Civil War—Operation of East Tennessee University Suspended

Tennessee voted to secede from the Union on June 8, 1861, the last state to do so. The university remained open. The trustees declined to suspend operations of the university at their meeting of January 30, 1862, and declined again to close the university at their meeting of February 7, although wounded confederate soldiers occupied some buildings. Following the resignation of President Ridley and the leaving of two professors (and virtually the entire student body) for military service, the board did suspend the operations of the university in spring 1862.