Beginning of the Civil War Notes

I. The Union Breaks a. Lincoln wins the election of 1860 without

winning a single southern state.b. Dec. 20, 1860, South Carolina succeeds from the Union

i. Over the next few weeks 6 other southern states followed

c. February 1861 the seven southern states meet in Montgomery, AL and form the Confederate States of America.

• Jefferson Davis is elected President• Richmond, VA made capital

d.Despite last ditch efforts to save the Union, Lincoln refused offers • He was strongly against the expansion of slavery and

succession by Southern States

II. Initial military strategies1. Both side adopt strategies that fit their

objectives and resources.a.Northern advantages = manpower, production power,

factories, greater food production, railroads, strong navy

b. Southern advantages = “King Cotton”, first-rate generals, highly motivated troops, agriculture

2.Union = Anaconda Plana.Naval blockade of southern portsb. Union moves down Mississippi River/cut

Confederacy in twoc.Capture Confederate capital = Richmond, VA

3.Confederacy = Fight a defensive war!

III. Initial battles1. Fort Sumter kicks off war – Confederates attack

Union fort (April 12-13, 1861)2. Battle of Bull Run (Manassas, VA) July 21, 1861 –

southern victory (Stonewall Jackson hero)3. U.S. Grant fights on Miss. River in west (Fort Henry &

Fort Donaldson in TN) – Union victories. Gen. Farragut seizes New Orleans

4. Battle of Shiloh (TN) – shows war would be a bloody and long one (April 7, 1862)

- 24,000 casualties (Union 13,000 / Conf. 11,000)

5. Confederates defend Richmond move on D.C. (Lee vs. McClellan) Spring 1862, Seven Days Battle

6. Antietam (MD) – Sept. 17, 1862 – bloodiest single day battle in American history – Union victory

- 26,000 casualties (Union 12,000 / Conf. 14,000)

7. Early in Civil War North winning in the West, Stalemate in East (South defending home).

IV. Emancipation Proclamation (9-22-1862)1.Britain remains neutral2.“My paramount objective in this struggle is to

save the union, & is not either to save or destroy slavery”. – Abraham Lincoln

3.South used slaves to build forts, harvest food4.On Jan.1, 1863 All Slaves in areas of rebellion are

free!a.gives war a moral purposeb. conscription – blacks join Union Army

V.Social & Economic effects of the war1.Blacks enlist in North in 1862 (54th Mass.)

a.by end 180,000 blacks fought (10% of union army)b.slaves in south start to resistc.Part of a greater cause now (not just the white man’s

war)

2.Women work to improve conditionsa.U.S. Sanitary commission = 3,000 nurses serve in union

army– (Clara Barton)– Chance to gain more equality, rights

3.Heavy casualties & horrible living conditions for soldiers shocks Americans.

- No glorious war

4.Economic effectsa.North expands economy – war industryb. North 1st income tax to pay for warc.South hurting – losing plantations – food shortages

The North Takes Charge

I. The war continues1.Dec. ’62 Lee beats Union at Fredericksburg, VA2.May ’63 south wins at Chancellorsville, VA

(Stonewall Jackson dies)3.Lee goes on the offensive into Maryland and up

into PA – Gen. Meade (union) follows north, they meet at Gettysburg, PA

II. Gettysburg (three days in July)1.July 1, 1863 Battle begins in morning when Confederates

led by A.P. Hill attack North of town & confront John Buford and Union troops.

a. Buford holds despite being outnumbered, but by end of day Union pushed back into town.

b. At end of day reinforcements show up for both sides –90,000 Union troops under command of Gen.

Meade–75,000 Confederate troops under Robert E. Lee

2. July 2 1863 Confederates push Union out of Gettysburg & take control of town.

a.Union sets up defense south of town at Cemetery Ridge to Big Round Top (High Ground)

b. Union forms the “fish hook” defense (communication & quick reinforcement

c.Attacks by south led by Gen. James Longstreet• Little Round Top (extreme left flank of union army)• Devil’s Den (slaughter pen/valley of death)• The Wheatfield (heaviest fighting of civil war)• The Peach Orchard (union army split in two, pushed

back to Culp’s Hill)

3. July 3, 1863 Union regains high ground at Culp’s Hilla. Gen. Lee orders artillery barrage on center of Union lines

on Cemetery Ridge for 2 hoursb. Around 3 PM 12,500 Confederate troops charge out of

tree line at Seminary Ridge – Pickett’s Charge – All out frontal assault on center of Union lines• Union guns fire back & devastate Confederate lines = Union wins

Battle of Gettysburg• Lee depressed, retreats to Virginia, never takes offensive again• 3 day battle claims 23,000 union soldiers dead/wounded• 28,000 confederates dead/wounded• approx. 51,000 = almost as many as Vietnam (58,000)

III. U.S. Grant wins at Vicksburg, MS1.surrounds city after Confederates refuse to

surrender and orders artillery barrages for several hours a day

a.Confederate soldiers and towns people out of food and supplies = Vicksburg falls on July 4, 1863 (one of last Confed. Forts of Miss. R.)

2.Nov. ’63 Lincoln gives the Gettysburg Address @ cemetery in Gettysburg

a.2 minute speech = USA a single union

IV. The Confederacy Wears Down1.Gettysburg & Vicksburg cost south a lot of

manpower.• low on shoes, food, uniforms, guns, ammo = just want

to hold on now• southern morale low = troops leave to go back to farms

2.Grant & Sherman wage “Total War” on southa.fight not only armies and gov.’t, but civilians. Break

their will to fight!b. May to June 1864 Grant fights with Lee in

Virginia – Grant nicknamed the “Butcher” cause he continuously attacks despite heavy casulties

c.Gen. Shermans’s March – destroyed every city on path through GA to Atlantic• Burns Atlanta, Savannah – frees slaves, they join• Turns North though SC into NC to help Grant finish Lee

in VA

d.election of 1864 Lincoln beats George McClellan & John C. Fremont (He wins 55% of pop vote)

e.Grant pushes from NW, Sherman from S – Jefferson Davis & Gov.’t flee Richmond and burn it down

f. April 9, 1865 @ Appomattox Court House Lee & Grant meet to arrange Confederate surrender = Civil War over, ends without punishment to south

g.Lincoln assassinated April 14, 1865 by John Wilkes Booth at Ford’s Theater in Wash, DC

h. Union and Reconstruction of South now in hands of southerner and former slave owner Andrew Johnson (VP)

V.Costs of War1.Union = 360,000 men dead2.Confederacy = 260,000 dead