January 10, 1861

William Seward named Secretary of State
William Seward accepts President-elect Abraham Lincoln's invitation to become Secretary of State. Seward became one of the most important members of the cabinet and engineered the purchase of Alaska after the Civil War.

A native of New York, Seward taught school in the South before returning to New York and entering politics. He became governor in 1838 and began to articulate strong anti-slavery views. Seward entered the U.S. Senate in 1849 and burst onto the national scene during the debates surrounding the Compromise of 1850. He boldly proclaimed that slavery was doomed by a "higher law than the Constitution, the law of God." This became a catch phrase for abolitionists and Seward became known as a radical, belying his pragmatic tendencies.

Seward joined the Republican Party in the 1850s and he appeared to be the leading candidate for president in 1860. The party went with Lincoln, feeling that he would draw more votes in the Midwest and border regions. Seward was initially reluctant to accept the position of Secretary of State--he still saw himself as the natural leader of the party and was reluctant to take a back seat to Lincoln. In fact, Seward underestimated Lincoln's political acumen. His relationship with Lincoln was not particularly close, but they worked well together during the war.

Seward became one of the moderate voices in the Lincoln cabinet. His careful politicking helped to counter the public perception that the administration was dominated by radicals. Although he supported the end of slavery, Seward downplayed the effects of emancipation to gain support from Democrats and conservative Republicans during the presidential campaign of 1864.

The assassination that killed Lincoln nearly resulted in Seward's death as well. Lewis Powell, an accomplice to John Wilkes Booth, stabbed Seward as he lay in bed recovering from a carriage accident. Seward survived, and after a summer convalescing, returned to the State Department. His final achievement came with the purchase of Alaska from the Russians in 1867. Although he considered it one of his greatest accomplishments, critics dubbed the territory "Mr. Seward's Ice Box." History would show that Seward's belief in the value of Alaska was astute.

Florida secedes:

Florida becomes the third state to secede from the Union when a state convention votes 62 to 7 in favor of the measure.



Friday, Jan. 10,1862
GRANT’S GARRISON GENERATES GRUMBLES

From his base in Cairo, Illinois, General Ulysses Grant led a unit on a march in the general direction of Columbus, Ky. There were no particular Confederate forces in the vicinity, although minor skirmishing did occur. The weather was wet, cold and miserable, and the main purpose of the exercise was to train both troops and commander to handle such field conditions.



Saturday, Jan. 10,1863
MCCLERNAND MAKES MISTAKEN MOVE

Union Maj. Gen. John A. McClernand led his forces fifty miles from the Mississippi up the Arkansas River to Arkansas Post, also known as Fort Hindman. They began the envelopment of the fort. Attempts by Brig. Gen. T.J. Churchill’s Confederates to use artillery against the attack were thwarted by Union gunboat bombardment from the river. This would appear to be an excellent maneuver on McClernand's part except for the minor fact that he did not have entirely proper authorization to do it.



Sunday, Jan. 10, 1864
BLUNDERING BLOCKADER BADLY BOMBARDED

Lockwood’s Folly Inlet proved well-named (at least the "folly" part) for the ill-fated USS Iron Age. The ship of the blockade ran aground on an unnoticed sand bar off the South Carolina coast. It was destroyed by artillery fire from shore batteries. The blockade as a whole, though, was tighter than ever, and numerous ships were being captured.



Tuesday, Jan. 10, 1865
SNEAKY SHIP SWAP SOUGHT

Commander Bulloch, of the Confederate Navy, wrote Richmond today with a complicated story. He had ordered a ship built in France. Paris refused delivery, selling it instead to Denmark for the Schleswig-Holstein War. That war ended abruptly and the Danes refused to take the ship, now named the Sphinx. Bulloch bought it secretly, renamed her the CSS Stonewall, and requested a captain and crew be sent.

1862:  
Engagement at Middle Creek near Prestonburg, Kentucky


1863:  
Engagement at Arkansas Post, Arkansas


1864:  
Skirmish at King's River, Arkansas


Skirmish at Loundoun Heights, Virginia


Skirmish near Petersburg, West Virginia


1865:  
Skirmish in Texas County, Missouri


Skirmish near Glasgow, Missouri