Col. Elmer Ellsworth was a lawyer and soldier and friend of Abraham Lincoln who would become one of the first casualties of the Civil War. As a colonel of the Chicago National Guard Cadets before the war, Ellsworth introduced French-inspired Zouave uniforms and drills to the unit. He worked in Lincoln’s law office in August 1860 and assisted him during the fall campaign. After Lincoln’s election he helped organize troops, including the 11th New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment. He was shot and killed on May 24, 1861 while removing a large Confederate flag from a tavern in Alexandria, Virginia.
Citation: Matthew Brady, carte de visite photograph of Col. Elmer Ellsworth. 1860. AMs 811/2.1
Major Anderson is greatly concerned over the situation of Forts Moultrie and Sumter in Charleston. Secretary of War Floyd had ordered him to avoid a collision with South Carolina, but to defend the forts. Maj. Don Carlos Buell has been sent by Floyd to see what is going on. Buell determines that South Carolina might seize Ft. Sumter and there is talk of transferring Anderson’s command from Ft. Moultrie to Ft. Sumter. In the meantime Anderson’s command will not be reinforced.
President-elect Lincoln writes to Congressman Kellogg stating that legislative compromises to defuse the crisis that allowed the extension of slavery must be resisted and adds that the fugitive slave clause of the constitution should be enforced.