Civil War

Secession - reasons for, arguments justifying

Mvt driven bvy slavery, states’ rgts, & econ diff

• claim rgt 2 leave union voluntarily

• fed gov was apparently “infringing” on state rgts

• Lincoln’s P. victory seen as threat → didn’t need South’s vote 2 win at all

Lincoln’s reaction to secession

Goal: preserve union

• Lincoln refused 2 recognize secession as real

• declare Union = perpetual & states no rgt 2 leave

Confederate State of America - Jefferson Davis

Gov led by Jefferson Davis as P.

• formed by South states 1861 → 2 uphold state rgts & slavery

  • struggle w/ unity, resources, & ldrship

CSA - form of government, weaknesses of

Confed. w/ weak central gov.

• modeled after US Constitution, but w/ strong state pwrs

• lacked strong financial system & industry base

  • difficult 2 supply troops & maintain unity → no central gov 2 enforce ts

Crittenden Compromise

Prop. att 2 prevent war → prot. slavery

• suggest Comp. 1820 line westward

• rejected by Lincoln & reps → no slavery expansion

  • last maj. att. @ comp. b4 war

Fort Sumter

Battle → 1st conflict led 2 Civil War (Battle 0)

• confed. fired on Union in Charleston, SC

• Lincoln called 4 troops → more states secede

  • marked start of war Apr 1861 + confed. victory

Election of 1864

Lincoln won against George McClellan

• Lincoln benefitted from Union military victories

• McClellan (Demo) want peace negotiations

  • victory ensured continuation of war effort

  • landslide victory

Border States - importance of

States remained in Union despite slavery

• included MO, KY, WV, MD, DE

• super important 4 resources, pop. & geography

  • Lincoln worked 2 keep them loyal thru military & pol. means

North - advantages/disadvantages

Advantages:

ind. base, lrger pop., strong navy & railroads, organized, more $$$, good food crops

Disadvantages:

less experienced generals, had 2 conquer vast S. territory

South - advantages/disadvantages

Advantages:

strong military ldrship, homefield advantage (defense game), motivation, more food crops & cash crops

Disadvantages:

weak econ., lack of infrastructure, small pop., thought cotton too important 2 Union & others

Anaconda Plan

Strat aimed 2 strangle South’s econ.

• blockaded South’s ports & ctrlled MS river

• designed by Gen. Winfield Scott

• took years 2 fully implement, but contributed 2 Union victory

  • N. use navy 4 ctrl ports + S. depended on Euro prod.

US-British relations

Br relied on South cotton, but refused 2 recognize CSA

• Union’s blockade hurt Br trd, but Br stay neutral

  • Eman. Proc. discouraged Br supp 4 Confed.

“Cotton Diplomacy”

Strat 2 use cotton 2 gain Euro. supp

• S. hoped Br & Fr would intervene → failed cuz of stockpiles & alt. sources in Euro

  • Br & Fr stay neutral

The Trent Affair

Incident almost caused war btwn US & Br

• Union forces seized confed. diplo. from Br ship

  • Br demanded release, Lincoln complied → showed desire 2 avoid foreign conflicts #lockedin

Impact of slavery on foreign relations

Br & Fr anti-slavery, discouraging recognizing confeds

• Eman. Proc. further isolated confed.

• made it pol. difficult 4 Euro 2 intervene

Emancipation Proclamation - reasons for, constitutional justification, effects of

Order freed (not immediately) slavery in Confed. States (after 1/1/1863)

• issued after Antietam 2 weaken South

• Justified as military necessity under Lincoln’s war pwrs

  • shifted war focus 2 abolish slavery than preserve Union & stopped foreign intervention

  • Euro can’t supp confed. cuz anti-slavery

Homestead Act

Law gave settlers 160 acres of free land

• encouraged west expansion during war

  • strengthened Union econ. & settlement of frontier + benefitted immigrants

Morrill Tariff

Tariff raised import duties 2 prot. N. ind.

• passed by Reps 2 supp war finances

  • helped ind. growth, but angered South → led 2 Civil War

National Bank Act

Law est. nat. banking system

• standardized currency & imp. financial stability

• helped finance Civil War

  • strengthened fed. ctrl over banking

Greenbacks

Paper bills issued 2 fund union war effort

• not backed by gold or silver → led 2 inflation

  • helped stabilize North econ. despite depreciation

Financing the war - North & South

North: bonds, tariffs & greenbacks fund war + nat. banks → good strong econ.

South: print $$$ → severe inflation

Lincoln and the Suspension of Habeas Corpus

Act allow detention w/o trial

• used 2 suppress confed. sympathizers in North (applied in MD specifically)

  • controversial, but upheld as war measure

Martial law

Policy allowed military rule in unstable areas

• used in border states

  • suspended some civil lib. during war

Women in the war

Served as nurses, factory workers, spies

• Clara Barton founded Am Red Cross

• Dorothea Dix: superintendent 4 female nurses

• no real lasting effects

  • took on new roles in agriculture & ind.

African Americans in war

Soldiers served in Union Army after Eman. Proc.

• 54th MA Regiment was famous 4 all-black unit

  • faced discrim., but contributed 2 union victory

NYC draft riots

Violent uprising protested Civil War draft

• took place 1863, led by wrking classmen

• angered directed @ wealthy ppl → paid 4 subs

  • targeted A.A. & Rep supps

Confederate generals

Robert E. Lee: Confed commander, good strategist

Stonewall Jackson: key ldr, died 1863 on accident

Union generals

Ulysses S. Grant: led Union victory, later became president

William Tecumseh Sherman: famous 4 “March 2 Sea → Sherman’s March”

George McClellan: cautious Union gen. → fired by Lincoln, then rehired

First Bull Run

Name of 1st maj. battle in VA

• union forces under Gen. Irvin McDowell attack confed led by Gen. P.G.T Beauregard & Gen. Joseph E. Johnston

• Stonewall Jackson earned nickname → held confed. line

  • outcome: confed. victory → union fled 2 D.C.

  • impact: shattered N’s hopes 4 short war & showed the need 4 armies

  • South thought ts was too ez

Fort Donelson/Fort Henry

Battles → 1 of 1st maj. union victories in TN (led by Grant)

• Fort Henry fell 1st (feb 6) ctrlled by Gen. Lloyd Tilghman

• Donselson surrended (feb 16) → Grant demanded “unconditional & immediate surrender”

  • outcome: union ctrl of TN rivers & boosted Grant’s rep

Shiloh

1 of bloodiest battles of civil war

• union forces under Grant surprised by Gen. Albery Sidney Johnston (confed)

• Johnston killed & Gen. Beauregard took cmd

• Grant counterattack on 2nd day → force confed. retreat

  • outcome: union victory, but 23k casualties

New Orleans

Battle → Union naval forces under Adm. David Farragut attack lrgest confed. city

• confed. fortified MS river, but Union forces bypassed defenses

  • outcome: Union victory → captured New Orleans, confed. econ bad cuz of Union ctrl of MS delta

  • no more Mx supplies 4 South

Monitor vs Merrimac

1st battle btwn ironclad warships

• USS Monitor Union vs CSS Virginia (Merrimac) confed

• draw, but ts revolutionized naval warfare

  • outcome: Union blockade remained intact & wooden warships useless

Peninsular Campaign

Battle → Union Gen. McClellan att 2 capture Richmond, VA

• moved 2 VA peninsula, but too cautious

• Gen Lee & Jackson launched Seven Days Battles (June 25-July 7), forced McClellan 2 retreat

  • outcome: confed. victory; McClellan removed from cmd

Second Bull Run (Manassas)

Battle → confed Lee outmaneuvered Union Gen. John Pope

• Jackson played key role in luring union forces 2 trap

• Lee’s army crushed Union, forcing back 2 D.C.

  • outocome: confed victory, set stage 4 Lee’s invasion of MD + McClellan put back in charge

Antietam

Battle → most bloodiest single dar of Civil War (22k+ casualties)

• Lee invaded MD, hope 2 gain Euro supp

• McClellan found Lee’s battle plans, but failed 2 use it effectively #uselessgeneral

  • outcome: tactical draw, but Lincoln claim victory & issued Eman. Proc.

Fredericksburg

Battle → Union Gen. Ambrose Burnside attack against Lee’s fortified position

• confed troops moved down Union soldiers @ Marye’s Heights

  • outcome: crushing confed. victory; Burnside replaced by H0Oker (profanity :/)

Chancellorsville

Battle → Lee’s good victory but terrible cost

• outnumbered 2:1 → Lee used bold tactics 2 defeat Union Gen. Joseph H0Oker

• Jackson accidentally shot by own men, died ltr Lol

  • outcome: Union victory, gave N full ctrl of MS River

Vicksburg

Grant’s campaign 2 cut confed. in half → capture MS river

• after 6-week seige, confed surrendered on July 4

  • outcome: Union victory, give N full ctrl of MS river

Gettysburg, Pickett’s Charge

Lee’s second & last invasion of North (3 days)

• Pickett’s Charge: confed. frontal assault on Cemetary Ridge failed

  • outcome: Devastated South infrastructure & morale

Grant in Virginia, 1864-1865

Grant pursued Lee aggressively, fighting many bloody battles (Wilderness, Spotsylvania, Cold Harbor)

• seige of Petersburg (June 1864-April 1865) trapped Lee

  • outcome: Grant’s war of attrition forced Lee’s surrender

Appomattox Courthouse

Lee surrendered to Grant @ Appomattox Courthouse, VA

• Grant gave generous terms 2 confed. soldiers

  • outcome: ended Civil War

Robert E. Lee

Led army of N VA, considered South’s vest gen. during Civil War + not rlly in 4 secession/slavery, js rlly loyal 2 VA

• won maj. battles (2nd Bull Run, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville) using tactics & battlefield mastery

• defeat @ Gettysburg (1863) marked T.P. of war, then stayed defense

  • surrended 2 Ulysses S. Grant @ Appomattox Courthouse (Apr 9, 1865)

Stonewall Jackson

“Stonewall” from 1st Bull Run → troops held firm against Union attacks

• tactical genius: Shenandoah Valley campaign (1862) good example of maneuver warfare (defeat many Union ppl w/ small army)

• key role in Chancellorsville: crushed Union forces & secured a confed. victory

• death by accidental shot from own troops @ Chancellorsville → morale decline

Ulysses S. grant

Union’s top gen → rose 2 pop. @ Donelson, Vicksburg & Chattanooga b4 cmd of all Union forces 1864

• used relentless, aggressibe strat. 2 wear down Lee’s army in VA (1864-1865)

• victory & presidency: accepted Lee’s surrender @ Appomattox (1865) & served as 18th US P (1869-1877)

• corruption & reconst.: oversaw reconst. efforts, but stained by corruption, but also fought 4 prot. A.A. rgts

George McClellan

Union gen known 4 transforming Union army 2 disciplined force, but cautious & slow 2 act

• Peninsular Campaign failure: unsuccessful att 2 capture Richmond (1862), retreat despite # superiority

• fired 2x by Lincoln cuz failed @ Antietam 4 failing 2 pursue Lee’s army

• Presidential run (1864): ran against Lincoln as Demo, advocating 4 negotiated peace, but lose due 2 Union victories

William Tecumseh Sherman

Total war strat: introduced total war → target S. infrastructure, railroad, etc

• Sherman’s March (1864): led campaign from Atl 2 Savannah → destroy resources

• helped secure Union victory: capture of Atl boosted Lincoln’s reelection

• post-war: commanding gen. of US army (1869-1883) & oversaw N.A. Wars in west

Charles Francis Adams

Union diplo served as US ambassador 2 Br → prevent Br recognition of Confed.

• helped clean up diplo mess caused by Trent Affair

• blocked sale of confed. warships like laird rams 2 South

• supp. aboliton & reconst. policies

Andrew Johnson

Lincoln’s successor → 17th US P. after Lincoln’s assassination (1865)

• clashed w/ congress → opposed radical rep & tried 2 block reconst. efforts

• impeachment tried (1868): 1st US P impeached 4 violating Tenure of Office Act, but narrowly acquitted

• weak civil rgts stance → allowed Black Codes 2 flourish in South, failing 2 prot. freedmen’s rgts

Thaddeus Stevens

Congressmen rad rep ldr → advocated 4 full A.A. rgts & harsh reconst. policy

• punishment 4 south → want 2 redistribute land 2 former slaves & ensure confed. ldrs no pwrs

• key role in impeaching Johnson → led efforts against him

• help draft 14th Amend → equal prot. under law 4 freed slaves

Hiram Revels

1st A.A US Senator → rep MS (1870-1871)

• advocate 4 A.A. rgts → restore civil rgts & edu. 4 freedom in south

• clashed w/ S. Demo → opp from ex-confed trying 2 reassert white supremacy

• minister & educator → returned 2 MS after leaving senate 2 educate freed A.A.

Mathew Brady

Photographer documented Civil War in unprecedented detail

• images of Antietam, Gettysburg, & other battles brought war’s brutality 2 pub.

• despite impact, died in poverty as gov. refused 2 buy negatives

  • work remains key historical source on Civil War

Clara Barton

Nurse & humanitarian known as Angel of battlefield → treat soldiers during Civil War

• founded American Red Cross (1881)

• pushed 4 women in medical professions & better wartime medical care

• post-war: helped locate & document many soldiers