Book Review: The Truth of the War Conspiracy of 1861 by H W Johnstone

The Truth of the War Conspiracy of 1861
A Reassessment of Why the American Civil War Began
by H W Johnstone

This booklet was published in 1921 by a Civil War veteran. The author’s intent is to advocate for The Lost Cause and expose the “truth.” I’ve read several modern-day defenses of The Lost Cause, but I wanted to get the perspective of someone closer in time to the conflict. A participant was even better, although Johnstone served for only an unexplained eight months. Unfortunately, time and participation provided few novel insights. I shouldn't have been surprised because years earlier, Jefferson Davis had articulated the dogma of The Lost Cause in his two histories of the Confederate States of America.

Johnstone argues that a duplicitous President Lincoln started the war by reinforcing Forts Sumter and Pickens, the last Union military presence in the seceded states. First, the duplicitous part. In his inaugural, Lincoln said, “The power confided to me will be used to hold, occupy, and possess the property and places belonging to the Government.” All other military installations had been seized before his inauguration, so he could only have been referring to Sumter and Pickens.

What act started the war? Secession of seven states in response to the election of a Republican? Lincoln taking office despite threats of assassination? The confiscation of Federal property under threat of physical attack? Refusal to provide food and water to starving soldiers? The relentless bombardment of Fort Sumter?

The South had been threatening war ever since a split Democratic Party guaranteed the election of a Republican. They made good on their threats.

Despite the reality of the situation, Johnstone paints Lincoln as despotic for not surrendering to the demands of the seceded states. Before the inauguration, did he distance himself from Seward and the Peace Conference? He did. In his mind, he did not yet have the authority to intervene. Did he dispatch warships to accompany the resupply ships? He did, but he sent the South Carolina governor a message that he would peaceably resupply the fort unless met with resistance. Did Lincoln maneuver to put Jefferson Davis in a box? He did. And he succeeded because he was a better politician.

Johnstone was right about one thing. The war could have been avoided if Lincoln had acceded to every demand. Forever.

Since the Constitutional Convention, slave states had been demanding that the North acquiesce to their peculiar institution, or they would bolt. Bolt, they did. Not over slavery in their own states, but because the Republican platform vowed to use federal powers to stop any further expansion of slavery.

Perhaps the war was inevitable. Even if the South became independent, the Confederacy would never cease making demands upon the Union. Sooner or later, there would have been one demand too many.

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