Home >
One of the best best on the opening of the Civil War: in a Confederate newspaper...
One of the best best on the opening of the Civil War: in a Confederate newspaper...
Item # 583599
Currently Unavailable. Contact us if you would like to be placed on a want list or to be notified if a similar item is available.
April 13, 1861
THE WILMINGTON DAILY HERALD, North Carolina, April 13, 1861 Wilmington was a major Atlantic Ocean port city for the Confederacy during the Civil War, and was one of the last ports to fall to Union forces in 1865. It ranked equal in size to Atlanta according to the 1860 census, and was a major point of entry for supplies for the entire Confederacy, exporting cotton & tobacco in exchange for munitions, clothing & food. As such it was barricaded by Union forces during the war, but blockade runners had some success in getting supplies through. It is just 170 miles north of Charleston, where the Civil War began.
Neighboring South Carolina was the first state to leave the union in Dec., 1860, and although North Carolina did not officially secede until after the bombing of Fort Sumter its political sympathies were strongly with the South ever since talk of secession began.
The front page is entirely taken up with ads besides the "Directory - State Government" and several "Special Notices". Page 2 has a terrific stack of headlines announcing the beginning of the Civil War, including: "Important From Charleston ! " "WAR ! WAR ! " "THE FATAL BLOW HAS BEEN STRUCK ! " Heavy Cannonading Between Fort Sumter and the Harbor Batteries ! " "Fort Sumter on Fire ! " Tremendous Excitement!" "Concentration of Troops at Charleston!" "Men-Of-War Off The Harbor!" Most of the balance of the column is taken up with seven dispatches reporting the latest news from Charleston at this very early stage in the opening battle of the Civil War (see).
There is an excellent editorial relating to the beginning of the war, headed; "The Evil Is Upon Us" noting near the beginning: "...As this journal has often heretofore declared would be the case, the dreaded hour that would inaugurate a fearful, desolating, sanguinary civil war, has arrived..." with much more (see). This is then followed by another fine report headed: "To Arms! To Arms!" which begins: "Where do you stand now? The wolf has come down on the South. Shall we stand idly by and see our sister state engaged in a deadly struggle for their honor, homes and firesides, and say we have no interest in the matter? Never! never! To arms! to arms!--Let us rise and gird on our swords..." with much more (see).
This is simply a terrific newspaper--and from the South--both announcing the opening bombardment of the Civil War and offering excellent editorial commentary on the event. Complete in four pages and in very nice, clean condition.
Category: Confederate
No Longer Available
