The Civil War: Key Events and Figures

Election of Lincoln and Southern Secession

• Lincoln elected President in 1860 without winning any Southern states.
• South Carolina secedes from the Union, recalling their earlier attempt to nullify the Tariff of Abominations.
• Lincoln's stance: He won't free slaves where slavery exists but opposes slavery's expansion.
• Southern perception: They believe in an abolitionist conspiracy against slavery.
• December 1860: South Carolina secedes; other Deep South states follow.
• Confederate capital: Montgomery, Alabama.
• Jefferson Davis: Elected as Confederate president.

Fort Sumter and the Start of the Civil War

• Issue: Federal army holds Fort Sumter in Charleston, South Carolina.
• Lincoln's dilemma: Decide whether to resupply or abandon Fort Sumter.
• Lincoln's action: He informs South Carolina he's sending provisions only, not arms.
• South Carolina's response: Governor sends General Beauregard to take the fort.
• April 12, 1861: Beauregard's forces shell Fort Sumter.
• Federal forces surrender: The Civil War officially begins at Fort Sumter.

Border States' Decision

• Border states (green on the map): They haven't decided whether to secede.
• These states are slave-holding but have internal controversy over secession.
• Fort Sumter's fall forces a decision.
• Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Arkansas: Choose to join the Confederacy.
• Missouri, Kentucky, Maryland, Delaware: Slave-holding states that remain in the Union w/some internal Confederate support.
• West Virginia: Broke off from Virginia to stay in the Union due to opposition to secession.
• Robert E. Lee: A Virginian who opposed secession. He declined command of federal forces, unable to fight against his home state of Virginia.

Resources and Advantages

• Initial assessment: On paper, the North seems more likely to win.
• Analogy: Similar to how Great Britain seemed likely to win the American Revolution.
• Southern perspective: They see it as a war for Southern independence and believe they can win.
• Northern advantages:
  • Greater population: More men for the military.
  • Manufacturing: They have robust production capabilities for supplies (clothing, arms).
  • Railroads: 70% of the nation's railroads are in the North, facilitating troop and supply movement.
• Southern advantages:
  • Agriculture: Food and draft animals are available.
  • Cotton: Their cash crop has economic importance.
  • Defensive war: They are fighting on familiar territory.
• Union disadvantages:
  • War of conquest: Fighting in Southern territory.
  • Supply lines: Vulnerable and require foraging.
  • Cash crops: Tobacco and Cotton are primary crops vs. consumable crops for the troops.
• Initial military strength: The South initially has enough men for a reasonable fight.

Challenges of War

• Confederate challenges: Creating a new nation from scratch (government offices, constitution, post office).
• Union challenges: Losing military officers and government clerks to the Confederacy.

Leaders

• Abraham Lincoln:
  • President of the US, a farmer from Indiana/Illinois.
  • Often underestimated as uneducated, but he was self-taught and wise.
  • He took decisive action without congressional approval after Fort Sumter (expanding the army/navy, suspending habeas corpus, ordering a naval blockade, approving military expenditures).
• Jefferson Davis:
  • President of the Confederacy, grew up in comfortable circumstances on a cotton plantation.
  • Attended Transylvania University and West Point.
  • Fought in the Mexican War and served as US Senator and Secretary of War.
  • He was an aristocratic Southerner with significant experience.

Early Expectations and the First Battle of Bull Run

• Public sentiment: Both sides expect a quick victory.
• Short-term enlistments: Both presidents initially call for short-term enlistments.
• Capitals: The Confederate capital moves to Richmond, Virginia, close to Washington DC.
• Southern confidence: They believe they are better warriors due to their outdoor upbringing.
• First Battle of Bull Run: General McDowell (Union) vs. General PGT Beauregard (Confederacy).
• Battle naming: The North names battles after nearby bodies of water (Bull Run), while the South names them after nearby towns (Manassas).
• The battle: Fought at Manassas Junction/Bull Run Creek. It was a messy, disorganized affair.
• Civilian spectators: People from Washington DC came to watch the battle like a show.
• Stonewall Jackson: General Thomas Jackson earns his nickname at this battle for holding his position.
• Confederate victory: The federal army retreats to Washington DC.
• Consequences: Poor training is evident on both sides, and short-term enlistments are ending.
• Leadership change: Lincoln replaces General McDowell with General George McClellan due to McDowell's loss. McClellan proves overly cautious