THE CIVIL WAR ERAUnit Overview (1844-1877)

Big Picture The Civil War was the most devastating

war in American history. Lincoln’s call for 75,000 men in April of 1861 to end the menace of secession with a brief, limited military campaign proved to be nowhere near enough. As the fighting of the Civil War commenced, the war to preserve the union would prove to be neither brief nor limited. Though Lincoln began the war with no designs to “save or destroy slavery,” the conflict would ultimately morph into a war of emancipation.

Bull Run Public clamors for action

Wants to end the “Ninety-Day War” Lincoln plans to attack smaller Confederate Army

Manassas Junction (30 miles D.C.) “Demonstration” of Union’s strength

Battle of Bull Run (21 July 1861) South wins—unexpected reinforcements

Union retreats Outcomes

Southern overconfidence inflated Northern realizations

Buckle down

McClellan’s Peninsular Campaign

George “Young Napoleon" McClellan Perfectionist Cautious Arrogant

“On to Richmond!” 100,000 men approach by water

Yorktown Richmond in his sights

Lincoln uses McClellan’s reinforcements D.C. and Stonewall Jackson

Seven Days’ Battles (June 26—July 2) Lee’s counterattack

Bloody, but successful McClellan retreats—removed

Union Strategy ChangesShift toward total war:

1. Slowly suffocate the South by blockade

2. Liberate the slaves to undermine economic foundations

3. Control the Mississippi River—cut the South in two

4. Chop Confederacy to pieces—occupying armies

5. Decapitate the South—capture Richmond

6. Engage enemy’s main strength to grind it into submission

The South…“cannot

experiment for ten years trying to

destroy the government and if they fail still come back into the union

unhurt.”

~Abe Lincoln

The War at Sea The Anaconda Plan

3,500 miles of coast Difficult to enforce

U.S. Navy Included converted yachts and ferryboats

Recognized by the British Warned British shippers Implications on future wars

Blockade running Profitable (700%)

Union Navy: “ultimate destination” justification

Ironclads: Virginia (scuttled) Submarine: Hunley

Antietam Confederate Army in MD

Lee’s success at Second Bull Run Encourage foreign intervention Seduce MD to rally to rebellion

McClellan vs. Lee at Sharpsburg 17 September 1862

Bloodiest day of the war McClellan knows Lee’s plans

Fight to a draw—Lee retreats McClellan does not pursue—removed from command

Outcomes Closest Confederacy would come to victory Hopes of foreign intervention dashed Emancipation Proclamation

The Emancipation Proclamation

Issued 01 January 1863 “an act of justice”

Emancipated slaves in areas of open rebellion Did not emancipate slaves in Border States and Union secured

pockets of the South (800,000) Stronger on proclamation than emancipation Encouraged more slaves to make for Union lines (1/7)

Controversial Changes nature of war Blacks allowed to enlist in army Democrats gain seats in 1862 (NY, PA, OH, &IL)

Foreign affairs Popular support among working class Europeans

Blacks Battle Bondage Black soldiers

Stats: 180,000 serve (mostly from the South) (10% total enlistment)

Emancipation, manhood, and citizenship Fight in 500 engagements 22 medals of honor High casualties (38,000) Confederate execution (Fort Pillow Massacre)

Slaves Southern labor battalions “Stomach of the Confederacy” Loyalty?

“Home Guards” “Intelligent Contraband”

On to Gettysburg Crisis in military leadership

Ambrose E. Burnside Replaces McClellan in protest Attacks Lee at Fredericksburg, VA (12/13/62)

Burnside’s men are slaughtered “Fighting Joe” Hooker

Replaces Burnside Flanked by Lee and Thomas “Stonewall”

Jackson at Chancellorsville, VA (05/2-4/63) Jackson killed by friendly fire

Lee uses momentum to stage invasion of North

On to Gettysburg, PA George G. Meade

Replaces Hooker

Gettysburg & the Speech that Followed Gettysburg (07/1-3/1863)

Shoes! Meade’s men

Defensive: a ridge atop a valley 92,000 strong

Lee’s men Take the offensive 76,000 strong

Three days of seesawed combat Pickett’s Charge

“high tide of the Confederacy” Last chance of rally

Gettysburg Address—“dishwatery”

The War in the West Ulysses S. Grant

Bold, resourceful, tenacious Tennessee

Fort Henry and Fort Donelson (Feb. 1862) Tennessee and Cumberland Rivers Impact: secures KY and opens TN

Shiloh (Apr. 6-7, 1862) Grant moves to capture Corinth, MS Confederate wins at a high cost

The Mississippi River—dividing the South New Orleans (Spring 1862) Vicksburg (July 4, 1863) Port Hudson (July 9, 1863)

Sherman to the Sea Grant to TN

Siege of Chattanooga (Nov. 1863) Opens up GA Grant named General in Chief

William Tecumseh Sherman Total war

Atlanta (Sept. 1864) March to the Sea

Destroy supply lines Sink morale of Confederacy

Seizure of Savannah (Dec. 22, 1864) North to the Carolinas

Burning of Colombia

The Politics of War Political infighting

Radical Republicans Salmon P. Chase

Distrusted Lincoln’s ability Doubted his commitment to abolition

Congressional Committee on the Conduct of War (1861)

Detested the Lincoln’s wartime powers Northern Democrats

War Democrats: supported Lincoln Peace Democrats

“Copperheads” Attacked: Lincoln, conscription, and

emancipation

The Election of 1864 The Union Party

Republicans and War Democrats unite “Ditch Lincoln” movement—fails Lincoln nominated

Andrew Johnson (TN) as VP candidate Democrats

Peace and Copperheads Nominate George McClellan

Election Lincoln wins!

Union successes The “bayonet” vote

Grant Outlasts Lee Grant vs. Lee

Grant: superior resources takes offensive multiple engagements

Lee: declining army takes defensive positions

Peace negotiations? Terms at Hampton Roads (Feb. 1865)

Lincoln: Union and emancipation Confederacy: Independence

Failed Richmond—captured! Appomattox Courthouse—Lee surrenders (April 9,

1865)

“Now he belongs to the ages.”

Lincoln’s Assassination Ford’s Theatre

(Apr. 14, 1865) John Wilkes Booth

Conspiracy? Rumors

Legacy? “With malice

toward none and charity for all.”

The North? The South?

The Aftermath Casualties

1,000,000 Over 600,000 dead

Impacts: widows and potential fathers

Costs $15,000,000,000 Plus pensions and interest

on debt Intangibles*

National > State government question

Slavery question