Download Spring 2014 Chapter 19 notes

U.S. History II
Mecchia/Kaszonyi/Hollis
Chapter 19: The Civil War
Section 1: The War Begins
Lincoln Faces a Crisis
 Intention was to preserve the Union: Pledged he would not try to end slavery in inaugural address
 South did not respond to call for unity
 Confederate officials take over many federal mints, arms storehouses, & forts
Fort Sumter
 Near Charleston, SC
 April 12, 1861-Confederates fire on Fort Sumter
 Civil War begins
Choosing Sides
 Slaves states not part of Confederacy had to choose sides
 Upper southern states-NC, TN, VA join Confederacy
 Arkansas also joins Confederacy
 Provided soldiers & industrial resources
 Capital of Confederacy: Richmond, VA
BORDER STATES
 Slaveholding states that remained in the Union
 Delaware, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri
 KY & MO controlled stretches of Ohio & Mississippi Rivers
 Washington D.C. located in MD
 Federal troops sent into MD and western VA: set up state govt.
 West Virginia joined Union in 1863
The Beginning of the War
 Neither side prepared for war
 Relied heavily on volunteers
 Union Army: 16,000 troops at beg. of war
 Members of same family often on different sides
 Civilians: raised $$$, provided aid for soldiers & families, ran hospitals
 Dr. Elizabeth Blackwell: 1st woman to earn medical license
 June 1861-Convinced Lincoln to form US Sanitary Commission (Sent bandages, medicines, & food to
US Army camps, hospitals)
The North vs. The South
Union advantages:
 Larger population=more soldiers
 More factories, economic infrastructure
 More shipyards & ships
 Better network of railroads
 Able to raise more money to spend on war
Confederate advantages:
 Military tradition=many skilled officers
 High command superior to Union’s
 Better cavalry-skilled horsemen & sharpshooters
 Only needed to defend itself until North grew tired of war
 North: defeat southern forces & occupy large areas of enemy territory
Military Strategies
 Based on strengths of each side
 Union: Winfield Scott developed two-part strategy
o Use naval blockade to destroy Southern economy: ‘Anaconda’
o Gain control of Mississippi River and divide Confederacy in two: cut communications
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Confederacy: defend territory & wear down Union’s will to fight
o Offensive plan: take Washington, D.C.
o Jefferson Davis- major role; 6 secretaries of war in 4 years
o Union & Confederate strategies led to war on land & sea
Cotton Diplomacy
o Confederate plan to win allies
o Based on Southern belief that British govt. would support them b/c of reliance on cotton for textile
industry
Section 2: The War in the East
First Battle of Bull Run
o 1st major clash between Union & Confederate armies
o Manassas Junction, Virginia
o July 21, 1861
o 35, 000 Union troops led by Gen. Irvin McDowell
o 35,000 Confederates camped along Bull Run Creek
o Led by P.G.T. Beauregard (Pierre Gustave Toutant)
o At 1st, Union troops pushed Confederates back
o Unit led by Thomas Jackson held line…Nicknamed ‘Stonewall’
o Confederates reinforced; drove Union army back
o Union retreated; Confederates missed opportunity to take Washington, D.C.
Outcome: Confederate victory
Losses:
Union 2,896, Confederate 1,982
Broke Union hopes of a quick, easy war
Union command turned over to Gen. George B. McClellan
Peninsula Campaign
o April 1862: McClellan landed huge Union force near Yorktown
o Did not attack: Thought he was outnumbered
o Gave Confederates time to strengthen Richmond’s defenses
o May 1862-McClellan took Yorktown
o Confederates forced to retreat
Robert E. Lee
o Placed in command of Confederate army in June 1862
o Called ‘greatest general of the age’
o Against slavery & secession, but loyal to the South & Virginia
o Resigned from Union army when VA seceded
Seven Days’ Battles
o Lee strengthened defensive positions around Richmond
o Five separate battles fought between June 26 & July 1, 1862
o Casualties:
o Confederate- 20,000, Union- 16,000
o Victor: Confederates
o Lee forced McClellan to retreat from area around Richmond
o Lincoln fired McClellan
o Replaced by Gen. John Pope
o Ordered to advance directly on Richmond
Second Bull Run
o August 29, 1862
o Troops: 76,000 Union vs. 48,000 Confederates
o Stonewall Jackson attacked Union’s right side
o Lee struck Union’s left side
o Pope outmaneuvered and caught off-guard; Retreated
o Victor: Confederates
o Losses:
o Union- 16,000 (21%), Confederates- 9,000 (19%)
o Union army humiliated again
o By end of 1862 Lee had pushed most of Union forces out of VA
o Decided to take war into the North
THE BATTLE OF ANTIETAM
o Lee moved quickly after 2nd Bull Run
o Confederate leaders hoped a victory on Northern soil would:
o Break Union’s spirit
o Convince European powers to aid the South
o Lincoln replaced Pope with McClellan
o Confederate leader: Robert E. Lee
o Called Sharpsburg by the South
o Lee crossed Potomac into MD McClellan had Lee’s battle plans for invading North
o McClellan knew Lee was splitting force in two, BUT McClellan hesitated again
o Two sides meet on September 17, 1862
o 75,000 Union troops vs. 52,000 Confederates
o Single bloodiest day of the Civil War
o Casualties:
o -Union 12,000 -Confederates 13,000
o Battle lines move back & forth
o OUTCOME: Union wins
o Lee retreats to Virginia
o -McClellan failed to pursue & crush Lee
Implications of ANTIETAM
o Lee’s army suffers huge losses but still a major force
o Invasion of North halted
o Nov. 1862-Lincoln fired McClellan for the final time
o Lincoln issued Emancipation Proclamation
THE WAR AT SEA
o Union controlled sea at onset of war
o Union Navy blockaded the South
o Cut off trade, hurt economy
o Coastline from VA to TX
o Blockade Runners
o New chapter in naval warfare
o Ironclad: heavily armored iron warship
Confederates-Turned captured Union ship Merrimac into ironclad; renamed Virginia
Monitor: Union’s Ironclad
March 9, 1862
-Several hours of fighting
-Neither ship seriously damaged
-Outcome: DRAW
-But Monitor forced Virginia to withdraw
-Union fleet & blockade still strong
-Navies w/ wooden ships became obsolete
Fredericksburg
-After Antietam, Lincoln replaced Gen. McClellan with Gen. Ambrose Burnside
-Union: 100,000 men
-Organized Army of Potomac into three huge corps: made movement difficult
-Under pressure to attack, but waited 3 weeks
-Gave Lee’s army time to organize
-Confederates: 78,000 men under command of Robert E. Lee
-2 Corps: Stonewall Jackson & James Longstreet
-Had time to entrench on high ground outside Fredericksburg
-Burnside attacks Lee’s fortified position
-WHEN: December 13, 1862
-14 Union charges against hilltop Confederate position; Each a suicide mission
Losses:
*Union: 12,700 *Confederate: 5,300
Implications of Fredericksburg
-Decisive Confederate victory
-Worst defeat in history of U.S. Army
-Burnside replaced by Gen. Joseph Hooker in January 1863
Chancellorsville
 Spring 1863- “Fighting Joe” Hooker in charge of Army of the Potomac
 Planned to strike Lee at Fredericksburg
 Union Plan: Split Union Army into thirds
 Confederate Plan: Use JEB Stuart’s cavalry to control roads around Chancellorsville so Union could not
send troops to scout
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May 2-4, 1863, Northeastern Virginia
Union: 100,000 men, Confederates: 54,000 men
Lee split his army
Confederates routed the Union army
Included surprise attack by Stonewall Jackson
Jackson mistakenly shot by own men; Died on May 10, 1863
Results: Chancellorsville
“Lee’s Masterpiece”
Confederate victory
Hooker-lost against a ragged, poorly equipped army less than ½ the size of his
Losses: Union 17,000 (19% of Army), Confederates 13,000 (25% of Army)
Implications of Chancellorsville
 Victory raised southern spirits
 Decided to invade the North again
 Leads to Gettysburg in July 1863
 Lincoln replaced Hooker with General George Meade
Section 3: The War in the West
Western Strategy
-Union strategy – focused on controlling the Mississippi River
would cut the Confederacy in half: affect supply & communication networks
Ulysses S. Grant – most important general in the west
-By Feb 1862 – Union forced captured Nashville
- controlled Kentucky and much of Tennessee
Battle of Shiloh – April 6, 1862
Confederate forces led by Albert Sydney Johnston and PGT Beauregard
Attacked the Union forces at Pittsburg Landing
Caught Union by surprise – pushed back Union forces
Confederates leading after first day
Union reinforced overnight
Push Confederates back – forced to retreat before end of day
Union victory – won control of much of Mississippi River
Fighting for the Mississippi River
-Union commanders wanted to capture positions along Mississippi River
-Navy would try to take New Orleans – largest city in the South
David Farragut - Union, Captured New Orleans on April 29, 1863
-Sailed up Mississippi River and captured Baton Rouge and Natchez MS
=Only Confederate city left was Vicksburg MS
Vicksburg
John C. Pemberton – Confederate General in charge at Vicksburg
Spring 1863 – Union forces led by Ulysses S. Grant arrived at Vicksburg
-surrounded the city
Siege of Vicksburg – lasted 6 weeks
Confederates surrendered on July 4, 1863
Surrender of Vicksburg gave control of the Mississippi River to the Union.
Section 4: Life During the War
Freeing the Slaves
 Lincoln supported freeing slaves if it would help North win the war
 Problems Lincoln faced concerning emancipation:
o Northern prejudice against African Americans might weaken support for war
o Some northerners might consider slaves property that southerners had right to keep
o Constitution did not give Pres. power to end slavery in U.S.
 Lincoln decided to issue military order freeing slaves in areas controlled by Confederacy
 Did not free slaves in slaveholding border states
 Waited for northern victory in the East to give announcement
Emancipation Proclamation
o Issued after Battle of Antietam
o September 22, 1862
o Went into effect January 1, 1863
o Loss of slave labor hurt southern economy & Confederate war effort
o Supported by many African Americans & northerners
o Popular support in Great Britain & France
o Opposed by many northern Democrats: wanted to restore Union, not end slavery
o Some abolitionists said it did not go far enough b/c slavery was still legal
African Americans & The War
o Fall 1862-Finally allowed to fight in the North; For 1st time in history, could join U.S. Army
o Had petitioned earlier, but denied
o 54th Massachusetts Infantry: Mostly African Americans, most famous unit
Role of African Americans
o Military service would help earn equal rights
o Pride in military service
o Practical decision by Union leaders…Needed more soldiers
o 180,000 African Americans served in Union army during war
o Fought in 39 major battles
Experience of African Americans in the War
o Faced discrimination
o Received less pay than white soldiers; Usually led by white officers
o Confederate troops killed African American POWs or sold them into slavery
Problems in the North
o Issue of ending slavery
o Frustrated by length of war and number of casualties
o Copperheads: Northern Democrats who spoke out against war
o Lincoln felt Copperheads threatened war effort
o Suspended Right of Habeas Corpus: Constitutional protection against unlawful imprisonment
The Draft in the North
o Volunteer enlistments falling
o March 1863-Union passes 1st Draft Law
o Men 20-45 yrs old, term of 3 yrs
o Could be avoided by paying fine or finding substitute
o Desertion & bounty jumping were major problems
Southern Struggles
o Naval blockade = heavy toll on South
o Value of Confederate dollar fell rapidly; Massive inflation
o Spring 1863-Food riots in many southern cities
o Draft Law passed in 1862
o Automatically exempt if owned 20 + slaves
o Protests/riots over draft in North & South
Life on the Home Front
o War involved people at all levels of society on both sides
o Over 3000 nurses in Union army: Led by Dorothea Dix
o Clara Barton: Work formed basis of American Red Cross
o Soldiers faced bad weather, disease, unsafe food
o Twice as many soldiers died of disease than in combat
Prisoners of War
o Suffered greatly
o Worst Civil War prison: Andersonville, Southwest Georgia
o Thousands of Union soldiers held there w/o food or shelter
o 150 deaths per day
Section 5: The Tide of the War Turns
Battle of Gettysburg
o High point of war for Confederates; Change in morale
o Greatest battle ever fought in Western Hemisphere
o July 1, 2, & 3 1863
o Three days; Over 150,000 men
o Union Leaders: Gen. George Meade & Gen. Winfield Scott Hancock
o Confederate Leaders: Gen. Robert E. Lee & Gen. James Longstreet
July 1, 1863 (Day One)
o Confederates came from north & west
o Union outnumbered, but Gen. John Buford (U) gets the high ground
o Union troops pushed back through town of Gettysburg
o Ewell: Failed to move & occupy high ground
o Outcome: Confederates win (Definite, but indecisive)
o Lee ordered follow-up attack, but none carried out
o Lee says “Stonewall Jackson” would have won
July 2, 1863 (Day Two)
o Confederates attacked both ends of Union line (fishhook)
o Union now has numbers advantage…90,000 vs. 75,000
o Outcome: DRAW
o Momentum changing in favor of North
July 3, 1863 (Day Three)
o Lee thought Union army worn down enough to defeat
o Planned massive assault
o Strike center of Union line
Pickett’s Charge
o Unprecedented cannon dueling; Infantry moves towards center of Union line
o General George Pickett
o 12,500-15,000 Confederates, Crossed field over a mile long
o Absolute disaster for Confederates
o All 15 Confederate regimental commanders died or wounded
o Only 5000 Confederates returned
o Union victory
o Lee takes all the blame
Battle of Gettysburg
o July 4, 1863; Union won
o Lee retreats back to VA
o Turning point of the war
o South will never invade North again or regain military strength
o Casualties: Confederates: 28,000 1/3 of all men engaged & Union: 23,000
o 51,000 casualties total
Gettysburg Address
o Abraham Lincoln
o Speech at dedication of new National Cemetery
o What makes nation unique; Shared vision
Civil War Continues
o After Gettysburg & Vicksburg, death of Confederacy only a matter of time
o But Confederates still thought they could win…War lasts two more years…
Grant’s Drive to Richmond
o Grant seen as national hero; Given command of Union forces in March 1864
o Launched Wilderness Campaign = series of battles
o When? May-June 1864
o Where? Northern & Central Virginia
o 100,000 Union vs. 70,000 Confederates
Wilderness Campaign
o Battle of Cold Harbor - Grant’s worst defeat of the campaign
o 7000 troops killed/wounded in 1 hr.
o Battle ends Grant’s plans to advance on Richmond
o RESULT: Draw
o Union suffered twice as many casualties as Confederates overall
o Grant continued aggressive strategy
Sherman’s March to the Sea
o Atlanta Campaign; Led by Union General William Tecumseh Sherman
o Marched south from Tennessee w/ 100,000 troops
o Objectives:
o Cut Confederacy in two
o Attack & surround Lee’s army from the South
o Waged TOTAL WAR: destroyed both civilian and military resources
o Took Atlanta on September 2, 1864
o Reached & conquered Savannah
o Left behind path of destruction over 250 miles long
o Accomplishments:
o Loss of Atlanta deprived South of major railroad hub & industrial city
o Assured Lincoln’s reelection
o Showed Northerners that progress was being made in defeating the South
The End of the War
o April 1865: Sherman closed in on North Carolina & Grant broke through Conf. defenses at Petersburg
o April 2nd- Lee forced to retreat from Richmond
o 2nd week of April 1865-Lee’s army is surrounded
o Grant demanded surrender
o Trapped in Appomattox Courthouse, VA
The South Surrenders
o Lee concluded situation was hopeless
o April 9, 1865: Union & Confederate leaders met…Lee surrendered
o Lasting Effects of Civil War:
o Almost 620,000 dead in 4 years
o Most costly conflict in U.S. history
o Lasting bitterness between North & South