The last annual message of James Buchanan’s presidency acknowledges that North and South are “now arrayed against each other.” He offers suggestions on how to resolve the crisis, but he leaves both sections dissatisfied.
Category: Secession
Fort Sumter is a Tempting Prize
Maj. Robert Anderson begins looking for a more defensible position for his Federal garrison in Charleston Harbor, and South Carolina officials go to Washington to negotiate Anderson’s withdrawal from their state.
The Clouds Are Threatening and the Storm May Break
President James Buchanan got an alarming request from Major Robert Anderson to send military reinforcements for the Federal garrison in Charleston Harbor.
Disunion Spreads Throughout the South
As the secession frenzy intensified in Georgia, it began rapidly spreading into other southern states as well.
A Desire to Stand Between the Factions
President James Buchanan looked to his cabinet for advice on the secession crisis, but like the country itself, the cabinet was hopelessly divided.
The Feeling of Secession Grows Stronger
Southern states began taking steps toward leaving the Union, while some northerners began talking of keeping the South in the Union, even by force if necessary.