Download US1 Unit 7 Notes

Unit 7 – The Civil War
I.
From Bull Run to Antietam
A. The First Battle of Bull Run - July 1861
 General Irwin McDowell, commander of the Union troops, said he needed more
time to get his 90-day volunteers ready but Lincoln ordered him into action.
 What was his objective?
 General P.G.T Beauregard commanded a smaller force of Confederate soldiers
and was positioned along Bull Run, a stream 4 miles north of a Manassas.
 The Union troops attacked on July 21 and drove the Southerners back, but who
stopped the Union advance?
 The Union troops retreated for the safety of Washington and the Confederates
were too disorganized and exhausted to pursue the Union Army.
 The 1st major battle of the Civil War was over (1st Battle of Bull Run) = Union
had 2900 casualties, 2000 for the Confederacy. DEFINE casualties.
B. Preparing for War
 Bull Run caused some Americans on both sides to suspect that winning the war
might not be so easy.
1. Strengths of the North and the South
 North = 2X more railroad and factories, better economy with more
money in the bank, 2/3 of the nation’s population and a navy.
 South = majority of military officers from the South, fighting a defensive
war and were fighting to preserve their way of life.
2. Union Military Strategies
 Lincoln ordered a naval blockade of the seceded states to block cotton
from leaving and manufactured goods from entering.
 General Winfield Scott strategy was to cut the Confederacy in 2 by
controlling the Mississippi River and getting the South to seek peace,
 Why was this plan (nicknamed Anaconda) scorned in the North?
3. Confederate War Strategies
 “All we ask is to be left alone” Jefferson Davis, Confederate President.
 Southern Strategy called for a war of attrition. DEFINE
 The South also planned to withhold cotton from England and France so
those European countries would put pressure on the Union.
 Why did this strategy fail?
4. Tactics and Technology
 Most Civil War general had been trained to concentrate forces, attack the
enemy and drive them away.
 The muskets and canons were ineffective because they were inaccurate.
 How did bullets and rifling change this?
 Shells (devices that exploded in the air or when they hit something) and
canister (shell filled with bullets) made traditional tactics obsolete.
C. War in the West
 After the disaster at Bull Run, Lincoln named General George McClellan to
build and command a new army (The Army of Potomac)
 Meanwhile, Union forces in the West invaded the Confederacy (Arkansas,
Louisiana, Mississippi, and Tennessee) and this became the “war in the west”.
 Who led the most successful Union forces in the West?
1. Forts Henry and Donelson – February 1862
 These Confederate forts protected the Tennessee and Cumberland rivers,
which were important water routes into the Western Confederacy.
 Using Union gunboats, Grant took Fort Henry and them marched his
army and took Donelson. What was the reaction to Grant’s action here?
2. The Battle of Shiloh – April 6-7 1862
 Grant goes up against Confederate General Albert Johnson and wins this
key battle near the Tennessee/Mississippi border.
 13,000 Union and 11,000 Confederate casualties – this battle shattered the
idea of a quick victory by either side.
3. Action of the Mississippi
 Union forces were moving up the Mississippi from the Gulf of Mexico.
 Who led the victorious assault on New Orleans and other key ports?
 By June 6, there were only 2 major ports on the Mississippi River now in
Confederate hands – Vicksburg, Mississippi and Port Hudson, Louisiana.
 What was the significance of controlling the Mississippi?
D. War in the East
 While the Union Army marched through the western Confederacy, Union
warships maintained the blockade of Virginia’s coast.
 The Confederates had developed a secret weapon with which to fight the
blockade – the iron clad warship.
1. The Monitor and the Merrimack
 Southerners had created the strange looking vessel by bolting iron plates
to an old wooden steamship called the Merrimack (renamed Virginian)
 President Lincoln ordered a Union ship be built like the Virginian and in
about 100 days the Monitor was ready to confront the Virginian.
 What happened when the two iron clad warships confronted each other
off the coast of Virginia on March 9, 1862?
 Although these ships had no significant impact on the outcome of the
Civil War, they would make wooden navies obsolete all over the world.
2. The Peninsular Campaign
 McClellan attempted to attack and capture Richmond, Virginia in May
of 1862 – What was his one glaring weakness as a leader?
 Battle of Seven Pines (May 31) was a Northern Victory, but the North
suffered heavy casualties and Robert E. Lee now commanded the South.
E. The South Attacks
 Lee gambled that McClellan would remain cautious and wait for reinforcements
 Lee divided his army by sending troops to reinforce Stonewall Jackson who
pretended to be preparing an attack on Washington DC – What happened?
1. The Second Battle of Bull Run – August 1862
 Lincoln put General John Pope in command, but the results against Lee
were the same – Lee’s tactics halted the Union advance.
2. The Battle of Antietam – September 1862
 With Richmond no longer in danger, Lee decided that the time had come
to invade the North – What did Lee hope would happen by dong this?
 The 2 armies met at Antietam Creek near Sharpsburg, Maryland.
- Was the bloodiest day of the Civil War = 26,000 total casualties.
- How did McClellan (back in command) know Lee’s plan of attack?
-
The Confederates retreated and the ever-cautious McClellan failed to
take advantage of this opportunity to destroy Lee’s Army.
II.
Life Behind the Lines
A. Politics in the South
 The Confederate government had to persuade individual citizens to sacrifice
their personal interests for the common good and use the limited resources in the
South as best as possible – this proved to be a difficult task
1. Mobilizing for War
 General Lee called for a draft (required military service) and in April
1862, the Confederate Congress passed a draft law – What were the
specifics of the draft law?
 The Confederate government also took control of the South’s economy.
2. The Impact of States’ Rights
 Not all of the mobilization efforts were successful because of a fierce
commitment to states’ rights by many southerners. (EXPLAIN)
3. Seeking Help From Europe
 In May 1861, the Confederate government sent representatives to France
and England, but failed to gain recognition (official acceptance)
 The South did receive some help, but both countries adopted a wait-andsee attitude; the South would have to prove itself on the battlefield.
B. Politics in the North
 Lincoln (after early losses) had to convince some Northern citizens that
maintaining the Union was worth the sacrifices they were being asked to make.
1. Republicans in Control
 Without Southern Democrats, Republican lawmakers were able to pass a
number of laws that would have a lasting impact, even after the war.
- Pacific Railroad Act
- Homestead Act
2. Financial Measures
 First federal income tax was passed to raise money for the war, but it was
repealed after the war. What, besides income, was also taxed?
 Congress also passed an act that created a national currency, called
greenbacks because of their color.
3. Opposition to the War
 Like the South, the North instituted a draft; riots broke out and in New
York City 100 people died during 4 days of destruction
 Identify the Copperheads and their beliefs.
4. Emergency Wartime Actions
 Lincoln and the United States government exercised great power during
the Civil War – the president even resorted to extreme measures:
- Why did the suspend members of the Maryland state legislature?
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Martial law
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Writ of habeas corpus was suspended
C. Emancipation and the War
 Many Northerners began to question whether it was enough to simply restore
the nation; Radical Republicans called for “freeing” the slaveholder’s property.
1. Lincoln and Slavery
 Lincoln believed he had no power under the Constitution to free the
slaves, although he recognized its importance to the South’s war effort.
2. The Emancipation Proclamation – January 1, 1863
 Lincoln announced that slaves in areas of rebellion against the
government would be free.
3. Reaction to the Proclamation
 Only freed slaves in the South, not the border states or the north so many
complained it did not go far enough.
 Blacks rejoiced because they believed that all enslaved people would be
free after the war.
 What was the significant reaction in Europe?
D. African Americans Join the War
 The Emancipation Proclamation encouraged blacks to join the Union Army.
1. The Contraband Issue
 Union General Benjamin Butler argued that your enemy’s possessions
could be seized and the Union could free this “contraband property”.
 How did the contrabands help the Union war effort?
2. African-American Soldiers
 By 1865 nearly 180,000 blacks had enlisted in the Union army.
 On warships, black and white sailors served together, but the soldiers
were in segregated units led by white officers.
 What was the name of the all-black regiment that led the assault on Fort
Wagner in South Carolina?
E. The Hardships of War
 The war produced drastic changes in the lives of Northerners and Southerners;
but it was clear that the North was better off because of its resources.
1. The Southern Economy
 Among the problems the Confederacy faced during the war was a food
shortage – Why?
2. The Northern Economy
 Northern industries boomed because the North had the farms and
factories to produce everything the Union needed for the war effort.
 A few manufactures made profits by selling the Union government
inferior products – GIVE EXAMPLES
3. Prison Camps
 The most notorious prison camp was Andersonville in the Confederacy.
- about 100 Union soldiers died each day from starvation or exposure
- What happened to the camp commander after the war?
4. Medical Care
 Health and medical conditions on both sides were frightful and disease
was responsible for many soldiers’ deaths.
- A Union soldier was 3X more likely to die in camp or in a hospital
than he was to be killed on the battlefield.
 1000s of woman on both sides volunteered to care for the sick and
wounded. Who was Clara Barton?
III.
The Tide of War Turns
A. Victories for General Lee
 Lincoln removed McClellan after Antietam in favor of General Ambrose
Burnside, but the results were the same.
1. The Battle of Fredericksburg – December 13, 1862
 Burnside’s plan was simple – march his 122,000 men straight toward
Richmond and Lee let the Union army come right at him.
 What happened when Burnside attacked?
2. The Battle of Chancellorsville – May 1, 1863
 Burnside then resigned and Lincoln gave the command to Joseph
“Fighting Joe” Hooker who decided to attack the Confederate rear.
 Lee, with the help of JEB Stuart and Stonewall Jackson, outmaneuvered
and surprised Hooker and by May 5, crushed the Union army.
 However, what was the big loss of the Confederacy at Chancellorsville?
B. The Battle of Gettysburg
 The crushing defeats at Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville were the low point
of the war for the Union and the mood in Washington was dark.
 Lee now decided to invade the North again and hoped that a major Confederate
victory on Union soil would push the Union into giving up the war.
1. July 1, 1863 – Day 1 at Gettysburg
 Confederate troops entered the town of Gettysburg looking for shoes and
they ran into Union cavalry and the monumental battle started.
 Each army took up positions on a series of hills.
- General George Meade was in charge of the Union Army now.
- Lee was confident after Day 1 but his second-in-command General
James Longstreet was cautious – WHY?
2. July 2, 1863 – Day 2 at Gettysburg
 Longstreet delayed his attack and this allowed for Meade to bring up
more Union reinforcements.
 What was the importance of Colonel Joshua Chamberlain?
3. July 3, 1863 – Day 3 at Gettysburg
 Lee had decided to risk everything with an infantry charge at the center
of the Union position. What preceded the Confederate attack?
 Lee sent 3 divisions of soldiers (5000 each), including General George
Pickett, at the Union position on Cemetery Ridge.
- The Union artillery rained shells down on the Confederate charge
-

The Union riflemen waited until the charge was 200 yards away and
opened fire; it was over in about 30 minutes.
What were the results of the Battle of Gettysburg?
C. Vicksburg
 While armies clashed in the East, a Union force in the West struggled to capture
the city of Vicksburg, Mississippi; which was key to controlling the Mississippi.
1. Grant Attacks
 Grant tried a variety of attempts to capture or bypass the city, but they
all failed, until the marshy ground around the city dried out.
 Grant marched his army around Vicksburg to draw out the Confederates
and he took the city of Jackson and the rebels retreated to Vicksburg.
 Grant then laid siege to Vicksburg - DEFINE siege.
2. The Siege of Vicksburg
 The Union began a bombardment that would average 2,800 shells a day
for more than a month.
 What was life like in the city of Vicksburg?
 On July 4, some 30,000 Confederate troops marched out of Vicksburg
and laid down their arms.
D. The Importance of 1863
 In Richmond (capital of Confederacy) there began serious talk of making peace
and for the first time the end of the war seemed in sight:
 Lee’s weakened army had begun its retreat into Virginia and it would never
again seriously threaten Union soil.
 What was the importance of the victory in the West at Vicksburg?
 Combined, Gettysburg and Vicksburg were the turning points of the war.
E. The Gettysburg Address
 On November 19, 1863 some 15,000 people gathered at Gettysburg to dedicate a
cemetery in honor of the Union soldiers who had died at that major battle.
 President Lincoln gave a short, two-minute speech that has become one of the
best-loved and most quoted speeches in English.
 What was the main point of his address?
IV.
Devastation and New Freedom
A. Grant Takes Command
 With the Presidential election of 1864 approaching, both sides saw this election
as important to the war effort:
- South - northern voters might replace Lincoln if the war dragged on.
- North – Lincoln put US Grant in command of all Union forces.
1. Battle of the Wilderness – May 1864
 Grant took his army of 155,000 men (2X that of Lee’s) and headed
directly towards Richmond in hopes of engaging Lee.
 May 5 the fighting began and what did Grant do that was different than
other Union Generals?
2. Spotsylvania and Cold Harbor – May 1864
 Two battles in Virginia were the Union took heavy casualties but Grant
continued to attack.
3. The Siege of Petersburg
 What was the importance of Petersburg?
 On June 18, 1864 Grant began a siege of this city and Lee built
fortifications and decided to wait until the election of 1864.
4. In the Shenandoah
 Shenandoah was important both strategically and as a source of supplies
for the South.
 What did Grant order General Sheridan to do to this region?
B. Sherman in Georgia
 General William Tecumseh Sherman was given command of Grant’s army in
the West and started a march from Chattanooga, Tennessee to Atlanta.
1. The Capture of Atlanta
 Southern commanders hoped to slow Sherman’s progress until the
election of 1864.
 They were not successful at after a siege by Sherman, Atlanta was
abandoned and left to the Union’s mercy.
2. Sherman Marches to the Sea
 November 1864, Sherman led some 62,000 Union troops on a march to
the sea to capture Savannah, Georgia.
 Describe this “March” and its purpose.
C. The Election of 1864
 Republicans – (change name to Union party)
 Lincoln seemed to be the obvious choice, but some Radical Republicans
wanted to run John C. Freemont – What was their problem with Lincoln?
 Lincoln does run with Andrew Johnson of Tennessee as his running mate.
 Democrats
 General George McClellan was popular with the troops and promised to put
an end to the war if he won.
 What was the outcome of the election and what greatly helped Lincoln?
D. A New Birth of Freedom
 February 1865, Congress passed the 13th Amendment, which ended slavery in
the United States forever. What was the exception?
E. The End of the War
 As Grant strangled Richmond and Sherman prepared to move north from
Savannah to join him, gloom deepened in the South.
1. Sherman Moves North
 Sherman left Savannah and headed for South Carolina and had two goals
that he wanted to accomplish:
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2. Surrender at Appomattox
 By April 1865, daily desertions had shrunk the Confederate army
defending Richmond to fewer than 35,000 starving men.
 Lee attempted to join with Confederate General Johnston but Grant kept
cutting these attempts off and all seemed lost for the South.
 Some Confederate officers wanted to turn to guerilla fighting (EXPLAIN)
 Lee decided to surrender to Grant on April 9, 1865.
 What were the terms of surrender?
F. Lincoln is Assassinated
 Throughout the winter of 1864-1865, a group of Southerners conspirators
worked on a plan to aid the Confederacy led by John Wilkes Booth.
 What was the original plan the conspirators were working on?
 The plan was changed when Lincoln decided to give the newly freed slaves
the rights of citizenship.
 On the night of April 14, 1865 Booth slipped into the President’s unguarded
box in Ford’s Theatre and assassinated the 16th President of the US.
- Booth was eventually surrounded and shot
- Lincoln was the 1st president in American history to be killed while in
office.