Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume XVI.djvu/195

New York. (See Sumter, Fort.) The next day (April 15) President Lincoln issued a proclamation calling upon the governors of the several states for a force of 75,000 militia for three months. The utmost enthusiasm was aroused throughout the north. On the evening of the 16th several companies from Pennsylvania reached Washington, and on the 17th the 6th regiment of Massachusetts started for that city. On the 19th, in company with ten companies from Philadelphia, it reached Baltimore, where it was attacked by a party of secessionists, and three of its members were killed and eight seriously injured. The Philadelphia troops were compelled to return, but the 6th Massachusetts proceeded to Washington. On the 25th several other regiments reached that city. On May 13 Gen. B. F. Butler took military possession of Baltimore, repressing the secession element in that city. In the mean time the United States arsenal at Harper's Ferry (April 18), and the Gosport navy yard, near Norfolk, Va. (April 21), fell into the hands of the confederates. On April 19 and 27 the president issued proclamations declaring a blockade of the ports of the seceded states. On April 15 he called an extra session of congress to meet on July 4. This body made large appropriations for the organization and support of the army and navy, which were continued by subsequent congresses. Various loans were authorized and other financial measures adopted during the struggle, to which reference has been made in a previous portion of this article. The states and subordinate political bodies also promptly raised large sums in aid of the war, and did not relax their efforts till its close. Bounties were offered to soldiers enlisting, by the United States and by state and local authorities. On May 3, 1861, a second call was made by the president for 42,034 volunteers for three years, 22,714 men for the regular army, and 18,000 seamen. The acts of July 22, 25, and 31 authorized the president to accept not exceeding 1,000,000 volunteers for periods of from six months to three years. No formal call was made, but men came forward promptly under these acts, which were regarded in the apportionment of quotas as a call for 500,000 men for three years. On July 2, 1862, a call was made for 300,000 volunteers for three years, and on August 4 a draft was ordered of 300,000 men for nine months, to be made by the state authorities from the militia. On March 3, 1863, an act was passed providing for the enrolment and drafting of the military forces of the Union, and creating in the war department the bureau of the provost marshal general to carry it into effect. A draft was commenced under its provisions in July, which resulted in little direct benefit to the army, but served greatly to stimulate volunteering. This draft gave rise to severe riots in New York, continuing three days. On Oct. 17 a call was made for 300,000 volunteers for three years, followed by others on Feb. 1 and March 14, 1864, for 200,000 each for the same period. In April a draft was commenced to supply the deficiencies in these calls. On July 18 a call was made for 500,000 men for one, two, and three years, and on Dec. 19 another for 300,000 for the same periods; and these calls were followed by drafts. Recruiting was ordered to be discontinued on April 13, 1865. Simultaneously with the organization of the army measures were taken to enlarge the navy, which for service against the confederacy was largely recruited by the purchase of steamers and other vessels from the merchant marine.—On May 24, 1861, the national forces took possession of Arlington heights and Alexandria on the Potomac, opposite Washington. On the 27th federal troops under Gen. McClellan entered western Virginia. They soon obtained control of that part of the state, and at the close of the year scarcely any armed confederates were found W. of the Alleghanies in Virginia. On July 21 was fought the battle of Bull Run, near Manassas Junction, Va., the first of any magnitude during the war, in which the Union forces under Gen. McDowell were defeated by the confederates under Gen. Beauregard, and fell back in disorder to Washington. (See Bull Run.) Soon after Gen. McClellan was placed in command of the army of the Potomac, and began to reorganize and discipline his forces, in which occupation the rest of the summer and the following winter were quietly passed. On Aug. 29 Forts Hatteras and Clark, at Hatteras inlet, the main entrance to Pamlico sound on the coast of North Carolina, were taken by a military and naval expedition under Gen. Butler and Com. Stringham. On Oct. 29 a fleet of 75 vessels under command of Com. Du Pont, with transports conveying 10,000 men under Gen. T. W. Sherman, sailed from Hampton roads, and on the night of Nov. 3 arrived off Port Royal, S. C. On the 7th they attacked Forts Beauregard and Walker at the entrance of the harbor, and after a bombardment of nearly five hours put the garrisons to flight, thus securing the finest harbor on the southern coast. Meantime troops in aid of the confederacy had been organized in Missouri, and others had come in from Arkansas and Texas. On Aug. 10 a battle was fought at Wilson's creek, near Springfield, in the S. W. part of Missouri, between the confederates under Gen. McCulloch and the federals under Gen. Lyon. The former lost 265 killed, 800 wounded, and 30 missing; the latter 223 killed (including Gen. Lyon), 721 wounded, and 292 missing. After the battle the Union army, under Col. Sigel, fell back to Rolla in the central portion of the state. Gen. Fremont, having been appointed to the command of the western department, took the field in Missouri near the end of September, and by degrees drove the confederates under Gen. Price back to the S. W. corner of the state; but on Nov. 2 he was superseded by Gen. Hunter. The federal army again fell