Mission Statement:

"To advance through research, education and symposia, an increased public awareness of the Cape Fear region's unique history."

Wilmington On The Eve of Secession: 1861

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Wilmington on the Eve of Secession in 1861:

Prologue: 

“Stephen Douglas of Illinois let everyone in hearing distance know

his prediction of the future. He said on August 21, 1858 that

“I believe that this new doctrine preached by Mr. Lincoln and this Abolition party would dissolve the union. They try to array all the northern States in one body against the South, inviting a sectional war…to last until one or the other is driven to the wall.”

(Lincoln-Douglas Debates, Holzer)

 

 

Background: South Carolina and Fort Sumter Crisis

Upon the secession of South Carolina on December 20th, 1860, a

one-hundred gun salute was fired in Wilmington as the streets became crowded with anxious citizens. Although conservative North Carolinians denounced their neighbor’s precipitous action, Tarheels were united in opposing any use of force to coerce South Carolina back into the

voluntary union. One conservative citizen summed up the prevailing sentiment in the American South by stating,

“I am a Union man, but when they send men South it will change

my notions. I can do nothing against my own people.”

 

The pro-secession Wilmington Journal of 21 February opined that the seceding States would not accept the Crittenden compromise, stating

that “it is too late in the day to talk about compromises…The border Southern States must decide to which Confederacy they will attach themselves…There can be no half-way course now.”

 

President James Buchanan

The Cape Fear Forts:

The “Star of the West” relief expedition sent by President Buchanan in defiance of South Carolina reasserting its independence, greatly alarmed patriots in the Cape Fear. The ship entered Charleston Harbor on

January 9, 1861 and was fired upon by Citadel cadets manning batteries

on Morris Island, driving the ship back to New York harbor.

 

A meeting of prominent citizens in Wilmington met at the Courthouse

after the Star of the West incident with merchant Robert G. Rankin, Jr.

as the speaker. This group formed a Wilmington Committee of Safety patterned on the one formed to resist British invasion 86 years earlier,

and they called for volunteers to join a defensive force called the

“Cape Fear Minutemen” commanded by Major John J. Hedrick.

Their primary concern was the two fortifications guarding the Cape Fear, Forts Johnston and Caswell. Named for Royal Governor Gabriel Johnston, the former was ceded by North Carolina to the federal government in

1794 on the condition that a fort was to be erected there within three years. This never occurred and only a barracks was to exist there. The latter

fort was named for Richard Caswell, North Carolina’s first governor

under the United States Constitution.  

 

Major Hedrick and his small force departed from the Market Street dock early on January 10th on a schooner bound for Smithville, where they arrived at 3PM. They marched to the US military barracks at Fort Johnston then in the charge of Ordnance Sergeant James O’Reilly, and took charge of the supplies.

 

Fort Caswell on Oak Island near Smithville (now Southport) was a bastioned, masonry fortress commanding the main entry into the Cape Fear River, and it only mounted two 24-pounder cannon. Though poorly-armed at the time, the fort under a strong Northern garrison and guns would control maritime traffic in and out of Wilmington---it had to be taken.

With twenty men from the Minutemen and Captain S.D. Thurston’s “Smithville Guards,” Major Hedrick sailed to Fort Caswell about three miles distant and took charge of the fort from the sergeant posted there. 

 

This seizure of federal forts and stores was a preemptive strike on the part of the Cape Fear Minutemen and Hedrick was not under the orders of Governor John Ellis who was the commander of all North Carolina Militia. Hearing of the seizure of Forts Johnston and Caswell, he ordered Colonel John Lucas Cantwell of Wilmington and his 30th North Carolina Militia to proceed to Smithville to restore the forts to federal control.

Ellis wrote that although Hedrick and his men were “actuated by patriotic motives,” that “in view of the relations existing between

the General Government and the State of North Carolina, there is

no authority of law, under existing circumstances, for the

occupation of the United States forts situated in this State.”

 

Upon his arrival at Smithville after dark on January 12th, Cantwell sent Hedrick the Governor’s orders to restore the forts to federal control. Major Hedrick responded in writing the next morning with

“Sir, Your communication, with the copy of the order of Governor Ellis demanding the surrender of this post, has been received. In reply, I have to inform you that we, as North Carolinians, will obey his command. This post will be evacuated tomorrow at 9 o’clock a.m. John J. Hedrick, Major Commanding.”

Ordnance Sergeant Walker, formerly in charge of Fort Caswell,

was restored to his post.

 

This re-occupation of the two forts would remain the status quo until April, though military units were steadily recruiting and arming to resist an expected invasion of Wilmington and the Cape Fear. The “Minutemen”

of Major Hedrick was reorganized as the “Cape Fear Artillery,” a

name they served under for the rest of the war.

 

The Wilmington Daily Journal of January 16 reports on a citizen meeting and resolution, and what concerns motivated Wilmingtonians to take action. “At a meeting held in the Court house this evening, B.W. Beery in the chair, the following preamble and resolutions were formally adopted:

 

“Whereas from information deemed reliable that Federal troops

were on the way to garrison Fort Caswell at the mouth of the Cape Fear River, which was regarded as a menace to our people and State, a portion of the citizens of Brunswick and New Hanover Counties, took possession of said Fort in order that the State for her protection, might obtain peaceable possession of the same.

Therefore, Be it--- 

Resolved, first, That we highly approve of the patriotic spirit and

pure motives which prompted our fellow citizens of the above

counties in their action, and that a Committee of Three be

appointed to make arrangements for presenting them with some tangible evidence of our regard.

Resolved, second, That in the prompt evacuation of said Fort by order of the Governor of North Carolina, they have proved themselves to be good and loyal citizens of the Old North State. 

Resolved, three, That the dilatory action of our Legislature in calling

a Convention may, in view of the imminent danger now threatening

us and our sister Southern States, force the State into revolution,

and this can only be secured by the speedy action of the Legislature

in trusting this great question with the people, by doing which and

by placing the State in a proper condition for defense, they may

make secession peaceable.”

B.W. Beery, Chairman, James O. Smith, Secretary”