Robert E. Lee Camp 1640, Sons of Confederate Veterans

"There were but few slave owners in the regiment (25th North Carolina), 90 percent of the men were farmers and farmer's sons, fully 80 percent homeowners, or the sons of farmers who owned their farms...

The majority of the men composing the regiment had been Union men until after President Lincoln's Proclamation (Lincoln's call for 75,000 troops), they then regarded their interests with the South and acknowledged their allegiance to the State. They had gone to war to defend their homes from invasion by an armed foe."
2nd Lieutenant Garland S. Ferguson - 25th North Carolina

Photo: Reunion of the 25th North Carolina - 1890, Buncombe County, N.C.
North Carolina Confederates

Credit: Jim Harrelson

June 24, 1861, The Road from Sumter -72

The French Emperor Charles Louis Napoléon Bonaparte, or “Napoleon III” follows Great Britain in declaring neutrality and formally recognizing “Concession of belligerent rights” to the "States claiming to form a particular confederation." [The C.S.A.]

Pierre-Paul Pecquet du Bellet was a Attorney from New Orleans Louisiana, and acted as Chief-Representative and Diplomatic Agent of the Confederate States of America to France.

Sources:https://lib.lsu.edu/sites/default/files/sc/findaid/4702.pdf
Van Minnen, Cornelis A.; Berg, Manfred (28 November 2013). The U.S. South and Europe: Transatlantic Relations in the Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries. ISBN 9780813143194.
The French Declaration of Neutrality. - The New York Times
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Review of events leading up to April 12, 1861:
https://www.facebook.com/100064680997442/posts/1401259072040113/?
__________________________________________
Review of events leading up to June 24, 1861:
- April 12, 1861 - As a U.S. fleet began to arrive in Charleston to land 300 troops at Fort Sumter (Act of War), C.S. General Beauregard’s offer to evacuate U.S. Major Anderson from Ft. Sumter was refused, and the Bombardment began. Florida is invaded, and Fort Pickens is reinforced!
- April 13, 1861 - Second Wave of States Secession Begins
- April 14, 1861 - U.S. President Abraham Lincoln with his cabinet drafts a proclamation ordering the states to provide 75,000 troops to illegally invade C.S. States. He then calls for a special session of Congress to begin July 4, 1861, and confirms by letter to Fox that his intent was to provoke Confederate army into firing.
- April 15, 1861 - U.S. President Abraham Lincoln usurps the Constitution and the U.S. Congress and ordered governors to provide 75,000 troops to illegally invade C.S. States. Lincoln has now formally declared war on the seven Confederate States of America without the consent of the U.S. Congress, and carrying out further invasion of Florida by reinforcing Fort Pickens.
- April 17, 1861 - Virginia votes to secede, CS President Davis acknowledges that "a state of war exists" with the US, and USS Powhatan arrives in Pensacola flying English colors with 200 plus more reinforcements.
- April 18, 1861 - Lee meets with Scott to discuss Blair offer, Gov. Isham Harris calls Tennessee Legislature to special session over Lincoln's unlawful invasion of South Carolina and Florida.
- April 19, 1861 - U.S. Troops fire on Citizens of Baltimore Maryland rioting against federal occupation, and calling for secession due to Lincoln’s actions, under fear of federal tyranny and Lincoln’s usurpation of the U.S. Constitution
- April 20, 1861 - U.S. Commodore McCauley plans and executes the demolition and evacuation of Virginia’s ports.
- April 23, 1861 - Virginia ratifies the Constitution and officially joined the Confederate States of America, and the Governor has appointed Robert E. Lee to command Virginia’s Armies and Navy to defend against Lincoln’s 75,000 man invasion force. Gen. George McClellan (US) orders the invasion of Virginia.
- April 25, 1861 - Following Missouri's refusal to commit troops to Lincoln's illegal invasion, Capt. James H. Stokes from Chicago, IL, leads an invasion force of Illinois troops to steam from Alton Illinois to St. Louis Missouri, to secretly seize 10,000 muskets from the St. Louis arsenal for use by Illinois U.S. troops at Alton.
- April 26, 1861 - Abraham Lincoln orders U.S. General Winfield Scott to arrest the state of Maryland’s Legislature, and imprison them without charges, unless they vote against secession. (Usurpation and Extortion)
- April 27, 1861 - Lincoln orders expansion of the "Anaconda Plan" to include Commonwealth states of Virginia and North Carolina, without consent of Congress (Act of War)
- April 28, 1861 - California Moves Toward Secession and Independence
- April 29, 1861 - The Corwin Amendment goes to the state Legislatures for Ratification. U.S. President Abraham Lincoln has personally urged all governors to support this Amendment making chattel slavery “permanent and irrevocable” in all states “loyal to the Union.”
- May 3, 1861 - Lincoln issues a war “Proclamation #83”, without the consent of the U.S. Congress, again usurping the U.S. Constitution.
- May 6, 1861 - The state of Arkansas votes to secede from the Union
- May 7, 1861 - The legislature of the state of Tennessee votes to secede from the Union and referred the action to a vote of the people of Tennessee to be held June 8.
- May 10, 1861 - Camp Jackson, Missouri slaughter of civilians by Capt. Nathaniel Lyon following unprovoked arrest of Gen. Frost's militia. The fight for control of Missouri is on!
- May 12, 1861 - U.S. Troops illegally invaded the Commonwealth of Maryland confiscated fi****ms and arrested any political figure that expressed opposition to Lincoln’s government.(Act of War)
- May 13, 1861 - Lincoln’s illegal blockade against American states is officially regarded as an act of war, giving the Confederacy “Belligerent Rights” and recognition under international law.
- May 15,1861 - Lincoln’s Federal troops, U.S. General Nathaniel Lyon, invade Missouri’s capital and draw the first blood in both an Act of War, and openly committed War Crimes on American Citizens during the “Camp Jackson Massacre”.
- May 16, 1861 - Kentucky’s Governor and Legislature reject Lincoln’s request for troops, Committee on Federal Relations passes a “Resolution of Neutrality”, and protesting the U.S. Governments attempts to subjugate Confederate States.
- May 19, 1861 - The first Confederate combat Victory in Virginia. Virginia State Militia and C.S. troops from Georgia under the command of Captain Peyton H. Colquitt.
- May 21, 1861 - North Carolina Secedes! “whereas, this high-handed act of tyrannical outrage is not only in violation of all constitutional law, in utter disregard of every sentiment of humanity and Christian civilization”ich does not allow negro persons to be fully counted for representation.
- May 22, 1861 - Missouri declares its “neutrality” in the secession crisis and rejects providing troops to the Union army, stating "Your requisition, in my judgement, is illegal, unconstitutional, and revolutionary in its object, inhumane and diabolical, and cannot be complied with" and like Kentucky, remains a “slave state”, under federal occupation, in Lincoln’s Union until after his war.
- May 23, 1861 - The people of Virginia formalize secession, Arkansas is admitted to the C.S., Virginia’s Fort Monroe is illegally reinforced by U.S. Troops, and Colonel Thomas Jackson conducts a raid on the B&O Railroad Depot near Harper’s Ferry Virginia, cutting U.S. supply lines on Lincoln’s most probable overland invasion route.
- May 24, 1861 - U.S. General George B. McClellan orders Federal troops to cross the Potomac River under the cover of night, invade the Commonwealth of Virginia and occupy the city of Alexandria. [Act of War], resulting in the first death of a US officer.
-May 25, 1861 - U.S. President Lincoln’s Federal troops have illegally declared martial law in Baltimore Maryland, arrests and confiscation of fi****ms begin. The Chickasaw Nation Joins the Confederate States of America.
- May 26, 1861 - Virginia Militia and C.S. forces from 9 states respond to Lincoln’s illegal invasion of Alexandria and Western Virginia.
- May 28, 1861 - U.S. Supreme Court Justice Roger Taney issues rulings citing Lincoln’s direct violations of the U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights, Lincoln responded by issuing an order to arrest Justice Taney!
- May 31, 1861 - A U.S. Invasion force is reported to be massing near Manassas Junction Virginia.
- June 1, 1861 - The Battle of Fairfax Court House took place and was the first direct land engagement in Lincoln’s invasion of American States resulting in combat casualties.
- June 4, 1861 - The Union victory at Philippi propels U.S. General McClellan to national prominence; Republican operatives gain influence the Second Wheeling Convention, leading Western Virginia on the path to secession from Virginia, and the first successful battlefield amputations of the war were performed.
- June 8, 1861 - Secession of the State of Tennessee is overwhelmingly approved by the people by a vote of 104,471 to 47,183.
- June 9, 1861 - U.S. Maj. Winthrop is killed by an African American Confederate, Sam Ashe, 1st North Carolina, Company D, while attempting to lead a federal invasion force into Virginia. See less
- June 13, 1861 - A series of unprovoked and unparalleled outrages by the federal army causes Gov. Claiborne Jackson to call up the Missouri Militia to defend against further outrages by Lyon and the federal Army.
- June 17, 1861 - The Governor of Missouri issued a proclamation to raise 50,000 State Guard Troops to defend against federal invasion; federal troops are ordered to seize the state capital and arrest the Governor and Legislature. The Governor and Legislature flee Jefferson City and form a resistance. Meanwhile, Republican operatives have begun setting up an Illegal, unelected “rump” government and General Nathaniel Lyon ordered 1700 well armed U.S. troops to engage a newly formed group of Missouri State Guardsmen (M.S.G.), under the command of M.S.G. Colonel John S. Marmaduke, alongside Governor Jackson, Lyon’s troops captured Boonville Missouri.
- June 23, 1861 - Major-General George B. McClellan, U. S. Army, Commanding, illegally declares martial law in the occupied countries of western Virginia. See less
- June 24, 1861 - The French Emperor follows Great Britain in declaring neutrality and formally recognizing “Concession of belligerent rights” to the Confederate States of America.

“Liberty is always won where there exists the unconquerable desire to be free, and we have reason to know that the strength that is given by a conscious sense, not only of the magnitude, but of the righteousness of our cause.”

-Jefferson Davis, President, CSA, Nov. 18, 1861

On this day in 1865, Brigadier General Stand Watie of the Cherokee Nation signed a cease-fire agreement with Union representatives for his command, the First Indian Brigade of the Army of the Trans-Mississippi. He was the last Confederate general in the field to stop fighting. Watie was the only Native Americans on either side of the Civil War to rise to a brigadier general's rank during the war.

When the Civil War broke out, a majority of the Cherokee Nation voted to support the Confederacy and Watie organized a regiment of cavalry. In October 1861, he was commissioned as colonel in the First Cherokee Mounted Rifles. In December, 1861, he was engaged in a battle with some hostile Indians in the Battle of Chusto-Talasah in present day Tulsa County, Oklahoma.

Later, he would participate in the Battle of Pea Ridge, Arkansas in March, 1862, after which General Albert Pike, in his report of this battle, said: “My whole command consisted of about 1,000 men, all Indians except one squadron. The enemy opened fire into the woods where we were, the fence in front of us was thrown down, and the Indians charged full in front through the woods and into the open grounds with loud yells, took the battery, fired upon and pursued the enemy retreating through the fenced field on our right, and held the battery, which I afterward had drawn by the Cherokee into the woods.”

Though the Battle of Pea Ridge was a Union victory, Watie’s command of his troops was well noted and there was considerable fear by the Union that Indian Territory would be entirely lost to the Confederacy.

The same year, though he was serving in the Confederate Army, Watie was elected principal chief of the Cherokee Nation. Though former Chief John Ross had fled to Washington D.C., his supporters, who by this time were in the minority, refused to recognize Watie’s election and open warfare broke out between the “Union Cherokee” and the “Southern Cherokee.”

Confederate General William Steele, in his report of the operations in the Indian Territory, in 1863, said of Colonel Watie that he found him to be a gallant and daring officer. On April 1, 1863, Watie was authorized to raise a large brigade.
In May, 1864 Colonel Watie was commissioned a brigadier-general, the only Native American to achieve that rank in the Civil War. In June, he captured the federal steamboat J.R. Williams with 150 barrels of flour and 16,000 pounds of bacon, which Watie would later say was actually a disadvantage to the command, because a great portion of the Creek and Seminole soldiers immediately broke off to carry their b***y home. In September, 1864 he attacked and captured a Federal train of 250 wagons on Cabin Creek and repulsed an attempt to retake it.

At the end of the year 1864 General Watie’s brigade of cavalry consisted of the First Cherokee regiment, a Cherokee battalion, First and Second Creek regiments, a squadron of Creeks, First Osage battalion, and First Seminole battalion. To the end of the War, General Watie stood by his colors, becoming the last Confederate general in the field to stand down. When the leaders of the Confederate Indians learned that the government in Richmond, Virginia had fallen and the Eastern armies had been surrendered, most began making plans for surrender.

The chiefs convened the Grand Council June 15, 1865 and passed resolutions calling for Indian commanders to lay down their arms. However, Stand Watie refused until June 23, 1865, a full 75 days after Lee’s surrender in the East. Finally accepting the futility of continued resistance, he surrendered his battalion of Creek, Seminole, Cherokee, and Osage Indians to Lieutenant Colonel Asa C. Matthews at Doaksville.

After the Civil War ended the “Union Cherokee” and the “Southern Cherokee” sent delegations to Washington D.C., where Watie pushed for recognition of a separate “Southern Cherokee Nation.”

Watie was refused; however, and the government negotiated a treaty with the “Union Cherokee” in 1866, declaring John Ross as the rightful Principal Chief. It seemed that open hostilities would break out again in the Cherokee Nation, but, when John Ross died in August, 1866, hostilities calmed down. In the election in 1867, full-blood Cherokee, Lewis Downing, was elected Principal Chief and was able bring about peaceful reunification, though tensions lingered under the surface into the 20th century.

In the meantime, Watie had returned from the Civil War to find his home burned to the ground by Federal soldiers. In financial ruin, he spent his final years farming and trying to restore his once-beautiful Grand River bottomland.

All three of Watie’s sons preceded him in death and in his last years he watched as colossal tracts of land legally deeded to the Cherokee were taken from them as punishment for their support of the Confederacy and given to other tribes. Many believe that Stand Watie died of a broken heart. In one of his last letters to his daughter, he would say “You can’t imagine how lonely I am up here at our old place without any of my dear children being with me.” He died on September 9, 1871 and was buried in the Polson Cemetery in Delaware County, Oklahoma.

Newspapers report on General Butler's Ex*****on of William Mumford at New Orleans for Removing the Enemy's Flag before the City Surrendered. This Calls for Quick Retaliation and Vengeance.

WHO DO YOU BELIEVE?

First person accounts are the best way to know what was in the minds and hearts of those who fought for the Southern cause. Only a fool would think some modern day “historian” on the History Channel knows better. Here are the words of a Confederate soldier, Randolph McKim:

“Now with these facts before him, the historian will find it impossible to believe that these men drew their swords and did these heroic deeds and bore these incredible hardships for four long years for the sake of the institution of slavery.
“Everyone who was conversant with the opinions of the soldiers of the Southern Army, knows that they did not wage that tremendous conflict for slavery. That was a subject very little in their thoughts or on their lips. Not one in twenty of those grim veterans, who were so terrible on the battlefield, had any financial interest in slavery.

“No, they were fighting for liberty, for the right of self-government. They believed the Federal authorities were assailing that right. It was the sacred heritage of Anglo-Saxon freedom, of local self-government, won at Runnymede, which they believed in peril when they flew to arms as one man, from the Potomac to the Rio Grande.

“They may have been right, or they may have been wrong, but that was the issue they made. On that they stood. For that they died.”
Travis [>

Personally I had been loyal to the Confederate govern- ment, had done the best I could, had offered my life, endured privations and shed my blood freely; had no apologies to make for my action, and still believed and now believe We were right and engaged in the cause of human liberty as did our forefathers in other years. I do not know certainly, and do not want to know how many men I killed or how nany I wounded. I only know I had many fine opportunities to do both. I wear four scars on my body from Yankee bullets that will go with me to my grave, but I regard them as scars of honor received in defense of the Southland, and am proud ofthem. Ithank God that I can forgive and pray for my former enemies and that I entertain no ill will towards any of them at this time.

In the foregoing pages I have in a plain vay told where I served and when I served in the Confederate army, together with many incidents connected therewith. I have tried at all times to be accurate, and fair and loyal to the truth. It now remains for me according to first intention as announced in thebeginning of this record to tell iust whv I served the cause with such fidelity. I might answer this question with one Word "Patriotism." I believed the South right in her conten- tions and in her actions in seceding from the government and setting up for itself. According to the Constitution, Amendment X the powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution 1 nor prohibited by it to the States were reserved to the States respectively. These independent States never delegated their powers to make or unmake governments to the general government, so if they ever had the right of choosing in this matter and had not delegated it to others, they still possessed it. These independent Colo- nies, or States, had never lodged in the hands of the general government the right to make war on any one ofits members. Secession it was said was advocated by Abraham Lincoln in a speech in Congress as a right belonging to the States respectively. Massachusetts threatened secession when the government purchased Louisiana from France, because, as her people argued, the price paid was extravagant. Fanati- cism in the Northern States caused them to pass fugitive slave laws in violation of the Constitution, in Article IV and latter part of Section II, and when reminded, of this violation the usual answer was, "The Constitution i is a compact with the Devil and in a league with Hell." They brought on war and bloodshed in Kansas because some United States citi- zens had moved to Kansas and took their slaves with them, as I now remember. The same fanaticism sent emissaries through the South to raise insurrection among the blacks, and to incite them to bloodshed and murder and when one of those was condemned and hanged for his murderous deeds, those fanatics held great public funerals over the North, proclaiming him a martyr to the cause of human welfare and to the holy service of God.

In addition to all of these things this same element increased in strength and power until it was able to elect a President and a Congress of the U.S.from its members and what could the South expect but humiliation and destruc- tion of her institutions from such a set?

The time had come when we believed we could not live peaceably with them. Therefore, we preferred to secede and form a government of our own, which we thought we had a right to do. We did not demand any of the public treasure or public lands or any of the community property of the gov- ernment of which we rightfully owned a part. but simply seceded from disagreeable company and set up a govern- ment of our own and asked only to be let alone. I doubt if a wReetitutonal layer could have beenfound at that tmewho would have said we did not have a right to secede . if you can find a constitutional lawyer today who under- stands the organic law of the government who will say that we had no right to secede. Then where did this power lie or come from authorizing Abraham Lincoln to make war on and nd devastate the Southern States?

There is another viewpoint that justifies the South in going to war. Self-preservation is the first law of nature and a people who would not fight to defend their homes and firesides are not worthy of freedom or respect. I love the South and her institutions and I went out to help defend them and to help if possible drive the destroyers from our borders, and old as 1 am now, if such a catastrophe should happen again to our beloved land, I am ready to offer my life, my fortune, and sacred honor in her defense.

CONCLUSION
It is self-evident from the foregoing writings in these sketches that if the writer were asked to fix the responsibility of the Civil War he would sav, without hesitation, Abraham Lin- coln, his ill advisors and coadjutors were responsible for all that war. But as another .Iudge, the Judge of all the earth of the bloodshed, the deaths, the horrors and devastation of who will do right, has jurisdiction over these and all other human affairs, the writer is willing to leave these and all other things for Him to adjudicate.

Captain JKP Blackburn
Company F 8th Texas Cavalry
Terry's Texas Rangers
https://www.findagrave.com/.../james-knox_polk-blackburn

Credit: Jim Harrelson

June 23, 1861, The Road from Sumter -71

“All persons giving information or aid to the public enemies will be arrested and kept in close custody, and all persons found bearing arms, unless of known loyalty, will be arrested and held for examination.”

U.S. Major General George B. McClellan
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HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE OHIO,
Grafton, Va., June 23, 1861.
To the Inhabitants of Western Virginia:

The army of this department, headed by Virginia troops, is rapidly occupying all Western Virginia. This is done in co-operation with, and in support of, such civil authorities of the State as are faithful to the Constitution and laws of the United States. The proclamation issued by me under date of May 26, 1861, will be strictly maintained. Your houses, families, property, and all your rights will be religiously respected; we are enemies to none but armed rebels and those voluntarily giving them aid. All officers of this army will be held responsible for the most prompt and vigorous action in repressing disorder and punishing aggression by those under their command.

To me great retreat I find that enemies of the United States continue to carry on a system of hostilities prohibited by the laws of war among belligerent nations, and of course far more wicked and intolerable when directed against loyal citizens engaged in the defense of the common Government of all. Individuals and marauding parties are pursuing a guerrilla warfare, firing upon sentinels and pickets, burning bridges, insulting, injuring, and even killing citizens because of their Union sentiments, and committing many kindred acts.

I do now, therefore, make proclamation, and warn all persons that individuals or parties engaged in this species of warfare-irregular in every view which can be taken of it-thus attacking sentries, pickets, or other soldiers, destroying public or private property, or committing injuries against any of the inhabitants because of Union sentiments or conduct, will be dealt with in their persons and properly according to the severest rules of military law.

All persons giving information or aid to the public enemies will be arrested and kept in close custody, and all persons found bearing arms, unless of known loyalty, will be arrested and held for examination.

GEO. B. McCLELLAN,
Major-General, U. S. Army, Commanding Department.
_______________________________________
~Immediately following the illegal U.S. invasion at Ft. Pickens in Florida, and the attempted invasion at Ft. Sumter in South Carolina in April, Lincoln ordered U.S. General McClellan to illegally invade Western and Northern Virginia. After two months of skirmishes while seizing towns, railroads and installing Republican operatives in local governments, McClellan formally announces “Federal occupation” and martial law over Western and Northern Virginia counties by order of the Lincoln administration.

U.S. President Lincoln, two years later, on June 20, 1863, demonstrates that secession and chattel slavery are both legal and enforced, by illegally creating a state out of another sovereign state, without consent of its citizens or legislature, and enforcing chattel slavery in the illegally created state of “West Virginia” under U.S. Federal Authority.
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Source: War of the Rebellion: Serial 002 Page 0196 OPERATIONS IN MD., PA., VA., AND W. VA. Chapter IX.
Timeline of West Virginia: Civil War and Statehood
June 23, 1861
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Review of events leading up to April 12, 1861:
https://www.facebook.com/100064680997442/posts/1401259072040113/?
__________________________________________
Review of events leading up to June 23, 1861:
- April 12, 1861 - As a U.S. fleet began to arrive in Charleston to land 300 troops at Fort Sumter (Act of War), C.S. General Beauregard’s offer to evacuate U.S. Major Anderson from Ft. Sumter was refused, and the Bombardment began. Florida is invaded, and Fort Pickens is reinforced!
- April 13, 1861 - Second Wave of States Secession Begins
- April 14, 1861 - U.S. President Abraham Lincoln with his cabinet drafts a proclamation ordering the states to provide 75,000 troops to illegally invade C.S. States. He then calls for a special session of Congress to begin July 4, 1861, and confirms by letter to Fox that his intent was to provoke Confederate army into firing.
- April 15, 1861 - U.S. President Abraham Lincoln usurps the Constitution and the U.S. Congress and ordered governors to provide 75,000 troops to illegally invade C.S. States. Lincoln has now formally declared war on the seven Confederate States of America without the consent of the U.S. Congress, and carrying out further invasion of Florida by reinforcing Fort Pickens.
- April 17, 1861 - Virginia votes to secede, CS President Davis acknowledges that "a state of war exists" with the US, and USS Powhatan arrives in Pensacola flying English colors with 200 plus more reinforcements.
- April 18, 1861 - Lee meets with Scott to discuss Blair offer, Gov. Isham Harris calls Tennessee Legislature to special session over Lincoln's unlawful invasion of South Carolina and Florida.
- April 19, 1861 - U.S. Troops fire on Citizens of Baltimore Maryland rioting against federal occupation, and calling for secession due to Lincoln’s actions, under fear of federal tyranny and Lincoln’s usurpation of the U.S. Constitution
- April 20, 1861 - U.S. Commodore McCauley plans and executes the demolition and evacuation of Virginia’s ports.
- April 23, 1861 - Virginia ratifies the Constitution and officially joined the Confederate States of America, and the Governor has appointed Robert E. Lee to command Virginia’s Armies and Navy to defend against Lincoln’s 75,000 man invasion force. Gen. George McClellan (US) orders the invasion of Virginia.
- April 25, 1861 - Following Missouri's refusal to commit troops to Lincoln's illegal invasion, Capt. James H. Stokes from Chicago, IL, leads an invasion force of Illinois troops to steam from Alton Illinois to St. Louis Missouri, to secretly seize 10,000 muskets from the St. Louis arsenal for use by Illinois U.S. troops at Alton.
- April 26, 1861 - Abraham Lincoln orders U.S. General Winfield Scott to arrest the state of Maryland’s Legislature, and imprison them without charges, unless they vote against secession. (Usurpation and Extortion)
- April 27, 1861 - Lincoln orders expansion of the "Anaconda Plan" to include Commonwealth states of Virginia and North Carolina, without consent of Congress (Act of War)
- April 28, 1861 - California Moves Toward Secession and Independence
- April 29, 1861 - The Corwin Amendment goes to the state Legislatures for Ratification. U.S. President Abraham Lincoln has personally urged all governors to support this Amendment making chattel slavery “permanent and irrevocable” in all states “loyal to the Union.”
- May 3, 1861 - Lincoln issues a war “Proclamation #83”, without the consent of the U.S. Congress, again usurping the U.S. Constitution.
- May 6, 1861 - The state of Arkansas votes to secede from the Union
- May 7, 1861 - The legislature of the state of Tennessee votes to secede from the Union and referred the action to a vote of the people of Tennessee to be held June 8.
- May 10, 1861 - Camp Jackson, Missouri slaughter of civilians by Capt. Nathaniel Lyon following unprovoked arrest of Gen. Frost's militia. The fight for control of Missouri is on!
- May 12, 1861 - U.S. Troops illegally invaded the Commonwealth of Maryland confiscated fi****ms and arrested any political figure that expressed opposition to Lincoln’s government.(Act of War)
- May 13, 1861 - Lincoln’s illegal blockade against American states is officially regarded as an act of war, giving the Confederacy “Belligerent Rights” and recognition under international law.
- May 15,1861 - Lincoln’s Federal troops, U.S. General Nathaniel Lyon, invade Missouri’s capital and draw the first blood in both an Act of War, and openly committed War Crimes on American Citizens during the “Camp Jackson Massacre”.
- May 16, 1861 - Kentucky’s Governor and Legislature reject Lincoln’s request for troops, Committee on Federal Relations passes a “Resolution of Neutrality”, and protesting the U.S. Governments attempts to subjugate Confederate States.
- May 19, 1861 - The first Confederate combat Victory in Virginia. Virginia State Militia and C.S. troops from Georgia under the command of Captain Peyton H. Colquitt.
- May 21, 1861 - North Carolina Secedes! “whereas, this high-handed act of tyrannical outrage is not only in violation of all constitutional law, in utter disregard of every sentiment of humanity and Christian civilization”ich does not allow negro persons to be fully counted for representation.
- May 22, 1861 - Missouri declares its “neutrality” in the secession crisis and rejects providing troops to the Union army, stating "Your requisition, in my judgement, is illegal, unconstitutional, and revolutionary in its object, inhumane and diabolical, and cannot be complied with" and like Kentucky, remains a “slave state”, under federal occupation, in Lincoln’s Union until after his war.
- May 23, 1861 - The people of Virginia formalize secession, Arkansas is admitted to the C.S., Virginia’s Fort Monroe is illegally reinforced by U.S. Troops, and Colonel Thomas Jackson conducts a raid on the B&O Railroad Depot near Harper’s Ferry Virginia, cutting U.S. supply lines on Lincoln’s most probable overland invasion route.
- May 24, 1861 - U.S. General George B. McClellan orders Federal troops to cross the Potomac River under the cover of night, invade the Commonwealth of Virginia and occupy the city of Alexandria. [Act of War], resulting in the first death of a US officer.
-May 25, 1861 - U.S. President Lincoln’s Federal troops have illegally declared martial law in Baltimore Maryland, arrests and confiscation of fi****ms begin. The Chickasaw Nation Joins the Confederate States of America.
- May 26, 1861 - Virginia Militia and C.S. forces from 9 states respond to Lincoln’s illegal invasion of Alexandria and Western Virginia.
- May 28, 1861 - U.S. Supreme Court Justice Roger Taney issues rulings citing Lincoln’s direct violations of the U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights, Lincoln responded by issuing an order to arrest Justice Taney!
- May 31, 1861 - A U.S. Invasion force is reported to be massing near Manassas Junction Virginia.
- June 1, 1861 - The Battle of Fairfax Court House took place and was the first direct land engagement in Lincoln’s invasion of American States resulting in combat casualties.
- June 4, 1861 - The Union victory at Philippi propels U.S. General McClellan to national prominence; Republican operatives gain influence the Second Wheeling Convention, leading Western Virginia on the path to secession from Virginia, and the first successful battlefield amputations of the war were performed.
- June 8, 1861 - Secession of the State of Tennessee is overwhelmingly approved by the people by a vote of 104,471 to 47,183.
- June 9, 1861 - U.S. Maj. Winthrop is killed by an African American Confederate, Sam Ashe, 1st North Carolina, Company D, while attempting to lead a federal invasion force into Virginia. See less
- June 13, 1861 - A series of unprovoked and unparalleled outrages by the federal army causes Gov. Claiborne Jackson to call up the Missouri Militia to defend against further outrages by Lyon and the federal Army.
- June 17, 1861 - The Governor of Missouri issued a proclamation to raise 50,000 State Guard Troops to defend against federal invasion; federal troops are ordered to seize the state capital and arrest the Governor and Legislature. The Governor and Legislature flee Jefferson City and form a resistance. Meanwhile, Republican operatives have begun setting up an Illegal, unelected “rump” government and General Nathaniel Lyon ordered 1700 well armed U.S. troops to engage a newly formed group of Missouri State Guardsmen (M.S.G.), under the command of M.S.G. Colonel John S. Marmaduke, alongside Governor Jackson, Lyon’s troops captured Boonville Missouri.
-June 23, 1861 - Major-General George B. McClellan, U. S. Army, Commanding, illegally declares martial law in the occupied countries of western Virginia.