erally looked upon in the south as a concession to the more conservative portion of the southern people, for he had not been considered as one of the original or most ultra secession leaders.

The conservative elements of both sections made great efforts to bring about a reconciliation. The State of Virginia called upon all the States to send delegates to an informal peace congress to meet in Washington. This body assembled in February. Twenty States were represented in

it-thirteen northern and seven southernand the venerable ex-President Tyler was chosen to preside over its deliberations. Various plans of settlement were proposed, and a committee, consisting of one member from each State, was appointed to prepare a plan upon which the congress could unite. In due time it made its report to the congress, and after a careful and elaborate discussion the resolutions were adopted, and were ordered to be laid before the rival governments. The congress then adjourned. The plan proposed by this body pleased neither side. The Southern States were not satisfied with the guarantees it offered for the protection of their rights in the matter of slavery; and the Northern States were unwilling to sanction a more rigid enforcement of the constitutional provision for the rendition of fugitive slaves. The effort to close the breach between the States only served to widen it.

A. H. STEPHENS.

Matters were in this unhappy and excited condition when the administration of Mr. Buchanan came to a close. After the inauguration of his successor, he retired to his home at Wheatland, near Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

CHAPTER XLI.

THE ADMINISTRATION OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN THE CIVIL WAR.

Inauguration of President Lincoln-His History-The Confederate Commissioners at Washington-Attack upon Fort Sumter by the Confederates-The President calls for Troops-Response of the North and West-Secession of the Border States-Opening Events of the War in Virginia-Withdrawal of West Virginia-Admitted into the Union as a separate State-Meeting of Congress-The West Virginia Campaign-Battle of Bull Run-The War in Missouri-Kentucky Occupied-The Blockade-Capture of Port Royal-The "Trent" Affair -Insurrection in East Tennessee-State of Affairs at the Opening of the Year 1862-Edwin M. Stanton made Secretary of War-Capture of Forts Henry and Donelson-The Confederates fall back from Kentucky-Battle of Shiloh-Capture of Island No. 10-Evacuation of Corinth-Capture of MemphisBragg's Kentucky Campaign-His Retreat into Tennessee-Battles of Iuka and Corinth -Battle of Murfreesboro', or Stone River-Grant's Campaign against Vicksburg-Its Failure-The War beyond the Mississippi-Battle of Pea Ridge Capture of Roanoke Island-Capture of New Orleans-Surrender of Fort Pulaski-The War in VirginiaJohnston's Retreat from Centreville-Battle between the "Monitor" and "Virginia"-The Move to the Peninsula-Johnston Retreats to the Chickahominy-Battle of Seven Pines -Jackson's Successes in the Valley of Virginia-The Seven Days' Battles before Richmond-Battle of Cedar Mountain — Defeat of General Pope's Army-Lee Invades Maryland-Capture of Harper's Ferry-Battles of South Mountain and Antietam→ Retreat of Lee into Virginia-McClellan Removed-Battle of Fredericksburg.

BRAHAM LINCOLN, the sixteenth president of the United States, was inaugurated at Washington on the 4th of March, 1861. As it was feared that an attempt would be made to prevent the inauguration, the city was held by a strong body of regular troops, under General Scott, and the president-elect was escorted from his hotel to the capitol by a military force. No effort was made to interfere with the ceremonies, and the inauguration passed off quietly.

The new president was in his fifty-third year, and was a native of Kentucky. When he was but eight years old his father removed to Indiana, and the boyhood of the future president was spent in hard labor upon the farm. Until he reached manhood he continued to lead this life, and during this entire period attended school for only a year. At the age of twenty-one he removed to Illinois, where he began life as a storekeeper. Being anxious to rise above his humble position, he determined to study law. He was too poor to buy the necessary books, and

so borrowed them from a neighboring lawyer, read them at night, and returned them in the morning. His genial character, great good nature, and love of humor, won him the friendship of the people among whom he resided, and they elected him to the lower house of the legislature of Illinois. He now abandoned his mercantile pursuits, and began the practice of the law, and was subsequently elected a representative to Congress from the Springfield district. He took an active part in the politics of his State, and in 1858 was the candidate of the Republican party for United States senator. In this capacity he engaged in a series of debates in various parts of the State with Senator Douglas, the Democratic candidate for re-election to the same position. This debate was remarkable for its brilliancy and intellectual vigor, and brought him prominently before the whole country, and opened the way to his nomination for the presidency. In person he was tall and ungainly, and in manner he was rough and awkward, little versed in the refinements of society. He was a man, however, of great natural vigor of intellect, and was possessed of a fund of strong common sense, which enabled him to see at a glance through the shams by which he was surrounded, and to pursue his own aims with singleness of heart and directness of purpose. He had sprung from the ranks of the people, and he was never false to them. He was a simple, unaffected, kind-hearted man; anxious to do his duty to the whole country; domestic in his tastes and habits; and incorruptible in every relation of life. He was fond of humor, and overflowed with it; finding in his "little stories" the only relaxation he ever sought from the heavy cares of the trying position upon which he was now entering. He selected his cabinet from the leading men of the Republican party, and placed William H. Seward, of New York, at its head as secretary of state.

ABRAHAM LINCOLN.

Mr. Lincoln was sincerely anxious to avoid everything which might precipitate the civil strife; but at the same time was determined to maintain the authority of the general government over the seceded States. In his inaugural address he declared his purpose to collect the public revenues at the ports of the seceded States, and to "hold, occupy, and possess" the forts, arsenals, and other public property seized by those States. At the time of his entrance upon the duties of his office Fort Sumter and Fort Pickens were still held by the federal forces.

The Confederate government was convinced that war was inevitable;

and since its inauguration had been preparing for the coming struggle. Nearly all the officers of the army and navy of the United States, who were natives of the seceded States, resigned their commissions in the old service, and were given similar positions in the army of the Confederate States. The forces collected at Charleston and Pensacola were reinforced

by troops from other States, and the command at the former place was conferred upon General Pierre G. T. Beauregard, and at the latter upon General Braxton Bragg, both of whom had been distinguished officers of the old army.

Just before the close of Mr. Buchanan's term of office the Confederate government despatched John Forsyth, of Alabama, Martin J. Crawford,

of Georgia, and A. B. Roman, of Louisiana, to Washington as commissioners to endeavor to effect a peaceable adjustment of the matters at issue between the two governments, and to treat for an equitable division of the public property of the United States. Mr. Buchanan refused to receive the commissioners in their official capacity, and after the inauguration of the new administration they addressed a note to Mr. Seward, the new secretary of state, setting forth the objects of their mission, and soliciting an official interview with the president. Mr. Seward declined to receive them in their official capacity, but answered them verbally through Mr. Justice John A. Campbell, of the Supreme Court of the United States, that he was in favor of a peaceful settlement of the difficulty, and that the troops would be withdrawn from Fort Sumter in less than ten days. Mr. Seward's object appears to have been to deceive the

commissioners, and lull their suspicions, in order to gain time for the preparations which had been determined upon for the relief of Fort Sumter.

In the meantime, the government having resolved to reinforce and provision Fort Sumter at all hazards, every nerve was strained to carry out this design before it should become known to the Confederates. An expedition consisting of seven ships, carrying two hundred and eightyfive guns and twenty-four hundred men, was prepared at New York and Norfolk. The southern commissioners, whose suspicions had been allayed by Mr. Seward's message, were alarmed by the rumors of these preparations, which they suspected were for the relief of Fort Sumter. They