In searching for an obituary in the 1861 Southern Christian Advocate earlier this week, I decided to see what the state’s Methodist newspaper had to say about the Confederate bombardment of Fort Sumter in April 1861.
April 4, 1861
Fort Sumter stands where it did a week ago and remains the same as to occupancy and surroundings as last week. It is believed that it will be surrendered to the state authorities – but when? Who can tell. We cannot.
April 18, 1861
Reports on the reduction of Fort Sumter. The South has used every effort to maintain the peace consistent with her rights and the first principles of self government. She has made equitable proposals to the North respecting a division of the property jointly owned by the old Confederacy. She has offered to account fully for all that self defense required her to possess, and on fair terms to receive what still remained in possession of the U. S. Government.
In this proposed arrangement, Ft. Sumter was included. But the terms were refused, and after waiting long and patiently for its surrender, when at length by the appearance of war vessels off the harbor, it became evident that to wait longer would be defeat and submission, the troops under the direction of President Davis, last week attacked and took Fort Sumter. Peace was sought to the last. The ultimate proposition to Major Anderson was that he should remain unattacked as long as he believed his supplies would hold out, provided that he took no part in an attempt to reinforce or resupply the fort.
He would not consent to this neutrality. He forced the attack, which after over 32 hours bombardment resulted in his surrender.
Our cause is no longer that of the relations of the negro to the white man, but that of constitutional liberty, that of the right of a people composing a large separate section of the race to govern themselves. It is a question between free institutions and a military despotism. If our neighbors prefer the latter, let them have it. We of the South prefer the former and we will have them or consent to take as the alternative utter extermination.
Without offering too much commentary, I note that the editors took the position that the North forced the South to attack Fort Sumter and that the South had sought peace up until that point. The rhetoric of submission to defeat, of a choice between military despotism or free institutions had become common in the region by April 1861. The battle lines had hardened, opinions had become entrenched, and war had become inevitable.
