Page "Battle of Fort Sumter" Paragraph 36

The bombardment of Fort Sumter was the first military action of the American Civil War.

Following the surrender, Northerners rallied behind Lincoln's call for all states to send troops to recapture the forts and preserve the Union.

With the scale of the rebellion apparently small so far, Lincoln called for 75, 000 volunteers for 90 days.

Some Northern states filled their quotas quickly.

There were so many volunteers in Ohio that within 16 days they could have met the full call for 75, 000 men by themselves.

Other governors from border states were undiplomatic in their responses.

For example, Gov.

Claiborne Jackson wrote, " Not one man will the state of Missouri furnish to carry on any such unholy crusade ", and Gov.

Beriah Magoffin wrote, “ Kentucky will furnish no troops for the wicked purpose of subduing her sister Southern states .” The governors of other states still in the Union were equally unsupportive.

The call for 75, 000 troops triggered the secession of four additional states to join the Confederacy.

The ensuing war lasted four years, effectively ending in April 1865, with the surrender of General Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia.