Alabama in the Civil War

Alabama Secedes from the Union

Up | South Carolina Secession | Mississippi Secession | Alabama Joins Civil War | Georgia Joins Civil War | Inauguration of Jefferson Davis | Jefferson Davis and Alexander Stephens | Cabinet of the Confederate States of America | Confederate Map | Confederate Submarine | Confederate Flag | Confederate Uniforms | Confederate Constitution

Alabama Secedes

January 11, 1861

Alabama passed its Ordinance of Secession on January 11, 1861, joining South Carolina and Mississippi who had seceded days earlier.  The story was reported in the February 9, 1861 edition of Harper's Weekly, which carried the front page illustration at right, entitled "The Seceding Alabama Delegation in Congress".  The image was sketched from a Mathew Brady photograph. 

The Seceding Alabama Congressional Delegation, January 11, 1861 (Above Image will take you to complete newspaper)

Pictured in the illustration are: Sydenham Moore, Senator Clement C. Clay, James A. Stallworth, Williamson R. W. Cobb, Senator Benjamin Fitzpatrick, David Clopton, James L. Pugh, Jabez L. M. Curry, and George S. Houston.

The first mention  of the possible secession of Alabama came in a story in the January 5, 1861 edition of Harper's Weekly:

Harper's Weekly January 5, 1861

ALABAMA FOR SECESSION

A dispatch, dated  Montgomery, Alabama, December 26, says: Returns from all the counties in the different sections of the State, thus far received, indicate that straight out secession has swept every thing by fifty thousand in East, West, Middle, and Southern Alabama.  Hardly one opposed to separate State action has been elected. The majority in the Convention for the Immediate Secession will be at least fifty.  Alabama will follow South Carolina on the 10th of January.  Today passed off very quietly. No disturbance among the Negro population, and no apprehension of any.  Governor Moore has issued a proclamation for an extra session of the Legislature to convene on the 14th of January.

 - - - - - End of January 5 story - - - -

The first actual announcement of Alabama secession in Harper's came in the January 19 edition, in this brief announcement:

Harper's Weekly January 19, 1861

Secession of Mississippi, Florida, and Alabama:

The Mississippi State Convention on the 8th adopted an ordinance providing for immediate secession from the Union.  Reports from Jackson, the capital of Mississippi, confirms this news. On the 10th Florida Seceded by 62 to 7. On the 11th, Alabama seceded by 61 to 39.

 - - - - End of January 19 story - - - -

As you can see the news was initially somewhat sketchy, and not many details were offered. 

The two key documents related to Alabama Secession were:

Alabama Declaration of Secession

Alabama Secession Speech