Friday, March 11, 2011

March 11, 1861: Situation Hopeless

On Monday, March 11, 1861, General-in-Chief Winfield Scott informed President Lincoln that Fort Sumter could not be held, that "the time for succoring Fort Sumter with any means at hand had passed away nearly a month ago."  Based on Anderson's latest message, which had arrived on March 4, Scott didn't know how long Anderson could hold out, but his description of the Charleston defenses led Scott to believe that it would take a fleet of warships and some 20,000 men to relieve the fort.

Also on this date, in Montgomery, Alabama, the Confederate Congress adopted the Confederate Constitution.

Brigadier General Braxton Bragg assumed command of all Confederate forces in Florida.


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