Washington Territory Prepares for Civil War
Acting-Governor Henry M. McGill calls for a territorial militia to defend the Union, a symbolic gesture of loyalty from a frontier thousands of miles from the conflict.
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Acting-Governor Henry M. McGill has issued a proclamation calling for the organization of the militia of the Territory of Washington to meet any requisition from the President of the United States to aid in maintaining the laws and integrity of the National Union. Although the Territory is remote from the scene of war, the call serves as an exhibition of loyalty to the government and provides for local protection in case of an Indian outbreak. Citizens capable of bearing arms are instructed to report to the Adjutant-General of the Territory, Frank Mathias, to organize companies and elect officers.
“We have hundreds of citizens who would delight in 'salting down' the traitors of the South, but we apprehend they will scarcely have that pleasure if they await that requisition.”
This proclamation highlights how the 1861 Civil War crisis reached even the distant Washington Territory, creating a sense of urgent, performative patriotism. Today, this reminds us of how regional identities in the Pacific Northwest have historically been shaped by their relationship to distant national political upheavals.
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