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Re: January 29, 1861
In Response To: Re: January 29, 1861 ()

President James Buchanan remained in charge of the government until the inauguration of Abraham Lincoln on March 4, 1861. Buchanan was alarmed by secession of the Deep South but took no provocative military steps. For example, at Pensacola a truce between Federal and state troops ensured that no soldiers would be landed at Fort Pickens as long as no hostile action was taken against it. Lincoln later disavowed the truce and landed troops at Fort Pickens, but that was after March 4th.

From a Northern perspective on U.S. armories in Southern states, the most reasonable course of action would be to remove arms stored there or have them destroyed. Orders concerning U.S. armories and other military installations were given by Secretary of War John B. Floyd, not General Scott. Throughout the year 1860 Secretary Floyd had been ordering arms, not troops, shipped to U.S. armories in Southern states. Also, in accordance with the law of 1808, Secretary Floyd issued arms to Southern state militia armories. Finally, on a somewhat limited basis after secession, states that purchased weaponry from arms manufacturers in New England continued to receive shipments from Northern ports.
http://millercenter.org/academic/americanpresident/buchanan/essays/cabinet/273

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