0.27 union victory 1864-67

what did Lincoln do in March 1864

appointed Ulysses S. Grant as general-in-chief of all union armies

Sherman took command in the West

what was Grant’s aim

determined to make use of Lincoln’s great manpower planning for ‘simultaneous movement across the line’

• the 115,000 strong Army of Potomac would attack Lee

• Sherman would capture Atlanta and then get into the interior of the enemy

• Nathaniel banks would capture mobile

• Butler’s army at Yorktown would threaten Richmond

• Signel would occupy Shenandoah valley

how can you tell confederacy was desperate for manpower

passed legislation making all men between the ages of 17 and 50 liable for conscription

even with this, rebel forces made less than half those of the union

pros for the confederacy

Johnston improved confederate morale in the west and morale of the army of north virginia was also high

although outnumbered in the campaigns, most rebel soldiers were veterans

while many experienced union troops were due to go home in 1864 when the 3-year enlistment peirod ended

union didn’t enforce veterans to enlist but offered them $400 and 30 days leave around 136,000 re-enlisted - 100,000 decided not to

how did Grants plan work out

did not go to plan

• Banks was defeated in the Red River area

• Butler failed to exert pressure on Richmond

• Union forced in Shenandoah were defeated - rebel force pushed up the valley forcing Grant to send reinforcements to defend the capital

what are the later battles

• Battle of Wilderness + cold harbour - may / june 1864

• Siege of Petersburg - june / april 1864-65 - union victory

• Atlanta campaign - may / september 1864 - union victory

• Sherman’s march through Georgia - november / december 1864 - union victory

what was the Battle of the Wilderness + cold harbour + outcome

Grant focused on defeating Lee’s skilful defence and attack richmond

even with heavy losses he did not retreat

in first 30 days, Grant lost 50,000 men 2x as many as Lee

union losses Wilderness - 18,000

union losses Cold Harbour - 7,000 in an hour

but Lee was also desperately short of men and had lost many of his best officers

the confederacy suffered considerable losses as the war of attrition struck - they couldn’t deal with the losses whereas the union could

Grant known as the ‘Butcher’ - union morale was hit

the siege of Petersburg

union forces threatened richmond and almost captured Petersburg, a crucial railway junction

Beauregard inspired resistance from a small force and saved the day for the confederacy

Lee forced to defend the town, aware the loss would cause loss of richmond

union army tried to blast a war through southern defences, exploding tons of gunpowder below rebel lines, but got bogged down in the crater they created in the explosion and suffered 4,500 casualties

Grant hadn’t yet defeated Lee but had forced him on the defensive and meant he was unable to fight the type of war that he excelled, a war of manouver

Lee abandoned Petersburg

significance of Siege of Petersburg

opened path to Richmond

which lead to the eventual surrender of the confederacy

what does war of attrition mean

war of attrition -

conflict where each side tries to wear down the other

favoured the union

Atlanta Campaign

Sherman left Chattanooga with 100,000 men and headed towards Atlanta - the state capital of Georgia

John Bell Hood replaced Johnston ‘all lion, none of the fox’

a series of attacks on Union lines by Hood resulted in the loss of 20,000 confederates

Hood was forced to abandon Atlanta

Atlanta’s capture was an important boost to northern morale

what was the last hope for the confederacy

that Lincoln would be defeated in the 1864 election

which was a realistic one as lincoln said ‘i am going to be beaten and unless some great change takes place, badly beaten’

what were problems in election

general McClellan was the democrat presidential candidate - would not agree to the peace platform - so party was muddled

Lincoln was not popular with all republicans - many wanted to nominate Grant who said he would not stand

John Fremont created his own political party - radical democrats - which threatened to split the republican vote

republicans chose + rallied around lincoln

how did the war turn to Lincoln’s favour in september

• admiral Farragut won an important naval victory at mobile

• Atlanta fell

• Sheridan was successful in the Shenandoah

Fremont withdrew from the race so election became contest between Lincoln and McClellan

results of 1864 election

Lincoln won 2,213,645 popular vote (55% total) while McClellan won 45%

republicans increased their majorities in both houses of congress

Lincoln received lots of backing from union troops, received 78% soldier vote

Lincoln’s success was the death knell of the confederacy

Sherman’s march through Georgia

Sherman divided his army and set of from Atlanta with 62,000 men on a march through Georgia to Savannah on the coast to ‘make Georgia howl’

union forces captured Savannah in mid December

the 450km march inflicted around $100 million damage on georgia, crippled much of its railway network and gave a lie to the confederate government’s promise of protection for its people

union victory

how did Lincoln approach the end of the confederacy

in his December 1864 address to Congress he spoke confidently of victory - saying union resources were unexhausted and inexhaustible - prospering economy and naval forces larger than ever

confederate vice-president Stephens met with him in feb to try to arrange peace. Lincoln would not compromise on slavery or disunion

confederate surrender

Lee met Grant at Appomattox house on 10th april

he surrendered

grant was generous in victory - confederate troops could keep their side-arms and horses and he gave the hungry rebels union army rations

his surrender was effectively the end of the war

although davis encouraged the confederacy to fight on most southerners showed no interest in guerrilla war

then Johnston surrendered to Sherman

Davis was captured