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Civil War Notes 1
Origins/Path to the U.S. Civil War
*Slavery was the main component that lead to the Civil War
Importance- fought on own land, against self, end of institution of slavery, cost in human life
(630-650 thousand deaths associated with war)(pop. = 30 mill then)
*How did US territorial expansion contribute to the US Civil War?
 Examples of Expansion (1845-1861)
o Texas (1845)
o Oregon (1846)- Oregon, Washington, Part of Idaho
o Mexican Cession (1848)- New Mexico, Arizona, California *, parts of Nevada,
Colorado and Utah
o Gadsden Purchase (1853)- to construct a southern transcontinental railroad
 Lead to tension between the north and South associated with the determination of slavery
in the territories  who had the authority to determine the fate of slavery in the territories
*Manifest Destiny- divinely ordained, God has chosen the American people, to spread the US
from the Atlantic to the Pacific coasts
 Assumptions: our way of life was better, superior
1. Form of government- republican democracy
2. Religion- Protestant is the truest form of Christianity
3. Economic system- Protestant work ethic would make good use of land; west had
greater access to goods and services, capitalistic work system and maximization
of resources
 Even after we achieved a Pacific coast, we still expanded- Guam, Puerto Rico, Cuba,
Haiti
 Americans have larger population density than the French in Louisiana Purchase  why
France sold it (justification)
 Demographic
The Annexation of Texas (1845)
*Background
 1835-1836  Texas Independence Movement
 American citizens/ former American citizens led the revolution in Texas: because
Mexican government gave land grants to Americans
o Issues with the form of government- dictator (Santa Ana)
o Santa Ana attempting to crack down on control over Texas: pay taxes, make sure
they practice Catholicism, Texas had previously become largely self-governed
 Sam Houston- military brains; Stephen Austin- political brains of the Texas
Independence Movement
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o Mexican government was very close to abolishing slavery throughout Mexico 
unacceptable to the slaveholding Americans who inhabit Texas
o Economy of east Texas largely cotton (also corn, indigo, rice)
o Texans had no say in the Mexican government and the decision to abolish slavery
*The Alamo
 Rallying call (200 Tejanos with fort, 10,000 Mexican troops) “Remember the Alamo”
American heros present at the Alamo (James Bowie, Davey Crockett)
*San Jacinto- battle that led Texa to it’s independence (Texans were vastly outnumbered); large
lunch/siesta was the downfall of Mexicans because Houston chose to attack during their siestaSanta Ana was wounded in attack. Santa Ana signed treaty, though Mexican government denied
the legitimacy of the treaty because Santa Ana was duress
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1836 (achieve independence)  1845 (annexed) were not immediately annexed
Treaties require a 2/3 majority approval of US Senate but there was dispute over slavery
in Texas. (North did not approve)
Texans began serious negotiations with Britain (The Lone Star Republic) which was
absurd because Britain had abolished slavery and fought against slavery in other
countries but did so in order to put pressure on US (and more distant political center)
1845 President Tyler annexed Texas through the use of a joint resolution which only
requires a simple majority of votes in Congress to pass it (Tyler’s only legacy) – passed 3
days prior to Tyler’s leaving office
*Polk’s Presidency (1845-1849)-Southern, slaveholding democrat
 “54’40 or Fight”- Polk’s campaign slogan of what he promised to set the boundary of our
country or flight with the British for the land  Negotiated and compromised a 49°
border and acquired Oregon Territory (perception is that Oregon Territory was halved in
negotiations = no war  less “free” land; so that we could fight with Mexico over a slave
state  “Slave Power”)
 Polk was the architect of the “Slave Power”
*Causes of the Mexican-American War (1846-1848)
1. When US annexed Texas, Mexico broke off diplomatic relations = tensions associated
with the annexation of Texas. Claimed they still controlled Texas because the
independence treaty was signed under duress. Stopped paying the over $3 million debt.
2. * Polk wanted to fulfill Manifest Destiny by buying California (almost ½ of Mexico) but
Mexico refused his offer (in San Francisco, there was a natural deporter port) and New
Mexico to trade with Asia/China; Wouldn’t formally entertain the offer because angry
Civil War Notes 3
with the US over Texas, thought California was worth more and it would be political
suicide to sell half of national territory, issue of slavery.
3. Pre-existing border dispute: Polk put troops in the disputed area of Texas, where
Mexican territory and Texas territorial boundaries were…
 US/Texan position: Rio Grande
 Mexican position: Nueces River
In 19th century, Rio Grande was a large navigable river = movement of goods. Nueces
River was not as nice of a river. There was arable land between the Rio Grande and
Nueces River.
4. Polk put troops in the disputed territory in order to instigate an offensive attack by the
Mexicans so that we would have a justification to go to war – “American blood shed on
American soil.”
 Lincoln was one of the few who questioned Polk’s motives
 Fought most of the war in Northern Mexico but fought one major battle in Central
Mexico at Vera Cruz (naval attack). Most Mexican soldiers were fighting in the North,
so few experienced soldiers were available to fight against the Americans at Vera Cruz.
They were mostly young adult and children (ages 13-18). Americans took over the
capital, Mexico City. Many people suggested we annex all of Mexico because we had
conquered the capital and had the ability to do so but we did not because most Mexicans
lived in central/southern Mexico. Americans didn’t know what to do with the Mexicans if
they had taken over the whole country, thought they were a mongrel race (though
mestizo). American racism saved Mexico from losing its entire territory.
Effects
*Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo (1848)
 Senate ratified the treaty (2/3)
o US government paid Mexico $15 million and assumed the $3.25 million debt
owed to US citizens by Mexican government- American people didn’t want to
feel guilty
o US got California, New Mexico*… which was over ½ of Mexican national
territory
 Polk oversaw the annexation of the most amount of territory in US history
*There were 13,000 American deaths and 50,000 Mexican deaths. (Most died from disease and
unsanitary camp conditions.)
*Military experience of the military generals that prepared them for future Civil War officers
(Lee, Grant) (the Civil War lasted longer = more deaths)
* More tense relations with U.S. and Mexico and U.S. and Latin America (before, U.S. was
seen as a big brother to Latin America = looked up to U.S./wanted to emulate U.S. We were the
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protectors of Latin America because of the Monroe Doctrine.) Lead to the demise of this Big
brother/protector image  increase in bad neighbor perception.
 Monroe Doctrine (1823)- The Americans were closed to any future colonization (we
were concerned Britain would take advantage of weak newly independent countries)(selfinterested: protect U.S. from future European attacks and trade with Latin America)
*Debates over status of slavery in new territories  Civil War
*Wilmot Proviso- People thought that this war was fought to procure slave states. Amendment
was added to a military appropriations bill (started in house because only ones elected directly by
the people).
 Slavery would be banned in all land acquired from Mexico.
 This never became law but was important because it proves the existence of a “Slave
Power.”
 The issue in 1848 election was the Wilmot Proviso.
*Compromise of 1850
 Background: Path to statehood of land acquired by Mexico was dramatically accelerated
due to the discovery of gold in northern California. Probably the most lawless place
during the Gold Rush (especially in respect to Native Americans – about 90% died within
the first 5 years)  need to create law and order. Petition into Union as free state
(because there were few slaves there) significant section of California below the 36°30’
line. Southern states discuss secession or disillusion “crisis”
 North- California admitted as a free state, slave trade ended in Washington D.C.; New
Mexico granted territory from Texas (NM, UT opened to slavery but as pop. sov.)
 South- slavery was to remain legal in D.C.; *Stronger fugitive slave laws in 1850- grossly
unfair (= more belief in a “slave power”)
1. Denied trial by jury – judges determined guilt or innocence
2. Marshalls/Judges paid $5 if bring in a “runaway slave”  $10 if found guilty.
Free blacks should be entitled to due process but they weren’t = ABSURD!
3. Defendants had no ability to cross-examine prosecution witnesses
4. Defendants could not call witnesses on their behalf (or really present any tangible
evidence)
5. Those who convicted of assisting runaway slaves had to do community service
(assisting U.S. Marshalls/bounty hunters  becoming slave catchers/hunters)
Northern states ban together and say they won’t enforce it. South claimed Northerners
were violating Constitution (but South violates Const. too.) Greater hostility from North
to South.
 $10 million to slave states
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NM and UT possibly opened to slavery
Congress pledged they had no authority to regulate interstate slave trade (because they
would/could blame possible secession on North.)
*Presidents of 1850’s- relatively unknown because they didn’t provide strong leadership
1. Zachary Taylor (1849-1850) died
2. Millard Fillmore (1850-1853) took Taylor’s place
3. Franklin Pierce (1853-1857)- from New Hampshire- appealed to Northerners but was a
pro-slavery, pro-southerner and didn’t believe slavery was a significant issue. U.S.
foreign policy/imperialism: Gadsden Purchase
4. James Buchanan (1857-1861)- Southern Democrat (did not stand on divisive issues)
president when secession began
*U.S. Foreign Policy under Pierce
1. Matthew Perry’s expedition to Japan- ultimatum: open ports to American
vessels/commerce or we will launch attacks on ports (use naval superiority and artillery)
 Aggressive foreign policy shocked them out of self-imposed isolation = very
quick modernization (became VERY powerful)
2. Ostend Manifesto- Cuba was the most lucrative island in Caribbean. Wanted to annex
Cuba. Secret plan to acquire Cuba from Spain- Purchase! $120 million (Belgium). Also,
a contingency plan to create the necessary military force if negotiations did not go well
with Spain. Slavery was legal in Cuba = upset people in the North (secret, $, slave status,
possible war could result)(end up going to war  later)
3. William Walker’s Nicaraguan Campaign wanted Nicaragua annexed into U.S. (he had
become President of Nicaragua) American Citizen. Deposed the legitimate Nicaraguan
government and became president and wanted Nicaragua to be annexed as a slave state
(no direct connection to U.S. government.)
*Kansas-Nebraska Act (1854)
 Key provision: (Republican party was established by those who do not agree with it)
Popular sovereignty would determine the status of slavery in Kansas and Nebraska
territories (referendum).
 Background:
o Primary sponsor was Stephen Douglass (senior senator of Illinois- Democrat)
o Wanted a federally funded transcontinental railroad (had to do something for the
South so that they would vote for a Northern route through Illinois). Gain support
of Southerners for a northern federally funded railroad.
o He also aspired to be the President and wanted to gain the support of people in his
state.
Civil War Notes 6

o Bought a significant amount of land to the west = personal economic motives
(land would appreciate)
o By sponsoring Kansas-Nebraska Act, he would gain Southern Democrats but
instead many Northern Democrats joined the Republican Party
Effects: invalidated the Missouri Compromise (superseded); had a referendum
o Referendum  fraud, corruption (created many problems) those who weren’t
entitled to vote who voted, or voted multiple times typically people from Missouri
(moreso on proslavery side and seemed to indicate proslavery in Kansas but was
called into question.  “Bleeding Kansas”
o “Bleeding Kansas” – mini- Civil War: fighting over slavery
 “Beecher’s Bibles”- Harriet Beecher Stowe wrote Uncle Tom’s Cabin
(antislavery book) dramatic impact on people in North. The south banned
this book (makes south feel attacked). Henry Ward Stowe asked for
donation so he could buy guns/weapons for abolitionists in Kansas – to be
used.
 Pottawatamie Creek- John Brown’s attack at – God told him he was
chosen to lead a bloody attack against slavery and he was the one to
initiate it. Attack carried out in a biblical fashion – attacked men in their
tents with swords. (ardent abolitionist).
 Congressional violence- senators claimed other senators were responsible
 Sen. Sumner said something negative about South Carolina senator and
his family member beat Sumner in his congressional office with a canecausing life-threatening injuries. Abolitionists were like dogs- beat them
into submission (100’s of people in South sent canes to the cane man.)
o Political issues- 2 governments organizes themselves in Kansas. When both
entities petitioned Congress for admission to the Union, neither were accepted=
reason it was not annexed in 1850’s.
o Political Realignment- lead to the demise of the Whigs, defection of Northern
Democrats (became regional political party  Southern) Establishment of the
Republican Party (six months after K-N Act) because of the outgrowth due to
K-N Act. No expansion of slavery! Stop emancipation of slaves  ¾ must
approve a Const. amendment = long term extinction of slavery. They adopted
other stances to broaden their appeal.
*Immediate Caused of the Civil War
1. Election of Abraham Lincoln in November 1860
2. Secession of South Carolina in December 1860  political debate: do states have the
right to secede from the U.S.? (which started due to slavery- Republicans gained the
Civil War Notes 7
presidency and control Congress) states from the lower South were more likely to secede
because most fighting would take place in the Upper South  less likely to secede
 Northern/Republican position- NO! Generally opposed to secession.
- The people created the U.S. and only the people can dissolve it.
 Confederate (South- YES!) States ratified that Constitution so states have the
right to un-ratify the constitution- SECEDE (state conventions were called to
ratify Const.)
3. Failure to Compromise
 Crittenden Compromise- Kentucky senator didn’t want war in Kentucky/South
and so passed a compromise calling for the extension of the 36°30’ line (via
Const. amendment) to Pacific Ocean
 Republican leaders were vehemently opposed to the extension of slavery into the
territories. (Southerners blames it on Lincoln)
 If Republicans had agreed to it- Southerners would have opposed- Dred Scott
Case
4. Attack at Fort Sumter
*1861-1865 (4 years)- surprising because of the South’s few advantages (surprising Confederacy
lasted so long.)
 Advantages of the Union
o Population was MUCH greater
Exs. Union had 2.5 to 1 advantage
22 million; 9 million (1/3 of which were slaves)
Population disparity is greater.
(slaves continued growing cotton to purchase ships/artillery from England)
- 1864: 44% of free, military aged men were enlisted in the Union military
90% in the Confederacy
(56% of Union men can help contribute by other means.) (Women had a
greater role in the war because there were more men off fighting.)
- Women in the Confederacy- more likely to work outside of the home, head of
households, nurses (though not a female dominated profession), factory
workers
- 1:4.4 Confederacy to Union free, military aged men
- 2:1 men in Union army to Confederate army
o Industrial Output: 10 to 1 factory output
- Iron production: 15 to 1 (ind. Input raw “ingredient” for weapons)
- Firearms: 32 to 1 (if this number remained constant, war would not have
lasted so long) (Confederacy went on crash course to try to catchup making
own weapons- new urban center of Confederacy= Atlanta. Industrial Capital
Civil War Notes 8
o
o
o
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of South of Confederacy, so when Atlanta fell to Union- burnt city to ground
(Birmingham- steel capital).
- Textiles: 14 to 1 (for a white there was still commerce between North and
South but began to produce own textiles)(uniforms-Union)
- Naval Ship Tonnage (carrying capacity) owned by government designed to
wage war (union had established Navy, Confederacy did not) 25 to 1
- Merchant Ship Tonnage (Union sold wheat on international markets 
imposed to 9 to 1.
- Coal production (energy source) factor input- 38 to 1.
- Railroads (mileage) 2.4 to 1 transport supplies to the troops (food, medical
supplies, ammunition, artillery)
Agricultural Output
- Wheat (North) 4.2 to 1
- Corn (south) 2 to 1
- Wheat kept the British out of the war because they bought wheat from North
 can’t support south in war. Union did not have major food shortages to the
war – Confederacy had major food shortages because they couldn’t
sufficiently produce staple good products.
- 7000% inflation over 4 years. (hyperinflation)
- Significant amount of hoarding farmlands were destroyed = food shortage
because fought on Southern land.
o Livestock 1.8 to 1 domesticate- eat Union lost 500 horses/day
(Kentucky-horse capital)
- Wealth 3 to 1
U.S. had existing government (80years) Confederacy had to plan out government
(Const. laws, etc.)
- Nominate candidates for office
- Establish laws/determine tax collection
- U.S had established: Dept. of War/Defense, Treasury Dept., State Dept., U.S.
Army (Westpoint), U.S. Navy (Anapolis)
- After Fort Sumter, there was a lull in fighting = able to establish a government
Union had a more sophisticated banking/finance system which when combined
with far greater ability to finance a major war (banking center- New York City
southerners did invest in Northern industry)
Methods of Financing the War
a. Raise existing axes, levy new taxes
b. Loans
c. Print More money = inflation
*Confederate Advantages
Civil War Notes 9
1. Economy- cotton production 24 to 1
2. Confederates had a greater number of experienced, decorated and well-trained
military leaders.
3. Union’s goal was more difficult to achieve – had to conquer entire Confederacy
where the Confederacy simply needed to make the cost of the war too high for the
Union so that the Union would withdraw. (Confederates did not have to
conquer/defeat the Union; rather, they sought to make the cost of the Union
achieving its objective (reunification) greater than what the Union public would
be willing to be
4. Confederates were planning on fighting a primarily defensive war.
*Advantages Associated with Defensive Warfare
a. Ability to establish fortifications  increase casualties (4 to 1 when attacking a heavily
fortified position.. 30% casualty rate in major battles) for those waging offensive war
b. Greater intelligence/cooperation/help from the civilians (provided aid, food, water,
medical care, INTELLIGENCE to Confederate military)
c. Ability to seize potentially advantageous positions (“highground,” ambush) (kill more of
them than you)
d. Fighting for their family, home, farm instead of political ideals. PSYCOLOGICAL
ADVANTAGE (war of Northern aggression)- primarily fought in their home state.
5. Physical size of the south
o 3500 miles of coastline
o Almost 2,000 miles wide
o 1000 miles long
o Take a lot of manpower/resources to conquer territory. Lincoln insisted
that the four slave states in the Union remain in the Union.
*Battle of Bull Run (1st major battle of the Civil War)
 July 1861 in northern Virginia
 Background: Lincoln under much political pressure to act quickly but needed a strong
military  acted too hastily.
 Confederacy won the battle
 He nature of the end of the battle was noteworthy because the Union troops RAN back to
Washington D.C. and displayed that the Union troops were undisciplined and
uncoordinated.
 Significance: Broke up the idea that this war would be over by Christmas. Confederacy
had greater confidence in themselves.
*Union strategy (“strategery”… lolz!) Bases on General Scott’s Anaconda Plan
Civil War Notes 10
1. U.S. Naval blockade of the Confederate coastline to prevent Confederacy from
engaging in trade  acquire war materials. Also, decreases the Standard Of
Living  wanted economy to collapse.
- Relatively successful- many Confederate ships with cotton were intercepted
and the cotton was sold to Britain.
2. Naval Campaign to take control of the Mississippi River (mid 1863)
 Cut the Confederacy into two parts- (Texas, Arkansas, and Louisiana) and
support they bring.
 Avenue of Trade- extra helpful- Union can intercept ships and are able to
use the River to transport wheat for themselves = allows the economy to
rot
 Offers opportunity to reach the lower South without marching across the
Upper South
3. Military invasion of North Virginia with intention of taking the Confederate
Capital at Richmond. The people don’t react well but it has little significance 
mostly symbolic (typically a result of the lack of ability to win). (Montgomery,
AL became the defacto capital; industry relocated to Atlanta)
 Richmond built fortifications while McClellan waited.
4. Diplomatic policy of the Union wanted to ensure that no foreign country gave the
Confederacy diplomatic recognition which could form alliances.
 State Department- Secretary of State William Seward
*Confederate Strategy
1. Defensive war- advantages heavily fortified Richmond
2. Limited offensive war- take advantage of opportunities to invade/attack the Union
 Major gamble because they are taking (Antietam and Gettysburg) many troops
who become prisoners of war/ POW’s they could become trapped behind enemy
lines.
 Tying to
3. Economic- much greater economic strategy
4. The Diplomatic strategy- to gain an alliance with major power (like Britain)
*Why didn’t the British form an alliance with the Confederacy?
1. British relied upon Northern wheat. Lincoln threatened Britain to cut off wheat supply.
2. Enhances and accelerated cotton production in India (colony) and Egypt (quazi-colony).
Increase British exploitation in those colonies
- Union seized cotton from ships intercepted and in the southern islands they
took over and Union sold cotton to Britain
- There were still four slave states that were part of the Union.
Civil War Notes 11
3. British were strong advocates of abolishing slavery (at first didn’t know that the war was
over slavery) Then, after Emancipation Proclamation, knew that war was over slavery =
British did not support slavery.
4. British waiting/looking for dramatic Confederate victory on Union soil before forming
alliance with Confederacy = did not.
5. Diplomatic efforts of Lincoln and Seward (Sec. State) (wheat  Britain)
Trent Affair
 British ship in international waters was stopped by Union and searched for
contraband. Found two Confederate diplomats in ship
 Lincoln under domestic/international pressure waited several weeks until
pressure died down. Gave a formal apology to Britain and returned
Confederate soldiers.
 If Lincoln decided differently and could have allied with Confederacy.
*Primary theatres of Battle, General Course of the War (1861-1862)
1. Eastern theatre  North Virginia
 Union was less successful during this period. Confederacy has the upper hand
(Richmond had not yet been captured.)
 McClellan’s Richmond Campaign/7Days Battle
- Decided to attack Richmond by water and took over 6 months to get into
position
- Each day he didn’t attack, Richmond strengthened fortifications.
 Roughly a draw because Lee’s brilliance
 End of summer 1862- never really did anything
 Antietam Sept. 1862: Davis ordered this attack: Union victory (but 5,000 people
died in THIS battle. Costly victory. Also battle took place on Union soil
(Maryland).
 Lee’s Marching Orders
- His plan for retreat if the war went poorly. Why did McClellan not act on his
opportunity to attack/capture Confederate soldiers?
- McClellan probably thought it was a trap; could have been a fake.
- Didn’t want to risk losing more men (5,000 men already dead; 30,000 missing
or wounded0
- Compassion, esp. among officers
- Key Union victory to announce the Emancipation Proclamation (one week
later)
2. Western theatre- along the Mississippi River and its tributaries
Civil War Notes 12
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Union naval forces coming up through mouth of Mississippi River and came
through tributaries and met in the middle.
By end of 1862, Union had seized all but 1 major city- Vicksburg
New Orleans- Union took because at mouth of Mississippi River
Battle of Shiloh- Tennessee/General Us. Grant
- Union victory
- Before Antietam
- 3,000 people dead (thousands of Confed. POW’s)
- KKK- ghosts of battle of Shiloh
3. At Sea
 Union has the upper hand = naval blockade – impacting supply import to the
south and decrease the ability to sell cotton
 Union navy took sea islands in SC/GA = cotton
 When navy invaded islands, slaves stayed on the plantations and continued
growing cotton. Union purchased the cotton from the slaves and sold it to Britain.
 Monitor vs. Merrimac/Virginia- first time in naval history that two ironclads faced
off. (Monitor often harassed other Confed. ships). Pivotal point in military history
– everything hereafter = steel.
 1st operational submarine  CSS Hunley (Confed.) (sunk off the coast of South
Carolina) tried to deliver a mine to a Union boat.
*Home Front Issues
 At the outset of the war = 2 waves of enlistments
o Initially 2-3 month enlistments
o Moved to 1 year enlistments
 First Conscription (DRAFT) Laws Established
o Confederate Exemptions/loopholes/practices that benefitted the wealthy
 Hiring substitutes (Conf. and Union) by putting a want ad in a newspaper
– “signing bonus” Cheaper in the Union but caused a manpower issue and
both sides stopped.
 Twenty slave rule (Conf.) – automatically exempt from service because
crops were the basis of the southern economy = need them to run economy
(1/2 slaves in Confed.)
 Commutation fee $300 (Union) Three times what average people made –
need to pay for war
 Certain professions were exempt from the draft exs. managers, engineer,
in any key war related industry
 Wealthier people are often more educated  positions are less dangerous
when drafted
Civil War Notes 13
o The war in the Confederacy benefitted the rich. 25% of slave owners made in the
top 50%
o Union factories profited from the war
o Corporate interests  more likely to go to war
*Arguments Against the War
Union: “Peace” Democrats/Copperheads—much more formal, political
Confederacy: State’s Rights Groups—Confederate gov’t usurped their rights
Arguments:
1. Financial impact-cost to certain businesses, increase in taxes: average person was
impacted by (new) income tax, property tax, sales tax
2. Cost in human life
3. Military draft/conscription NYC Draft Riot (July 1863) 105 killed, targeted recruiting
station, killed US Army officials and blacks
4. Racism (i.e. “Nigger Doodle Dandy” “Peace” Democrats/Copperheads)
5. Impact on the civilian population (esp. in Confederacy) exs.: food shortages riots as
well as inflation, where wages didn’t keep pace w/ the increase in prices
6. Consolidation of power in the hands of the President violation of civil liberties
Ex. Lincoln suspended the writ of habeas corpus-giving the Pres. power for any
purpose/reason to arrest/detain any person such as because they exercised their freedom
of speech (against the war) Lincoln did this to prevent Maryland from seceding (and
losing the nation’s capital)
*Lincoln & Slavery/Emancipation
Lincoln’s fears concerning emancipation (esp. in reference in his ability to unify the country)
1. That 4 border states would join Confederacy
Significance: lose some of the statistically advantages; harder to capture Mississippi
River because if Kentucky and Missouri were to join the Union it would probably double
the two years it had taken to conquer it
2. That there would be a dramatic increase in the desertion rate in the Union Army that
would increase the difficulty of winning the war (he said, “half the soldiers” would lay
down their arms)
3. That emancipation would lead to a decrease in popularity of the Republican Party which
could Democratic Party taking over Congress (this fear was justified in that
Republicans did lose seats in Congress w/ the Emancipation Proclamation but they were
still a majority)
4. That the Confederate political leadership would be more resolved and determined to
resist/fight until the end (i.e. it would lengthen the war)
Civil War Notes 14
5. That emancipated slaves would be expected to be protected, fed and cared for by US
Army and/or would head North and create a “refugee” process/crisis
6. That it was unconstitutional/illegal for the President to issue and executive order freeing
slaves (especially within the Union)
7. That he would be perceived as weak (it would look useless as he couldn’t enforce it)
*Confiscation Acts (1861 & 62)
 Est. by Congress, authorized Union generals to confiscate the property of anyone who
“supported” the Confederate war effort…
Implication…? Any Confederate property can be seized by Union
 Lincoln…? Forbade generals from seizing/emancipating slaves
*b/w 1861 and July 1862 laws were passed that
1. Abolished slavery in D.C.
2. Banned slavery in all territories of the US
3. Banned the US Army from returning runaway slaves (meaning to Union
slaveholders as well; reasoning: Lincoln didn’t want to waste/expend resources
that could win the war)
*The Emancipation Proclamation
 Announced: Sept. 1862
 Effective: Jan. 1, 1863
Key Provision: any slave that was in a state still in rebellion as of Jan. 1, 1863 was now
“henceforth forever free”
 Gap? Incentive, moral high ground for Union
defined “no longer in state of rebellion” as having sent representatives back to Congress
Effect/Significance:
- Essentially nobody was freed because Lincoln only enacted this in places
where he has no control
- Slavery in Confederacy would be ended if the Union was victorious
- Incentive program (why 3 months) to get states to send a voting member back
to Congress
 Republicans lost seats in House and Senate but retained control
- People were fatigued with war and didn’t want to sacrifice for black people
- Desertion rate double 6 months after the declaration of the Emancipation
Proclamation
 Blacks began joining the army (made up for desertion rates)
 African Americans
- about 1% of Union Population
- about 10% of union Army (200,000 people)
Civil War Notes 15

o all segregated units (except white officers)
o originally were not going to be allowed to serve combat (only menial jobs) concerned
they weren’t capable; typically given suicide missions where the casualty rate was
upwards from 50%.
o Pay scale half of whites
o Massachusetts 54th rejected all salary on principle
o Jefferson Davis was crafting his own Emancipation Proclamation  could turn the
war around (basically, to save his ass!)
Lincoln supported:
1. Colonization/deportation to Africa (Liberia)
2. Paid/Compensation for slave owners who freed their slaves (never seriously
considered land redistribution for slaves)
- $400 million
- Sharecropping designed to keep slaves in debt
3. *White supremacy – said he’s not in favor of equlity for blacks (legally: voting,
serving on juries, marrying whites) = social inequality
*13th amendment
 Proposed by members of Congress (radical Republicans)
 Reacting to internal pressures within the Republican Party (churches, Douglass, radicals)
 Lincoln encouraged Congress to ratify (vocal supporter) needed a 2/3 vote in both houses
to propose and ¾ of states to ratify
 Hampton Roads Conference (February 1865)
- Lincoln wanted some Confederate States to bring the war to an early close
- $400 million package compensation
- If they rejoining the Union, could block the passage of the 13th amendment
- Didn’t matter attitude from Confederate states because of Emancipation
Proclamation (not actually legal)
*The War (1863-1865)
 West: Vicksburg (July 1863)- surrendered to Union forces (siege) – gained control of
Mississippi River
 East:
- Gettysburg (July 1863) – scale of this battle; 65,000 Confederate soldiers –
50,000 casualties (8,000 deaths); Union victory = weakened Lee’s army (it
became the Union’s war to lose because the Confederacy lost any hope of a
British alliance)
- Atlanta (September 1864) – heart of Confederate industry (adversely impacts
Confederate ability to supply the soldiers); it was key to Lincoln’s reelection
Civil War Notes 16
Sherman’s March to the Sea (Atlanta to Savannah) – had his soldiers spread
out 60 miles wide and destroy everything in their path from Atlanta to
Savannah  worst civilian suffering
- Grant’s Virginia Campaign
- Siege of Richmond was the end of the war; surrendered at the courthouse
*Over 630,000 Americans dead financial cost $20 billion
- 10% of North per capita
- Grew greater (rebuilt billions of money lead to a greater gap between North
and South)
*Reconstruction (1865-1877)
Successes:
 Amendments (3)
- 13th – abolished slavery
- 14th – citizenship to anyone born in the United States
- 15th – can’t deny the right to vote based on race
 Not successful (even for loyal governments) securing rights for African Americans
 Freedmen’s Bureau – provided food, clothing, clothing, medical care est. schools to
educate 800,000 freed slaves (temporary); contract negotiation experts who helped them
- Congress allowed it to expire
Failure:
 No land redistribution (90% of states still in South  no attempt at ending) =
POVERTY  Sharecropping
 KKK to terrorize blacks as “ghosts” of battle of Shiloh
 Legal loopholes – literacy test
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