American Civil War
After Abraham Lincoln had been elected President in 1860, Fish spent time with Brevet Lieutenant General Winfield Scott, commander of the Federal Army. Fish's private secretary had aided the efforts of the Star of the West, an American merchant ship sent by President James Buchanan to bring relief supplies to Major Robert Anderson at Fort Sumter. While Fish was dining with General Scott in New York a telegram was received that announced the Confederates had attacked the Star of the West in Charleston Bay. When Fish stated that this meant war, Scott replied "Don't utter that word, my friend. You don't know what a horrid thing war is."
In 1861 and 1862 Fish joined and participated on the Union Defense Committee of the State of New York, that from April 22, 1861, to April 30, 1862 co-operated with the New York City government in the raising and equipping troops, and disbursed more than $1 million for the relief of New York volunteers and their families. The committee included chairman John A. Dix, William M. Evarts, William E. Dodge, A.T. Stewart, John Jacob Astor and other New York men. Fish was appointed chairman of the committee after Dix joined the Union Army.
In 1862 Fish was appointed by President Lincoln on a commission to serve with Bishop Edward R. Ames to visit the Union Army prisoners being held in the Confederate States of America capital in Richmond, Virginia. The Confederate government, however, refused to allow the commission to enter the city. Instead, Fish and Rev. Ames were able to start a system of prisoner exchange that remained virtually unchanged throughout the American Civil War. After the War ended Fish went back to private practice as a lawyer in New York.
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