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The Civil War (1861-1865)
Your Opinion
The issue: Do the Southern states have the
right to withdraw from the Union if they decide
that being a part of it is no longer in their best
interests? Or would secession and the
formation of the Confederate States of
America constitute a rebellion?
Arguments for Secession: The federal
government is instituting policies that go
against the best interests of the South, such
as tariffs that disproportionately hurt the
South and attempts to free the slaves who
work on Southern plantations. Just as the
colonists had the right to declare
independence from Britain nearly a century
ago, the South has the right to seek its
independence from the Union.
Arguments against Secession: When all of
the states entered the Union they essentially
formed a binding compact; for that compact to
be broken, all states must agree to its
dissolution, not just a handful of them.
Preservation of the Union is far more
important than the complaints of individual
states; the country would be weaker if it were
divided into two.
• Why did the North win the
Civil War?
• Superior numbers and
industrial strength
• Superior military strategy and
leadership
• Won enough decisive battles to
sustain war effort and wear
down the South
• Lost Cause explanation- South
doomed to lose even before the
war begin due to North’s
greater economic abilities and
population
Crisis Over Slavery
• Conclusion: Analysis of the sectional crisis of the 1850’s
• 1) How did politicians attempt to resolve the crisis over slavery?
• Attempts to address issues:
▫ By avoiding slavery & urging sectional compromise
• Resulted in…
▫ Failure of Compromises
▫ Attempts to legislate slavery/expansion failed
▫ Policies and decisions that provoked polarization
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2) What happened to the national political parties?
Collapse of Whig Party
Rise of Republican Party (incorporated smaller third parties)
Split of Democratic Party- North and South faction
Ultimately sectional loyalties developed into sectional parties paving the
way for Lincoln’s election in 1860
I. Sectional Crisis- 1850’s
• 1. Election of 1860
• SC secedes from the
Union Dec. 20, 1860
II. Irreconcilable Differences
1861 7 states seceded
▫ Secessionist
arguments
• 2. Creation of the
Confederacy
▫ Jefferson Davis
(Moderate)
▫ CSA
II. Irreconcilable Differences
• 3. Attempts to
peacefully resolve
fail
• Crittenden
Compromise
• Fort Sumter (April
12)
▫ First shots of war
fired
▫ Civil War: April
1861-Aprl 1865
Military Organization
ARMY- composed of
several corps,
commanded by a
general
CORPS- composed
of three divisions,
commanded by a
general
DIVISION- composed
of three to four
brigades,
commanded by a
general
BRIGADEcomposed of four to
six regiments,
commanded by a
general
REGIMENTcomposed of ten
companies,
commanded by a
colonel
COMPANY- 100
officers and men,
commanded by a
captain.
MILITARY STRATEGY AND TACTICS
Military strategy and tactics are essential to the conduct
of warfare.
• Strategy is the planning, coordination, and general
direction of military operations to meet overall political
and military objectives.
• Tactics implement strategy by short-term decisions on
the movement of troops and employment of weapons on
the field of battle. (20th C. term: operational strategy)
The great military theorist Carl von Clausewitz put it
another way: "Tactics is the art of using troops in battle;
strategy is the art of using battles to win the war."
MILITARY STRATEGY AND TACTICS
• Military commanders and
theorists throughout history have
formulated what they considered
to be the most important strategic
and tactical principles of war.
Napoleon I, for example, had 115
such principles. The Confederate
general Nathan Bedford Forrest
had but one: "Get there first with
the most men."
• Some of the most commonly cited
principles are:
• the objective
• the offensive (Seize and exploit the
initiative)
• surprise
• security
• unity of command
• economy of force, mass
(concentration of superior forces at
critical point) and maneuver
• Advantage of offensive or defensive
• Advantage of terrain; example the
high ground
III. Mobilization for War
• Q. How would you assess each sides chances for winning?
• A. Advantage belonged to…
Manufacturing
Manpower 5:2
Railroad Lines
III. Mobilization for War
• A. Union Advantages (Cont.)
▫ Professional army & navy
▫ Centralized gov.
• B. Confederate Advantages
▫ Defensive war
▫ Home ground
▫ Size: obstacle to North
III. Mobilization for War
• C. Generals
▫ USA: Ulysses S. Grant & William T. Sherman
▫ CSA: Robert E. Lee & Thomas “Stonewall”
Jackson
• Training: West Point
▫ Flank v frontal assaults
• D. International alliance?
▫ Am. Revolution precedent
• Q. How would you assess each sides chances for winning?
III. Mobilization for War
• E. Strategic Military Planning
▫ USA- Anaconda Plan
 Naval Blockade
 Mississippi River
 Richmond
▫ CSA
 Defensive
 Alliance
• Eastern & Western Theater of War
For Discussion
• Which is most potent on a battlefield where
force and its employment drive combat
outcomes?
▫ Numbers, technology, & tactics?
▫ Or
 Operational and tactical intelligence?
IV. Early Years of the War
1861-1862
• F. First major battle: Battle of Bull Run (Manassas) on July 21, 1861
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Victory for CSA when intelligence provided necessary reinforcements
Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson
USA- 1,500 casualties (1,200 missing)
CSA- 2,000 casualties
IV. Early Years of the War
1861-1862
• G. Naval blockade (Dec. 1861)
▫ Blockade runners
▫ Trent crisis
• H. Western Theater
▫ USA victories under Grant
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Fort Henry
Fort Donelson
Nashville
Shiloh
New Orleans
Memphis
IV. Early Years of the War
1861-1862
• I. Eastern Theater
• USA McClellan’s Peninsula Campaign (March-July
1862)
• 1st phase ends indecisive (Robert E. Lee)
• 2nd phase cavalry ride
• 3rd phase Lee’s offensive at 7 Days Battle
drives USA forces back
• CSA Momentum:
▫ 1st Battle of Bull Run
▫ P. Campaign
▫ 2nd Battle of Bull Run
V. Middle of the War 1862-1863
• Q. What impact does war have on
public morale & will power?
• CSA invades KY (W) and MD (E)
▫ Motivations-logistics
▫ Resulted in tactical stalemates
• Sept. 1862 Antietam (Sharpsburg)
▫ Bloodiest one day battle
 23,000 casualties
• High casualty rates- modern weapons
but old style formation
Battle of Antietam
Animated Maps of Battlefields
• First Bull Run http://civilwaranimated.com/firstmanassas-east-38
• Antietam http://civilwaranimated.com/antietameast-34
• Animated Chancellorsville
http://civilwaranimated.com/chancellorsville-east35
• Gettysburg animation
http://civilwaranimated.com/GettysburgAnimation.
html
V. Middle of the War 1862-1863
• Emancipation Proclamation (January 1, 1863)
▫ All slaves in rebel states freed
• Redefined goals of war: Preservation of Union &
end of slavery
V. Middle of the War 1862-1863
• Draft laws
▫ CSA Conscription Law: 18-35 served 3 year term (80% mobilized)
▫ Union: Conscription Act (50% mobilized)
 violent draft riots become race riots (ex. New York Draft Riot)
 “Rich man’s war, poor man’s fight”
 Influx of immigrants
▫ Wealthy could hire substitutes
• War time powers
 North: Lincoln suspends habeas corpus
 South: CSA as violating states rights
• Waging War
▫ Men, money, supplies
V. Middle of the War 1862-1863
• Lincoln expects results: Generals McClellanBurnside-Hooker proved disapponting
• Winter of 1862-’63: mixed record
▫ West: Vicksburg & Stones River
▫ East: Fredericksburg & Chancellorsville
 Flank attack
• Northern morale lowest
VI. Turning Points 1863
• Battle of Gettysburg (July 1-3 1863)
▫ Motivation-logistics
Day One
Gettysburg- Day Two
Gettysburg- Day Three
1/3 of Lee’s men die in famous Pickett’s Charge
Union General Meade defeats Lee- total 50,000 casualties
VI. Turning Points 1863 (Cont.)
• Union victories:
▫ Gettysburg (July 3rd)
▫ Fall of Vicksburg (July 4th)
▫ Chattanooga (Nov. 25th)
• Tide of CSA victories reversed
• Q. Should the CSA have avoided invading the
United States?
VI. Turning Points 1863
• Gettysburg Address: consecration of ground and
principles of the nation
You know the opening line…
“government of the people, by the
people, and for the people”
VII. Prolonged Defeat of the
Confederacy 1864-1865
• Q. Was military defeat or loss of will more
important in bringing ultimate Confederate
failure?
• Home Front
▫ Both sides shared: loss of life, serving in military
▫ CSA: destruction of property, military occupation,
civilian displacement, inflation, 1/5 of male
population dies, defeat
VII. Prolonged Defeat of the
Confederacy 1864-1865
• Grant’s Strategy 1864
▫ Grant v Lee: take Richmond
▫ Sherman strike economic & transportation base
• Bloody campaign season
• Union victories:
▫ Mobile
▫ Atlanta
▫ Shenandoah Valley
• Lincoln secures re-election
VII. Prolonged Defeat of the
Confederacy 1864-1865
• Sherman’s March to the Sea
• Atlanta to Savannah- 60 miles
• Concept of total war
▫ Hardship to home front
VII. Prolonged Defeat of the
Confederacy 1864-1865
• 1865 9 Months of Siege warfare (Grant v Lee)
▫ Petersburg (April 1st)
▫ Richmond (April 2nd)
• Appomattox (April 9th 1865
▫ Surrender of Lee
VII. Prolonged Defeat of the
Confederacy 1864-1865
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Wartime Reconstruction Plans
Lincoln’s 10% Plan
Unpopular with radical Republicans in Congress
Alternative the Wade-Davis Bill- pocket veto by
Lincoln
▫ Ironclad Oath: must swear had never voluntarily taken
up arms against the United States
▫ Attempt to bar ex-Confederates from political power
• 13th Amendment ended slavery
▫ Approved by Congress Feb. 1865
▫ Ratified by the States in Dec. 1865
VII. Prolonged Defeat of the
Confederacy 1864-1865
• April 14, 1865 Lincoln assassinated by John
Wilkes Booth at Ford’s Theater
• Lee’s surrender and Lincoln’s death ended the
war
VIII. Conclusion
• 620,000 lives
• Secession illegal
• Superiority of central government