Events of 1861

`The first to fall' for both North and South  7th Regiment's first-rate defense of capital  Baileys face-off an early proof of officers' mettle  Baptism of fire came early for class of '61  Battle at Ball's Bluff drew political fire for years to come  Dranesville clash small but costly in lives  Encounter over flag kills Va. innkeeper, Yank officer  Guns of Sumter echoed in the streets of Richmond  Instead of breakfast, young Confederate soldier got served a bullet  Jefferson Davis and his Fort Sumter decision  Lament of leader belies bullishness of a few good men  Leesburg Pikes historic role  Lincoln's unprecedented exercise of power  Museum stands near attack site  New system proved its worth at Bull Run  Portable hemp bales turned tide in Missouri  Rebels resemble Keystone Kops in early skirmish  Remembering original seat of Confederacy  Sentry becomes first Rebel wounded  Slavery, not states' rights, inspired secession  Stone becomes fall guy after Ball's Bluff fiasco  The Union's response to Fort Sumter  Thomas Holliday Hicks notes peril facing state  Tough, colorul Zoaves help occupy Alexandria  Trent Affair almost starts U.S.-British war  When green armies collided, red blood flowed  Why the Civil War was not inevitable