Download Grant instructed his General, William T. Sherman, to conduct a

Grant instructed his General, William T. Sherman, to conduct a
“scorched earth” campaign, instructing them to:
“destroy everything that cannot be consumed.”
In other words, if the Union army had no use for something, destroy it
or kill it! Make life miserable for rebel civilians!
National Park Service
. Ruins seen from the
capitol, Columbia, S.C.,
865. Photographed by
George N. Barnard.
National Archives
William T. Sherman
General William Tecumseh
Sherman created a path of
destruction 60 miles wide and 300
miles long from Atlanta to
Savannah Georgia.
Sherman destroyed everything in
sight including railroads, homes,
factories, barns, etc.
In this new type of “total
warfare” also included civilians.
At this time Lincoln was up for
re-election, but his prospects
did not look good. Northerners
were tired of war, and
Democrats nominated George
McClellan – he stood a good
chance of winning on an
antiwar platform.
Abraham Lincoln
Sherman’s success was
important to Lincoln because
Northerner’s could sense
victory after his total war
campaign.
Lincoln won re-election in
1864 with 55% of the popular
vote.
George McClellan
Lincoln’s 2nd General of the Union Army
Fired because he was slow and indecisive and did not
follow the South’s retreat after battle of Antietam
A burial party on the battle-field of Cold Harbor
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division
Grant continued to fight several very costly battles
on his drive toward Richmond. More than 60,000
troops died or were wounded during this time.
Fort Sedgwick in Petersburg, Va
National Archives
Lee set up a
defense, a series of
trenches, at the
entrance of
Richmond in a
town called
Petersburg. The
Union also dug
trenches and the
two armies faced
off for ten months
until Grant got
fresh troops. The
Union took
Petersburg on
April 2nd and
Richmond April
3rd!
Richmond before…
… And Richmond After!
Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division
Dead Union and Confederate soldier lying side by side
April 3, 1865 (6 days before the war ended)
Lee had pulled his army out of out of Petersburg
and settled in Appomattox Court House, VA. There
he determined that Grant would easily slaughter
his troops if fighting continued.
Soldiers in the trenches before battle,
Petersburg, Va., 1865. National
Archives
Lee surrendered to Grant at
Appomattox Court House
on April 9, 1865.
William McClean’s Home
Appomattox Court House, VA 1865
Grant was very generous to the Confederates at
Appomattox Courthouse. Soldiers could return
home in peace, take their personal possessions and
horse with them. He also gave food to the hungry
Confederate soldiers
The assassination of President Lincoln: at Ford's Theatre, Washington, D.C., April 14th, 1865.
Five days after the end of the Civil War, Abraham
Lincoln was assassinated by a vengeful actor named John
Wilkes Booth with Confederate sympathies while watching
a play at Ford’s Theater in Washington, DC.
Lincoln was carried across the street to a boardinghouse
where he died the next morning with his wife and son Robert
present.
Death of Abraham Lincoln, April 15th 1865
Lincoln’s body was taken through several cities by train and
mourners gathered to pay tribute to the murdered President
The hunt was on for John
Wilkes Booth and any other
conspirators.
Booth was finally tracked
down 12 days
after the
assassination in
a barn near the
Garrett House
in Port Royal,
VA.
Upon capture, it is
suspected that
Booth was shot to
death in the barn
by sergeant Boston
Corbett who acted
against orders and
shot him.
John Wilkes Booth
Lewis Powell
George Atzerodt
David Herold
Mary Surratt
Eight accused co-conspirators were
also arrested for being part of the
plot to kill Lincoln. Four of them
were found guilty and…
Washington, D.C. Hanging hooded bodies of the four conspirators; crowd departing Library of Congress Prints and
Photographs Division
…put to death!
The others were sentenced to life in prison
or pardoned by President Andrew Johnson.
One had charges dropped after a hung jury.