Viewing page 18 of 113

This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.

[[start page]]
flames & Major Anderson was obliged to run up the white flag withdrawing the Stars & Stripes. On Sunday Major A. embarked on board the Isabella for New York. before leaving the Fort he was allowed to fire a salute to his flag when four of his men were killed by the bursting of two of his guns; Most strange to relate these were the only lives lost, during the engagement. The nation is yet guiltless of the horrible sin of [[fratericide/paternicide?]]. There has been considerable excitement in the streets to day. The President has issued a proclamation, calling forth [[strikethrough]] the [[/strikethrough]] seventy five thousand militia for the preservation of the Union, or rather for the vain attempt to restore to its pristine glory the temple whose columns lie prostrate.
Miss Dix was with us yesterday. was very sad indeed about the state of affairs. Said the South was determined to fight. Said she had never shed so many tears in one year before, with the earliest lessons of her childhood her prayers to God was instilled the love of her country. That country she feared was soon to be desolated by a war too fearful to imagine.

War preparations are rapidly proceeding in New York. Gov. Sprague of Providence R. I. has offered 1,000 men for the protection of the Capitol. Penn. supports the president. N.J. may join the cecessionsionists, Gov. Andrews ^(Boston) is said to have left for W. on Sunday.
[[end page]]
[[start page]]
The course of events has been so exceedingly rapid it is almost impossible to realize the truly war like we now occupy in regard to the South. Virginia the home of Washington is no longer in the Union. It was hoped she might maintain an armed neutrality & perhaps act the part of peace maker between her sisters states. We went up on the high tower of the Smithsonian on thursday morning & saw the secession flags waving in Alex. while every public building in Washington was surmounted by the Stars & Stripes. Thursday the arsenal at Harper's Ferry was burned by order of the Government to prevent the virginian troops from seizing the arms. They were within three miles of it & as the force [[strikethrough]] was [[/strikethrough]] in the building was not sufficient to protect it, it was thought best to set it on fire. On Friday Miss Dix arrived, she came to offer her services to Mr. Lincoln in forming a hospital for wounded soldiers. She was an eye witness of the terrible assault made ^in Baltimore upon the Massachusetts troops on their way to the Capitol. As she drove rapidly through the streets one of the windows of her carriage was shattered by a paving stone but she received no personal injury. The excitement in Baltimore was very great on Saturday since troops
[[end page]]