Changes

On the 4th of March, 1861, Abraham Lincoln is inaugurated as the nation's 16th president.  In his address he reiterated his stance, and what he believed the stance of the nation should be, namely non-interference with slavery where it existed, and preventing slavery to spread in the territories, and above all was his stand to preserve the Union.  The substance of what he said was conciliatory, but it also mentioned the obvious:

On the 4th of March, 1861, Abraham Lincoln is inaugurated as the nation's 16th president.  In his address he reiterated his stance, and what he believed the stance of the nation should be, namely non-interference with slavery where it existed, and preventing slavery to spread in the territories, and above all was his stand to preserve the Union.  The substance of what he said was conciliatory, but it also mentioned the obvious:

:''"In your hands, my dissatisfied fellow-countrymen, and not in mine, is the momentous issue of [[civil war]]. The Government will not assail you. You can have no conflict without being yourselves the aggressors. You have no oath registered in heaven to destroy the Government, while I shall have the most solemn one to "preserve, protect, and defend it."'' [http://www.pbs.org/civilwar/war/lincoln_address1.html]

:''"In your hands, my dissatisfied fellow-countrymen, and not in mine, is the momentous issue of [[civil war]]. The Government will not assail you. You can have no conflict without being yourselves the aggressors. You have no oath registered in heaven to destroy the Government, while I shall have the most solemn one to "preserve, protect, and defend it."'' [https://www.pbs.org/civilwar/war/lincoln_address1.html]

After communications between [[Fort Sumter]] and Charleston broke down over quietly surrendering the fort, Confederate General [[P.G.T. Beauregard]] knew reinforcing the fort was certain, and he may have been aware of a supply ship already on its way from Norfolk.  He ordered the fort shelled on April 12, 1861; the honor of firing the first gun went to an ardent secessionist from Virginia, 66-year-old Edmund Ruffin.  The fort surrendered on April 14 after 36 hours of bombardment, the single fatality of the engagement was to a Union soldier, killed when a cannon exploded as they were readying a final salute.  Major Anderson and his force were immediately paroled, and were allowed to leave on the supply ship a few hours later.

After communications between [[Fort Sumter]] and Charleston broke down over quietly surrendering the fort, Confederate General [[P.G.T. Beauregard]] knew reinforcing the fort was certain, and he may have been aware of a supply ship already on its way from Norfolk.  He ordered the fort shelled on April 12, 1861; the honor of firing the first gun went to an ardent secessionist from Virginia, 66-year-old Edmund Ruffin.  The fort surrendered on April 14 after 36 hours of bombardment, the single fatality of the engagement was to a Union soldier, killed when a cannon exploded as they were readying a final salute.  Major Anderson and his force were immediately paroled, and were allowed to leave on the supply ship a few hours later.

==Sources==

==Sources==

For a guide to web sources see:

For a guide to web sources see:

* Alice E. Carter and Richard Jensen. ''The Civil War on the Web: A Guide to the Very Best Sites'' (2nd ed. 2003) [http://www.amazon.com/Civil-War-Web-Sites-Completely-Revised/dp/084205135X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1201965355&sr=8-1 excerpt and text search]

* Alice E. Carter and Richard Jensen. ''The Civil War on the Web: A Guide to the Very Best Sites'' (2nd ed. 2003) [https://www.amazon.com/Civil-War-Web-Sites-Completely-Revised/dp/084205135X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1201965355&sr=8-1 excerpt and text search]

For an older short survey that is online and won the Pulitzer prize, see:

For an older short survey that is online and won the Pulitzer prize, see:

* Rhodes, James Ford. [http://www.bartleby.com/252/ ''History of the Civil War, 1861-1865 (1918)]  

* Rhodes, James Ford. [http://www.bartleby.com/252/ ''History of the Civil War, 1861-1865 (1918)]  

For the best recent survey that is online and won the Pulitzer prize, see:

For the best recent survey that is online and won the Pulitzer prize, see:

* McPherson, James M. ''Battle Cry of Freedom: The Civil War Era'' (1988), 900 pages; [http://www.amazon.com/Battle-Cry-Freedom-Oxford-History/dp/019516895X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1201965480&sr=1-1 excerpt and text search]; also [http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=64327148 complete online edition (partial for free, full for a modest fee)]

* McPherson, James M. ''Battle Cry of Freedom: The Civil War Era'' (1988), 900 pages; [https://www.amazon.com/Battle-Cry-Freedom-Oxford-History/dp/019516895X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1201965480&sr=1-1 excerpt and text search]; also [http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=64327148 complete online edition (partial for free, full for a modest fee)]

For other recent surveys (not online) see:

For other recent surveys (not online) see:

*[http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/collections/civil_war_maps Library of Congress Civil War map collection]

*[http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/collections/civil_war_maps Library of Congress Civil War map collection]

*[http://www.civil-war.net The Civil War Homepage]

*[http://www.civil-war.net The Civil War Homepage]

*[http://www.pbs.org/civilwar The PBS/Ken Burns documentary]

*[https://www.pbs.org/civilwar The PBS/Ken Burns documentary]

*[http://www.historyplace.com/civilwar The History Place]

*[http://www.historyplace.com/civilwar The History Place]

*[http://www.pueblo.gsa.gov/cic_text/misc/civilwar/civilwar.htm Civil War at a Glance; US Interior Department]

*[http://www.pueblo.gsa.gov/cic_text/misc/civilwar/civilwar.htm Civil War at a Glance; US Interior Department]

====1860 Presidential Campaign====

====1860 Presidential Campaign====

*[http://www.archives.gov/federal-register/electoral-college/votes/1853_1869.html#1860 Federal Register, 1860 election results]

*[https://www.archives.gov/federal-register/electoral-college/votes/1853_1869.html#1860 Federal Register, 1860 election results]

====Secession====

====Secession====

*[http://www.sonofthesouth.net/leefoundation/civil-war/1861/march/jefferson-davis-inauguration-speech.htm Jefferson Davis Inaugural speech, as reported in Harper's Weekly]

*[http://www.sonofthesouth.net/leefoundation/civil-war/1861/march/jefferson-davis-inauguration-speech.htm Jefferson Davis Inaugural speech, as reported in Harper's Weekly]

*[http://www.pbs.org/civilwar/war/lincoln_address1.html text of Licoln's first inaugural speech]

*[https://www.pbs.org/civilwar/war/lincoln_address1.html text of Licoln's first inaugural speech]

*[http://www.pbs.org/civilwar/war/lincoln_address2.html Lincoln's second inaugural speech]

*[https://www.pbs.org/civilwar/war/lincoln_address2.html Lincoln's second inaugural speech]

*[http://www.civilwarhome.com/csconstitution.htm Constitution of the Confederate States]

*[http://www.civilwarhome.com/csconstitution.htm Constitution of the Confederate States]