Topic 5.8 - Military Conflict in the Civil War

Explain the various factors that contributed to the Union victory in the Civil War

Confederate States of America

The Southern states in the US that seceded during the Civil War

The Confederacy modeled its Constitution after the US Constitution (but did not allow its congress to levy a protective tariff or appropriate funds for internal improvements

Jefferson Davis

President of the Confederate States of America

Alexander H. Stephens

Vice President of the Confederate States of America

Second American Revolution

The changes that resulted from the Civil War including: (1) freeing 4 million African Americans; (2) accelerating industrialization and modernization in the North and (3) destroying a good bit of the South

Bull Run

1st major battle of the Civil War (July 1861)

36,000 Union troops marched from DC to Manassas, VA. Initially, Union forces appeared to win, but Confederate reinforcements under “Stonewall” Jackson sent the Union troops running back to Washington

Thomas (Stonewall) Jackson

Confederate general who won the First Battle of Bull Run

Winfield Scott

1st Commanding General (General-in-Chief) of the Union Army

Veteran of the War of 1812 and the Mexican-American War

Anaconda Plan

Strategy employed by Gen. Winfield Scott to use the U.S. Navy to blockade Southern ports (to cut off supplies from reaching the Confederacy

George B. McClellan

Commander of the Union Army in the eastern part of the country.

He invaded Virginia in 1862, but was stopped by Robert E. Lee. Five months in to his tenure, he was forced to retreat and replaced by Gen. John Pope.

Robert E. Lee

Commanding General of the Confederate Army. Widely regarded as a brilliant military strategist, who won many battles in the Civil War (though he ultimately surrendered to Grant)

Antietam

One of most significant battles of the Civil War (though a draw in terms of outcome)

Because the Confederates did not win: No recognition from Britain or France (and therefore no aid/resources

Because the Union did not lose: Lincoln used the partial victory to begin an assault on the institution of slavery

Fredericksburg (December 1862)

1st Battle with Gen. Ambrose Burnside as Union Commander in the East.

The Union suffered large losses - 12,000 dead/wounded (as compared to 5,000 for the Confederates)

Burnside’s aggressive strategy proved to be worse than McClellan being overly cautious

Monitor vs. Merrimac (March 9, 1862)

Naval battle between two “ironclad” ships (Ironclad = a wooden ship covered with metal plates)

The Monitor (Union) engaged the Merrimac (Confederate) in a 5-hour duel. The battle ended in a draw but the Monitor prevented the Merrimac from breaking the Union blockade.

Ulysses S. Grant

Commander of the Union Army in the West

Would go on to become the 18th President of the United States

During his time leading the Western forces, he secured victories at Fort Henry and Fort Donelson (near the Mississippi River) and Shiloh, Tennessee. His movement down the Mississippi River culminated in April 1862 with the capture of New Orleans

Trent Affair (1861)

Confederate diplomats on a British ship were stopped by the Union, removed and brought to the US as prisoners of war. Britain threatened war unless the diplomats were released. Lincoln did release them, but the Confederacy still was not fully recognized by Britain or France.

Alabama

Vicksburg (1863)

Siege led by Gen. Ulysses Grant.

Union Army bombarded the fortified city of Vicksburg, Mississippi for 7 weeks before Confederate forces surrendered on July 4th 

Gettysburg (1863)

Most famous and bloodiest battle of the war. Surprise attack by the Confederates on the Union. lee hoped to take a major Northern city, but ultimately failed and retreated to Virginia

Took place in Pennsylvania

More than 50,000 casualties

Sherman’s March

Tactic of Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman (Union) of engaging in “total” war. Sherman set out on a deliberate path of destruction through Tennessee, Georgia, and South Carolina. His troops destroyed everything in their path

Sherman takes Atlanta in 1864

Sherman completes the campaign in February 1865 by burning Columbia, South Carolina (its capital)

This strategy broke the Confederacy’s will to fight

William Tecumseh Sherman

Union General who worked under Commanding General Ulysses Grant. Responsible for Sherman’s March

Appomattox Court House

Place in Virginia where Gen. Lee surrendered to Gen. Grant on April 9, 1865 effectively ending the Civil War