The Congress of the United States made several efforts to frame an amendment that would stop this war. However, they failed to reach an agreement. This failure plus the fact that the president ellect, Abraham Lincoln, was known to oppose a compromise caused many states of the deep south to fear for their future in the Union. It was this fear for their safety that led them to Montgomery, Alabama, on February 4, 1861, where the government of the Confederate States of America was formed. Tennessee was, from the beginning, intent on preserving the Union. Citizens voted on February 9,1861, by nearly a four to one majority against a proposition to consider secession.

Then on April 12, 1861, Ft. Sumter was attacked and three days later President Lincoln issued a proclamation calling on the state governors to send 75,000 state militia to force the seceded states back under the authority of the Union. This angered and saddened many Tennessee Citizens. Realizing they would have to fight and refusing to fight against their southern neighbors, they voted on June 8, 1861, in favor of secession. The majority had changed from four to one against and was now two to one for secession.

The majority in east Tennessee, however, wanted to remain in the Union and petitioned the legislature to allow them to form a separate state. Although that request was denied, many in east Tennessee fought on the side of the Union.

Regardless of where one's sympathies were placed the events of 1861 brought extreme hardship. This quote from a Tennessee History textbook, that was used by my grandmother during the 1880's, explains something of what life was like during those dreadful war years:

"From May, 1861, to May, 1865, little was done, talked of, or thought of in Tennessee except war. Early in 1861 every county seat became a military camp. The lawyers and doctors left their offices, the merchants and mechanics left their stores and shops, the farmers and laborers left the fields, the young men left the colleges,-all that were fit for military service joined the army."

23RD TENNESSEE INFANTRY REGIMENT

BLANTON'S COMPANY OF THE 23RD TENN History and partial roster.

COMPANY "E", 23RD TENN INFANTRY Questionnaire and partial roster.

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