Existing comment:
"I think that this battle ought to be fought not outside, but inside the Union, and upon the battlements of the Constitution itself."
-- Cave Johnson letter to the Clarksville Jeffersonian, January 2, 1861
Local Debate: Secession:
Montgomery County and Tennessee were staunchly pro-Union in early 1861. In February 1861, a statewide vote was held to call a convention to debate secessio. It was soundly defeated, with only 23.6% in favor. Sentiments changed rapidly after the firing on Fort Sumter in April and pressure from pro-Secessionists. In May, the Tennessee legislature voted to secede. In June, it was ratified by public vote with 68.9% in favor. In Montgomery County, 2,632 voted for secession with 32 against. Clarksville voted 561 to 1 in favor of secession. |