1861 January 26th

January 26 1861 Saturday

Louisiana Seceded

Go to January 27 1861

Alabama. Commissioners were appointed to negotiate with the US government with regard to the transfer of possession of US forts, arsenals, and other property to the State of Alabama.

Georgia. Georgia state forces took possession of Fort James Jackson and Oglethorpe Barracks under the orders of Governor Joseph E Brown. Fort James Jackson (also known as Fort Jackson, Old Fort Jackson) was located one mile east of Savannah, Georgia, on the Savannah River. It was named in honour of James Jackson, a political figure in the Revolutionary War. It was constructed between 1808 and 1812 to protect the city and harbour of Savannah from attacks by sea. The original fort has three batteries of two guns each facing the water. The back of the fort was open and unfortified. The fort was improved in the 1850s to enclose the entire fort and provide barracks and other improvements common to Third System forts. After its occupation by the Confederates in March 1861, it was one of three forts that defended Savannah, the others being Fort McAllister and Fort Pulaski. It was recaptured by Union forces in December 1864. The departing Confederate garrison set the fort on fire, spiked the guns, and destroyed everything of military value. Union troops occupied the fort until the end of the war.
Construction of Oglethorpe Barracks in the city of Savannah began in the 1820s and was completed in 1834. It took the name of James Oglethorpe, founder of the Georgia colony and of the settlement of Savannah. It was used by the Confederate garrisons of the city and Fort James Jackson.

Louisiana. The state of Louisiana passed the Ordinance of Secession by a vote of 113 to 17. The Louisiana Convention refused to submit the Ordinance to the people and Louisiana seceded directly from the Union. Louisiana became the sixth state to secede from the Union.

Union Organisation

Commander in Chief: President James Buchanan
Vice-President: John Cabell Breckinridge
Secretary of War: Joseph Holt
Secretary of the Navy: Isaac Toucey

African Squadron: William Inman
Brazil Squadron: Joshua Ratoon Sands
East Indian (Asiatic) Squadron: Cornelius Kinchiloe Stribling
European Squadron: vacant
Home Squadron: Garrett J Prendergast
Mediterranean Squadron: Charles H Bell
Pacific Squadron: John Berrien Montgomery

General–in-Chief: Winfield Scott

Department of the East: John Ellis Wool

Department of New Mexico: Thomas Turner Fauntleroy interim, William Wing Loring awaited

Department of the Pacific: Albert Sidney Johnston

• District of Oregon: George Wright

Department of Texas: David Emanuel Twiggs

Department of Utah: Philip St George Cooke

Department of the West: William Selby Harney

Union Generals

Major-General USA

Winfield Scott

Brigadier-General USA

John Ellis Wool
David Emanuel Twiggs
William Selby Harney

Brigadier-General USA (Staff)

Joseph Eggleston Johnston