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The American Civil War The Early Years 1861-1862 Vocabulary theater – a large geographical region of military operations. logistics – the supply, transportation and communication of armies. flank – the side strategy – planning military operations on a “large” scale or for a long term objective. tactics – planning military operations on a small scale for immediate results. The War Following the Confederate attack on Fort Sumter, both sides anticipated a short, relatively bloodless war. The initial phase of the war saw the development of a two theater war (other theaters would develop later in the war). The Eastern Theater concentrated attention on the area immediately around Virginia and Washington, DC. With the secession of Virginia following Lincoln’s call for 75,000 volunteers, the Confederate capital was moved to Richmond. Richmond is 96 miles, as the crow flies, from Washington, DC. Even in 1861 this was not a very great distance. The War Because of the closeness of the two capitals, attention, both then and in most histories, was focused mainly on the Eastern Theater. Except for organizing the two opposing armies in the East, there was little except small scale military action in that theater. The Western Theater included areas such as western Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Tennessee, Ohio, etc. This theater also included the vital Mississippi River. Why would the Mississippi River be of strategic concern? The War Early Union success in the Western Theater was offset by the more prominent Eastern Theater. The Regular Army, that is the professional standing United States Army, was composed of approximately 16,000 men in 1860. These troops were scattered among small frontier outposts or in coastal forts along the east coast. Too small to be used as an effective force to put down the rebellion, President Lincoln issued an immediate call for 75,000 troops to be inducted into Federal service for a 90 period (restricted by law). 1861 The Confederate attack on Fort Sumter opened active military operations for the Civil War, called by the Union the War of the Rebellion. Volunteers flocked to fill the ranks of both armies. Neither side expected a long conflict. Raw recruits had to be trained and training takes time. Time was not something President Lincoln had. His greatly expanded army would quickly disintegrate once their 90 day Federal service was up. Meanwhile, the Union leaders needed a strategy to combat the rebellion. 1861 The Union had the disadvantage of being the attacking force. They needed to invade and occupy the territory in rebellion. The Confederates could remain on the defensive. This provides an advantage of needing a smaller military force. Military theory maintains a minimum of a 4 to 1 attacking ratio 1861 The Commanding General of the Army, Lieutenant General Winfield Scott first proposes a strong naval blockade of all Southern ports. This would be coupled with a force of about 80,000 men that would strike down (north to south) the Mississippi River eventually seizing this vital waterway and cut the Confederacy in two parts. Impatience, an under-strength navy, and overconfidence caused Scott’s plan to be discounted by almost all other military planners and ridiculed in the Northern press. 1861 The Union began it’s military operations by securing the border states of Maryland (totally essential), Kentucky, and Missouri as well as areas that were parts of Confederate states, such as western Virginia: Battle of Philippi. Attention, though, turned to the Eastern theater. Lincoln’s call for 75,000 volunteers was rapidly approaching their 90 day limit. Partially trained units were rushed into field service and by mid-July the first large scale land battle takes place in Northern Virginia: First Bull Run, July 21, 1861. 1861 So unsuspecting of the brutality of war, that many people from Washington and the surrounding countryside came to watch the impending battle. Spectators packed picnic baskets and planned on making a social outing by watching the battle. As the battle opened, Union forces were at first successful. However, Confederate forces counter-attacked and what began as an orderly Union retreat turned into a panicked rout. Spectators’ carriages and riding horses clogged the Army’s retreat. As panic set in, both soldiers and civilians, bolted for the safety of the Washington fortifications. 1862 First Bull Run (a.k.a. First Manassas) acted as a strong wake up call for both sides. Neither side thought the war would last long and neither side was prepared for the large numbers of casualties that the war would bring. Lincoln replaced Irvin McDowell with George McClellan who was a brilliant administrator and organizer. McClellan took a dejected, beaten Union army and gave it a new fighting spirit – at least they looked good on the parade ground. 1862 As unsuccessful as Union forces were in the east, they were scoring impressive victories in the west. It was also in the west, where coordinated Army-Navy operations occurred against Confederate strong holds on the major rivers. Back in the east, McClellan attempted to take the Confederate capital of Richmond by mounting an in direct campaign against the city. McClellan’s Peninsula Campaign cost the Union, time, money, troops, and supplies and got the Union commander no closer to his goal. 1862 While battlefield success eluded Union forces in the Eastern theater, Lincoln’s Secretary of State, William Seward, waged his own diplomatic war. The Trent Affair The “Trent Affair” is named after the British ship that was stopped by the USS San Jancinto in November 1861. Two Confederate representatives were removed from the RMS Trent, James Mason and John Slidell, by US Navel personnel. The affair could have led to war between Great Britain and the United States. Diplomatic remedies were found to diffuse the situation. Cotton Diplomacy The Confederates believed that the demand for cotton in Europe, particularly Great Britain, would force European countries to recognize the independence of the Confederacy. How? By withholding the cotton, Confederate economic leaders believed that once the supply of cotton dried up in Europe, the textile industry would demand that the European governments would intervene in the American war. 1862 European public opinion overwhelmingly favored the Union. The lower classes in both Great Britain and France strongly supported the North. The more aristocratic upper classes related more with the Southern “aristocracy” or rich planters. Even countries that had little stake in the conflict took sides. Russia, believing that France and England would support the Confederacy, threw it’s support behind the North. As did most of the German states, particularly Prussia. 1862 What the Lincoln administration needed was a decisive victory in the Eastern Theater. What the South needed was a decisive victory on Northern soil to demonstrate to the potential European allies that a military victory was possible (Saratoga?). Lincoln was also looking for a way to broaden the war’s political scope. Initially the Northern war aim was to restore the Union. This goal began to wear thin. 1862 The catalyst behind the next stage of the war, was Robert E. Lee’s decision to take the war to Northern soil. Up until this point the bulk of the action in the Eastern Theater had been in Virginia. A copy of Lee’s plans were lost and recovered by Union troops. McClellan has military gold, a complete copy of his opponent’s plans. Antietam The two armies clash near a small stream in western Maryland and a small town named Sharpsburg. The result was the single bloodiest day in US history: deadlier than D-Day in June 1944. Results: Confederate forces retreating back to Virginia. Union forces satisfied that they did not lose the battle. Tactically the battle was a draw. Strategically a Union victory Antietam: Aftermath Did not give the Confederates the official support of European powers. Does give Lincoln the Eastern Theater battlefield “victory” needed to expand his war aims. Lincoln issues the preliminary Emancipation Proclamation Emancipation Proclamation The document was a stroke of political genius on a number of levels. First, it announces Lincoln’s intention of ending slavery, not immediately, but over time. Second, it hurts the South’s war effort. Slaves were a labor source to aid the Confederacy’s war machine. Third, it made the Union cause a moral/ethical cause: it was no longer a war just to restore the Union but now included a means of ending the institution of slavery. Fourth, it appeases the border states and Southern areas under Union control because the emancipation does not affect those areas. Emancipation Proclamation Fifth, it allows for the open recruitment of black soldiers, a much needed manpower source. Sixth, it encouraged more slaves to run away, knowing that they would not be returned to their owners by the Union forces. Seventh, by stating the intention of ending slavery it presented Great Britain and France a moral dilemma: How do you support a nation that condones and practices human bondage? This was perhaps one of the most important aspects of the document. On January 1, 1863 the Emancipation Proclamation took effect.