Page:Confederate Military History - 1899 - Volume 1.djvu/435

Rh out in New York to operate against the Southern coast was already out at sea, and "according to the usual course of navigation the vessels designed for Fort Sumter might be looked for on April 9th. &quot; Hence the promised notice by President Lincoln was not communicated to the commissioners at Washington, although dated April 6th, but was timed to reach Charleston at a late hour on the eve on which the fleet was scheduled to arrive at that port. A storm delayed the expedition. The delay gave time for communication between Charleston and Montgomery, which resulted in the defeat of the hostile descent, and thus the immergent proclamation by President Davis of April 12th to assemble the Confederate Congress, antedated the call of President Lincoln on the States for 75,000 volunteers. The Confederate government now saw that the design of the Washington administration was to ’place the besieging force at Charleston between the simultaneous fire of the fleet and the fort, and hence it was necessary to reduce the fort before that purpose could be effected. Congress was therefore called ; war had been commenced by the United States and action thereon had to be taken at once.

Two days after the call of President Lincoln for 75,000 troops the Confederate President issued his proclamation offering letters of marque and reprisal to all who may desire by service in private armed vessels on the high seas to aid the government in resisting aggression, basing his proclamation on the declarations in President Lincoln’s call to arms. The seriousness of the situation was deeply felt throughout the South, amidst the general rejoicing over the accessions of border States, and the earnest preparations made by the Southern governors to meet all requisitions for troops. Planters realized that the need of food and forage supplies would be great, and while continuing to plant cotton they enlarged the area of corn. Merchants were crippled in business and commerce was