Excerpts from the Journal of Horace Purdy, Danbury, December 17-28, 1860

Monday December 17th 1860 Danbury

“Today is the day for the succession convention in South Carolina. I have had work in the shop. I went to market in the eve and called with Gussie at the church where the Sunday School were met for the anniversary.”

Friday December 21st 1860 Danbury

“Pleasant and warm with some mud. No work in the shop. The daily papers brings us news today that South Carolina passed her secession ordinance on [space left blank]. I went to drill in the eve. The company adjourned until the first Friday in April with the exception of the January general meeting.” [South Carolina seceded from the Union on December 20, 1860].

Thursday December 27th 1860 Danbury

“It was reported when the evening train came in that Fort Moultry [sic] at Chareleston South Carolina was on fire, the guns spiked, and a train laid to blow it up.” .” [Fort Moultrie was abandoned by Federal troops on January 26th].

Friday December 28th 1860 Danbury

“A pleasant day. The report which we had last night is corroborated in the papers today. Major [Robert] Anderson spiked the guns and burned the gun carriages and retreated to Fort Sumter to strengthen his position. It would now be impossible for any force however large to take Sumter even with the Major’s small force. The Carolinians are very indignant at the movements of Anderson for they calculated to take Fort Sumter from the Government themselves.”