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Article: WHEN THE PORTSMOUTH CITY COUNCIL WENT TO WAR.(PORTSMOUTH CURRENTS)
- Article from:
- The Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk, VA)
- Article date:
- August 30, 1996
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 1996 The Virginian Pilot-Ledger Star. All rights reserved. Reproduced with the permission of the Dialog Corporation by Gale Group. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Byline: ALAN FLANDERS
IT WAS A THURSDAY evening, April 18, 1861.
An emergency meeting of City Council was called.
Mayor George W. Grice had just returned from Richmond with news that would change the course of history.
Volunteers were being called up from the state's militias in preparation for the unthinkable.Standing breathless in council chambers, Grice was barely audible as he muttered, ``Gentlemen, we are on the eve of war. Gov. Letcher has ordered Gen. William B. Tallifero, who follows me, to take command of our forces. We must set about to prepare immediately!''
No doubt a long silence fell over the room. At first ...