Chapter 11 Museum

By:

Matt Jacobson, Jenny Pollack, and Lauren Rothfeld

Significance of the Battles• Bull Run (1st and 2nd)

– The first battle of Bull Run was the first major battle of the Civil war.– It shattered the Union's hope of winning the Civil War quickly and easily. – It was an indication that this would be a long and bloody war and would require new

leadership and improved training to prepare the federal troops for sustained action in the field.

– The confederates won.

2nd battle– For the 2nd battle, Lincoln ordered McClellan to come back DC and put general John Pope

in over all command.– Lee order Stonewall Jackson to circle around the forces and attack the rear.– After marching 50 miles in days, Jackson struck behind Pope’s army.– McClellan was put back in over all command. – The confederates won again.

Significance of the Battles

• Battle of Antietam– Lee wanted to win a battle on the Northern soil.– Army went around the Union’s.– McClellan learned this but waited 16 hours.– Then Lee learned McClellan was going to attack so he prepared. – They fought in September 1852– Lee= 40,000 troops. McClellan=75,000 with another 25,000 able

to join his army.– Union suffered 12,000 causalities and Lee suffered 14,000

causalities.– Lee went back to Virginia.– Lincoln ordered McClellan to chase after Lee but he didn’t.– This was the single bloodiest day of the war.

Significance of the Battles• War in west:• Fort Henry and Donelson

– In February of 1862, Grant advanced South around the Tennessee River with more than 15,000 troops and several gunboats.

– Grant’s objective was Fort Henry and Donelson in the Confederates state of Tennessee.– On February 6th the Union gunboats pounded Fort Henry into surrender before Grant even arrived.– After 3 days Fort Donelson surrender too.– Northern were happy that they finally won. Southerners worried that the loss of the Forts showed too

much of their region. – Grant and about 42,000 soldiers went farther South along Tennessee to Mississippi.

• Battle of Shiloh– Grant’s army advanced toward Corinth, Mississippi to an important railroad near the border of

Tennessee and Mississippi.– Confederate General Albert Sidney Johnston gathered troops throughout the region to halt the Union

advanced.– When Grant’s forces approached, Johnston had an army of about 40,000 soldiers.– On April 6, 1862, Johnston’s forces surprised some of Grant’s troops.– The Union suffered more than 13,000 causalities and the Confederates suffered nearly 11,000.– General Johnston was killed.

• Action on Mississippi– Union forces were moving up to Mississippi River from the Gulf of Mexico trying to force the

Confederate army to split in half.– Union captured Baton Rouge, Louisiana and Natchez, Mississippi.– June 6th the Union navy seized Memphis, Tennessee and only two major post on the Mississippi River

remained in Confederates control.

Preparation for War

• North:– Congress ordered the President to raise an

army of a million soldiers for a 3 year investment.

• South:– The confederates begin to worry

Strengths of each side

• North– Had 21.5 million people.– Had 21,700 millions of

railroad.– Had 110,100 factories.

• South– Had better leaderships.– 7 of 8 military colleges

were in the south. They had most officers on their side.

– Army only had to repel Northern advances.

– Many southerners were eager to fight considering the war a struggle for their way of life.

Military Strategies• Confederates:

– Their strategy was to prepare and wait and hope Lincoln lets them leave in peace.

– To stop exporting cotton. They believed that when Britain and France’s textile mills could no longer receive southern cotton, they would help the south get its independence just to get their cotton back. Instead Europeans turned to Indian and Egypt for their cotton.

– War of Attrition • When one side continually forces a loss on the enemy to wear them down.• Southerners counted on forces defending against Union attacks until the Northerners

lose their will to fight.

• Union:– They blockaded seceded states.– Used troops and gun boats to get control of the Mississippi River, cutting the

south in two.– The Anaconda Plan was put into effect.

• It was named after a snake that squeezes its prey.• They thought that by cutting off Confederate supplies it would end the war quickly.

Technology-weapons and warships

• Tactics and Technology:– By the time of the Civil War, gun makers knew that

bullet-shaped ammunition drifted less as it flew through the air then a round ball, the older type of ammunition.

– They used bullets and muskets– Instead of relying on iron cannon balls, gunners now

used shells, a devise that exploded in the air or when they hit something.

– Artillery often fired canister, a special type of shell filled with bullets this turned cannons into giant shot guns.

Technology-weapons and warships Cont.

• Weapons and Warships– The Monitor was a northern warship entirely made of iron.

• President Lincoln ordered this.– Merrimack was a southern wooden warship with iron plates

bolted to the sides.• It sailed toward the Union blockade and was hit with cannonballs but

they bounced off the iron plates.• It destroyed the 3 most powerful ships in the Union navy.

The two ships fought on March 9, 1862. Neither was able to do any serious damage. After several hours the Merrimack withdrew.

The Confederates blew up the Merrimack in May 1862The Monitor sunk in a storm the same year.

Politics• South:

– The confederate constitution was similar to the US constitution.– The confederate constitution had state and slave rights.– There was a worry that the south would not have enough troops to fight in the war.– The solution: Robert E. Lee suggested a draft.– People opposed to a strong central government. They felt that this violated the states

rights.– The south wanted volunteers to enter the war. In April 1862, Congress required 3 years of

military service for all white men from ages 18-35.– People could pay another person to go to war or pay the government.– Impact of states rights:

• Local authorities sometimes refused to work with draft officials• Countries in some states controlled by draft dodgers and deserters.• ¼ of confederates eligible refused to cooperate.• May 1861 confederates government sent representatives to Britain and France.

• North:– Lincoln had to convince the North that the Union was worth it.– There were tension between Britain and The Union because Britain were friendly to the

Confederates. – There were no more southern democrats in congress.– Congress raised tariff rates to protect northern industries. – Congress passed a first income tax in American history.– Created Greenbacks.

Copperheads

• Democrats still in congress who said that if we follow the republican policies, a flood of freed blacks will come North and take jobs away from whites.– Radical copperheads tried to get the Union

soldiers to desert the army and other Northerners to resist the draft.

• It was an emergency rule by military authorities, during which some bill of rights guarantees are suspended

Slavery as an issue in the war

• The South wanted its slaves, but the North wanted them to be free

• Slavery was one of the main issues why the Civil War started.

• Although Lincoln personally opposed slavery he thought he didn’t have the legal authority to abolish it.

• Lee was retreating south from Antietam, Lincoln announced that slaves in areas there were in rebel against the US on January 1st, 1863 would be freed but the slaves in Union territory wouldn’t be freed.– Legally freed zero slaves.Reactions– Condemned in South and debated in North.– North wanted all slaves to be freed.

African-Americans in the War

• The Emancipation Proclamation would allow freed slaves to be in the war.

• The only other way is if they were paid by a rich white man who didn’t want to go into the army.

Contraband Issues

• Possessions owned by one side in a war. Generally accepted that contraband could be seized by the enemy. A union general Benjamin Butler reasoned that if the slaves are property, then when Union soldiers find them, they are contraband now owned by the union. The union could then free them.– The freed slaves often helped non-combat

jobs.

Hardships of the War• Southern Economy:

– They didn’t have a lot of food.– Planters made things worse by ignoring the Confederacy’s request to

stop making cotton and to start growing food.– They had new confederate factories.– Profiteers would buy goods and hold them until prices went higher and

then sell them for huge profit.– Economy became bad.

• Northern Economy:– Industries that were dependent on Southern cotton and markets were

hurt.– Most of the Northern industries did very well. They had farms and

industries to supply everything the army and civilians needed.– War-related industries did really well.– Women did men’s jobs when men went to war. – Some manufacturers made profits by supplying bad products.

Prison Camps

• Both sides had these.• Officers were generally treated better then

regular soldiers.• Andersonville Prison:

– In Georgia– Build to hold 10,000 prisoners and eventually held

35,000 fenced in a 26 acre open area. – 100 prisoners each day died from either starvation or

exposure.– The commander was the only Confederate tried for

war crimes after the South lost. • He was hung.

Medical Care

• It was bad on both sides.• ¼ did not survive, many were killed by diseases.• Malaria went around.• Pneumonia killed many!• Union soldiers were more likely to die in the hospital from

disease than fighting on the battle field. • Not a lot of nutrition and the food was contaminated.

– Led to dysentery and typhoid fever.• Clara Barton quit her job to work as a nurse.

– Started the American Red Cross.– About 4,000 women quit their jobs and became nurses.

• Sanitation was bad.

Victory’s for General Lee• When McClellan did not follow Lincolns orders by going south he removed

McClellan from power and replaced him with General Ambrose Burnside. General Burnside was better known for his whiskers on his face then for his ability as a military strategist.

• The battle of Fredericksburg was when Burnside marched right into VA with 122,000 soldiers while Lee had 79,000. instead of crossing the river Burnside crossed right in front of them, he ordered charge at the Confederates. Lee then send Stonewall Jackson and 26,000 troops to surprise Hooker’s rear.

• In the end 13,000 Union Casualties and just over 5,000 Confederate Casualties. Burnside quite as commander.

• The Battle of Chancellorsville– Hooker’s plan was to circle around behind Lee’s army.– Confederate cavalry discovered the Union forces camped out at Chancellorsville.

Lee divided his men and sent about 40,000 soldiers over to Chancellorsville. • This surprised Hooker and his troops and they retreated and set up defenses.

– Lee then send Stonewall Jackson and 26,000 troops to surprise Hooker’s rear.– The move was successful and Jackson could have completely defeated the

Union army if night hadn’t arrived.– Jackson snuck out that night to scout out the Union army when he came back his

men thought he was a northern solider and fired at him.– he died from the wounds– South lost a lot.

Gettysburg• The Battle

– Northerners started talking about making peace with the South.

– June, 1863- Lee marched to the North to look for Supplies and major confederate victories.

– July 1, 1863• Confederate troops entered Gettysburg,

PA, looking for footwear.• They ran into Union cavalry unit and a

small fight began– This lead to the largest battle ever fought in

North America

– George Meade was now in Command.– The center of the Union forces was a

hilled called Cemetary Ridge. The center of the Confederates forces was a hill called Seminary Ridge.

• The Address– On November 19th, 1863

• 15,000 people gathered at Gettysburg to dedicate a cemetery to honor the Union soldiers that were killed in battle.

• Edward Everett, a famous speaker at the time, spoke for 2 hours. Lincoln spoke for 2 minutes which is now known as the Gettysburg Address.

The Gettysburg AddressFour score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth, upon this continent, a

new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal. Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived, and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met here on a great battlefield of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of it as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.

But in a larger sense we can not dedicate - we can not consecrate - we can not hallow this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled, here, have consecrated it far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember, what we say here, but can never forget what they did here.

It is for us, the living, rather to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they have, thus far, so nobly carried on. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us - that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they here gave the last full measure of devotion - that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain; that this nation shall have a new birth of freedom; and that this government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.

Vicksburg

• When the siege began there were 300 union cannons who opened fire on Vicksburg from land and water.

• Averaged 2800 shells per day for 6 days.• To avoid being killed, residents would digs caves in hills

and sometimes furnish them. • Since no food could get in they would eat their horses,

mules, and dogs.• Confederates were being fed very little and didn’t like it.• On July 4th, 30,000 confederate troops surrendered.

1863

• Began poorly for the north. But the 4th of July was a great day for them.– Freed slaves could celebrate– Battle of Gettysburg ended– Vicksburg siege ended

• Richmond began to think of making peace.

Ulysses S. Grant

• Lincoln put Grant in charge of the army.• His goal was to confront and crush confederate

army and end the war before the 1864 election.• Grant appointed General William Tecumseh

Sherman who was in charge of the Union in the west.

• He knew that the South were running short on supplies so he decided to wear them down.

William Sherman• General Sherman moved South from Chattanooga, Tennessee toward Atlanta,

Georgia.• He had the same strategy as Grant.• If the confederate army went west and tried to stop him he would try to destroy them

with 98,000 soldiers.• If they refused to fight he would take over Atlanta where there was an important

railroad.• The confederate general in the west was Joseph Johnston, he was strategy was

similar to Lee’s in the east. • He would fight skirmishes against the Union to try and stop their progress.• Their goal was to delay Sherman from reaching Atlanta until the November elections.• Johnston was replaced by James Hood.• He fought with the Union army.• November, 1864, Sherman began his march to the sea.

– They went on a 300 mile path of destruction across Georgia. – 12/24/64-Sherman’s troops enter Savannah, Georgia, the confederate force there fled.

The Election of 1864

• Lincoln thought that he was going to get beat up at his reelection campaign.

• He was struck with a challenge from his own party.• Republicans changed their name to the Unity Party and

nominated Andrew Jackson as vice president.• Democrats nominated General George McClellan• Lincoln feared he wouldn’t win.• Lincoln won getting 212 out of 233 electoral votes

The 13th amendment

• It ended slavery in the US forever.

• It was past in December 1865.

• It was passed at Lincoln’s request.

Appomattox

• Confederate army defending Richmond now had 35,000 soldiers– They were starving.

• April 2nd- Lee decided to try to snake around Grant’s army and join with Johnston’s.

• Grant’s army kept cutting off Lee’s• Finally, Lee decided that he had to see

Grant and was done.

End of War

• February 1865- Sherman's troops left Savannah, Georgia and headed north to SC.

• Had 2 goals:– Destroy the South’s remaining resources– Crush the Southerner’s will to fight.

• Accomplished both goals.

• Union army moved into SC.• When they entered North Carolina they stopped

destroying civilian property.

Assassination of Lincoln

• Lincoln didn’t see the actual end of the war. • From 1864-65 a group of conspirators worked on a plan to

capture the president and hold him hostage.– Led by John Wilkes Booth

• Booth assassinated Lincoln in Ford’s theater on April 14th.• Seward was stabbed and seriously wounded.• April 26th- Booth was killed by a gunshot as the Virginia barn he

was in was burning down and surrounded by Union Soldiers.

Sources

• The book.

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Civil_War