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The North Against the South
Lincoln’s Cabinet, 1861
Historical Background
The seeds of the American Civil War were planted long before the birth of the United States.
From the beginning of American colonization, slavery was a key aspect of the economy, particularly in
the agricultural Southern colonies. During the Revolutionary War, slaves and free blacks fought on the
side of both the American Colonists and British Empire. One key lightning rod of abolitionist sentiment
was even written in the Declaration of Independence, when Jefferson declared “All men are created
equal.” After the war, one of the greatest points of contention in drafting a national Constitution was
the role of slavery in the new nation. The idea of states rights versus national hegemony were also
deeply intertwined with slavery. To appease the pro - states rights south, whose agrarian economy
relied heavily on slavery, the Constitutional Convention agreed on the Three - Fifths Compromise and to
allow the Atlantic Slave trade until 1807. The 9th and 10th Amendments were also adopted as a
protection for states rights.
Ratification of the Constitution unfortunately didn’t put the slavery / states rights issue to rest.
Fearing the domination of Northern free states, Southern states demanded protections for slavery on
the American frontier. The Missouri Compromise of 1820 ensured that any future states admitted to the
Union south of the 36 30’ parallel would be admitted as slave states. Missouri was also admitted as a
slave state, and Maine joined the Union as a free state to ensure their were an equal number of free and
slave states for representation in the Senate. This balancing act would continue up until the
Compromise of 1850.
The Mexican War was the next major source of contention between the North and the South.
The Wilmot Proviso was an abortive attempt by Free Soil northern politicians to ban slavery in territory
acquired from Mexico. The Compromise of 1850, along with other stipulations, enacted a stringent
Fugitive Slave Law that required free states in the North to return escaped slaves. While appeasing
Southerners, this enraged Northern anti - slavery activists, and energized the abolition movement.
Tensions arose again with the passage of the Kansas - Nebraska Act, which introduced the
concept of popular sovereignty - that citizens of territories applying for statehood could decide for
themselves whether or not to allow slavery. This effectively repealed the Compromise of 1820, and led
to both pro and anti slavery settlers engaging in open conflict in ‘Bleeding Kansas” up to and during the
Civil War. Another blow was dealt to Northern abolitionists when the Taney court adjudicated the Dred
Scott case. Not only did the case deny Scott his freedom after he attempted to buy it from his owner,
but more importantly established that any person imported as a slave, or who was a descendent of
slaves could not be a citizen of the United States, and thus had no rights in federal courts. Both of these
events contributed significantly to abolitionist sentiment, as well as the rise of the Republican Party.
When John Brown, an abolitionist zealot seized the US military foundry at Harper’s Ferry,
Virginia in late 1859 with the intention of starting a nationwide slave revolt, a detachment of federal
troops led by Colonel Robert E Lee was sent to put down the insurrection. After a brief standoff and
shootout, Brown and his accomplices were captured. The event terrified Southerners who demanded
retribution. In the North, Brown became a martyr for the abolition movement. With the massive
political, cultural and economic divide between the agrarian South and the rapidly industrializing and
multicultural North, tensions were dangerously high.
Election of President Lincoln and Southern Secession
Feeding on Northern sentiments, the Republican Party was formed in the mid 1850’s. Comprised
of Northern free soilers and abolitionists, as well as an amalgam of industrialists and farmers, the party
nominated Abraham Lincoln for President in 1860. The election of 1860 was a particularly contentious
and polarized election in which particular regions voted for particular candidates. Abraham Lincoln
carried the North, while the southern Democrat John C Breckinridge carried the South, and Stephen
Douglas and John Bell carried border states. Due to the larger population in the North, Lincoln carried
the electoral college, and was duly elected President.
Lincoln’s election was naturally received poorly in the South, who saw him and the Republican
Party as a fundamental threat to their way of life states rights,, and a danger to the continuation of
slavery. In an unprecedented, and potentially unconstitutional move, South Carolina seceded from the
Union on December 20th, 1860. By February, 6 more states had followed, and together with South
Carolina formed the Confederate States of America (CSA) as the legitimate government in the South.
Vowing to preserve the Union, and unwilling to capitulate to the CSA, President Lincoln ordered
federal troops stationed at military installations throughout the South to remain at their posts. Calling
Lincoln’s bluff, the Confederates attacked the Union controlled Fort Sumter in Charleston Harbor on
April 12th. The fort surrendered on April 14th. Following this, the populaces of both the Union and the
Confederacy clamored for war, and tens of thousands of volunteers enlisted on both sides. Arkansas,
Tennessee, North Carolina and by far the most populous southern state, Virginia also seceded from the
Union and joined the CSA. Richmond, Virginia, which is located less than 100 miles from Washington DC,
has also become the capital is the Confederate government
Current Situation - June 2nd, 1861
There have been numerous minor skirmishes on the hinterlands between the USA and CSA, as
well as the seas, but no decisive battle has taken place. Eager Confederate volunteers are massing near
the Confederate capital of Richmond, Virginia, as well as Chattanooga, Tennessee. Atlanta, Georgia
serves as a major rail and supply hub. New Orleans is a major trading hub, and also controls passage up
the strategically important Mississippi River. Northern volunteers are flooding into draft offices
throughout the North, but the general enthusiasm and determination of Northern volunteers is
surpassed by those of their Southern counterparts. Despite the larger population of the North, the
South has a clear advantage in military leadership, though their military supply and equipment leaves
something to be desired.
On the home front, the North enjoys a major advantage in industrial capability, manpower, as
well as railroad and telegraph lines. Despite this, support for the war in the North remains mixed, and
many rural Americans living in the west, especially near the Ohio River are less than enthusiastic for the
war. In industrialized cities, particularly in New England, large numbers of immigrants, most notably the
Irish are also opposed to the war, as their factory jobs require large amounts of raw materials imported
from the South. They are also opposed to any talk of abolition, as this could flood the market with cheap
labor that would undercut their salaries.
The Union banking, monetary and tariff policies are also in dire need of reform. American
currency has previously been based on coinage of precious metals acceptable regionally as opposed to
nationally. This has been a significant drag on the economy, and stifled trade nationally. Further, tariffs
have been a hot button issue in American politics. Buy and large, high tariffs help protect and stimulate
American industries such as manufacturing and services that are either less competitive than similar
sectors in other countries, particularly in the UK, or geographic location specific. Sectors such as farming,
and particularly cotton production benefit from lower tariffs, as these products are more competitive in
foreign markets.
The situation along the border is unstable, as many border states have not openly declared their
loyalty to either side. Missouri is currently a warzone, as competing Union and Confederate armies have
mobilized to try to bring the state to their side, with the central and southern sections of the state
supporting the Confederacy, and the eastern and northern areas supporting the Union. Kentucky has
declared its neutrality for the conflict and refused to supply troops to either side, but within the state
legislature there are those who are maneuvering to bring Kentucky into either the Confederate or
Unionist camps. Maryland had many Confederate sympathizers, but has yet to secede from the Union.
Finally, while not actual states, the Appalachian regions of Virginia and Tennessee are ill-suited for large
plantations, instead being home to small family farms and mining communities, who care little about
slavery and have significant economic connections with the northern states, giving them a heavy
Unionist bent. The western areas of Virginia have refused to accept the authority of the secessionist
government of Virginia, and small skirmishes have already been fought between Union and Confederate
forces for control of the region.
Outside the US, many in Europe and Latin America are closely observing the unfolding situation.
As major importers of Southern cotton, the United Kingdom and France have a particularly vested
interest in the outcome of the war. Major disruptions to their supply, or major military victories against
the Union may encourage them to intervene economically or even militarily in favor the CSA.
As the leaders of North, your first and foremost task is to formulate the grand military strategy
against the Confederacy, as well as guide foreign and domestic policy in the midst of war. The Union
must be preserved!
Key Terms
●
Copperheads - Northern Democrats opposed to war against the South, and favoring an
immediate peace, based on maintaining slavery to preserve the Union. Large populations of
Copperheads live near the Ohio River in states such as Illinois, Indiana and Ohio, as well as a few
urban centers. Many who supported the Copperhead movement were those who either came
from the south originally, or who had significant business interests involving trade with the
southern states. While not explicitly violent, they may turn to violence to advance their political
goals.
●
Writ of Habeas Corpus - Right of jailed US citizens to report their imprisonment to a court of law.
●
Free Soil - Policy of only admitting states to the Union which have banned slavery, but not
outright abolition of slavery in states where it already exists. The idea was that with slavery
contained, the “peculiar institution” would eventually die out.
●
Abolition / Emancipation - Outright end to slavery through legislative action. Also know as
emancipation
●
Greenbacks - Paper currency used in the North that is ensured by gold held by the government.
Initially adopted at the beginning of the war
Cabinet Positions
Abraham Lincoln, President of the United States, and Commander-in-Chief of the US Army - Joe
Born in Kentucky and largely self educated, Abraham Lincoln served briefly as a captain in the Illinois
militia during the Black Hawk War, and later went into law. Quickly going into politics, Lincoln served
both in the Illinois and then US House of Representatives as a Whig during the Mexican War. Returning
home to Illinois, Lincoln became very involved with Republican politics. Supporting free soil policies but
not favoring outright abolition of slavery, Abraham Lincoln was elected President of the United States on
the Republican ticket in 1860, precipitating the secession of the southern States.
Hannibal Hamlin, Vice President of the United States and President of the US Senate
Raised in the North, Hannibal Hamlin began his political career in the Maine House of Representatives
beginning in 1835, and later served in the Aroostook War. He strongly opposed slavery as a US Senator,
and split from the Democratic Party after the party platform endorsed the Kansas - Nebraska Act in
1856. Joining the Republican Party immediately prior to the War, Hamlin briefly served as Governor of
Maine before his election to the Vice Presidency in 1860.
William H. Seward, Secretary of State
Born in New York, and trained as a lawyer, Seward went into politics in his early 30’s. After initially losing
an election for Governor of New York, he was later elected to the office in 1838. As Governor, he
supported legislation expanding opportunities and judicial rights for escaped slaves and free blacks. A
key figure in the early Republican Party, Seward was an early frontrunner for the Republican Presidential
nomination in 1860, but was later passed over in favor of Abraham Lincoln. Early in the Lincoln
administration, Seward worked tirelessly trying to dissuade southern states from secession. Despite this,
he remains solidly dedicated to the Union cause.
Edwin M. Stanton, Secretary of War
Edwin M. Stanton was born in Ohio in 1814. Through childhood and early adulthood, Stanton suffered
from poor health, which was often exacerbated by his tireless work ethic as a young lawyer. Quickly
rising in prominence throughout his professional career, including serving as a defense lawyer in the
nationally covered Daniel Sickles murder trial, Stanton was named US Attorney General in President
Buchanan’s cabinet in late 1860. After the brief tenure of Simon Cameron, Edwin M Stanton was
appointed Secretary of War to replace him. His task now is to lead the Union war effort, while reforming
and bringing greater respect and efficiency to the department.
Edward Bates, Attorney General
Born in 1793 on a Virginia plantation, Edward Bates served in the War of 1812. After the war, Bates was
educated as a lawyer, and became the first attorney general of the recently admitted state of Missouri.
After a number of brief forays into public life, Bates was nominated as Secretary of War by President
Fillmore in 1850, but declined the position. As a lawyer as well as a slaveholder, Bates was particularly
interested in the Polly Berry case, which held that a child born of a free black woman was also free.
Joining the Republican Party just prior to the War, Bates was a favorite for the Presidential nomination
in 1860 before being confirmed as Attorney General in the Lincoln administration. He was also the first
cabinet member in US history from west of the Mississippi River.
Salmon P. Chase, Secretary of the Treasury
Born in New Hampshire and educated in law, Salmon Chase served as both a Governor and Senator from
Ohio. A vocal and high profile anti - slavery activist throughout his life, Chase was influential in the Free
Soil Party, and assured the nomination of former President Van Buren as the party’s presidential
nominee in 1848 and coined the campaign slogan “Free Soil, Free Labor, Free Men.” As a Free Soil
Senator in the early 1850’s, Chase sought to pressure Northern Democrats to oppose slavery. He also
ascribed to the ‘Slave Power’ thesis, which held that southerners were using their political influence to
take over the federal government. As Secretary of the Treasury, Chase is responsible for overseeing the
federal financial and economic policy.
Gideon Welles, Secretary of the Navy
Born in New England in the first years of the 19th century, and the son of a maritime shipper. He was
later educated at the Military Academy at Norwich, Vermont. After a brief foray into law, politics and
journalism, Welles served as Postmaster of Hartford, Connecticut, and later as Chief of the Bureau of
Provisions and Clothing for the Navy. He was initially a supporter of Jacksonian politics, but later became
a staunch Free - Soiler and abolitionist. He quickly joined the Republican Party during its advent in the
mid 1850’s. His strong support for the Lincoln campaign as well as his New England, logistical and
maritime background made him a natural choice for Secretary of the Navy.
Winfield Scott, Lieutenant General of the US Army
Born in 1786, Winfield Scott is one of the United States’ most experienced and celebrated military
leaders. Having served in the War of 1812, Black Hawk War, and recognized as the hero Mexican War,
Scott was nominated for the Presidency by the Whigs in 1852. Although losing the election to Democrat
Franklin Pierce, he remained in the US army. Promoted as the first Lieutenant General since George
Washington, Winfield Scott is the most seasoned and experienced soldier in the US army and strongly
supports the ‘Anaconda Plan’ for defeating the CSA. Due to his advanced age, (and enormous weight),
General Scott is not fit for field command.
Schuyler Colfax, Speaker of the US House of Representatives
Born in New York City and raised in Indiana, Schuyler Colfax served as a deputy county auditor with his
stepfather. He later went into journalism, which led to a friendship with the influential newspaper
magnate Horace Greeley. After one aborted run for Congress in the late 1840’s, Colfax was elected to
the US House of Representatives on an anti-slavery platform, and was a key founder of the new
Republican Party. As Speaker of the House, as well as strong proponent of abolition, Colfax wields
significant power in the legislative branch.
Solomon Foot, President Pro Tempore of the US Senate
Born in Vermont at the beginning of the 19th century, Solomon Foot went on to study politics and serve
in the Vermont House of Representatives and later the US House of Representatives. As a
representative, Foot was a strong supporter of free soil policies, and later went on to be elected as a US
Senator from Vermont on the Whig Party ticket, and joined the Republican Party in the 1850’s. Along
with Vice President Hamlin, Solomon Foot is one of the most powerful and influential players in the US
Senate and is respected for his efficacy and poise as President Pro Tempore.
Roger B. Taney, Chief Justice of the US Supreme Court
Raised in the slave state Maryland, Taney in early adulthood distinguished himself as one the the
country’s most promising lawyers. Initially nominated as an associate Justice to the Supreme Court by
President Jackson in 1835, his candidacy was blocked by Congressional Whigs. After the death of Chief
Justice Marshall, Jackson renominated him - this time as Chief Justice. He was subsequently confirmed.
A noted state’s rights jurist who also nevertheless believed in the Union, Taney’s court heard the Dred
Scott case which held slaves or the ancestors of slaves could not be citizens of the United States, and
thus had no rights in American courts. The Taney court also ruled the Missouri Compromise
unconstitutional, resulting in slavery being deemed legal in all US territories. Despite his state’s rights
ideology, and connection to the South, he has chosen to stay with the Union.
Allan Pinkerton, Director of the Pinkerton National Detective Agency
A largely self educated immigrant from Scotland, Allan Pinkerton immigrated to the United States in his
mid 20’s. He settled in Illinois, and became active in the abolition movement as well as the Underground
Railroad. After developing an interest in detective work, and was appointed the first police detective in
Chicago. Around this time, he engaged in talks with abolitionists John Brown and Frederick Douglass.
With the start of the war, he was appointed head of the Union Intelligence Service. He also founded
Pinkerton National Detective Agency, which is tasked with obtaining both military and governmental
intelligence on the Confederacy, as well as protecting President Lincoln. Pinkerton commands an
extensive network of spies throughout the Confederacy.
Edwin D. Morgan, Governor of New York
The governor of the most populous state in the Union, Morgan was born in New England and in early life
went into the grocery business. Entering local and state politics in New York, he later became first
Chairman of the Republican Party prior to the war. Elected governor of New York in 1858, Morgan is a
staunch supporter of the Lincoln administration, while struggling to manage anti-war sentiment at
home.
Andrew G. Curtin, Governor of Pennsylvania
As the son of a wealthy industrialist father and a politically connected mother, Andrew Curtin has long
been an important part of Pennsylvania politics. A lawyer, he used his wealth and familial connections to
support the Whig Party until its collapse, when he joined the Republicans. He was made Superintendent
of Pennsylvania schools in 1855, and eventually made a successful run for governor in 1860. He was a
strong supporter of Lincoln during the presidential election, and a vehemently opposed to secession.
Due to Pennsylvania’s status as a major industrial center, he is a strong supporter of import tariffs.
William Dennison Jr, Governor of Ohio
William Dennison was one of the earliest prominent politicians to make the shift from the dying Whig
Party to the new Republican Party. Long a proponent of abolition and anti-discrimination acts, Dennison
worked in active defiance of the Fugitive Slave Act, both refusing to turn over fugitive slaves and
refusing to punish those who helped them escape. Dennison is a strong proponent of preserving the
Union through war, but has to walk a fine line, as Ohio has significant numbers of Copperhead
Democrats.
Frederick Douglass, Abolitionist and Former Slave
A former slave, Frederick Douglass is one of the most well known members of the abolitionist
movement. A vociferous believer in equal rights, he has supporter of abolition and universal suffrage. As
the founder of the first abolitionist newspaper and a major thought leader in the abolitionist movement,
he holds a significant amount of sway among northern freedmen and Radical Republicans. He also is a
strong believer in allowing slaves the opportunity to fight for their freedom, insisting on allowing black
soldiers to enlist in the Union Army.
John A. Andrew, Governor of Massachusetts
John Andrew was able to become governor of Massachusetts through a lifetime of abolitionist agitation
and work to support those within the abolitionist movement by giving legal representation to those who
assisted in the liberation of slaves, culminating in his defense of John Brown after the attack on Harper’s
Ferry. As governor of Massachusetts, he is a proponent of higher tariffs and abolition.
Richard Yates, Governor of Illinois
Richard Yates was born and later moved to Illinois with his family in the early 1830’s. Going into law, he
served in the Illinois House of Representatives and later the US House of Representatives. He served in
the US House until losing reelection in a pro - slavery district due to his anti - slavery views. As one of the
most able and proactive Governors in the Union, Yates is a vocal Unionist and abolitionist who has
shown a willingness to exercise executive power to aid Union military forces, and recruit volunteers.
Despite this, many parts of Illinois are less than supportive of the Union cause.
Oliver P. Morton, Governor of Indiana
Named in honor of the War of 1812 naval hero Oliver Hazard Perry, Morton was raised in Indiana and
Ohio, and like many politicians of his era studied law in early adulthood. Originally serving publically as a
Democrat, Morton was expelled from the party for his anti - slavery views, and soon after joined the
new Republican Party. Now as Governor of Indiana, Morton is a staunch unionist. Despite being a
democratically elected official, Morton has shown a tendency to step beyond the bounds of the law on
behalf of the Union cause.
Further Reading
-
Wikipedia
Civil War Trust
- http://www.civilwar.org/education/history/civil-war-overview/overview.html
History.net
- http://www.historynet.com/causes-of-the-civil-war