The Civil War

  1. Preparation for war

North – Lincoln called for 75,000 militia to support 16,000 man army

        South – Call for troops caused Virginia, AK, NC, and TN to secede

        Pres Davis’ call for volunteers brought in troops from south as well as border states

  1. Strategy for war

        North – Blockade Southern ports, cut off South at Mississippi River, keep the border states on northern side

        Delaware was loyal to Union

        Kentucky stayed with N but many citizens enlisted in S army

        Maryland was vital to N, DC would be cut off if MD left – stayed with N after Lincoln declared martial law, and imprisoned those who were pro-confederate.

        Western part of Virginia left Virginia and asked to be part of N. – became 35th state in 1863

        Tennessee mountain area was pro union – represented by Andrew Johnson, rest of state was pro-south

        Missouri fought a civil war within the state – stayed with N

        South – Fight a defensive prolonged war, sell cotton to Europe, ask for European help and recognition.

        Had leadership of West Point trained officers

        Had some industry

        Felt they were protecting their way of life

        To increase morale S generals attacked when strategically they should have stayed put

  1. Early battles

        Bull Run – North attacked S at northern Virginia stream

        N General McDowell attacked Gen Johnston and Beauregard

        N was overconfident – felt this would convince S of futility of war

        S pushed N back out of VA

        War developed into a western and eastern theatre

  1. Fremont and Missouri

        Confederate sympathizers had taken most of state by August 1861

        General Fremont was brought over to control N efforts

        Declared martial law, and ordered the confiscation of property of those who fought for the S (including slaves)

        Slaves who were confiscated were declared free

        President Lincoln revoked the proclamation

        He was afraid to lose support of border state slave holders

        Off coast of S. Carolina, islands were captured by N navy – white property holders fled leaving slaves behind

        General Butler declared escaped slaves contraband – supported by Lincoln

  1. Trent affair

        Slidell and Mason were sent from S to England as unofficial Ambassadors

        N learned they were on the British ship Trent

        Intercepted ship and took the 2 men

        England protested and sent troops to Canada

        Lincoln and Sec of State Seward released men to avoid war, but did not apologize

II. Northern Leadership

A.     In western theatre Grant proved effective – He was removed in favor of General Halleck (rumors of drinking and Grant’s earlier failures) even after Grant won at Fort Henry and Fort Doneldson

    1. Grant was put back in command for the battle of Shiloh
    2. South attacked in S TN – 2 day battle

                                                               i.      S controlled 1st day – element of surprise, sheer number of soldiers

                                                             ii.      N controlled 2nd day – Gen Johnston of S was killed, Gen Buell of N brought reinforcements

                                                            iii.      S retreated back into MS

                                                           iv.      Huge cost of battle – 20,000 injured, 3500 killed (more than in Rev War, 1812, and Mexican war combined)

    1. General Farragut seized New Orleans
    2. Gen. Pope captured Memphis
  1. Eastern theatre – revolving door of leadership
    1. Gen McClellan led Peninsular campaign—effort to take S capital Richmond – N outnumbered S two to one

                                                               i.      Included battle of Moniter and Merrimack – 1st use of ironclad ships – changed naval warfare

                                                             ii.      N was defeated by Gen’s Stonewall Jackson, and young Robert E. Lee (7days battles)

                                                            iii.      McClellan blamed loss on lack of troops and moved back to DC

    1. McClellan was replaced by Gen Pope

                                                               i.      Attacked S at 2nd Battle of Bull Run – lost

                                                             ii.      S counterattacked and pushed N back to Hagerstown MD

    1. McClellan was reinstated

                                                               i.      Attacked Lee at Antietam, MD. – pushed Lee back across Potomoc at a cost of 4000 lives

    1. McClellan was replaced by Gen Burnside

                                                               i.      Attacked Lee at Fredericksburg – 3000 men killed as S held ground

    1. Burnside was replaced by Gen Hooker

                                                               i.      Goal was to drive Lee back to Richmond

                                                             ii.      Lee counterattacked at Chancellorsville – Stonewall Jackson was killed by own men, but S pushed N back towards Pennsylvania

    1. Hooker was replaced by Gen Meade

                                                               i.      Lee was moving towards Gettysburg, Pennsylvania – hoped to destroy the Union Army

                                                             ii.      Gen Pickett led an assault against the N – War hung on balance, superior N troop supply withstood the assault

                                                            iii.      S retreated back into VA, Meade did not follow

    1. While this was occurring, Grant defeated S at Vicksburg, MS – cut the Confederacy in half.

                                                               i.      Grant was promoted to command Western theatre

                                                             ii.      Managed N victory at Chattanooga – controlled W TN

    1. Grant was promoted to command of all northern forces

III. End of War

A.     Grant attacked Lee at Spotsylvania (May 8, 1864) – Lee fought a defensive battle

B.     Grant settled into a siege mentality (10 mos. Siege of Petersburg)

a.       Sent Gen Banks into Alabama – unsuccessful

b.      Sent Gen Sheridan around Lee to attack Richmond from the rear – destroyed much of the country, cut off Lee’s supplies

c.       Sent Gen Sherman into interior of S with order to do all the damage he could

                                                                           i.      Sherman’s march to the sea – defeated S at Atlanta, moved on to take Charleston – destroyed industrial capabilities of S

C.     Sheridan had moved around Petersburg and was about to surround Lee

a.       Grant attacked and conquered Petersburg when troops were moved S to defend against Sheridan

b.      Lee retreated to Appomattox – Lee had no supplies and surrendered his army to Grant at Appomattox court house (April 9, 1865)

c.       President Davis was captured on May 10 ending the CSA

D.     President Lincoln is assassinated on April 14th

IV. Life during the war

A.     Economy

a.       Little growth was seen in the Northern economy

b.      Tariffs were passed to raise money

c.       Income tax was passed – raised 55 million

d.      Sec of Treasury Chase borrowed 2.6 billion to pay for war – sold bonds and issued “greenbacks” or paper currency to pay war debts

e.       In South paper currency was issued, but economy could not back up increase of money supply and huge inflation followed

B.     Innovations

a.       Last 19th century war in N. America or Europe

b.      RR’s were used to move supplies, balloons were used for recognizance, telegraph was used for communication with troops and by newspapers, photography showed the brutal consequences of war

c.       Congress passed Homestead Act which gave free land to settlers who agreed to stay for 5 years

d.      Congress established Land grant colleges to train farmers

C.     Role of women during the war

a.       90% of S men were fighting – women were left to manage plantation or farm.

b.      In N women took over the clerk jobs in Washington DC – were able to keep them after end of the war

c.       War led to the nursing profession – women were allowed to take care of wounded soldiers – prior to the war female nurses had the same social position as prostitutes

d.      Julia Ward Howe wrote the “Battle Hymn of the Republic”

D.     Role of African-Americans during the war

a.       Frederick Douglas “a strong black fist” was needed to insure N victory

b.      200,000 black men fought for the N – most were menial positions but some did see combat (Glory)

c.       displaced slaves were placed into work camps by N – were educated and worked for Union cause

V. Politics

A.     Emancipation  -- Lincoln did not want to lose support of Border States so he chose not to emancipate all slaves

a.       As war dragged on Lincoln needed a cause to justify the carnage – answer to the Democrats question “why are we fighting”

b.      Emancipation Proclamation (Jan 1, 1863) After “victory” at Antietam, Lincoln announced that slaves in all parts of the country at war with US were now free – did not free slaves in states that stayed loyal to Union.

c.       Led to greater support of N by countries of Europe – S lost hope of support

d.      Democrats felt slavery was not important enough to continue the war – called for an end to the fighting – called Peace Democrats or Copperheads.

e.       In April 1864, Congress initiated passage of thirteenth Amendment to insure slaves would stay free – also freed slaves in border states

B.     South

a.       President Davis was never able to form a strong government

b.      Davis ignored the western campaign and focused attention and money on General Lee

C.     Election of 1864

a.       Election was held despite ongoing war – idea of Constitution was being protected

b.      Democrats spoke out against Lincoln’s management of the war. (p385 story of Vallandigham)

c.       Lincoln chose Andrew Johnson as VP – only S legislator who did not leave – he represented W TN

d.      Democrats chose Gen McClellan – Lincoln won easily after a series of N victories (Sherman’s march, and Sheridan’s success)

D.     Plans for reunification – after it was apparent the S was going to lose 2 plans emerged for the reunification of the country

a.       Lincoln –

                                                                           i.      Lincoln stated that any soldier who pledged allegiance to the US would receive a pardon and return of property

                                                                         ii.      Any state that had 10% of population take pledge could be returned to Union

                                                                        iii.      TN, LA, VA, and AK formed union govt’s

b.      Radical Republican plan

                                                                           i.      Wanted to punish the S

                                                                         ii.      Wade-Davis Bill.  States could reenter when 50% of population swore they had never supported the CSA

1.      insisted on equal treatment of black citizens

2.      took vote away from those who had fought for CSA

           iii. killed by a pocket veto by Lincoln