The Furnace of Civil War Chapter 21
Beginning of War North unprepared -- no experience with guns or horses --believed the war would be over in 90 days South had been preparing No standard uniform caused confusion as to who was fighting
First Battle of Bull Run July 18, 1861 1st battle Bull Run (Manassas) people from DC came in carriages and had picnics to watch the fight Expected easy win and march onto Confederate capital in Richmond VA 28,450 Union led by Irvin McDowell vs 32,230 Confederates led by Joseph Johnston and PT Beauregard US originally was winning until Confederate reinforcements pushed Union back General Thomas Jackson CSA gets nickname Stonewall His troops held their position while southern army retreated Inspired Confederate soldiers to keep fighting McDowell relieved of command and replaced by George McClellan Southern victory created overconfidence in South North realized the war would not be quick Lincoln calls up 1,000,000 soldiers Stonewall Jackson George McClellan
Peninsula Campaign George McClellan commander of Army of the Potomac Top graduate from West Point, considered top military mind of US military Was a meticulous planner, and organizer wanted his troops prepared and supplied before battle Always believed he was outnumbered and very cautious Did not get along with Lincoln Lincoln ordered McClellan to attack Peninsula Campaign (Spring 1862) McClellan s plan to take Richmond by attacking up James and York Rivers Attack on Richmond stopped so McClellan could counter Stonewall Jackson in Shenandoah Valley and threats to DC Robert E Lee JEB Stuart Seven Days Battle (June 26-July 2, 1862) Robert E Lee counter attack forced McClellan off the Peninsula JEB Stuart led Confederate cavalry in battle
Northern Strategy Union Following Peninsula Campaign; Lincoln committed to destroying slavery and Southern culture Plan to conquer the South Anaconda Plan Developed by Winfeld Scott Blockade the coasts Take control of Mississippi River Free slaves to ruin southern economy Divide South by attacking Carolinas and Georgia Capture Richmond Attack in multiple locations to weaken Southern ability to fight
Naval War Union blockaded the South Focused mostly on port cities Britain honored the blockade and tolerated Union boarding of British ships instead of risking war with US As war continued blockade became more effective as US captured Southern ports South developed fleet of blockade runners to try to continue trade Blockade runners were built in Scotland and focused on speed USS Monitor CSS Virginia (Merrimack) USS Monitor v CSS Virginia (Merrimack) (March 9, 1862) Virginia made from hulk of Merrimack after union abandoned Norfolk Naval Yards (1861) First time in history two iron clad ships fought marked beginning of modern naval warfare Battle was a draw, but prevented Confederate control of Hampton Roads and kept blockade of Norfolk in place
Second Battle of Bull Run (August 29-30,1862) Lee defeated John Pope Lee s Invasion of the North Wanted to force Lincoln into peace talks Allow farmers to harvest crops Prove to Europe CSA can win Planned to attack Sharpsburg, MD North discovers plans and launches surprise attack before South is ready Antietam (September 17, 1862) Bloodiest battle of the war 23,000 killed or wounded McClellan allows Lee to escape, so Lincoln replaces McClellan with Ambrose Burnside
Effects of Antietam England and France refuse to ally with CSA Lincoln uses victory as justification to issue the Emancipation Proclamation Does so on September 23, 1862 it would go in effect on January 1, 1863 The character of the war will be changed. It will be one of subjugation the [old] South is to be destroyed and replaced by new propositions and ideas Did not effect slaves in Border States or conquered territories Did not want to provoke more secession and hoped to encourage South to stop fighting Lincoln justified actions as legitimate war aim as Commander in Chief of Army Can t free slaves in North without violating due process clause of Constitution South did not recognize Lincoln s authority to issue the Proclamation Encouraged slaves to leave plantations and go to Union lines
Reaction to Emancipation Proclamation Slaves not formally freed until passage of Thirteenth Amendment (1865) Proclamation makes the war about ending slavery with no compromise Northern opponents of abolition protested Butternut region southern Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, New York City Border union soldiers began to desert South complained that Lincoln supported slave insurrection European workers supported the Proclamation
Blacks in the War Emancipation Proclamation also allows blacks into US Army Army had refused to accept black even as volunteers 180,000 eventually join, opposed by some Northerners and most Southerners Blacks saw as opportunity to prove manhood and earn citizenship Fought under white commanders and had unequal pay and duties Used them for support work Were enslaved or slaughtered if captured by CSA Fort Pillow Massacre African Americans in South Were forced to work farms and make supplies for Confederate army CSA had to use military resources to protect against slave revolts 54 th Massachusetts Glory
Union Generals Gen. George McClellan Fired after Antietam for not pursuing Lee Gen. Ambrose Burnside Fired after Fredericksburg for losing to Lee Gen. Thomas Hooker Fired after Chancellorsville for losing to Lee General Meade given control of Union Army Lincoln fired McClellan after Antietam on November 9, 1862 and replaced him with General Ambrose Burnside Burnside led US to one of its worst defeats at Fredericksburg VA Dec 13, 1862 Union army decimated along Sunken Road, and attempts to take Prospect Heights and Marye s Hill Burnside fired after failed Mud March in January 1863 and replaced by Hooker Hooker fought Lee at Chancellorsville VA May 2-4 1863 and was outflanked and beaten by Lee. Stonewall Jackson killed in battle by friendly fire Lee launched invasion of North, when Hooker fought with Lincoln about positioning of troops, Lincoln replaced Hooker with Meade on June 28 1863
Battle of Gettysburg (July 1-3, 1863) Summer 1863 Lee invaded north to get supplies and force peace talks Buford (USA) slowed down Heth and Pener s divisions until Union army arrived USA gets control of high grounds on Cemetery Ridge CSA attacks focus on Little and Big Round Top Pickett s Charge (CSA) was final push to take Gettysburg Attack failed, battle marked high water mark of Confederacy South never goes on offensive again South s last chance to win Meade s HQ at Cemetery Ridge Meade (USA) fails to pursue Lee Little Round Top
Gettysburg Address -- November 19, 1863 "Fourscore and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation, conceived in liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal. Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation or any nation so conceived and so dedicated can long endure. We are met on a great battlefield of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field as a final restingplace for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this. But in a larger sense, we cannot dedicate, we cannot consecrate, we cannot hallow this ground. The brave men, living and dead who struggled here have consecrated it far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living rather to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us--that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion-- that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain, that this nation under God shall have a new birth of freedom, and that government of the people, by the people, for the people shall not perish from the earth."
War in the West Ulysses S Grant earned his way through ranks with series of victories in the West Captured Fort Donelson and Fort Henry in February 1862 giving US control of Tennessee and Cumberland Rivers Gave US access to upper Deep South Insured Kentucky s loyalty to Union Fort Donelson Battle of Shiloh Grant tried to take CSA railroads in Corinth MS Confederates stopped Grant at Shiloh Grant won on counterattack Battle showed how hard west would be to win Fort Henry Lincoln left Grant in charge despite Grant s drinking
War in the West Union wanted to divide South at Mississippi River Union had total control except Vicksburg MS and New Orleans Spring 1862 US Navy led by David Farragut attacked the Mississippi River and conquered New Orleans April 28 th NO surrendered; May 1 Gen Butler occupies city Woman s Order General Order #28 Any woman insulting Union officers would be punished and treated as prostitutes Battle of New Orleans Adm David Farragut Battle of Vicksburg July 4, 1863 Grant led siege on city victory gave Union control of Mississippi River Joint land and river attack strangled the city Stopped the peace movements in the Ohio Valley because it now had access to Mississippi again Britain and France stopped supporting the Confederacy
Grant takes Control Lincoln admires Grants success in the west and transfers him to east Tennessee Grant defeats Confederates at Chattanooga TN in November 1863 at Lookout Mountain Gives Union control of Tennessee Grant is named General of Union forces Grant is very aggressive and orders attacks on all fronts Sherman s March to the Sea (Sept 1864-1865) Sherman led Union army from Tennessee through Atlanta to Savannah Burned cities and destroyed farms along the way Total War Purpose was to take supplies from Confederate army and destroy will of civilians to support war We are not only fighting hostile armies, but a hostile people, and must make old and young, rich and poor, feel the hard hand of war.
Soldiers started to desert Confederate army to support family tired of war Many southerners never owned slaves Divisions between states caused tension
Elections of 1864 Lincoln s Presidency was being threatened by factions of Republicans Secretary of Treasury Salmon Chase Congressional Committee on the Conduct of the War Radicals questioned increase of Presidential power Democrat Party War Democrat Peace Democrat Copperheads openly protested against war, led by Clement Vallandigham Was convicted of treason and deported to South Republicans join War Democrats to create Union Party and nominate Lincoln and War Democrat Andrew Johnson as VP Democrats nominate George McClellan Union victories in Mobile AL, Atlanta and Shenandoah Valley helped Lincoln get reelected
End of the War Wilderness Campaign May-June 1864 Repeatedly engaged Lee in battles to bleed the Southern army Cold Harbor June 3, 1864 Bloody assault by Grant Attempt at Peace failed in February 1865 Lee becomes surrounded at Appomattox Courthouse Virginia Decides to surrender to Grant on April 9 1865 Grant offers generous terms of surrender because he wants to reintegrate South into US
Civil War Battle Hospital 220,000 die from disease in North Didn t have antiseptics (anti germ drugs) or anesthetics (pain killers) Doctors would perform surgery without anesthetics
Assassination of Lincoln John Wilkes Booth assassinated Lincoln at Fords theater in Washington DC five days after Lee s surrender Booth was captured and killed Lincoln died on April 15, 1865 First President to be assassinated
Results of the Civil War Casualties of the War
Results of the Civil War Slaves were freed
Results of the Civil War Nation is more important than States People start identifying themselves as American
Results of the Civil War Federal Government grew in size and power
Results of the Civil War Income tax created to pay for war
Results of the Civil War State Universities were created Land for Homesteads in West Transcontinental Railroads
Results of the Civil War Manufacturing and Industrial industries expanded during and after the war