FORT SUMTER
at CHARLESTOWN,S.C. It is done. It has come.
War is ripping our beloved country into two seething halves of anger,
suspicion, and violence. On the morning
of April 12th, General P.T. Beauregard’s batteries opened fire on
the Federal troops stationed inside the main fort guarding the entrance to Charleston’s lifeblood –
her harbor. Why? President Lincoln would not back down and withdraw the
troops from the harbor; instead, he decided to resupply them. South
Carolina could not live with “enemy” troops pointed
like a dagger at her throat. The cannons
roared, calling a country to battle.
Every American must decide.
Secessionist or Unionist? Slaver
or Abolitionist? Federal or
Confederate? True Blue or Proud Gray? Who will you fight for? Cry for?
Bleed for? As for this paper, we
will never cease to do all that is within our power to preserve the integrity
of one of the greatest nations on earth.
With some reluctance, but with eternal resolve, we support President
Lincoln’s decision to call for volunteers to join the Federal army, and to
FORCIBLY return the miscreant southern prodigals to the UNITED States of America. UNION
FOREVER!
As the Unionist I am, I shall fight for the Union and be the True Blue that I am! The Southern prodigals shall give in to our ace-high military and we shall blow about the war to our children and their children afterwards. Telling them the stories of our successful apprehension of slavery forever! (I was a wee lil' child living a life of quiet comfort when the Civil War began. My father was a prominent merchant and secessionist. And Unionist my bum! I am Stuart's Femme Fatale. I relayed Union intelligence to Confederate forces, including Stuart's Scouts, led by Colonel John S. Mosby (the leader of a band of Confederate rangers in Northern Virginia). Abraham Lincoln is a naive and incompetent president who will not win the Civil War. The Confederate forces will not back down!)
ReplyDeleteWar has come. I knew all along that "Honest Abe" wasn't going to be able to hold it back. He is a blind fool, and not a very smart one at that, as he refused to relinquish his troops from Charleston. Now it is time for the Confederates to take victory over the weak willed people of the Union. John Brown was also an ungodly fool, leading a bloody raid on a weapons depot, and for that reason, I watched him hang, and I liked it. Now with our generals, and god to guide us, we will be victorious. However, I will not be enlisted as a soldier, as my wife would never allow it, but despite my cowardliness, we will watch as the proud gray succeed!
ReplyDeleteThe war over slavery has gone on long enough. This "Honest Abe" is not as smart as he is honest clearly. The Confederates will strive when this wretched war is over, and we will be joyous that our beautiful country is preserved. Well put Mr. Booth.
Delete(This war has gone on long enough. This war is only occurring because of an outdated view, and it's about time we solve it. I would never support a war, especially within our own country as other places stare at our country slobbering like hungry dogs waiting to pounce and steal it out from under us, but this war is providing an end or a near end to a conflict that I believe has gone on long enough. I will stand with my Union until the very end, supply them with your information, and be on the inside to take you down. The war will end, but the Confederates will not be on the winning side.)
John Wilkes Booth is right, in this Civil War the proud gray will win. Lincoln is not a good leader, and he is no match for our leader Jefferson Davis. The proud gray has much better military leadership so we will easily win.
Delete( I disagree with John Wilkes Booth, the Union will win. It is rich that the South thinks they can win, when the North has all the factories filled with technology. In this war, I will be a spy and attempt to aid the Union by spying on the South. With spies like myself, victory is inevitable.)
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ReplyDeleteWar has broken out, and everyone, it seems, must choose sides. I am a secessionist like all Southerners, and we must band together and protect the practice of slavery. This war will truly test our people, as well as our leaders. Lincoln and Davis will have to prove themselves and their leadership skills. My full support goes to Davis, and I believe he will lead our new nation to victory. I will fight for the South, and the proud gray will be triumphant.
ReplyDelete(As war officially breaks out, I am in a dangerous position. Everyone around me thinks I am a secessionist, but I have already given my life over towards helping the Union. I wait as everyone does now with baited breath, for Lincoln has called for volunteers and will be amassing his troops. At the same time, Jefferson Davis prepares for war, angry after John Brown's attack on Harper's Ferry. I prepare for an internal war, that of concealing my true emotions. I must have game, and fetch information useful to the Union. I may be a fake gray, but I am a true blue.)
The choosing of sides has come. A proud southerner, my heart, mind, and words will always lie with the South. I will fight for my right to keep the property that I worked hard for. As the generals and leaders of the South prepare for war, I rally behind my faithful troops and pray for their safe return as they go to war with their own country. Gray will rein.
ReplyDelete(As a spy in the South, I am caught in a dangerous place. My cover must remain with them, especially in a time as such, when the true American Union seeks insight of the Southern generals. My best option is to continue to fake the wretched gray flags and smiles, while my heart grows a truer blue shade every minute of the waking day. I do this act only in hopes that I contribute to the victory of the abolitionists, the True Blues, The Union, and the best there can be for America, the country we fought so hard for, and the country that must be preserved. I withhold a war inside, as well as out, but I fight through it, only in hopes to end both. The war must proceed in order for it to end, but my heart lies with the Union, always and forever.
It is how I had predicted it to be. Our nation is so divided over this matter that we are willing to spill blood over it? Fellow Americans, is this what you really want? Does it not stump you that the men and women you will be fighting against are the descendants of the same men and women that stood by your great-grandfathers and grandmothers during the Revolutionary War? Do you not remember how the united the 13 colonies were? I also find it very ironic that many slavers assume that it is morally correct to treat a human like a piece of property. You dare have the audacity to fight for your own freedom but refuse freedom to others? Southerners are so twisted to think that by keeping slaves, they are following God's words. As a young child, I have witnessed the terrifying and inhumane ways that slave owners have treated innocent black slaves. I still refuse to believe that violence is necessary but if it means that slavery will be forever abolished, I am willing to tolerate it in hopes of a better future for this country.
ReplyDeleteIt is how I had predicted it to be. Our nation is so divided over this matter that we are willing to spill blood over it? Fellow Americans, is this what you really want? Does it not stump you that the men and women you will be fighting against are the descendants of the same men and women that stood by your great-grandfathers and grandmothers during the Revolutionary War? Do you not remember how the united the 13 colonies were? I also find it very ironic that many slavers assume that it is morally correct to treat a human like a piece of property. You dare have the audacity to fight for your own freedom but refuse freedom to others? Southerners are so twisted to think that by keeping slaves, they are following God's words. As a young child, I have witnessed the terrifying and inhumane ways that slave owners have treated innocent black slaves. I still refuse to believe that violence is necessary but if it means that slavery will be forever abolished, I am willing to tolerate it in hopes of a better future for this country.
ReplyDeleteI am a proud Northerner hailing from Michigan. Though I switch sides frequently, (due to my frequent missions), I will stay a soldier. My greater views will not take over my duties as a soldier. I chose to join the army for the patriotism and slavery. I’ll admit that I’m not very fond of the idea of slavery, and my reason to fight is not for my family, who I have shunned but the slaves. I would happily die for my country as long as I am not discovered before that. The force that is required to return rebel states to the country is more than we can muster. As a male nurse in the Union army, I’ve seen enough men sick with typhoid, cholera, dehydration, and sunstroke to fill our infirmary. If disease alone can put down this many men, what will war do to our troops? I fully agree with President Lincoln’s intentions, but I don’t believe that we have to troops to fight against the South. The Union has more men and guns than the South but if our men keep dying, the General Davis and his army could squash us like an anthill.
ReplyDeleteI wish not to arbitrate our current status as a Nation for we are all but one. Our “treasured” Missouri Compromise has been sentenced afire, as it resides in the chambers of hell alongside my timeworn pacifist beliefs. To be whole is to be in control of our ideals, though when they conflict to the extent of a civil disruption, it’s instinctual to rally by the side your ideals align to. The fire spews against the boundaries of our country, instigating fear in those who draw themselves to drown out the flames. The last resort possible has been confronted, and through this we will destroy ourselves and be reborn. We are a cycle; a phoenix. As time erodes our prejudices, the Unionists and Secessionists will find their parallels. I am the deep blue of ocean. The deep blue that has arrived to cleanse Mother America of the ash that has wrongly defined its home in her arteries. The Civil War is the inevitable consequence of man's inhumanity to man and a necessary conflagration to break the bonds of slavery. I refuse to fight tooth and nail, though I shall continue aiding in the employment of “coloured soldiers”. George Luther Turner, a major in the Federal Army, has blessed me with the opportunity to assist the Union without bloodying my palms, and I am thankful for that. May the North Star guide us to victory.
ReplyDeleteFinally. War’s rampage has been ignited, and no force less than God himself will suffice to stop her on her blind path. The raging clouds that bring the telltale tidings of battle, long foreseen whispering along the horizon, have finally broken loose and now rain down their first tears and blood upon our divided nation. Monsoons have yet to come. I am, as always, torn between the two lands. My body remains chained to the North while my soul resides in the South, excusing my actions myself. However, I will not complain. I will execute my tasks and play my due role in the war, hoping for the outcome that my country so wishes for. The ashen color of our uniforms will soak up the rain and purge the land—our land—of its presence for eternity.
ReplyDeleteThe sun shines through a break in the clouds upon me. My handler, Thomas Jordan, has recently borne the reigns of a pro-southern spy network here in Washington into my hands. Vast possibilities open up like so many sunflowers as they angle towards the path of righteous triumph. Clouds break away further as, along with my recent promotion, I have found a seed. One that holds infinite potential as it grows under my watchful hands. Senator Wilson, hailing from Massachusetts, has fallen for my outwardly charms and my “Wild Rose” complexion for which I owe so much to. I am now besieged, quite regularly, by letters proclaiming a love that I cannot feel. While my heart forever stays with my deceased husband, dear Robert, and I harbor no love for Wilson, my duties compel me to make the most of this opportunity. Thus my newly garnered source of priceless material. Wilson has foolishly stepped into my snare, and now I am provided insight as to the numbers of heavy guns and other artillery in Washington’s defense. This shall prove far more than the simple meaning found in “useful”. Thank you, Wilson. My gratitude is yours, whether the truth deems you wanting of it or not.
Tensions have piled up and all unity as a nation is long gone. I cannot ascertain when these skirmishes will end, however I believe in the righteousness of a Union victory, and know it will come to be. Some predict this war to end as quickly as it began, while others say it will last years. for me, it is not the length that matters so much as the outcome.. As one of the few women permitted near the battlefield, I have seen the need of thos fighting, and am determined to help in any way I can. Many of my former studentshave offered themeselves up for their country. They have nothing more than the clothes on their backs. Efforts to equip Union troops with supplies must be expanded and greater medical assistance is necessary on the battlefield. My time is devoted fully to fill these needs and assist my country back to health with a Union victory. When there is no longer a soldier`s arm to raise the stars and stripes above our capitol, may God give strength to mine.
ReplyDeleteThough some believe that the violence about to come is unnecessary, at this point I feel as though the nation will not solve the issue of slavery without it. I am a proud gray and I will do whatever it takes in order to stand up for the Confederacy. And though I can support my fellow people, I cannot guarantee the outcome of this war. Lives will be lost, and history will be made.
ReplyDelete(Upon the beginning of this war, I have started working on behalf of the Union. I have gathered information on the plans and movement of Confederate troops from captured prisoners, helped many more prisoners escape from the enemy, and aided many Unionists currently in Libby Prison, located in Richmond, VA. I hope to start something similar to a spy circle in order to help our cause. I will do everything in my power to assist the Union, slavery must and will be abolished.)
: Finally, the inevitable has come. They practically forced us into firing. They cut off all our trade and all communications, trying to counter our King Cotton strategy. They made us choose to rejoin their shoddy Union or fight. I know General Beauregard quite well, leading the Army of the state of South Carolina into battle, and he would make that decision to fire 100 out of 100 times. For years, that Union has kept our army and rights restricted, practically ruling us, waiting for us to step out of line, and using it as an excuse to try and rip us to shreds. Obviously, I will be working with my childhood mentor, Mr. Lee, in helping win this war for the South. With me leading the recon, and Lee leading the fighting, Ulysses S. Grant doesn’t stand a chance. He has half the mind of mine, and has never been the first choice for that Honest Abe.
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ReplyDeleteI believe a union victory is a key step toward the abolition of slavery. Uniting as a nation is beneficial to everyone and we need to become strong as a whole country. Why are we fighting each other? If we don't agree on terms...is it even worth fighting for? I would like to offer my own expertise and skills to the unions cause; I can serve medical attention to those who may need it. Now, we need to set aside our differences, and stay united!
ReplyDeleteI have never led men to battle in a conflict this extreme. The defense of our harbors in cities such as Charleston is vital to or survival as a nation in this war. We need them to maintain our supplies. The North thinks that they will win due to our lack of supplies. Have they forgotten what happened almost thirty years ago? A tariff on British goods was put in place. Now separated from the north and that tyrannical tariff, we are no longer dependent on the north. It's hilarious how hard Lincoln tries to keep his nation and ours as one, while we fall further and further apart.
ReplyDeleteI didn't care about either side when the war started. However, when two of my sons were executed as suspected bushwhackers by Federal troops, I had to avenge them. They even put their severed heads on my gate-posts to my home. Luckily, I have my reliable Kentucky Long Rifle. I'll be able to use it to target Union soldiers from over half of a mile away. I never liked Union soldiers. The North was never that helpful. Always attacking the rights of the South. They never appreciate the hard work plantation owners do. They never think about the food they eat. I will assist the Confederate States to win this war.
ReplyDeleteIt is no surprise that the war has begun. As I am from New York, I will gladly be wearing my blue uniform. I was a medical officer serving in Texas, but now I've received a letter from the War Department requesting a new U.S. Army Signal Corps, which manages all communications. These grangers stand no chance without factories to make ammunition and weapons. The Tredegar Iron Works is one of the few Southern steel mills, but that's nothing compared to our heap of factories. President Lincoln seems to understand what is necessary for our nation as a whole. He will guide the Union to victory.
ReplyDeleteWar has begun. As a San Francisco Police Detective, I have easily secured a position in the Union Army. General Winfield Scott, the Union Commander, understood me and my talents; he understands that as a police detective, espionage will suit me well. General Scott soon gave me an espionage mission into Union Territory. I am currently known under the alias Sam Muson. As a spy, I have been in both territories and have a complete picture of the state of our dear country. Not only have Southerners and Northerners been separated, but within each side there is also an absence of trust– manifesting itself in false accusations and lynch mobs. I had been trying to sneak my way into confederate territory–it hadn't worked well. Twice, rather ironically, I had been suspected and caught by my own men as a Confederate spy! I have witnessed young men, children even, being falsely accused and hung as traitors. Although, I believe this is wrong, it is my duty to serve the North regardless of what harm I may bring. For this calamity is none but the South's fault. War has proven damaging to the country. Suspicion, the antithesis of unity, has eschewed all trust in this nation. The South has no morals and is apathetic about the fate of our nation and its cherished ideals, it is the Union that must win and recover the lost pride.
ReplyDeleteIt brings me great sorrow, that our nation has come to war. Especially by the foolishness of the southerners and their deplorable belief in slavery. I have heard that my novel has inspired many Northerners to fight against slavery, therefore I have no plan of leaving the fight. Together, we will make the South bleed for all the slaves who have suffered. Every gun shot to the chest will be for every whip an innocent black soul has endured. We will make them regret their secession. I will stand tall at the sight of the American flag, to protect this great nation. Soon we will win this war and become a single Union once again. The future for the United States is far too great for one to comprehend. But only time will tell.
ReplyDeleteIt seems like everyone has to choose sides and there's no neutrals as Stephen Douglas said. But for me It's hard to chose sides, I believe in slaves, but I also believe in the slaves rights. Meaning I don't want to end slavery, I want slavery, I believe they should be treated as a human instead of 3/5 of a person or property. This is very hard for me also because people in the South seem to reject me because of my beliefs. I also don't believe that fighting in the war is necessary, my brother has gone to fight in the war because he had to, not because we want to, or because he believed the same as everyone else. Most likely he is going to be a goner, hopefully he will not fight for nothing. We have to admit that the North needs the South (for the South's farms) and the South needs the North (for the Norths factory's). I know it's more complicated than that, but I think if we work hard together we can become one of the most powerful nations. Following that logic the South would not do well without the North and vise versa. Additionally I think that states should have the right to make their own decisions and that's what we fought for. As you can tell this war has been very hard for me, my family, and my business. But every nation has a conflict and this war I don't think will help us solve our differences.
ReplyDeleteIt seems like everyone has to choose sides and there's no neutrals as Stephen Douglas said. But for me It's hard to chose sides, I believe in slaves, but I also believe in the slaves rights. Meaning I don't want to end slavery, I want slavery, I believe they should be treated as a human instead of 3/5 of a person or property. This is very hard for me also because people in the South seem to reject me because of my beliefs. I also don't believe that fighting in the war is necessary, my brother has gone to fight in the war because he had to, not because we want to, or because he believed the same as everyone else. Most likely he is going to be a goner, hopefully he will not fight for nothing. We have to admit that the North needs the South (for the South's farms) and the South needs the North (for the Norths factory's). I know it's more complicated than that, but I think if we work hard together we can become one of the most powerful nations. Following that logic the South would not do well without the North and vise versa. Additionally I think that states should have the right to make their own decisions and that's what we fought for. As you can tell this war has been very hard for me, my family, and my business. But every nation has a conflict and this war I don't think will help us solve our differences.
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ReplyDeleteIt seems like everyone has to choose sides and there's no neutrals as Stephen Douglas said. But for me It's hard to chose sides, I believe in slaves, but I also believe in the slaves rights. Meaning I don't want to end slavery, I want slavery, I believe they should be treated as a human instead of 3/5 of a person or property. This is very hard for me also because people in the South seem to reject me because of my beliefs. I also don't believe that fighting in the war is necessary, my brother has gone to fight in the war because he had to, not because we want to, or because he believed the same as everyone else. Most likely he is going to be a goner, hopefully he will not fight for nothing. We have to admit that the North needs the South (for the South's farms) and the South needs the North (for the Norths factory's). I know it's more complicated than that, but I think if we work hard together we can become one of the most powerful nations. Following that logic the South would not do well without the North and vise versa. Additionally I think that states should have the right to make their own decisions and that's what we fought for. As you can tell this war has been very hard for me, my family, and my business.
ReplyDeleteAs everything is happening in front of my eyes I am astonished at what Lincoln is doing. I am a Southerner and always have been. This war has been bloody and violent but I am not in the middle of it, and before I thought I was glad I am not, but now my view is changing. I think the Unions beloved president Lincoln is being careless. He is so sure that the Union will come out on top when we, the South, haven't even had a chance to prove our worth. As for me, I will stand by the secessionists all the way.
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ReplyDeleteDaddy officially left to join the southern army. We need to fight to keep slavery alive! Union is a needy term that can only be fed if we stay together as a whole nation, but that will never happen! It is risky, knowing that everything I know could be destroyed, but a risk that my family is willing to take. Who would wirk if slavery is abalished? The men have jobs already, and the women keep the house in line and God know us kids can't wirk such laborious jobs!
ReplyDeleteAs a true Unionist, we must collate and amalgamate to form a combined team; fighting for a common cause. Join the Green Coat Killers; and we’ll annihilate them in a heartbeat. As the leader of United States Volunteer Sharpshooter Regiments, we compel you to join. Only the people of the Union can fight to address this matter misery. If this we let this issue endure, African Americans will forever live in the affliction of white men. The only way we can fight for those is if we work as a team and bind together to abolish the practice of slavery. The stab of slaves resonates in the ears of white men, but they turn the face; unable to understand what Africans feel. As a combined Union we must fight for the freedom of those who can’t.
ReplyDeleteIf I were alive today, I would help fight along side my country as true member of the Union. There will be many casualties, but we must show the Confederates that whatever purpose they wish to achieve will never happen and will never be successful. If they wanted to settle things the hard way, we will certainly settle things the hard way. The war will not even last very long. The Confederates are outnumbered because the only people they have a re slaves, slave owners, and prisoners from callabooses. We as a country must show them how America was meant to be. Our country is strong and we will show them how if a country is divided they fall, but united they stand tall and proud. We will be ready for anything that comes our way so beware Confederates.
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ReplyDelete(The war has finally started. Being a freed slave and newly married, I don’t want a war so directly. But I am a former slave, and I want all slaves freed and equal. My former slave owner, Elizabeth Van Lew, has asked if I will spy for the Union. I am to be a slave for an important confederate; I don’t want to go back to fetching and cleaning things and dealing with soaked men, but I will help the anti-slavery cause. My photographic memory will allow me to memorize documents and conversations. It won’t be hard to get ahold of important information. Being a slave, they will think I’m at sea.)
ReplyDeleteI long for a country where all are equal and have equal rights. Perhaps with the war, we can finally take a step forward to that goal instead of backwards. I will be taking the side of the union, fighting to not only preserve the union but to end slavery. I tried to join the union army as a medical officer, but despite having graduated from the Syracuse medical college as a doctor, they denied my application, presumably because I am a woman. Instead, I volunteered as an assistant surgeon. I work at the US Patent Office Hospital in Washington with no pay. Despite my problems with trying to join the war effort, I am glad to be making an active contribution to the war effort.
ReplyDeleteAs I have been hired by Union Intelligence to spy behind confederate lines, I can see how intelligent both the Southerners and the Northerners are. Such great minds being thrown up the spout over such inhumane acts. Our nation is as if we're at sea. But, I will take my position for the slaves and for the Union. As I gather information about conditions, fortifications, and troop dispositions and see more and more reason to declare war against each other. I've gone through the mill and seen the elephant enough to see what is happening right now. And it doesn't look good. But, I will stand strong for my beliefs. If there is one thing I've learned over here, it would be to stand your ground and never beat the devil around the stump. Southerners, get blow your horns now because there will be a time when there won't be anything to blow about. You have game in you, but sadly it looks as if that's all you got. I am glad to stand with my fellow Unionists and Slave-Breakers.
ReplyDeleteAs a beloved supporter for the Union, I believe that Lincoln would make the perfect commander in cheif for our federal army. He has all the right characteristics, including a positive attitude and a great deal of leadership. He can lead us, the union, to any victory we desire. The south wouldn't stand a chance! Over the past couple of years, the north and south have continued to drift farther and farther from each other. However, at the end of the day, we are still the UNITED states of America, and we can't always disagree on everything. It's gotton so bad that Roughly 1,264,000 American soldiers have died in the nation's wars--620,000 in the Civil War and 644,000 in all other conflicts. It was only as recently as the Vietnam War that the amount of American deaths in foreign wars eclipsed the number who died in the Civil War. I mean, how can anybody, north or south, be able to cope with those numbers? I sure can't. I mean, those are millions of lives, just being tossed down the drain because of some stupid conflict we had. That is just utterly ridiculous.
ReplyDeleteI am a proud supporter of Lincoln, as he is a intelligent, and generous commander for our nation. I will serve him until I die in battle for sure. The Union will prevail, and win this war, for we truly have God on our side. Our numbers are greater, and our economy booms with new industry. As a player in this war, I am confident that we can beat the south.
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