By Elaine Grublin

The following excerpt is from the diary of Stephen Greenleaf Bulfinch.

Tuesday, 16 April 1861

Our country is engaged in civil war. I have made no entry for three months past; but during that time the evil has been growing to a head. By the criminal neglect of the late administration, the secessionists have been encouraged, and the government handed over to the present ruler in an almost powerless condition. It is but justice however to exempt from this blame, Secretaries Holt and Dix, and to say that Mr. Buchanan seems at last to have tried to do something like his duty.

Mr. Lincoln’s prudence and conciliatory demeanor, – his unexpected passage through Baltimore, disappointing those who were preparing insults if not assassination, – his inauguration, with his excellent address, – the formation meantime of a provisional gov’t at the South, – the much talk & little done in the ‘Peace Convention’ and various other conventions, – the many rumors about Fort Sumter, – the desertion of Gen. Twiggs & other officers, – are now all matters of history. Last week brought on the crisis. On Saturday, Fort Sumter surrendered to the overwhelming force of the Southerners, – its battered ruins alone left; and Yesterday morning appeared President Lincoln’s proclamation, calling on the states for their quotas of troops, to the number of 75000 men, and convening Congress on the 4^th of July next. The country is already responding nobly to the call. New York passed the necessary bill the same day; & two regiments, it is stated, of Mass. militia leave Boston for Washington to-day. Pennsylvania troops are probably already there, or on their way. The Democratic and ‘Bell & Everett’ papers are falling in with the national feeling.

I understand that I displeased some friends by a sermon Sunday before last, being the Sunday after the state fast. I regret their displeasure, but do not feel that I did wrong. The main sentiment for us all to feel now is to stand by the flag and the government of our country. God defend the right!

Next week look for SGB’s 8 May 1861 entry.  He discusses Massachuetts’ quick response to Lincoln’s call for troops, the attack on the Sixth Massachusetts in Baltimore, Maryland, and the organization of companies of soldiers from Dorchester.

By Elaine Grublin

The following excerpt is from the diary of Stephen Greenleaf Bulfinch.

Monday, 14 January 1861

Instead of three of the cabinet, one alone, Mr. Floyd of Virginia, Sec. of War, resigned just previous to my last date; Mr. Cass having honorably retired before. Mr. Floyd lies under heavy suspicions of having betrayed to the secessionists the national forts and arms. Since then, Mississippi, Florida, & I think Alabama have passed secession ordinances; – a collision has been with difficulty avoided at Charleston by the prudence & manliness of Major Anderson, the state forces having fired on a steamer with troops & provisions for his relief. His conduct in protecting instead of fighting seems to have showed the violence of the rebels; and they appear to be negotiating. Meanwhile, Senator Seward, the destined Secretary of State of the next President, has made a noble, conciliatory speech, and brought forward a proposition which I hope may relieve the distracted country. The President appears to act more energetically, and another secessionist has left the cabinet, – Mr. Thoussour, Sec. of the Interior. This makes the fourth of that board who has left his place; – three of them, Cobb, Floyd, and Thompson, “for their country’s good.”

Next week look for SGB’s entry, dated 16 April 1861.  There he declares “Our country is engaged in civil war” and summarizes the events that had transpired over the course of this three month absence from his diary. 

By Elaine Grublin

The following excerpt is from the diary of Stephen Greenleaf Bulfinch.

Monday, 31 December 1860

I have much to record at the close of the year; and my record must be a sad one, in regard to public and private affairs alike, though hope looks through where faith points.

First of public affairs. South Carolina precipitately declared herself independent. The President, weakly listening to a cabinet whom charity can hardly acquit of treachery, refused to reinforce the week garrison, (less than 10 men) of Fort Moultrie, and pledged himself not to do so, on certain promises from the secessionists not to attack the fort. Gen. Cass, Sec. of State resigned in disgust at such conduct. Mr. Cobb, Sec. of Treasury resigned, leaving the Treasury empty, and went South to preach secession. Major Anderson, the Commander at Fort Moultrie, bravely took the responsibility of evacuating it, to place himself in the stronger Fort Sumter. S. C. demands that he be censured for this. I hear today that the President, after hesitation, has refused to obey this order, that three members of the Cabinet have resigned in consequence, a good riddance, and that Carolina which had already occupied Forts Moultrie and Pickney, has taken a revenue cutter of the U.S. If so, the new year must begin with a Civil War; an awful necessity, but ‘from this nettle, danger, we must pluck this flower, safety.’ God defend the right!

Meantime in Congress a conciliatory proposition has been made by Mr. Charles Francis Adams, and seems likely to be accepted generally. I hope, more than I did yesterday, for our greatest danger seemed to me to be from imbecility if not treachery at Washington, which would encourage state after state to commit itself to extreme measures. Yesterday, I kept by anticipation, in my afternoon services, the fast which the president had appointed for Friday next.

Be sure to check back next week for SGB’s next post, dated 14 January 1861, in which he corrects facts mistated in this post and reflects on the growing seccession crises.