Rebellion Record: a Diary of American Events: Documents and Narratives, Volume 2.
Frank Moore, Ed.

[230] Augusta, Charleston, and Fayetteville, the ordnance depot at San Antonio, and all the other Government works in Texas, which served as the depots of immense stores of arms and ammunition, have been surrendered by the commanders or seized by disloyal hands. Forts Macon, Caswell, Johnson, Clinch, Pulaski, Jackson, Marion, Barrancas, McKee, Morgan, Gaines, Pike, Macomb, St. Phillip, Livingston, Smith, and three at Charleston, Oglethorpe barracks, Barrancas barracks, New Orleans barracks, Fort Jackson, on the Mississippi, the battery at Bienvenue, Dupre, and the works at Ship Island, have been successively stolen from the Government or betrayed by their commanding officers. The Custom-Houses at New Orleans, Mobile, Savannah, Charleston, and other important points, containing vast amounts of Government funds, have been treacherously appropriated to sustain the cause of rebellion. In like manner the Branch Mints at New Orleans, at, Charlotte and at Dahlonega, have been illegally seized, in defiance of every principle of common honesty and honor. The violent seizure of the United States Marine Hospital at New Orleans was only wanting to complete the catalogue of crime. The inmates, who had been disabled by devotion to their country's service, and who there had been secured a grateful asylum, were cruelly ordered to be removed, without the slightest provision being made for their support or comfort. In Texas the large forces detailed upon the frontier for protection of the inhabitants against the attacks of marauding Indians, were ignominiously deserted by their commander, Brigadier-General Twiggs. To the infamy of treason to his flag was added the crowning crime of deliberately handing over to the armed enemies of his Government all the public property intrusted to his charge, thus even depriving the loyal men under his command of all means of transportation out of the State.

A striking and honorable contrast with the recreant conduct of Brigadier-General Twiggs and other traitorous officers has been presented in the heroic and truly self-sacrificing course pursued by Major Robert Anderson and the small and gallant band of officers and men under his command at Fort Sumter, and also by Lieut. Adam J. Slemmer, his officers and men, at Fort Pickens. In referring, with strongest commendation, to the conduct of these brave soldiers, under the trying circumstances which surrounded them, I only echo the unanimous voice of the American people. In this connection it is a pleasurable duty to refer to the very gallant action of Lieut. Roger Jones at Harper's Ferry, and the handsome and successful manner in which he executed the orders of the Government at that important post.

The determination of the Government to use its utmost power to subdue the rebellion, has been sustained by the unqualified approval of the whole people. Heretofore the leaders of this conspiracy have professed to regard the people of this country as incapable of making a forcible resistance to rebellion. The error of this conclusion is now being made manifest. History will record that men who, in ordinary times, were solely devoted to the arts of peace, were yet ready, on the instant, to rush to arms in defence of their rights when assailed. At the present moment the Government presents the striking anomaly of being embarrassed by the generous outpouring of volunteers to sustain its action. Instead of laboring under the difficulty of monarchical governments — the want of men to fill its armies ( which in other countries has compelled a resort to forced conscriptions)--one of its main difficulties is to keep down the proportions of the army, and to prevent it from swelling beyond the actual force required.

The commanding officers of the regiments in the volunteer service, both for the three months service and for the war, have, in many instances, not yet furnished the department with the muster rolls of their regiments. For the want of these returns it is impossible to present as accurate an enumeration of the volunteer force accepted and in the field as could be desired. Under the proclamation issued by you on the 15th of April last, the Governors of different States were called upon to detach from the militia under their command a certain quota, to serve as infantry or riflemen, for the period of three months, unless sooner discharged. The call so made amounted in the aggregate to ninety-four regiments, making 73,391 officers and men. Of the States called upon, the Governors of Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Arkansas, Kentucky, and Missouri, peremptorily refused to comply with the requirements made by the department. All the other States promptly furnished the number required of them, except Maryland, whose Governor, though manifesting entire readiness to comply, was prevented from so doing by the outbreak at Baltimore.

In the States of Virginia, Delaware, and Missouri, notwithstanding the positive refusal of their executive officers to cooperate with the Government, patriotic citizens voluntarily united together and organized regiments for the Government service. Delaware and Virginia furnished each a regiment, both of which are on duty in the field. In a similar patriotic spirit, the loyal people of Missouri raised a force of 11,445 officers and men, making, in round numbers, twelve organized regiments, to sustain the Government and to put down rebellion in that State. And so, also, the citizens of the District of Columbia, emulating these honorable examples, furnished no less than 2,822 officers and men, making in all four full regiments, all of which are yet in the field, doing active and efficient service. Thus, notwithstanding the refusal of disloyal Governors to respond, the Government, instead of having been furnished with only the number of troops called for under your proclamation