The Civil War News & Views Open Discussion Forum

July 30, 2011

On this date 150 years ago, Secretary of War Simon Cameron was pressed by General Benjamin Butler at Fort Monroe, Virginia, to make a determined policy concerning former slaves that were now in Federal hands. Butler by then had about 900 former slaves and was unclear as to their status as property.

In Missouri, the State Convention voted 56-25 to declare the governor`s office open. In addition, the secretary of state and lieutenant governor`s office were considered vacant, as were their seats in the legislature. Most of those holding office in Missouri were pro-Confederate. The following day, Hamilton Gamble was elected governor of pro-Union Missouri.