Download Chapter 12: The Civil War Years 1861-1865

THE CIVIL WAR YEARS 1861-1865
Chapter 12
CAUSES OF THE CIVIL WAR
While slavery is viewed as the main
cause of the war, different lifestyles
and attitudes also played a part.
Southerners believed that Northerners
were bad mannered and greedy.
Northerners thought Southerners were
backwards and unsophisticated.
STATES’ RIGHTS
The issues of tariffs and slavery made many
in the south feel that southern states were
not being treated fairly nor represented
fairly in the decision making process in our
government. Many believed that the
Constitution gave the rights to make
decisions like these to the state
governments.
RESOURCES OF THE NORTH AND SOUTH
Northern States
Southern States
Economic Resources
Firearms, cloth, iron, ships,
boats, and shoes. The North
also controlled most of the
banking industry.
Mostly agricultural: cotton,
corn, wheat, and livestock.
Much of the South’s wealth
was invested in slaves.
Human Resources
22 million
9 million ( of which 3.5
million were slaves)
Military Resources
16,000 soldiers
No standing army; State
Militias only. Georgia had one
the best equipped.
GEORGIA’S RESOURCES
Industry
Atlanta’s factories could produce
cannons, bullets, saddles, and railroad
supplies and was a major transportation
center. Georgia also had textile mills and
mills for milling flour and meal. ( 33
cotton mills)
Agriculture
At the beginning of the war, farmers were
urged to reduce cotton production and to
increase food crops.
Railroads
In 1860, Georgia had over 1400 miles of
railroad lines. This was more than any other
Southern state. Atlanta was the railroad hub
for Georgia and the South.
MILITARY STRATEGIES
Anaconda Plan: The original Union military strategy
called for a blockade of the south to “strangle” the
south into submission. Lincoln did not believe this
would work.
King Cotton Diplomacy: The South believed that the
North would tire of the war quickly and that European
countries would “need” their cotton and come to the aid
of the Confederacy.
Neither side believed that the war would last longer
than a few months.
THE WAR
Fort Sumter: In South Carolina off the coast of
Charleston. The first shots of the war were fired
here.
Battle of Bull Run: Manassas, Virginia; People
from D.C. came out to see the Union forces
“defeat” the Confederate Rebels. General Jackson
was given the nickname “Stonewall” at this battle.
Union forces and the spectators were driven back
with a win for the Confederacy.
THE WAR
Fort Pulaski: Located at the mouth of the
Savannah River. It was captured by Union forces in
April of 1862, making Savannah useless to the
cause.
The General: This was a train that was boarded in
Marietta by 20 Union soldiers dressed as civilians
with the intent to ride the train into Georgia and
destroy tracks, bridges, and telegraph lines.
Confederate soldiers captured the group.
THE DRAFT
(CONSCRIPTION)
Union Draft
Confederacy Draft
Originally asked for 50.000 volunteers.
After the initial rush of patriotism the
numbers fell off.
1st draft in US history. Originally included
white men 18-35; later expanded to 17-50
Men who were ill or the only person caring
for a widow, child, or other dependant
were exempt.
Anyone could pay a fee and hire a substitute
to take his place.
A man could avoid the draft by providing a Railroad employees, telegraph operators,
substitute or paying a fee of $300.00.
workers in cotton mills, mines, or foundries,
and shoemakers were exempt.
Over half of those drafted opted out
through one of these choices. Many in the
North also believed these exemptions were
unfair and rioted in NY City in 1863,
shouting, “Down with the rich” and
attacking African Americans who were not
citizens and were exempt as well.
20-slave exemption: for every 20 slaves on a
plantation, 1 white man was exempt. This led
many in the South to see the war as “ a rich
man’s war and a poor man’s fight”.
A SOLDIER’S LIFE
Southern soldiers were not issued uniforms. Uniforms
were mostly home made.
Weapons were scarce in the south.
Food supplies were limited with many living off the
land, even eating alligator. There were food riots.
Disease and unsanitary conditions killed many soldiers
in both the north and south.
Woman took over many of the roles at home while the
men were at war or killed. They worked in factories and
farmed.
AFRICAN-AMERICAN SOLDIERS
About 200,000 African-American soldiers fought for the
Union.
At the end of the war 10% of the Union forces were
African-American.
Many Georgia freedman hid on the islands off the coast
of Georgia and joined the 21st United Colored Troops
and the South Carolina Colored Volunteers.
Although the South approved the drafting of slaves in
early 1865, none were ever actually drafted.
WAR HIGHLIGHTS
Robert E. Lee is the commanding leader for the
Confederacy.
Ulysses S. Grant is the commanding leader for the
United States (Union).
William Tecumsah Sherman leads the march to
the Sea through Georgia.
Battle of Antietam: Careless soldiers left a copy of
Lee’s battle plans at an abandoned campsite and the
Confederate soldiers were defeated as they entered
Maryland.
MORE WAR HIGHLIGHTS
Battle of Gettysburg (Pennsylvania):
Confederate forces attempt to invade the North
and seize a supply of shoes at a shoe factory.
After 3 days of intense fighting, 7000 soldiers lay
dead and 44,000 were wounded or missing.
Lincoln was so moved by the losses suffered at
Gettysburg that he traveled to the site for the
dedication of a cemetery and gave his famous
Gettysburg address.
THE WAR COMES TO GEORGIA
In September 1863 General Bragg of the Confederacy
defeated Union forces at Chickamauga in northern
Georgia. Fighting continued in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
The “Battle Above the Clouds” was fought on
Lookout Mountain when 10,000 Union troops forced
the 2,000 Confederate defenders off the mountain.
Confederate troops set up camp in Dalton, Georgia for
the winter.
Grant sends Sherman and his troops to push the war
into Georgia and the Deep South.
THE PATH TO ATLANTA
Sherman called his path to Atlanta “one grand skirmish”.
From Chattanooga to Atlanta, Sherman circles Johnston’s
Army and battles take place at: (see the map on page 271).
Dalton (Buzzard’s Roost and Dug Gap)
Resaca
Adairsville
Kennesaw Mountain
New Hope Church
Ezra Church
ATLANTA
After losing at Jonesboro, General Hood orders the evacuation
of Atlanta and that all military and railroad equipment in Atlanta
be destroyed.
32,000 Union soldiers and 35,000 Confederate troops are killed,
wounded, or captured in the fight for Atlanta. It came at high
cost to both sides.
Sherman ordered the remaining 1600 people in Atlanta to
evacuate and that most of the remaining buildings to be burned.
He provided a tent city outside of Atlanta for the refugees near a
railroad station named Rough and Ready.
SHERMAN’S MARCH TO THE SEA
Sherman’s next goal was to take the city of Savannah.
To provide for this march he issued Field Order No. 120 that ordered soldiers to
“live off the land.” They would gather food from fields, collect horses and mules,
and other supplies as they “marched” through Georgia. ( see the PP on Sherman’s
March to the Sea)
He encountered minimal resistance from the state militia and destroyed most of
the area.
In Milledgeville, Governor Brown appealed to the people to resist the invading
forces. When Union forces arrived the town was undefended.
Savannah was given to President Lincoln as a “Christmas present.”
Field Order No. 15 gave confiscated lands from Jacksonville, FL to Charleston,
SC to freed slaves. The land was later returned to the owners .
SURRENDER AT APPOMATTOX
THE END OF THE WAR
On April 1, 1865 General Lee sends word to President Jefferson
Davis that he can not stop union troops from taking the capital
of the Confederacy, Richmond Virginia.
Lee wanted to continue fighting, but his troops were short of
supplies, outnumbered, weary from years of fighting, and cut off
from reinforcements (other troops).
Lee surrendered on April 9, 1865 at the Appomattox courthouse
and three days later about 25,000 confederate troops surrendered
their weapons. They would not be tried for treason.
Troops across the South continued fighting for several weeks
longer.
IN THE NORTH
People celebrated in the streets of Washington
D.C. at the news of Lee’s surrender. President
Lincoln gave a speech from the balcony of the
White House and talked about his plans to
reunite the Union. This angered a Confederate
sympathizer by the name of John Wilkes Booth.
He decided to assassinate the president.
President Lincoln was hot and killed on April 15,
1865 at Ford’s Theatre.
IN THE SOUTH
Union troops moved into Georgia a few days after Lee’s surrender.
They captured Macon and Columbus. General Cobb commanded the
troops defending Macon and he was outnumbered 13,000 to 3,000.
A few weeks later Governor Brown formally surrendered the Georgia
Militia and its weapons.
Georgia’s political leaders: Brown, Cobb, Alexander Stephens, and
Benjamin H. Hill were all arrested. Robert Toombs escaped capture
and went to Europe.
Major Henry Wirz, the commander at Andersonville POW Camp
was arrested, tried, found guilty, and executed for war crimes. He was
the only person convicted and hung .
THE CONFEDERACY FALLS
Jefferson Davis was not ready to admit defeat and give up. He
hoped that the Union would give up and allow the Southern states to
remain independent. Davis and his family were captured near
Irwinville, GA on May 10th.
The “War of Northern Aggression/The War of Rebellion” was
finally over.
Many Southerners could not accept that the fact that they had lost.
For many years after the war ended, Southerners struggled with the
outcome. The South will face many challenges as they attempt to
re-enter the Union.