the enormous total of 2,690,401 recruits was obtained in periods of enlistment varying from three months to three years ; and this supply kept up the total strength of the armies of the Union to 918,191 on January 1, 1863; 860,737 on January 1, 1864; 959,460 on January 1, 1865; 980,000 on March 31, 1865; and 1,516,000 on May 1, 1865. Con- currently with these changes, the navy of the United States was ex- panded from 42 vessels, carrying 555 guns, with 7600 men afloat, to 671 vessels, with 4717 guns and 51,500 seamen. If it be asked why such prodigious numbers were needed for the cu. xiv. . 29 2