The CSA is Born

SHELBY FOOTE: Before the war, it was said "the United States are." Grammatically, it was spoken that way and thought of as a collection of independent states. And after the war, it was always "the United States is," as we say to day without being self-conscious at all. And that's sums up what the war accomplished. It made us an "is."

After the federal elections of 1860 and a month prior to Abraham Lincoln's inauguration, representatives of seven southern states met on February 4, 1861 in Montgomery Alabama to plan their state's secession from the United States, forming the Provisional Confederate States Congress, charged with drafting a new constitution, creating a flag and electing Jefferson Davis as provisional president. On February 8, 1861 representatives of the provisional congress ratified the new constitution and the Confederate States of America came into being. And the rest is history.

If you are interested in Civil War history, you may enjoy  The Fall of The House of Dixie by Bruce Levine.  Dr. Levine approaches the war not battle by battle, but instead offers an explanation of how the southern cause collapsed from the inside. An approach I had hardly considered.

Also, on another February 8, this time 1820, a child was born, one who would later become one of the principal military destroyers of the Confederate States of America, William T. Sherman.

He and his family now lie buried up the street from mine.

And finally: did anyone notice that the city of Memphis, Tennessee getting a jump before state laws prevented it, on Wednesday, formally renamed 3 city parks that formerly honored Confederate Civil War heroes?

Toad

An activist government agency, a map

What a map it was.

Many thanks to Patsy for sending this story.

In the 1800's the United States Coast Survey, now part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, was the official keeper of technology, scientific knowledge and map making for the US Government. Their official responsibilities included accurate map making of all US rivers and coastal waters, but occasionally the curiosity of the department head crept in and official maps veered in tangents never intended.

The 1860 US census was the last to include slaves. Inventing new display techniques, and using the new census data the Coast Survey created a map in 1861 illustrating the number of slaves by county. Shading was used to illuminate the number of slaves. The darker the shading the greater the number.


From a propaganda standpoint the map couldn't have been better. With a quick glance a Northerner could discern the order of states secession(the more slaves, the sooner gone). A more careful reading would show a field commander where pockets of Union solidarity lie in the South. On a more personal level, mid Missouri calls itself "Little Dixie". I never understood why until I saw the map.

This map was Lincoln's favorite and is included, bottom right, in the official painting of "Lincoln Reading the Emancipation Proclamation to his Cabinet" by Francis Carpenter.

For other map geeks the NOAA collection of maps are available electronically here.

Toad