1861-1862

THE CIVIL WAR

USA vs CSA

USA vs CSAAlso, the US has a strong leader in

President Lincoln and has a well-organized navy

What about the Confederacy?Psychological – fighting for survivalFamiliar territory/ defendingStrong military leaders – Robert E. Lee,

Stonewall Jackson, James Longstreet, Nathan Bedford Forrest

Union StrategyAnaconda Plan

Blockade southern ports and take control of Mississippi River to cut CSA in half

Keep the Border StatesMO, KY, MD, DLSo, not mess with slavery – goal is to save the

Union

Confederacy’s StrategyDefensive War

Make Union suffer casualtiesGain international support

Britain and France

Bull Run/ ManassasJuly 1861VirginiaUSA – General McDowell with 30,000CSA – Generals Johnston and Beauregard

with 32,000Confederate victory thanks to

reinforcementsWhere Stonewall Jackson gets his nameGet new Union general - McClellan

Union Success in the WestFeb 1862

Grant captures Fort Henry and Fort DonelsonCapture 14,000 Confederates

April 1862 – Battle of ShilohTennessee USA – Grant with 67,000 vs CSA – Albert Sydney

Johnston with 45,000Confederates win 1st day but Union reinforcements

arrive 2nd day and defeat them. Johnston is killed25,000 casualties in 2 days – horrified North and

SouthGrant gets the reputation as a butcher

Monitor v. Merrimack

Shenandoah Valley CampaignSpring 1862Stonewall Jackson used

speed and surprise to defeat Union armies totaling 52,000 with only 17,000 men.

Major Confederate victory as Lincoln must take troops away from the Peninsula Campaign to protect Washington DC

Peninsular Campaign/Seven Days Battle

March – July 1862McClellan (US) vs Joseph Johnston (CS) and

later Robert E. LeeUS – 105,000CS – 92,000Lee is aggressiveConfederate VictorySaves the capitalLincoln replaces McClellan

Second Battle of Bull Run/Manassas

August 1862US – John Pope –

62,000CS – Lee – 50,000Confederate VictoryNorth becomes even more demoralizedLee/army is seen asInvincible

Antietam/SharpsburgAfter victories, Lee wants to invade the

North to end the war or win a victory to get international support

Sept 1862 – McClellan finds Lee’s plansUS – McClellan – 75,000CS – Lee- 36,000Bloodiest single day of Civil War as there

are 23,000 casualtiesStalemate but Lee does retreat

Emancipation ProclomationLincoln for the past year realized he could

not avoid slavery issue – but needs a victory so it does not look like desperation

Use AntietamSaid all slaves are free in the rebelling

statesNot free in Border statesActually, did not really free anyone

However, still a turning point b/c it redefined the war for the North – now it is about slavery

FredericksburgDec 1862VirginiaUS – Burnside –

115,000CS – Lee – 73,000Confederates have

good defensesUnion Army loses

14,000CSA Army loses 4,000

Confederate Victory

1863-1864

THE CIVIL WAR

As you come in, think about these questions

What was the Union’s strategy?What was the South’s strategy?What happened at Antietam?What was the Emancipation

Proclamation?Who were the South’s two most brilliant

generals?

The Home FrontWhat the North does while the South is

awayIncome TaxHomestead ActPacific Railroad ActLand Grant College ActLincoln vs CopperheadsLincoln suspends right of habeas corpus

The CSA finds it difficult to pay for the warPrint paper money - inflation

ChancellorsvilleMay 1863VirginiaCS – Lee – 55,000US –Hooker –

132,000Confederate VictoryConsidered Lee’s

greatest victoryJackson is

accidentally shot – dies May 10

VicksburgCity along the Mississippi RiverUnion needed it to control the River

Anaconda PlanGrant’s first few attempts failEventually surrounds the city – under siegeConfederates forces surrender on July 4,

1863Major Union VictoryConfederacy is split in two

GettysburgLee wants to gain international support,

demoralize the Northern public, and end the war, so he invades the North.

GettysburgConfederates were

looking for shoesFind Union cavalry Both sides call in

reinforcementsDay 1 –

Confederates drive Yankees from Gettysburg

Gettysburg – Day 2Lee with 75,000Meade with 92,000Lee hits them on

the right and leftStalemate – Yankees

hold

Gettysburg – Day 3Lee decides to hit

them in the center at Cemetery Ridge

Pickett’s Charge - 13,000 Confederates march ¾ mile in open field

Break thru at one point but are defeated

55% of 13,000 are casualties

Gettysburg – Turning PointUnion Victory

Over 50,000 casualtiesLee retreated back to VirginiaLargest battle of Civil War

Why did Lee lose?Stonewall JacksonJEB StuartGeneral Ewell

1864 – Overland Campaign (May-June)Grant called by Lincoln to head Union Army and

fight against Lee in 1864Plan - inflict losses on South they could not replaceTotal War - hit military and civilian targets to

weaken economy and armyBattles:

Wilderness CS 10,000 vs US 18,000 Spotsylvania CS 12,000 vs US 18,000Cold Harbor CS 3,000 vs US 13,000High Union casualties – North is not happy with

GrantFinally, armies settle in at Petersburg - siege

Sherman’s March to the SeaGeneral Sherman – does Total

War strategy as wellIn spring of 1864, 60,000 begin

their 250 miles march to Savannah, GA.

Allows troops to loot and destroy anything of value

Destroyed railroads, buildings, farms

Captures and burns AtlantaFinally captures Savannah, GA

in Dec 1864

1864 Election: Lincoln vs McClellan

1865

THE CIVIL WAR

Nearing the EndGrant had Lee and Petersburg surrounded

and under siegeGrant’s losses are heavy but he can afford

themLee’s troops are holding but low on food,

ammunition, etc…Possible peace negotiations?

No, b/c US is trying to ratify 13th AmendmentWould abolish slavery

Prison CampsAndersonville – in GA

Hold 10,000, held at one time 32,000Point Lookout – in MD

Hold 10,000, held at one time 50,000Lack of food, medical supplies, and spread

of disease caused thousands to die

The War EndsLee evacuates Petersburg and Richmond

is abandoned in April 1865Decides to surrender at Appomattox Court

HouseSurrenders to Grant on April 9, 1865Other southern forces surrender in the

coming monthsLincoln is assassinated by John Wilkes

Booth on April 14Part of a plot to create chaos in the North

and give South time to regroup

Why the North WonPopulationTechnologyResourcesMilitary leaders (Grant and Sherman)Lincoln

Impact of the WarIndustrial Growth – will continue after the

war in the North, lay foundation for Industrial Revolution

The South and its economy was in ruinsFreed slaves head West – get cheap land

and start freshStill sectional differences but not to the

extent of leading to a war.