Civil War Part Two
This Video Lecture – Civil War Part Two, focuses on the grand strategy for the Union in 1861, crafted by General Winfield Scott, which became crucial for their success throughout the Civil War despite changes in leadership. This strategy is known as the Anaconda Plan and it had three primary aims:
Defend Washington, D.C.: The Union aimed to protect the capital at all costs while simultaneously applying pressure on the Confederate capital in Richmond, Virginia.
Blockade Southern Ports: The Union would initiate a blockade of southern ports to restrict the movement of goods and finances within the Confederacy.
Invade and Divide the Confederacy: The Union planned to invade the Confederacy strategically, utilizing major waterways to sever Confederate land, thereby allowing different Union generals to implement region-specific strategies that best suited their respective fighting conditions.
The tactic of engaging around waterways is foundational to the Anaconda Plan, which aimed to split the Confederacy into manageable sections for targeted military efforts.
The Confederacy's Absence of a Grand Strategy
In contrast to the Union's cohesive strategy, the Confederacy lacked a well-defined grand strategy and experienced operational challenges throughout the war. As a result, the Confederate enlistment numbers dwindled, prompting the need for conscription by 1862 due to their smaller population.
Reasons for Confederate Conscription
The Confederacy developed multiple methods for individuals to be exempted from military service:
Buying a Substitute: Individuals could pay for someone to serve in their place, often promising rewards, such as land.
Cash Payment: Exemption was available for a fee of around , equivalent to approximately today, required in liquid cash, which placed a heavy burden on families with multiple sons.
Slave Ownership Exemption: A man could be exempted for every slaves owned, allowing wealthy planters with numerous slaves to avoid conscription for all their sons.
These practices resulted in the perception of the war being a conflict where the affluent skirted the draft while the poor bore the brunt of the fight, reinforcing the notion that it was a rich man's war and a poor man's fight.
The Maryland Campaign and the Battle of Antietam
In 1862, as part of an ill-fated plan by General Robert E. Lee, the Union attempted to achieve a decisive victory by invading Maryland. This plan necessitated the Confederate forces' division, which posed considerable risks as divided forces are more vulnerable to attack.
Lee detailed his operational strategy and shared logistical information via letters wrapped around bundles of cigars, but one of these bundles was lost, and the plan was discovered by Union soldiers.
General George McClellan, who had assumed command after Scott's retirement, received this critical intelligence.
Despite being given an opportunity to decisively confront Lee's army, McClellan hesitated for sixteen hours, allowing Lee’s forces to regroup near Antietam Creek.
The Battle of Antietam, occurring on September 17, 1862, lasted twelve hours and was the bloodiest single day of the Civil War, resulting in approximately casualties. McClellan's failure to pursue the retreating Confederate army after this battle is regarded as a significant leadership failure.
Issues Surrounding Fugitive Slaves
As military officials in the Union began encountering runaway slaves seeking refuge, they faced uncertainty regarding the legal status of these individuals in relation to the Compromise of 1850 and the Federal Fugitive Slave Act.
The Complications of Emancipation
By 1863, President Abraham Lincoln recognized the need to address the issue of emancipation for several reasons:
Financial Enrichment of the South: Returning fugitive slaves only bolstered the Confederate war effort by providing forced labor.
Evolving Public Sentiment: The violence of the war had catalyzed a shift in public sentiment in the North towards abolitionism, as there was a growing desire to punish the South.
Preventing Foreign Alliances: Clear stances on emancipation would help deter foreign powers from aligning with the South, particularly to maintain cotton trade.
On January 1, 1863, Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation which declared that all enslaved persons in states rebelling against the U.S. were to be free. It is paramount to note that this decree did not liberate all slaves in Union-controlled territories, only those in the Confederacy, allowing those escaped to join Union military camps and fight.
Militant Involvement of African Americans
Following the Emancipation Proclamation, approximately African American Union Soldiers enlisted in the Union Army, constituting about 10% of its total military force. The majority of these soldiers were either former slaves or free blacks from the South. Notably, many non-enlisted free blacks from the North were deterred by the potential consequences of capture, fearing enslavement.
African American Soldiers' Experiences
The Civil War resulted in the deaths of around black soldiers, highlighting the high stakes faced by these combatants. Conversely, due to the dire situation in the South, an escalation in malaria and increased populations of insects created additional challenges for the Confederate populace.
Environmental Impact of the Civil War
The Civil War drastically impacted the environment, with more than horses dying daily. Widespread destruction affected forests, and deliberate actions such as destroying levees led to significant flooding. As a result, malarial outbreaks became commonplace, exacerbated by the destruction of infrastructure and unburied carcasses polluting the ground.
The Gettysburg Address
In November 1863, President Lincoln was invited to deliver a speech at Gettysburg, following a monumental battle that left numerous casualties. His Gettysburg Address emphasized the values of liberty and equality foundational to the nation, as well as the sacrifices made by soldiers to preserve the possibility of survival for the Union.
Key quotes include:
“…that this nation under God shall have a new birth of freedom, and that government of the people, by the people, for the people shall not perish from the earth.”
Shifts in Military Strategy by Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant progressed military tactics from a limited engagement strategy to a total war approach, focusing on destroying Southern economic resources and the morale of the civilian population. His strategy involved more aggressive engagements:
Grant noted, "find out where your enemy is. Get him as soon as you can. Strike him as hard as you can and as often as you can and keep moving on."
The Campaign of Sherman's March
General William Tecumseh Sherman implemented a militaristic strategy aimed at destroying the heart of the Confederacy by targeting agricultural and infrastructural resources—targeting plantations and cotton fields. Sherman argued for civilian suffering to expedite military surrender. Despite criticisms of violence, accounts reveal there were no credible incidents of pillage or assault by Union soldiers.
Lincoln’s Second Inauguration
In his Second Inaugural Address on March 4, 1865, President Abraham Lincoln addressed a war-weary nation, reflecting on the conflict with a tone of reconciliation and a call for national unity. He famously articulated, "With malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in, to bind up the nation's wounds, to care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan, to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations."
Final Days of the Confederacy
By 1865, defeat was imminent for the Confederacy as they found themselves besieged. President Jefferson Davis resisted surrender, insisting on fighting until the last man. However, by May 10, 1865, Davis was captured while attempting to escape. Following Davis's capture, General Lee sought to concede, leading to formal discussions with Grant.
The Surrender at Appomattox
In a notable encounter, Lee, dressed impeccably, met with Grant, who was disheveled and muddy. During the surrender discussions, Grant permitted Lee's men to keep their horses and firearms, facilitating a dignified retreat home for Confederate soldiers. Grant's magnanimity was evident as he ordered his troops to salute the departing Confederate army, signifying a significant moment of reconciliation.
Aftermath of the Civil War
The Statistics of the Civil War clearly show its devastating impact as it culminated in a casualty count of approximately 620,000 soldiers, more than the U.S. deaths in World War II. The war yielded substantial societal and political impacts and led to the passage of three critical amendments:
Thirteenth Amendment: Abolished slavery throughout the United States.
Fourteenth Amendment: Granted citizenship and equal protection under the law to all persons born or naturalized in the U.S.
Fifteenth Amendment: Ensured voting rights for African American men.
The Assassination of President Lincoln by John Wilkes Booth
Tragically, just five days after General Lee's surrender at Appomattox, President Abraham Lincoln was assassinated by John Wilkes Booth on April 14, 1865, while attending a play at Ford's Theatre in Washington, D.C. This act of violence deeply shocked the nation and cast a shadow over the Union's hard-won victory, complicating the process of national healing and Reconstruction.
Conclusion
The Civil War initiated a transformative era in U.S. history, leaving enduring scars physically, psychologically, and politically. As the course explores the Reconstruction era, students should reflect on how these amendments shaped the nation.