Rumors began to circulate at Helena that the federal government was about to reinforce the Arsenal at Little Rock. Citizens of that town held a mass meeting and drafted a petition to the governor urging him to seize the Arsenal. Rector drafted a letter in response stating that he considered it inappropriate to seize the Arsenal while Arkansas remained in the Union, a matter to be decided in the upcoming convention. In the interim, Rector wrote, he would consider any attempt to reinforce the Arsenal as an act of war by the federal authorities. Largely through a flight of fancy, the drama then being played out at Fort Sumter was transposed to Arkansas soil.
While Rector's letter was making its way to Helena, Adjutant General Edmund Burgeven, Rector's brother-in-law, sent a message to Helena via the newly installed telegraph line. The secessionists at Helena interpreted Burgeven's telegram to mean that the governor's hands were legally tied, but that he would support spontaneous action by an armed citizenry. Helena began forming companies of "militia" and sending them to Little Rock. Pine Bluff quickly followed suit.
Soon their were hundreds of armed "volunteers" surrounding the Arsenal at Little Rock, much to the dismay of that town's largely Unionist population. Rector was astonished that the military companies thought they were there at his request, but felt that the situation could be used to benefit the secessionist cause. He informed the Arsenal's staff that he could not guarantee their safety should they remain in Little Rock; but if they surrendered peacefully to state control, he would assure their safe passage out of Arkansas. The Arsenal command agreed. Ironically, when the federal troops departed on February 9th, it was a heroes' exit as thousands of Unionists lined their route.
Next: The First Secession Convention
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