The War Between the States

aka – The American Civil War

The Proper Name

The Congressional Record of March 2, 1928, reports Senate joint resolution No. 41 wherein Congress recognized the title "War Between The States" as proper:

"A War was waged from 1861 to 1865 between two organized governments: the United States of America, and the Confederate States of America. These were the official titles of the contending parties.

"It was not a "Civil War", as it was not fought between two parties within the same government.

"It was not a "War of Secession", for the Southern States seceded without a thought of war. The right of a State to secede had never been questioned.

"It was not a "War of Rebellion" for sovereign, independent States, co-equal, can not rebel against each other.

"It was a "War between the States", because twenty-two non-seceding States made war upon eleven seceding States to coerce them back into the Union of States. It was not until after the surrender of 1865 that secession was decided to be unconstitutional."

The Road to War

The Election of 1860 - With the ascension of the Republican party to power, Southerners feared a legislative attack on their society

Dec. 20, 1860 - South Carolina seceded

Feb., 1861 - Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Louisiana, and Texas secede

April 15, 1861 - Virginia, North Carolina, Arkansas, and Tennessee secede After Fort SumterAfter Lincoln’s call for troops

The Road To War

War Aims:North - Restore the Union

South - Achieve independence

Strategy:North - Take the offensive. Achieve war aim by conquest, subjugation & complete military victory

South - Stand on defense. Avoid defeat until Northern population tires of war. Seek European recognition

The Road to War

Correlation of Forces:

Population size - Advantage: North

Financial strength - Advantage: North

Industrial strength - Advantage: North

Political strength - Advantage: North

Political unity - Advantage: Draw

The imponderables - ?

The Road to War

Production Capacity

The Eastern Theater

The Western Theater

The Trans-Mississippi Theater

Strategies

Northern strategyNorthern strategy

Achieve military victory through a process of annihilation and exhaustion.

Southern strategySouthern strategy

Avoid military defeat while seeking a solution diplomatically.

Strategies

North StrategyAchieve military victory through a process of annihilation and exhaustion.

1. Seal off the eastern seaboard

2. Seal off the Mississippi River

3. Seal off the northern border with massive armies.

4. Large scale raids to destroy enemy’s logistical base (added later by Grant)

Key Tasks of the USA

1. Control the Mississippi River

2. Liberate East Tennessee

3. Wage incessant military activity in Virginiaa. Primary goal - destroy Army of Northern

Virginia

b. Secondary goal - capture Richmond

4. Maintain effective blockade

Strategies

Southern strategyAvoid military defeat while seeking a diplomatic solution.

1. Should South stand on defensive or attack?

2. Which theater of war was most vital?

3. Davis wavered

Key Tasks of the CSA

1. Avoid destruction of the army

2. Prevent deep penetrations

3. Convince England that the South can win

4. Demoralize the northern population

War in the East

1861 - 1862

War in the West

1862

Battle of Hampton Roads

9 March 1862

War in the East

1862

Strategic Balance

1862

Emancipation Proclamation

Abraham Lincoln: “If I could save the Union without freeing any slave, I would do it; if I could save the Union by freeing all the slaves, I would do it; If I could do it by freeing some and leaving others alone, I would also do that. What I do about slavery and the colored race, I do because I believe it helps save the Union.”

William Seward (Sec. State): “We show our sympathy with slavery by emancipating slaves where we cannot reach them, and holding them in bondage where we can set them free.”

Emancipation ProclamationThat on the first day of January, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, all

persons held as slaves within any State or designated part of a State, the people whereof shall then be in rebellion against the United States, shall be then, thenceforward, and forever free;

Now, therefore I, Abraham Lincoln, President of the United States, by virtue of the power in me vested as Commander-in-Chief, of the Army and Navy of the United States in time of actual armed rebellion, and as a fit and necessary war measure for suppressing said rebellion, do order and designate as the States and parts of States wherein the people thereof respectively, are this day in rebellion against the United States, the following, to wit: Arkansas, Texas, Louisiana, (except the Parishes …) Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Virginia, (except the forty-eight counties designated as West Virginia, and also …

And I further declare and make known, that such persons of suitable condition, will be received into the armed service of the United States to garrison forts, positions, stations, and other places, and to man vessels of all sorts in said service.

And upon this act, sincerely believed to be an act of justice, warranted by the Constitution, upon military necessity, I invoke the considerate judgment of mankind, and the gracious favor of Almighty God.

By the President: ABRAHAM LINCOLN

Lee’s Invasion Goals

1863Get fighting out of Virginia and away from Richmond

Relieve pressures on armies in Tennessee and Mississippi

Acquire badly needed food and supplies

Hoped decisive victory on northern soil would lead to recognition by England

Hoped to demoralize North so South could present peace proposal

Battle of Gettysburg

1 – 3 July 1863

The Mississippi Valley

Strategic Balance

1863