Civil War People

John J. Crittenden

Kentucky senator who called for a constitutional amendment that guaranteed the permanence of slavery in the slave states that satisfied southern demands (Crittenden Compromise)

Clement L. Vallandigham

Most prominent copperhead in the country, he was an ohio congressman and he was seized by military authorities and exiled to the confederacy after he made a speech claiming that the purpose of the war was to free african americans and enslave white people.

Robert Gould Shaw

White commander of the 54th Massachusetts Infantry and was a Member of an aristocratic boston family. He Died during battle near charleston, south carolina.

Judah P. Benjamin

Confederate secretary of state for most of the war. he was Clever and intelligent. He Confined most of his energy to routine administrative tasks.

William Seward

Counterpart to benjamin, lived in washington. He Gradually become one of the great american secretaries of state. He Had assistance from charles francis adams.

Charles Wilkes

Commanding san jacinto. He Acted without any authorization. He Stopped the british vessel and arrest the diplomats (bringing them to boston).

William C. Quantrill

Ohio native who had spent much of his youth in the west became a captain in the confederate army after organizing a band of guerilla fighters (consisted of teenage boys). They Terrorized territories around the kansas-missouri border and were known as a Murderous group notorious for killing anyone in their path.

Samuel Colt

Patented a repeating pistol (revolver). This Made war a lot more dangerous because of the possibility of death (soldiers learned they had to stay low to the ground).

Irvin McDowell

Union officer that Led an army of over 30,000 men Stationed just outside washington. Commanded during the First Battle of Bull Run.

Clairborne Jackson

Rebel forces gathered behind them (governor) and other state officials who wanted to secede from the union. Apart of the confederacy.

David G. Farragut

Commanded a union squadron of ironclad and wooden vessels that gathered in the gulf of mexico (Smashed past weak confederate forces then sailed up to new orleans)

Albert Sidney Johnson

Commanded confederate troops. Stretched out in a long defensive line in between two forts (Fort Henry and Fort Donelson). Part of Fort Henry.

Don Carlos Buell

In the union army that Faced braxton bragg. Wanted to capture chattanooga

William S. Rosecrans

Union general whom Bragg and his troops forced to retreat at Chickamauga

Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson

Ran a confederate army. He Changed Lincoln's plans to add additional men to the army for the union side. He Staged a rapid march north through the shenandoah valley as if he were planning to cross the potomac and attack washington.

Joseph E. Johnston

Led confederate troops, he was Attacking McClellan's advancing army outside Richmond.

John Pope

Lincoln ordered the army to move to northern virginia and join a smaller force that he controlled. Lincoln was hoping to begin a new offensive against Richmond on the direct overland route that he preferred. He was As rash as McClellan was cautious.

Ambrose E. Burnside

Replaced McClellan. Short-lived mediocrity (being mediocre(not very good)). He Tried to move toward richmond by crossing the Rappahannock at fredericksburg.

P.G.T. Beauregard

Commander of confederate forces at charleston to take the island by force if necessary Bombarded the fort for two days Caused anderson to surrender and the civil war to begin

Roger B. Taney

Chief Justice that Issued a writ (Ex parte Merryman)

Matthew Brady

One of the first important photographers in american history. he Showed how many died during the civil war battlefields and Made many find the war disgusting.

Andrew Johnson

War democrat of Tennessee that opposed the state succession. He was nominated for vice president along with lincoln

George B. McClellan

Democratic nomination in the 1864 election, he was a former union general who was relieved of his command by lincoln. He Refused to accept someone calling for a truce in the war. Lincoln looked at him after scott to be the chief of staff for the war. He had a Arrogant and inadequate grasp of strategy.

Thaddeus Stevens

Representative in congress that led radical republicans. He used the war to abolish slavery immediately and completely. Of Pennsylvania.

Charles Sumner

Senator of massachusetts that Use the war to abolished slavery immediately and completely. He was a radical republican.

Benjamin Wade

of ohio, he Use the war to abolished slavery immediately and completely. He was a radical republican.

Dorothea Dix

Female nurse during the civil war that brought other females with her that created the U.S. Sanitary Commission

Elizabeth Cady Stanton

Worked with Susan. B Anthony to abolish slavery and women's suffrage and Founded the National Woman's Loyal League

Susan B. Anthony

Worked with Elizabeth Cady Stanton to abolish slavery and women's suffrage and Founded the National Woman's Loyal League

Clara Barton

Important figures in the nursing profession that during the war collected and distributed medical supplies. She Said that the civil war redefined a lot of roles that were placed for women and Founded the American Red Cross.

Jefferson Davis

Mississippi president of the confederate constitutional convention. He was a moderate secessionist before the war and Served as his own secretary of war and was a member of his unstable cabinet; Rarely provided actual national leadership.

Alexander H. Stephens

Georgian Vice president of the confederate constitutional convention. He Argued against secession before the war.

Winfield Scott

Aging hero of the mexican war. Lincoln turned to him to fit in the role as chief of staff capable of orchestrating the union war efforts (created union military techniques). He was Unprepared for how big this problem is an retired and was Replaced with George B. McClellan.

Henry W. Halleck

Was finally appointed by Lincoln as chief of staff after two failed attempts (scott and McClellan). He was an Ineffectual strategist and Left all substantive decision making to the president. (not good)

William Tecumseh Sherman

He Saw beyond his academic training and envision a new kind of warfare, he Believed destructing resources was as important as fighting in the battlefields. He was a Union general.

Charles Francis Adams

American minister to london that Assisted seward while he was secretary of state. He Inherited diplomatic talents from his father and grandfather(john quincy adams and john adams)

Oliver Winchester

Created the repeating rifle which was More important for military purposes and was a Result of iron and steel advances and technology. Made war a lot more dangerous because of the possibility of death (soldiers learned they had to stay low to the ground).

Nathaniel Lyon

Commanded a small army in St. Louis for the union moved his troops into southern missouri to face the secessionist (from Claiborne Jackson). He was killed in battle.

Abraham Lincoln

Won the 1860 election, Southern militant leaders were angry that he won the election
Demanded an end to the union, he was quickly able to establish his own authority although many thought he lacked the political experience. He had a good grasp of strategy and wanted to take down the confederate armies not the south occupying the territory.

James Buchanan

President when they first decided to start succession, told congress that the states didn't have the right to do this but the federal government couldn't stop them if they did

Robert Anderson

union general that garrisoned fort sumter, he refused to surrender to Beauregard when he was asked to and that led to the first shots of the civil war and the fight to begin, he forcefully had to surrender after because the fort began to get bombed and nobody had any food

Ulysses S. Grant

Shared Lincoln's beliefs in making enemy armies and resources the target and not territory therefore making him command the war effort by lincoln. Lincoln let him have a lot of freedom with his plans but always got a broad outline of the plans he was going to make.

Robert E. Lee

Chaired the Committee on the Conduct of the War, Davis named him principal military advisor. He Left richmond to command forces in the field because davis wanted to plan strategy alone. He would become a huge war general on the confederate side.

Braxton Bragg

Named as military advisor and general in chief by Davis (president of the confederacy) and Never provided more than technical advice. Davis didn't want him to do anything because he wanted all the control for himself.

Joseph Hooker

In the beginning of 1863 he was in command of the still formidable army of the potomac (120000 troops) that remained opposite of Fredericksburg. Had a reputation of being a fighter (Fighting Joe). Moved towards lee's army and lost his nerve and drew back to a defensive position in a desolate area of brush and scrub trees.

George C. Meade

After Hooker he Commanded the Union Army of the Potomac. Moved north parallel to Lee or confederate movements. They Met in gettysburg, pennsylvania.

John B. Hood

President davis replaced johnston with him (hood). Twice daringly attacked sherman's army but accomplished nothing except seriously weakening his own forces.