The autumn of 1860 had been a time of intense excitement throughout the country, more especially in some of the southern states. The votes for electors of President and Vice President for the next four years were to be cast in November. Four candidates for the presidency were in the field, and the result was doubtful.

With the election of Mr. Lincoln, treachery, had long been preparing, broke into open rebellion; state after state seceded; Sumter was bombarded and taken April 14, 1861 -- and then, and not till then, did the nation accept war as inevitable, and rush to the defense of the Constitution and the flag.

In New Hamphsire, before the close of that year, eight regiments had been created at the calls of the President, and six of them sent forward, the Seventh and Eighth soon following. Six more regiments for three years and three for nine months were raised in 1862; but the last of these, the Seventeenth, was the following year consolidated with the Second. The Eighteenth infantry, one cavalry, one light and one heavy artillery, three companies of sharpshooters, five companies for garrison duty at Fort Constitution and an unknown number of men in the navy completed the quota of New Hampshire during the war. In fifteen of these New Hampshire regiments, in nineteen from other states, and in the navy, Hampton avowed her loyalty.