The+Start+of+the+War,+Crittenden+Compromise+and+Fort+Sumter

The Crittenden compromise and Fort Sumter

The Crittenden Compromise: The Corwin Amendment:
 * Was submitted to congress by Senator J. Crittenden on December 18, 1860
 * It was the last try by the “Compromise Forces” to avoid war.
 * The compromise consisted of, six proposed constitutional amendments and four proposed Congressional resolutions.
 * Heavily favored the South
 * Abraham Lincoln hated the plan
 * Would guarantee the south slavery below the Missouri Compromise line.
 * And would make it impossible to abolish slavery.
 * There would be slavery in the District of Columbia
 * Fugitive slaves if found had to be returned because they were still considered (lost and found) property.
 * Congress could not interfere with slave trading going from state to state.
 * It also provided for the disenabling of congress to pass a bill that would over ride the Crittenden compromise.
 * Republicans refused to agree to the bill because it went against there most important platform which was abolition.
 * Both the House of Representatives and the Senate rejected it.
 * Prohibited the power of congress to abolish slavery in an area that already had legalized slavery.
 * It passed the House as well as congress, with 2/3 majority.
 * Never got adopted because of the 13th amendment, which meant it was no longer needed.

Fort Sumter:
 * After the seceding states formed the confederate states of America, they immediately began taking federal property such as Forts, Arsenals, etc. in the south.
 * Fort Sumter was a “military installation” off the coast of South Carolina in the harbor of Charleston.
 * Was defended by 80 union soldiers led by Major Robert Anderson
 * Was attacked by 500 confederate soldier led by brigadier General Beauregard.
 * Eventually union defenders began to run out of ammunition and food.
 * President Abraham Lincoln sent a merchant vessel, telling the southerners that if they did not attack the supply ship then the union would send no relief forces.
 * The next part of the battle for Fort Sumter is the most important because the South had been put in a very tough situation in which they would be forced to fire first.
 * The South attacked the ship and shots were fired back, this was the start of the civil war.
 * Eventually confederate leaders told General Beauregard to take the island by force; he obliged and began to bombard Fort Sumter from April 12-13, 1861.
 * On April 14 Major Robert Anderson surrendered.





Fun and interesting facts:


 * Despite the fact that Senator J. Crittenden tried to bring unity to America, his two sons became generals on opposite sides of the war.
 * No one will admit that they fired the first shot when shots were fired between confederate soldiers and the merchant ship that was sent to provide additional troops and supplies.
 * The Corwin Amendment is technically still before the states for ratification, because it was submitted to the states without a time limit
 * Although there were no casualties during the battle of fort Sumter, one Union artillerist was killed and three wounded (one eventually died from his wounds) when a cannon exploded prematurely when firing a salute during the evacuation of Fort Sumter.
 * Anderson, the commanding officer at Fort Sumter, was Buearegaurds instructor at West Point. Prior to the bombardment, Buearegaurd sent a letter formally requesting surrender of the Fort. Anderson regretfully denied this offer, and the bombardment began.