THE CIVIL WAR, 1861-THE CIVIL WAR, 1861-18651865

BASIC FACTSBASIC FACTS

United States of United States of America=Union, aka The America=Union, aka The North; President is LincolnNorth; President is Lincoln

Confederate States of Confederate States of America= Confederacy, aka America= Confederacy, aka The South; President is The South; President is Jefferson DavisJefferson Davis

1860—Lincoln is elected President1860—Lincoln is elected PresidentBy February 1861, 7 states leave the UnionBy February 1861, 7 states leave the Union

The War Begins…• April 1861—Lincoln tries to resupply Union troops at Fort Sumter in the harbor at Charleston, SC• Confederates bomb the fort• FOUR more states leave the Union

The bombardment of Fort Sumter

4 slave states stayed with the Union4 slave states stayed with the Union1 new state got created (West Virginia)1 new state got created (West Virginia)

Northern AdvantagesNorthern Advantages Population: Population: 22 million vs. South’s 9 22 million vs. South’s 9

millionmillion

Economic advantageEconomic advantage: 85% of U.S. : 85% of U.S. industryindustry

Railroads: Railroads: 20,000 miles of track vs. 20,000 miles of track vs.

9000 miles9000 miles

Control ofControl of U.S.U.S. Navy: Navy: used the used the Anaconda Plan to blockade the SouthAnaconda Plan to blockade the South

Southern AdvantagesSouthern Advantages

defensivedefensive warwar

excellent military leadershipexcellent military leadership

Robert E. LeeRobert E. Lee•Served in the Mexican War.

•Lincoln asked him to lead the Union Army but he said no.

•Opposed secession and slavery but said he could not fight against his home state of Virginia.

Commander of the Confederate Army

Battle of Bull Run / ManassasBattle of Bull Run / ManassasThe first major battle of the Civil War,

July 1861

BULL RUN

Confederate victory

North was shamed; realized the fight would be long

South got overconfident

Fighting ConditionsFighting Conditions

Lack of Lack of supplies supplies

Disease, Disease, malnutrition malnutrition and infectionand infection took the lives took the lives of over 65% of of over 65% of the soldiersthe soldiers

A Union doctor gets ready to amputate a soldiers leg. Amputations were a very common procedure during the war.

FIVE OBJECTIVES FIVE OBJECTIVES OF UNION STRATEGYOF UNION STRATEGY

Blockade the coastBlockade the coastLiberate slaves/undermine economy of the Liberate slaves/undermine economy of the SouthSouthCut Confederacy in half by seizing Cut Confederacy in half by seizing Mississippi RiverMississippi RiverChop the Confederacy to pieces by Chop the Confederacy to pieces by sending troops through Georgia and the sending troops through Georgia and the CarolinasCarolinasCapture Richmond, the Confederate Capture Richmond, the Confederate capitalcapital

Merrimack (Virginia) vs. Merrimack (Virginia) vs. MonitorMonitor

Battle of the first Battle of the first ironclad shipsironclad ships

Antietam, MD—September 1862Antietam, MD—September 1862

AntietamAntietam

Confederate soldier dropped battle plans Confederate soldier dropped battle plans wrapped around a cigar packwrapped around a cigar pack

Union “victory” and turning point in the warUnion “victory” and turning point in the war

Hopes of European aid for the South dimHopes of European aid for the South dim

Lincoln issues the Emancipation Lincoln issues the Emancipation ProclamationProclamation

Emancipation Emancipation ProclamationProclamation

Effective January 1, Effective January 1, 18631863

Freed slaves in areas Freed slaves in areas rebelling against the rebelling against the Union (NOT those in Union (NOT those in border states)border states)

Mixed reactionsMixed reactions

Chancellorsville, VA—May Chancellorsville, VA—May 18631863

The Confederacy wins with a surprise attack The Confederacy wins with a surprise attack from behind Union forces from behind Union forces

But Stonewall Jackson was mistakenly shot But Stonewall Jackson was mistakenly shot late in the day by his own men and died days late in the day by his own men and died days later.later.

Jackson is buried in Lexington, KY, but his Jackson is buried in Lexington, KY, but his arm is buried 100 miles away where it was arm is buried 100 miles away where it was

amputated.amputated.

Gettysburg—July 1-3, Gettysburg—July 1-3, 18631863

GettysburgGettysburg Lee tries to invade the North Lee tries to invade the North Lee’s army was short on supplies, Lee’s army was short on supplies,

and the North is where they would be and the North is where they would be able to raid towns for food, clothes able to raid towns for food, clothes and other necessities.and other necessities.

He hopes that Northern public He hopes that Northern public support would drop and bring about support would drop and bring about an end to the War.an end to the War.

75,000 Confederates in 75,000 Confederates in Pennsylvania!Pennsylvania!

The first shots The first shots are fired by are fired by Illinois Cavalry Illinois Cavalry when a Southern when a Southern raiding party raiding party was discovered was discovered coming into coming into Gettysburg Gettysburg looking for looking for shoes.shoes.

This was the only This was the only major battle major battle fought in the fought in the NorthNorth

Sample battle maps

Day 2: Little Round TopDay 2: Little Round Top

Little Round Top after the Battle

Cemetery RidgeCemetery Ridge

The weapons were more advanced The weapons were more advanced than the tacticsthan the tactics

Day 3: Pickett’s ChargeDay 3: Pickett’s Charge

On the 3On the 3rdrd day of the battle, Lee orders 15,000 men day of the battle, Lee orders 15,000 men under Gen. George Pickett to assault the center of the under Gen. George Pickett to assault the center of the Union line. They must cross a half mile of open ground Union line. They must cross a half mile of open ground to get there.to get there.

Casualties after 3 days at Gettysburg – Union: 23,000; Confederacy: 28,000. Gettysburg permanently turned the tide of the war for the North.

From that point on Lee’s army was hurting.

Matthew Brady’s photos of Civil War battlefields Matthew Brady’s photos of Civil War battlefields presented the horrors of the war to the public presented the horrors of the war to the public

in a way they had never seen before.in a way they had never seen before.

Gettysburg Address: 272 words that Gettysburg Address: 272 words that provide hope for liberty worldwideprovide hope for liberty worldwide

Meanwhile….Meanwhile….Out WestOut West

Battle of Shiloh, TN—Battle of Shiloh, TN—April 1862April 1862

Shiloh was a particularly gory northern “victory.”

Casualties from the entire Revolutionary War: 4,500Casualties from two days at the Battle of Shiloh: 23,500

Battle of New Orleans, Battle of New Orleans, spring 1862—Farragut spring 1862—Farragut commands the troopscommands the troops

Battle of Vicksburg, 1863Battle of Vicksburg, 1863

Goals: control of the Mississippi River and cutting Goals: control of the Mississippi River and cutting off Confederate supply routesoff Confederate supply routes

Vicksburg factsVicksburg facts Siege ended July 4, 1863Siege ended July 4, 1863 Confederate garrison was so hungry that Confederate garrison was so hungry that

men were eating rats and mules to men were eating rats and mules to survivesurvive

Union victory came one day after the Union victory came one day after the victory at Gettysburg and victory at Gettysburg and ended any ended any hope that the Confederacy had of hope that the Confederacy had of getting foreign aid from England or getting foreign aid from England or FranceFrance

Ulysses S. GrantUlysses S. Grant Grant’s victory at Grant’s victory at

Vicksburg gave the Vicksburg gave the Union control of the Union control of the Mississippi River.Mississippi River.

Grant was an Grant was an aggressive military aggressive military leader and always leader and always wanted to push his wanted to push his army forward.army forward.

The North’s most The North’s most effective general.effective general.

Atlanta and Sherman’s Atlanta and Sherman’s March to the SeaMarch to the Sea

Facts about the Facts about the March to the March to the SeaSea

Sherman’s men captured Atlanta in Sherman’s men captured Atlanta in September 1864 and burned the citySeptember 1864 and burned the city

They then cut a 60-mile-wide path of They then cut a 60-mile-wide path of destruction during their 250 mile destruction during their 250 mile journey southeast to Savannahjourney southeast to Savannah

Soldiers burned buildings, tore up Soldiers burned buildings, tore up railroad tracks and shaped them into railroad tracks and shaped them into pretzels, and ran off with souvenirs pretzels, and ran off with souvenirs after looting townsafter looting towns

William Tecumseh William Tecumseh ShermanSherman

Ruins in Charleston, SCRuins in Charleston, SC

As the Union reached As the Union reached Victory. . .Victory. . . Grant fought a “war of Grant fought a “war of

attrition” and pressed on attrition” and pressed on until the South ran out of until the South ran out of men, supplies and the men, supplies and the will to fightwill to fight

The Wilderness The Wilderness Campaign (Grant vs. Campaign (Grant vs. Lee) led to high numbers Lee) led to high numbers of casualties and brutal of casualties and brutal guerilla warfare as the guerilla warfare as the Union tried to capture Union tried to capture Richmond, Virginia Richmond, Virginia

Appomattox Courthouse, April Appomattox Courthouse, April 9, 18659, 1865

Lee Surrenders at Lee Surrenders at AppomattoxAppomattox

Lee meets with Grant to sign terms of Lee meets with Grant to sign terms of surrender in Appomattox Courthouse, surrender in Appomattox Courthouse, VirginiaVirginia

Lee thought Grant’s terms were Lee thought Grant’s terms were generous.generous. The Confederate Army had to turn over The Confederate Army had to turn over

its arms and provide lists of its men.its arms and provide lists of its men. After that, all Confederate soldiers After that, all Confederate soldiers

could go home.could go home. Officers could keep their side-arms, Officers could keep their side-arms,

horses and baggage.horses and baggage. 40 hours after Jefferson Davis fled 40 hours after Jefferson Davis fled

Richmond, Lincoln sat in his office and Richmond, Lincoln sat in his office and walked the streets of the former walked the streets of the former Confederate capital.Confederate capital.

Casualties of warCasualties of war

Casualty rates for many Civil War battles were at 50%. Nowadays a 10% casualty rate is considered a “bloodbath”

Some regiments that began with around 1,500 men would be reduced to less than 300 in a year.

Toll the war took on the countryToll the war took on the country Over 600,000 people died, which is more than the Over 600,000 people died, which is more than the

total deaths in all other US wars from 1776-1991total deaths in all other US wars from 1776-1991 $15 billion in losses$15 billion in losses

Southern economy paralyzedSouthern economy paralyzed

Ended ideas about secession and nullificationEnded ideas about secession and nullification

Ended slavery in the USEnded slavery in the US

Despite the destruction, the war served as Despite the destruction, the war served as inspiration for the champions of democracy in the US inspiration for the champions of democracy in the US and around the world….though the road to equality and around the world….though the road to equality would be difficult for African-Americanswould be difficult for African-Americans