After President Lincoln's election, South Carolina leaders gathered on Christmas Eve 1860 to adopt the Articles of Secession. After six weeks, six more states joined and created the Confederate States of America. Confederate President Jefferson Davis called for the immediate surrender of all federal troops stationed in the southern territory. Instead, Union Major Robert Anderson established himself at Ft. Sumter and awaited reinforcements. Meanwhile, the Confederation has chosen to act. On April 12, 1861, they attacked the fort, which led to the surrender of Major Robert Anderson. Southern hopes were high that their sovereignty would be respected. Even when President Lincoln called for 80,000 volunteers to fight the rebellion, both sides expected that the dispute would be quickly resolved in their favor. What took place over the next four years was the deadliest war in American history, killing as many as 620,000 soldiers. When it came to numbers of soldiers, the Union outnumbered the South two to one. Defensive warfare is simpler both in terms of strategy and popular support. The Confederates didn't actually have to win the war: they just had to survive the North's willingness to fight it. They knew their land, they could use it to their advantage, and the majority of the population was united in trying to preserve it. On the other hand, the North was an invading army, far from supply lines and with little knowledge of the territory. To win, they had to convince every single Southern state to surrender, and not all of the Northern population was united in the war effort – at least, not until the Emancipation Proclamation of 1863 brought slavery into the equation. With each battle, troops lost morale and politicians lost popularity