January 6 1861 Sunday
Florida. The Florida state militia took control of the US Arsenal at Apalachicola. Florida state leaders were alarmed when they intercepted a telegram from the War Department in Atlanta which was relayed to Tallahassee. It instructed US Sergeant Edwin Powell and his three-man garrison to destroy the gunpowder at the arsenal before it could be captured by state forces. Although Florida had not yet left the Union, Governor Madison S Perry ordered an immediate move on the arsenal. Colonel W J Gunn of the 7th Florida Militia called out the Quincy Young Guards, a local militia company. The men approached the gates at 7 am and demanded possession of the facility. Powell initially refused but after receiving no reply to his telegraph to his superiors he was obliged to surrender. The arsenal was later used by the Confederates for training recuits until the end of hostilities.
Tennessee. The Tennessee state legislature met to discuss the matter of secession.
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 California: Benjamin Lloyd Beall temporary
Department of the East: John Ellis Wool
Department of New Mexico: Thomas Turner Fauntleroy
Department 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
American Civil War High Command 