DIVIDED BY WARDIVIDED BY WAR

1861-1865

THE SECESSION CRISIS

LINCOLN’S ELECTION LEADS SO. CAROLINA TO SECEDE

DEC. 20TH 1860 QUESTION: WOULD OTHER

STATES FOLLOW?

THE CRITTENDEN COMPROMISE DEC.

1860 JOHN CRITTENDEN (KY)

PROPOSES A COMPROMISE A SERIES OF CONSTITUTIONAL

AMENDMENTS. HOPES TO CONVINCE SOUTH

NOT TO LEAVE.

THE TERMS OF THE COMPROMISE

RESTORE THE MISSOURI COMPROMISE LINE 36,30

UNAMENDABLE AMENDMENT TO GUARANTEE SLAVERY WHERE IT EXISTS.

A SPECIAL COMMITTEE FORMED TO WORK OUT THE DEAL.

REPUBLICANS & LINCOLN REJECT THE

COMPROMISE. IT WOULD VIOLATE THE

REPUBLICAN PLATFORM. COMPROMISE IS DEFEATED IN

COMMITTEE LAST HOPE OF AVOIDING WAR

IS GONE.

SIX MORE STATES SECEDE

MS, FL, AL, GA, LA, TX BEFORE LINCOLN IS INAUGURATED. FEB. 18TH, 1861 THE CONFEDERATE

STATES OF AMERICA JEFFERSON DAVIS ELECTED

PRESIDENT.

PRESIDENT BUCHANAN DOES NOTHING.

HE WAS A “LAME DUCK” WAITING TO LEAVE OFFICE.

LINCOLN IS INAUGURATED MARCH 1861

INAUGURAL ADDRESS TRIES TO REASSURE THE SOUTH.

“I HAVE NO POWER OR DESIRE TO END SLAVERY WHERE IT EXISTS”

LAYS RESPONSIBILITY FOR STARTING WAR W/ SOUTH

FORT SUMTER CHARLESTON, SO CAROLINA

MAJOR ANDERSON IN COMMAND OF THE FORT.

LINCOLN TRIES TO SEND SUPPLIES.

4:30 AM APRIL 12, 1861 GEN. BEAUREGARD OPENS FIRE.

NO ONE KILLED.

LINCOLN CALLS FOR 75,000 VOLUNTEERS.

VA, AR., TN, N.C. JOIN THE CONFEDERACY

THE BORDER STATES (DE, MD, KY, & MO) REMAIN IN UNION–VITAL TO UNION SUCCESS

MORE… LINCOLN: “I HOPE GOD IS ON OUR

SIDE, BUT I MUST HAVE KENTUCKY.” LINCOLN MOVES TO HOLD

MARYLAND - SUSPENDS HABEAS CORPUS

KENTUCKY REMAINS LOYAL–AS DO THE REST OF THE BORDER STATES

The Southern Position

CONFIDENT OF VICTORY FIGHTING FOR INDEPENDENCE,

NOT SLAVERY. FIGHTING FROM DEFENSIVE

POSITION - ALWAYS DESIREABLE BELIEVED YANKS WERE WEAK &

WOULD QUIT

THE NORTHERN POSITION

CONFIDENT OF VICTORY NORTH HAD POPULATION AND

MATERIAL ADVANTAGE FIGHTING TO PRESERVE THE

UNION - THE NOBLE CAUSE THOUGHT SECESSIONISTS

WERE TREASONOUS REBELS

THE MILITARY BALANCE SHEET.

SOUTHERN MILITARY TRADITION

SOUTHERNERS HIGHLY MOTIVATED

HAD BEST OFFICERS AT START OF THE WAR.

FIGHTING ON HOME GROUND.

MORE… THE NORTH LARGER POPULATION

–4X AS MANY TROOPS MORE FACTORIES & SUPPLIES MOST RAILROADS IN THE NORTH A NAVY TO BLOCKADE THE SOUTH

– SCOTT’S ANACONDA PLAN CALLED FOR CONSTRICTING THE CONFEDERACY TO DEATH

MobilizationCall to Arms

MobilizationSupplies & Armaments

CIVIL LEADERS: PRESIDENT LINCOLN

LINCOLN HAD NO SIGNIFICANT MILITARY EXPERIENCE

NOT RESPECTED BY MANY CLEVER & WISE POLITICIAN

Politics & Leadership Government

Union President Abraham Lincoln

Vice President Andrew Johnson

Confederate President Jefferson Davis

Vice President Alexander Stephens

VS

JEFFERSON DAVIS POLITICAL EXPERIENCE WEST POINT GRAD, VETERAN OF

MEXICAN WAR. SEC OF WAR DAVIS WAS A WEAK LEADER

– FURTHER WEAKENED BY GENERAL FEAR OF CENTRALIZED POWER IN SOUTH

Politics & Leadership Key Military Figures

Confederate leader of all armies

General Robert E. Lee

Union leader of all armies Lt. General Ulysses S. Grant

VS

MOBILIZING FOR WAR BOTH SIDES RELY ON VOLUNTEERS UNION PAYS BOUNTIES “BOUNTY JUMPING” A PROBLEM 1863 CONGRESS PASSES A DRAFT

–MEN 20 TO 45

MORE… DRAFT WAS UNFAIR. $300 COULD BUY EXEMPTION YOU COULD HIRE A SUBSTITUTE. SOUTH PASSED DRAFT IN 1862

–18 TO 45 YEARS OLD. LARGE SLAVE OWNERS EXEMPT.

FUNDING THE WAR SOUTH SOLD BONDS

–40% OF WAR COSTS REST PAID BY PRINTING MONEY CAUSED RUNAWAY INFLATION. NORTH PASSED INCOME TAX TAXED MANUFACTURED GOODS

AND SOLD BONDS.

MORE… BY 1862, DAILY COST OF WAR WAS

$1.75 MILLION PER DAY NORTH PASSED THE LEGAL TENDER

ACT(1862)– ISSUES PAPER MONEY CALLED “GREENBACKS”

NATIONAL BANKING ACT 1863- BANKS MUST BUY FEDERAL BONDS.

MobilizationTechnology

• Technology same for both sides– More accurate rifles with longer range– Deadly advances in artillery pieces– First crude submarines (South)– Beginning of trench warfare– Cavalry and Bayonets become secondary and

eventually obsolete

• The element of surprise is the greatest advantage

Military StrategySuppression vs. Attrition

• North– Suppress a rebellion

and restore a Union

– Compel the South into ceasing their attempts

– Completely crush the war-waging capacity of the South

• South– Fight a war of attrition

– Prolong the war to the point where it becomes a waste of time and money to continue

– Win independence by default if North does not continue