Civil WarForeign and Domestic

SECESSION OF THE SOUTH

Reasons for secession • Emotional– Attack on the Southern way of life– The idea that the North wants to establish black

rule in the South. Their goal is not equality, but the reversal of roles for the races.

• Economic– the policies of a Republican president– protective tariffs, free homesteads in the west, etc.– will prevent the South from prospering.

It still all goes back to the issue of slavery. Had the regions been able to compromise on the issue of slavery and the growth of the United States it is likely that we would have not had a nation divided to the extent of war.

Northern reaction to secession

• Most opposed forcing the South to return to the Union

• Pres. Buchanan refused to act when a federal supply ship was attacked in Charleston Harbor in January 1861

• Crittenden Compromise proposed the prohibition of slavery north of the Missouri Compromise line (36 30), but allowing it south of the line in addition to compensation to owners for runaway slaves

Crittenden Compromise

• The Crittenden Compromise was perhaps the last-ditch effort to resolve the secession crisis of 1860-61 by political negotiation. Authored by Kentucky Senator John Crittenden (whose two sons would become generals on opposite sides of the Civil War) it was an attempt to resolve the crisis by addressing the concerns that led the states of the Lower South to contemplate secession. As such, it gives a window into what the politicians of the day thought the cause of the crisis to be.http://sunsite.utk.edu/civil-war/critten.html

Lincoln’s Actions at Ft. Sumpter

• (S’ern View) Lincoln decided to employ force because the South was denying the democratic principle that formed the basis of the Union. – Supplies are sent to Ft. Sumter in

Charleston Harbor (April 12, 1861) –Confederates opened fire on the fort,

starting the war

THE NORTH AND THE SOUTH COMPARED

North's advantages over the South

• Potential fighting and working force: 20 million citizens –Population: 2.5:1 –Free male population (ages 18-60):

4.4:1

Northern advantages…

• Wealth produced: 3:1 Factory production: 10:1 Textile goods produced: 14:1 Iron production: 15:1 Coal production: 38:1 Farm acreage: 3:1 Working animals: 1.8:1 Livestock: 1.5:1 Wheat production: 4.2:1 Corn production: 2:1

Northern advantages…

• Transportation--superior in every respect a) Railroad mileage: 7:1 b) Naval tonnage: 25:1 c) Merchant ship tonnage: 9:1

South's advantages over the North• Fighting a defensive war. • Local support and familiarity with terrain • Positive goal: seeking independence • Short communication lines and friendly population • United public in contrast to the North. • Nonslaveholders eager to volunteer to fight

Experienced officer corps--many veterans of the Mexican-American War joined the Confederacy

• Cotton (24:1 advantage over North)--necessary for textile factories of England and France, but limited advantage due to European imports from other nations

EARLY STRATEGIES OF THE OPPOSING SIDES

North • Capture Richmond and force

surrender • Expel Confederates from border

states • Control the Mississippi River • Blockade southern ports and stop

cotton shipments

South• Capture Washington, D.C. • Control border states • Gain England's support • Expel Union troops from South

NORTHERN DOMESTIC ISSUES

Prosperity and expansion--the war provided a stimulant to Northern economic interests

• Homestead Act (1862)--160 acres of land virtually free to any citizen willing to occupy it for five years

• Morrill Land Grant Act (1862)----30,000 acres of land for each Congressional representative granted to each state. Proceeds of land sales to be used to finance public colleges

• High tariffs passed to protect Northern industries • Transcontinental railroad promoted with creation of federally

chartered corporations receiving free public lands and generous loans

• National Bank Act (1863)--created national banking system. Stabilized currency and reduced confusing state bank note system

Financing the war

• First income tax (1861): 3% on incomes above $800

• Borrowing. $6.2 billion through the issuance of bonds

• Greenbacks--paper currency not supported by specie reserve. Value fluctuated with success of Northern armies. Caused serious inflation problems

Raising the Union army

• Lincoln issues call for 75,000 volunteers in 1861 to supplement 16,000 man army.

• Although volunteer call succeeded at first, by 1863 Congress turned to a draft to fill units. States could avoid draft by filling quotas of volunteers. Draft opposed by Peace Democrats, laborers, and immigrants

• Draft riots resulted in New York City in July 1863, causing hundreds of deaths, mostly of blacks

Lincoln's political problems• Seen as inexperienced and unfit, he was challenged by

members of his own cabinet, including Chase and Seward • Expansion of war powers – Call for troops to repress rebellion without declaration of

war – Arrest of unfriendly newspaper editors – Suspension of habeas corpus – Proclamation of naval blockade without Congressional

approval – 13,000 political opponents arrested for varying periods – Refusal to obey writ issued by Chief Justice Taney (Ex parte

Merryman)

• Presidential Election of 1864– Abolitionists urged the Republicans to choose a candidate

who would wage total war against the South – Lincoln chose Andrew Johnson as his running mate to

attract "War Democrats" and formed the Union Party – Democrats nominated McClellan and a platform which

called for a truce and settlement with the South – Lincoln once again won in the electoral college, but only

had a 400,000 vote majority in the popular vote

NORTHERN FOREIGN ISSUES

Relations with England

• English support for the Confederacy – Upper class feared leveling effect of Union victory on English

society, felt socially close to the Southern plantation aristocracy, and needed cotton

– Some liberals and lower-class English favored the South, seeing the Civil War as a rebellion against Northern tyranny or as a struggle to preserve the Union

• English support for the Union – Many English workers favored the North because a Northern

victory would mean emancipation of the slaves – Others felt western wheat was more critical to England than

Southern cotton

Trent Affair (November 1861)--

• American warships stopped a British ship and removed two Confederate diplomats. –Britain threatened war unless they

were released –Sec. of State Seward ordered the men

released, although Northern sentiment opposed backing down

Relations with France

• Union defeats in 1861 and 1862 convinced France that the South would win.– Lincoln delayed both France and England's

recognition of the Confederacy by issuing the Emancipation Proclamation – France placed Archduke Maximilian on the

Mexican throne in challenge to Monroe Doctrine

BATTLES: OVERVIEWThe battles mentioned are only a part of the whole. For more information about individual battles you can check the battles overview site at http://www.nps.gov/history/hps/abpp//battles/bystate.htm

Fort Sumter: first shots

• South Carolina • April 12-14, 1861 • US Major Anderson• CS Brig. Gen Beauregard• Beauregard demands surrender of the fort, but

Anderson refuses. Confederates open fire and Union was unable to defend. Anderson surrenders the fort.

• Confederate victory, no casualties

Bull Run/Manassas• June 1861• Union= McDowell, Confederate= Beauregard• Union was initially successful but

Confederates reinforced and defeated Union troops

• Humiliating for the North, boosted confidence of the South

• Each side underestimated the other. Both realized this was not going to be a quick war

• Confederate victory

Shiloh/Pittsburg Landing

• April 6-7,1862• Pickwick, TN• Grant was looking for control of Corinth and as luck

would have it this is where Johnston had retreated after Ft. Henry and Donnelson

• Confederates attacked at Shiloh and were successful until Union reinforcements arrived (Buell)

• Confederate commander was Gen. Albert Sydney Johnston (killed) and Beauregard assumed command

• Union victory but at a great price

Antietam/Sharpsburg

• Confederates were looking for European recognition

• (Some consider) A draw for both sides, but turned the tide of war b/c Europe made decision not to support the South

• Strategic victory for the Union• Bloodiest single day of the war• Led to Lincoln issuing the Emancipation

Proclamation

Vicksburg (Siege)

• In May and June of 1863, Maj. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant’s armies converged on Vicksburg, investing the city and entrapping a Confederate army under Lt. Gen. John Pemberton. On July 4, Vicksburg surrendered after prolonged siege operations. This was the culmination of one of the most brilliant military campaigns of the war. With the loss of Pemberton’s army and this vital stronghold on the Mississippi, the Confederacy was effectively split in half. Grant's successes in the West boosted his reputation, leading ultimately to his appointment as General-in-Chief of the Union armies.

http://www.nps.gov/history/hps/abpp//battles/ms011.htm

Significance• Vicksburg was a stronghold on the Mississippi River because of the

terrain. The bluffs are a line of 100-200 foot clay hills that border the flat delta of the Mississippi River. These bluffs continue north from Vicksburg and swing to the East in a large arc and continues up to north-central Mississippi. These bluffs are made of clay, which allowed the army and the civilians to dig caves for safety.

• The Confederates mounted heavy artillery on top of these high bluffs, which allowed them to shell the Union boats on the river at long range. At close range, the gunboats could not elevate their guns to hit the top of the bluffs. Also, the Mississippi River made a sharp bend at Vicksburg, which allowed Confederate guns placed at the waters edge to hit the Union boats as they slowed to maneuver the river.

• Victory in the battle of Vicksburg gave control of the Mississippi River to the Union.

Gettysburg• Gen. Robert E. Lee concentrated his full strength against Maj. Gen. George

G. Meade’s Army of the Potomac at the crossroads county seat of Gettysburg. On July 1, Confederate forces converged on the town from west and north, driving Union defenders back through the streets to Cemetery Hill. During the night, reinforcements arrived for both sides. On July 2, Lee attempted to envelop the Federals, first striking the Union left flank at the Peach Orchard, Wheatfield, Devil’s Den, and the Round Tops with Longstreet’s and Hill’s divisions, and then attacking the Union right at Culp’s and East Cemetery Hills with Ewell’s divisions. By evening, the Federals retained Little Round Top and had repulsed most of Ewell’s men. During the morning of July 3, the Confederate infantry were driven from their last toe-hold on Culp’s Hill. In the afternoon, after a preliminary artillery bombardment, Lee attacked the Union center on Cemetery Ridge. The Pickett-Pettigrew assault (more popularly, Pickett’s Charge) momentarily pierced the Union line but was driven back with severe casualties. Stuart’s cavalry attempted to gain the Union rear but was repulsed. On July 4, Lee began withdrawing his army toward Williamsport on the Potomac River. His train of wounded stretched more than fourteen miles.

Significance

• End of the Confederate Offensive • Volunteers increased• Blacks recruited into the military • Emancipation confirmed• Copperhead influence declined • Confederacy divided • Gettysburg Address

Most Hallowed Ground

Sherman’s “March to the Sea”• ATL fell Sept 1864• S. Industrial center and

distribution center• Helped Lincoln win

Reelection• The “march” was a military

tactic to break S’ern will. • Sherman was destructive,

but not to the extent accused. Conf. troops were told to leave Sherman nothing to use so he couldn’t live off the land.

Appomattox Courthouse

• Lee surrendered to Grant April 9, 1865

Andersonville

Major Battles in the American Civil WarMajor battles fought between the North and the secessionist South.

Pasted from <

http://encarta.msn.com/media_701500524_761575605_-1_1/major_battles_in_the_american_civil_war.html>

Battle Date Site Victor

First Battle of Bull Run (or the First Battle of Manassas)

July 21, 1861 Manassas, Virginia Confederate army

Fort Henry February 6, 1862 western Tennessee Union army

Fort Donelson February 16, 1862 western Tennessee Union army

Shiloh (also called the Battle of Pittsburg Landing)

April 6-7, 1862 near Pittsburg Landing, Tennessee

Union army

Seven Days' Battle June 25-July 1, 1862 Virginia Confederate army

Second Battle of Bull Run (or the Second Battle of Manassas)

August 27-30, 1862 Manassas, Virginia Confederate army

Antietam September 17, 1862 Antietam Creek, Maryland Union army

Fredericksburg December 13, 1862 Fredericksburg, Virginia Confederate army

Chancellorsville May 1-4, 1863 Chancellorsville, Virginia Confederate army

Siege of Vicksburg May 19-July 4, 1863 Vicksburg, Mississippi Union army

Gettysburg July 1-3, 1863 near Gettysburg, Pennsylvania

Union army

Chickamauga September 19-20, 1863

Chickamauga, Georgia Confederate army

Chattanooga November 23-25, 1863

Chattanooga, Tennessee Union army

Battle of the Wilderness May 5-9, 1864 northern Virginia Not decisive

Spotsylvania May 1864 Spotsylvania Court House, Virginia

Not decisive

Cold Harbor June 3, 1864 Virginia Not decisive

Siege of Petersburg June 20, 1864-April 2, 1865

Petersburg, Virginia Union army

Mobile Bay August 5, 1864 Alabama Union army

Atlanta September 2, 1864 Georgia Union army

Nashville December 15-16, 1864

Tennessee Union army

SOLDIERSEnrollment Act, Draft Riots, Life, Prisons

Enrollment Act 1863

• Men 20-45 were eligible for draft– Draftee could hire a substitute to serve in his place– Could simply pay $300 to avoid service

Rich man’s war, poor man’s fight”

Draft Riots

• July 1863• Largest was in NY• Working class white men targeted well dressed

white men, African Americans, and supporters of the war

• Several were injured and at least six African Americans were lynched. Businesses and black homes were burned. Federal troops arrived from the Battle of Gettysburg and halted the violence

Confederacy Draft

• Similar to that of the North, but the law provided an exemption for owners of 20 or more slaves (“Twenty Negro Law”)

• Less than 20% of S’ern population owned slaves

• Those exempted had to pay $500• Caused resentment among poor whites

Credits

• http://home.earthlink.net/~gfeldmeth/lec.civilwar.html

• http://sunsite.utk.edu/civil-war/critten.html• http://www.nps.gov/history/hps/abpp//battle

s/bystate.htm