Upper Hand Against Davis And Fort Sumter example essay topic

In the 1850's the United States was not so United. There had been many internal problems, that were tearing the entire country apart. Issues such as slavery, and power of the states were coming between the country. The south and north had been arguing about the issue of slavery for a very long time. The North was against it.

They had set out to abolish it. But the south was growing very rich off it. It was cheap labor. Al the slave owners had to pay for was room and board, which was cheaper then paying salaries. Since the industrial revolution and the invention of things like the Cotton Gin the south had become a large producer of all things cotton.

The production of cotton was in heavy demand at the time. It was one of the United States biggest exports. Because it was made with slave labor it was very profitable. If slavery was to be abolished it would have a large effect on the economy. The South felt it had the upper hand against the North. The south was also very independent.

It did not like government control. The south wanted no part in being a country. But they were in the Union. They could not get out. The south decided to form it's own country. The Confederate States of America.

The North would not let them go. They felt that the south was a part of the union forever. At the time of this whole uproar within the country a lawyer named Abraham Lincoln had been climbing the political ladder. He who believed in what the north stood for.

He was a Congressman and very anti slavery. He helped make up bills that to abolish slavery, but they never got passed. Many southerners did their best to keep Lincoln out of the White House. They feared what he might do as a President. That he would hurt the south. He did not want to see them separate themselves.

He said "No state upon it's mere motion can lawfully get out of the union. I shall take care, as the constitution itself expressively enjoins upon me, that the law of the United States be faithfully executed in all of the states". Many southern delegates threatened to leave the Union if Lincoln was elected. Lincoln won the election, and became President of The United States. The South feared this.

The Confederate States of America elected Jefferson Davis as their president. Davis sat on the United States Senate. He resigned when his state left the union to support the south. He was not in favor of Lincoln becoming President.

Fort Sumter was a United States military base located in South Carolina. Because the South had left the union they felt it should be abandoned. The south felt it did not belong there since they were their own separate country and the fort was still under union control. Davis had been threatening to attack the fort for a long period of time but waited for Lincoln to enter office. Major Robert Anderson was in command of the union army at the time. He repeatedly refused to give in to Davis's demands.

Anderson moved troops to the fort to protect it. He tried to have supplies shipped to the fort. As they were about to arrive the ships were fired upon. They then withdrew. As soon as Lincoln entered office he had to make a decision.

The troops at the fort were running low on food. They had not received the supplies and were at risk of being starved out. Lincoln had to decide what to do. Should he send them food and risk of another attack, or pull the troops out and let the south have the fort. He knew risking another attack would most likely start a war. Davis demanded that the confederate troops take the fort.

He was not going to let the north get anything from him. Anderson refused to evacuate the fort unless he was told to by the government. He was not going to give in to Davis's demands. Davis told General P.T. Beauregard "If you have no doubt as to the authorized character of the agent who communicated to you the intention of the Washington government to supply Fort Sumter by force, you will at once demand it's evacuation, and, if this is refused, proceed in such a manner as you may determine to reduce it". That is why Davis had the first shots fired at Fort Sumter. April 12, 1961 was the day Fort Sumter was shot at by Fort Johnson.

This was also the unofficial first battle of the civil war. It was a war of wills for Lincoln and Davis. Lincoln had to show the nation that he was ready to do the job he was elected to. Davis on the other hand wanted to gain a lot of support. Davis needed to get people in his corner. His Confederate States of America was just starting out and he wanted get as many people in his corner that he could.

He was an under dog in this whole affair. Had he backed down it would have shown the north a sign of weakness. He could not look weak for what he was doing. He was trying to take on a country that he once left.

But he needed the upper hand. He needed to show that he has power. Charleston Mercury once said this about the south "Border southern states will never join us until we have indicated our power to free ourselves". Lincoln had entered office and didn't want to go to war. But he wanted to keep the fort. He felt that he needed an upper hand against Davis, and Fort Sumter was that ace in the hole.

Lincoln wasn't totally ready for the shots to be fired. Cannon fire and gun fire was exchanged by the to forts. Lincoln sent the ships full of supplies out the same day. It was on it's way to the port when it could not make it.

The fire crossed the path of the ship. This meant that Fort Sumter only had a small amount of ammo. They had never received any supplies. They had little chance of winning the battle. 34 hours later the firing stopped. General Anderson surrendered.

The only upside to the whole thing was that no one died. It was just firing that happened. The next day the United States declared war on the Confederates. The real war of wills was just beginning. President Lincoln was not in office to weeks and he was at war. But now it was more important.

It was no longer for a fort but for a country. Davis had won the battle but the war was far from over.