Download Civil War Numbers

Civil War Numbers
The war amidst the war
The Home Front
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Great achievement of the Union
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Despite hundreds of thousands of fewer farmers:
Union raised more wheat in 1862 and 1863 than
the entire nation combined in 1860 and 1861
The United States doubled exports of wheat,
corn, pork, and beef to Europe during the war.
Europe was in famine.
Growth of farming
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“farming is comparatively child’s play to what
it was 20 years ago. The machinery is
pefect.” Scientific America 1863
Many of these technologies that the north
experienced were not available in the south
due to the lack of foundries and machine
shops and the unrelenting pressure for arms.
Troubles in the South
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“my wife and children are emaciated and the
shadow a famine is upon us.” War Officer of
the Confederate Army.
“Bread or Blood Riots” 1863-Richmond Va.
The South at War
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1863: Charlestonians paid ten times more for
food than they had in 1861.
By Christmas day 1864 a monthly wage for
a confederate soldier NO LONGER
BOUGHT A PAIR OF SOCKS!
Some historians estimate inflation of 9,000%
by the end of the war-nearly as bad as post
WWII Germany.
The South at War
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20-the number of slaves that were required
to exempt one from military service.
1863-the year the south, as a result of labor
shortages, were forced to include slaves into
their ranks as laborers.
The South at War
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Price of salt: 1861-two dollars for a 5 lb bag,
in 1862-it rose to 61$ a bag!
Flour-3 cents a pound in 1861 was 45 cents
in 1863.
10% “the tax-in-kind” the most hated element
of Confederate rule which was nearly as
contemptible as Northern rule by 1864.
War Financing in the South
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Simply put Confederacy couldn’t pay its
debts.
Unwilling to levy taxes
Bond sales dwindling.
In 2 successive years printed a total of 550
million in unbacked currency.
The South at War
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“Men cannot be expected to fight for the
Government that permits their wives and
children to starve”.
1863: Bread and tax revolts broke out in
twelve large Southern cities.
The South at War
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I would not have you do anything other than
this cause, Edward…but unless you come
home we will die.” Soldiers wife-1864
What cost a southern 1 in 1861 cost them 46
three years later.
The disintegration of slavery
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Not the type of revolts people expectedviolent revolt. Rather it was shocking to
many to see the “disobedience” and “work
stoppages” that occurred.
More than 100,000 men fled bondage and
took up arms as federal soldiers.
500,000 of the 4,000,000 slaves ran to
Northern military lines.
The disintegration of slavery
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“some of us have resorted to offering gifts or
part of the crop—to keep slaves at home and
at work.”
“The idea of the faithful servant is all fiction”
North Carolina slaveholder
The North at War
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2,000,000 the size of the Union army.
0-the number of income taxes, national
currencies, or national banking systems at
the beginning of the war! All three would be
enacted.
Republican domination? Legal tender actGreenbacks, National Bank Act, Internal
Revenue Act.
The North at War
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“I met more women driving teams on the road
and saw more at work in the fields than men”
Iowan.
165,000 number of reapers sold in the North
during war.
“I am in no hurry for peace” Pennsylvanian
ironmaster
Weeks wage for a woman in industry? 1.54$
necessary for “poverty level” about 2.50$ a
week.
The North at War
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Inflation and wage reductions resulted in loss
of purchasing power:
Inflation in North stood at 80%, wages cut by
30% on average.
Other numbers
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14,000 the number of Americans imprisoned
without Habeas Corpus by Lincoln.
300$ the amount needed to “jump” service in
1863.
105 the number of deaths in a New York
draft riot (1864-Gangs of New York) led
predominantly by Irish immigrants.
Financing the War: The North
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“Northern efforts to finance the war were
innovative and successful”
Three ways to pay:
Bonds (67)
– Tax levy (21)
– Issuing currency (12)
South did #3 and it led to inflation of 9,000%
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Union inflation
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Thanks to Lincoln’s appointment—Salmon
Chase Union inflation was 80%.
Currency produced “with confidence in
Federal Union”—the Greenback.