The delegate who refused to betray his constituents for a Confederate Arkansas

Isaac Murphy’s Lone Stand Against Arkansas Secession

Arkansas faced a gut-wrenching choice in 1861. At first, most folks wanted to stay in the Union.

They sent Unionist delegates to the Old State House in March, where they voted down secession plans. But then Fort Sumter changed everything.

When Lincoln asked for troops to fight the South, Arkansas met again on May 6. This time, they voted 65-5 to leave the Union.

One man, Isaac Murphy, stood firm against enormous pressure to make the vote unanimous. As the packed chamber booed, a woman named Martha Trapnall tossed him a bouquet.

The Old State House still stands today, where you can walk the very chamber where Arkansas chose sides in the Civil War.

Lincoln’s Win Pushed Arkansas to the Breaking Point

Lincoln won the 1860 election without even being on Arkansas ballots.

Seven Deep South states left the Union between December 1860 and February 1861, not waiting to see what Lincoln would do.

South Carolina sent people to convince Arkansas to join them. The Arkansas General Assembly listened but didn’t rush. Governor Henry Rector wasn’t so careful.

He claimed Lincoln’s win had “revolutionized the government” and meant trouble for the South.

Voters Sent Mixed Signals About Leaving the Union

The General Assembly called for a February 18, 1861 election to decide if Arkansas should hold a meeting about leaving. Voters also picked representatives, just in case.

The meeting got approved 27,412 to 15,826, but most people chosen didn’t want to leave. The Arkansas Gazette counted 23,626 votes for staying versus 17,927 for leaving.

This split worried those who wanted to leave, who began pushing to take over the Little Rock Arsenal.

Armed Men Surrounded the Little Rock Arsenal

Nearly 1,000 armed men showed up in Little Rock demanding the U.S. Arsenal give up to state forces.

The Federal side had only 65 soldiers led by Captain James Totten, far outnumbered by the angry crowd. This crisis fired up people who wanted to stay in the Union as they got ready for the upcoming meeting.

Governor Rector stepped in and talked the Federal commander into giving up the arsenal to avoid bloodshed.

The Old State House Became a Political Battleground

The meeting about leaving opened at the Old State House on March 4, the same day Lincoln took office. David Walker from Fayetteville, who wanted to stay in the Union, won election as meeting president.

His 40-35 win showed those wanting to stay held a slim lead during this first session. Jesse Turner of Van Buren ran things until Walker took over.

Everyone settled in for two and a half weeks of heated arguments.

Unionists Blocked the Push to Leave America

The group voted down a statement against Lincoln’s first speech. They also rejected a plan to leave the Union, with the majority standing firm.

Most felt Arkansas should only leave if the federal government attacked Confederate states. Both sides gave passionate speeches during the long talks.

Those wanting to stay in the Union kept control throughout March, hoping to avoid war.

The Convention Kicked the Can Down the Road

Hoping for a deal to prevent war, the group agreed to take a break.

Meeting President Walker could call them back before a planned August vote where regular citizens would decide.

Arkansas remained split by area, with the northwest corner strongly supporting the Union. Everyone went home while the crisis kept building across the country.

Fort Sumter’s Cannons Changed Arkansas Forever

The Civil War started on April 12, 1861, when Confederate guns fired on Fort Sumter. Lincoln called for 75,000 troops to stop the rebellion, including 780 men from Arkansas.

Governor Rector flatly refused and organized militia under Solon Borland instead. Rector sent forces to grab the Federal Arsenal at Fort Smith on April 23.

Public opinion in Arkansas shifted strongly toward leaving once actual fighting broke out.

Walker Called Delegates Back for a Final Decision

Meeting President David Walker called everyone back to Little Rock as war became real. The Old State House filled with people eager to see what would happen.

Some still wanted regular voters to decide, but they lost 55-15. The meeting, not the people, would choose Arkansas’s path.

Pressure and threats scared some Union supporters into changing their minds.

Arkansas Voted to Leave the United States

The plan to leave passed by a huge 65-5 margin on May 6. Only Isaac Murphy and four others voted against it.

This vote showed how much opinions changed since March. The group said “hostility to African slavery” was their main reason for leaving.

Arkansas formally broke away from the United States at 4:10 PM, changing the state’s future forever.

One Man Refused to Back Down

Meeting President Walker asked for everyone to agree, pushing the five opposing voters to switch. Four gave in under pressure from the angry crowd.

Isaac Murphy of Huntsville refused to break his promise to voters who elected him to support staying in the Union.

Martha Trapnall of Little Rock showed her support by throwing Murphy flowers from the gallery. Murphy’s brave stand quieted the hostile crowd, but his “no” vote remained the only one against leaving.

Arkansas Became the Ninth Confederate State

Arkansas officially broke away from the United States on May 6, 1861. The state joined the Confederate States of America two weeks later on May 20.

The convention kept meeting to write a new state constitution for Arkansas. They changed all references from “United States” to “Confederate States of America”.

Arkansas became the ninth state in the Confederacy, alongside Virginia, Tennessee, North Carolina and the original seven Deep South states.

Visiting Old State House, Arkansas

The Old State House at 300 West Markham Street in Little Rock is where Arkansas delegates voted 65 to 5 for secession on May 6, 1861, after Lincoln called for troops.

You can visit Tuesday through Saturday 9 AM to 5 PM, Sunday 1 PM to 5 PM for free, with hourly guided tours lasting 50 minutes.

This article was created with AI assistance and human editing.

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