Following the election of
Abraham Lincoln as US President in November 1860, Ellis called for a conference of southern states “to enter into consultation with us, upon the present condition of the country." As a supporter of slavery, Governor Ellis also called on North Carolina to prepare troops for war and consider convening a state secession convention. Wary of making the first move, North Carolina did not secede immediately, but Ellis began to take a hostile tone towards the new Lincoln administration. During the
Fort Sumter crisis in April 1861, President Lincoln requested troops from North Carolina to quell the rebellion. Ellis replied, "I can be no party to this wicked violation of the laws of the country and to this war upon the liberties of a free people. You can get no troops from North Carolina." Governor Ellis then seized several North Carolina coastal forts, the Federal arsenal at Fayetteville and the branch
mint at Charlotte. Flushed with success, the Governor requested that the legislature call a state-wide convention consider secession, and on May 17th he telegraphed Confederate President
Jefferson Davis to report, “I am in possession of forts, arsenals, etc., come as soon as you choose. We are ready to join you to a man. Strike the blow quickly and
Washington will be ours.” The state convention voted unanimously on May 20th to secede from the Union, and North Carolina was admitted to the
Confederacy the following day. Sick with
consumption and worn down by the stresses of his office during the secession crisis, Ellis died in office on July 7, 1861. The
Speaker of the North Carolina Senate,
Henry T. Clark, completed his term. He is buried at the Old English Cemetery in
Salisbury, North Carolina. . ==References==