Mississippi Secedes

January 9, 1861

Mississippi was the second state to secede from the union.  Mississippi seceded on January 9, 1861.  The story was reported in the February 2, 1861 edition of Harper's Weekly, which carried the front page illustration at right, entitled "The Seceding Mississippi Delegation in Congress". 

The Seceding Mississippi Congressional Delegation, Including Jefferson Davis. January 9, 1861

The image was sketched by famed artist Winslow Homer, from a Mathew Brady photograph. At this time, Homer was relatively unknown, and was utilized by Harper's Weekly to sketch illustrations.

Jefferson Davis is shown at the top and center of the illustration.  This newspaper also carried a very complimentary article and biography on Jefferson Davis.

They describe Jefferson Davis as "A finished scholar, a high-minded gentleman, an easy, yet vigorous and effective speaker, a devoted father, a true friend. Keep in mind that Harper's Weekly was a Northern newspaper, and this was written after secession and his resignation from Congress.  The article goes on to predict, "He is emphatically one of those "Born to Command", and is doubtless destined to occupy a high position  either in the Southern Confederacy or in the United States."

It is clear from reading the articles at this period that few if any fully realized the implications of secession.  The impression is left that no one anticipated a war of the magnitude that resulted.

The two key documents related to Mississippi Secession were:

• Mississippi Declaration of Secession

• Mississippi "Causes of Secession" document