The Civil War1861-1865

1860 Candidates

John C. Breckinridge

Stephen A. Douglas

John Bell

Abraham Lincoln

Issue of State’s Rights-Jefferson Davis Democrats split their support

◦ Charleston, NC for 10 days◦ Pop sov (N) v. federal protection of slavery (S)◦ Douglas v. Breckinridge

Whigs make last effort◦ “Constitutional Union Party”-John Bell (moderate)

Republicans nominate Lincoln (moderate)◦ Slavery not allowed in the territories◦ No interference with slavery in states where it

already existed

Election of 1860

40 % pop vote, 60% of electoral vote

No southern E.V. Breckinridge and

Bell in the S; Lincoln and Douglas in N&W

2 POLITICAL ENTITIES

Lincoln Wins the Election

South outraged that Lincoln could win without a single southern vote

Lincoln=“black Republican”

Charleston, SC: Dec. 20, 1860 convention called and a formal declaration of secession is announced-SC leaves Union

6 deep south states follow: GA, FL, AL, MS, LA, TX (Georgia and Texas try to stop it)

Southern Reaction

The Confederacy Forms

February 1861: Secessionist leaders meet in Montgomery, AL and declare themselves the “Confederate States of America”

Frame a constitution and a new government and select Jefferson Davis as president◦ MS senator, does not want to secede, appeals for

peace before secession occurs

Confederacy Forms

Lincoln v Davis

Lincoln, 1809-1865 Davis, 1808-1889

Whig from IL turned Republican

Took presidency after 7 states had already seceded

Won reelection after steering nation through war

Ended slavery in US

Served in US House of Representatives

Joined army against Mexico 1846

Became Senator and Sect. of War

Strong leadership Imprisoned for treason

but never tried

Inaugural Address◦ “preserve, protect, and defend” the Constitution◦ Warned “in your hands, my dissatisfied countrymen,

and not in mine, in the momentous issues of Civil War.” South would have to start the war.

South takes federal forts and arsenals◦ Fort Sumter in Charleston, SC

Lincoln asked to send supplies (food only) ◦ SC is suspicious and asks for surrender

Fort refuses to surrender; Confederates fire◦ April 1861

Lincoln takes Office

12.20.1860: SC withdraws from Union 5 days later: 68 federal troops arrive at Fort

Sumter; cut off supplies to the fort◦ Is the fort Federal or State property?

Davis takes office February 1861, Lincoln takes office March 4, 1861

Troops running out of supplies…Lincoln says he is sending provisions (no military action)◦ Davis asks General Anderson to surrender; he refuses

Civil War begins 4:30AM April 12, 1861 by Confederate artillery

Fort Sumter

Fort Sumter

The War BeginsUnion v. Confederacy

Beginning of the WarStrategies, Sides, and Bull Run – Emancipation Proclamation

North v. South: Advantages

http://www.nps.gov/civilwar/facts.htm

Generals to Remember

Union Confederate

Ulysses S. Grant George McClellan Robert Anderson Nathanial Banks General William T.

Sherman George Cluster Winfield Scott

Hancock

Robert E. Lee Stonewall Jackson J.E.B. Stuart Nathan Bedford

Forrest James Longstreet Braxton Bragg George Pickett William T. Anderson P.G.T. Beauregard A.P. Hill

19 Free States, 4 slave-holding border states (DE, MD, KY, and MO) and 1863 WV◦ Block them from Confederacy

Gen. Winfield Scott: ANACONDA PLAN◦ 1. Blockade Southern ports (VA to TX) -starve S of supplies◦ 2. Capture Richmond (Head of the snake)◦ 3. Drive southward towards MS River, control it (and TN

River and Cumberland River), and split the Confederacy in 2 to weaken it

Critics: antislavery congressmen wanted a quicker way to free the slaves

Union Plan

Militarily: preserve small armies and damage Union troops-take down Union will to fight◦ Defend territories; prolong engagement◦ Break blockade◦ Take MD, Pennsylvania, and DC

Politically: seek recognition by foreign countries (Great Britain and France)◦ No longer trading with North, need help◦ F/GB need cotton; may trade military supplies

Confederacy Plan

Two Theaters:◦ East: Atlantic to App Mtns◦ West: App Mtns to MS river

1. Bull Run (Manassas)2. Shiloh3. Antietam4. Chancellorsville5. Gettysburg6. Vicksburg7. Atlanta

Major Battles of the Warhttp://www.civilwar.org/battlefields/

1861: Union army moving towards Richmond◦ U defeat at Bull Run-proves that it won’t be short war◦ 2 armies: Army of Potomac (U) vs Army of N. Virginia

(C)◦ C and U want to fight on Southern soil (why?)

Union and Confederacy stand off:◦ 1862 Shiloh: Grant (U) steers off C counter attack in

TN and advances West◦ 1862 Maryland: Antietam invasion by General Lee;

held off by McClellan (U)

1861-1862: Stalemate

Lee (C) vs McClellan (U) Plan of attack discovered by Union troops-

move to attack behind Antietam Creek Forced standoff- C outnumbered 2:1 Single bloodiest day of the Civil War

◦ 22,000 soldiers in 1 day (more than Am. Rev)

September 22, 1862: Emancipation Proclamation◦ Freed all enslaved peoples still in rebel states◦ Did NOT include border states or states under Union

control-Redefined war in the N: “slavery”◦ 54th MA Regiment: 180,000 AA volunteers for U

Antietam: Emancipation Proc

Inside the WarHome Front, Frontlines, and the Country

The Home Front: Military Issues

Union Confederacy

Originally filled by volunteers

Used bonds to convince others-led to bond jumping

1863 institute a draft Substitutes for $300

Approx. 2 million total

Consisted of mostly volunteers

1862 institute a draft “Rich man’s war but a

poor man’s fight”

Approx. 1 million total

~ 2 million will serve in Union Army Upped manufacturing

◦ 97% of firearms (total), 96% of its railroad locomotives, 94 % cloth, 93% pig iron, and over 90% of its boots and shoes

Public opinion down after first 2 years; 1863 Enrollment Act: 1st draft in U.S. history◦ 20-45 years of age◦ Substitution (could pay for someone to fight for

you)◦ Commutation (pay $300 to the federal government

to not fight)◦ 8% of Union soldiers were draftees

Mobilizing for War: Union

~800,000 will serve (impossible w/o slavery)

1862: Confederate Conscription◦ 18-35 years for 3 years (expands to 17-50)◦ 1 out of 5 soldiers were draftees◦ 20-Negro Law: anyone owning 20 or more

slaves or was a political leader were exempt from fighting

Munitions: arms factories developed across the South (bought from Europe)

Shortages: clothing, supplies, food No navy to organize

Mobilizing for War: Confederacy

Financing the War

Union Confederacy

Morrill Tariff Act 1861: placed duties on all imported items (20% on manufactured goods, 10% raw materials)

1862 Legal Tender Act authorized Fed. Gov’t to make paper money called Greenbacks

21% of wartime revenue from taxation

Economy boomed during the war

Established a National Bank 1863; critical for money organization

Victim of staggering inflation (printed $1 billion in currency)◦ 80% v. 9,000%◦ $1 1861= $46 1864

Did not make legal tender (bank)

Difficult economic stagnation: blockade, little transportation, lack of industry

5% of wartime rev. from taxation

Early on: criticism for bank, draft, slavery Advantage: stable government Expands executive power:

◦ Suspends habeas corpus in MD (pro-slavery factions raising hell; Copperheads)

◦ Martial law in border states◦ Seized telegraph stations for security

Border States strong-armed into Union Chief Justice Taney: Lincoln overstepped

power with habeas corpus◦ Lincoln ignores: “exec powers in cases of rebellion

(Art. 1 Sec. 9)

Political Leadership: Union

Jefferson Davis: Ultimate Dilemma “Died of a Theory”◦ Confederate Constitution: too many states rights

(couldn’t impose tariffs or internal improvements)◦ Southern independence v. state sovereignty

Davis: knack for making enemies◦ Heated battles with VP A. Stephens from GA

No tax structure, new constitution and government, no navy, little industry, unconnected railroad lines

Political Leadership: Confederacy

Turning PointGettysburg – End of War

Lee felt a victory in the North could end war George Meade (U) vs Robert E. Lee (C) Day 1:

◦ C troops ran into U while looking for shoes◦ Push U troops out of town…to higher ground

Day 2:◦ Lee orders assaults to right and left of U army◦ Fought hard but matched 2:1 Union army

Day 3:◦ Final attack at Cemetery Ridge-Pickett’s Charge◦ Forced retreat; 1/3 of C troops killed

Gettysburg: 3 days

Lincoln declared that the US had been “conceived in liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal”

Dedicated the cemetery to fallen soldiers Recognized today as statement of values

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U2a-S3rjDBw

Gettysburg Address, Nov. 1863

Led by General Ulysses S. Grant◦ Nicknamed “Unconditional Surrender” (total war)◦ Victorious at Shiloh, TN 1862◦ Victorious at Vicksburg, MS 1863

Marched troops through LA, south of Vicksburg Ordered Calvary attack on rail lines-got control Places Vicksburg under siege; lack of supplies to C

troops eventually lead to their defeat

Confederacy split in two; Lincoln’s Key

1862-1863: Northern Victories

Winning leads to Lincoln’s Re-election: much to celebrate; still faces issues◦ Victories on battlefields◦ Lost some support-too much

authority v. not enough support for antislavery

◦ Reelection=Confederacy realizes that the North will never give up or negotiate peace

Election of 1864

“With malice toward none; with charity for all; with firmness in the right, as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in; to bind up the nation’s wounds.”

2nd Inaugural Address, 1865

Grant receives all Union forces in 1864◦ Virginia: relentless attack against Lee’s army◦ April 9, 1865: capture of Richmond after 11

months◦ Lee surrenders at Appomattox◦ “The rebels are our countrymen again”◦ Salute their enemies-Chamberlain

General William T. Sherman◦ Total War idea-burned cities, tore down railroads

and wraps them around trees◦ Famous “March to the Sea” to Savannah, GA◦ Captures Atlanta, GA

Final Phase: 1864-1865

April 14-15, 1865 Lincoln attends

“Our American Cousin”

John Wilkes Booth shoots Lincoln in the back of the head

“Thus ever to Tyrants, the South is avenged!”

Assassination of Lincoln

http://www.history.com/topics/abraham-lincoln-assassination

Plotters: wanted to cause chaos◦ Give south time to reunite and continue war◦ Planned to kill VP and Sect. of States as well◦ Booth: shot while house on fire; 4 co-conspirators

hanged

United his northern supporters and critics◦ National symbol of freedom and hero

Impact of Assassination

Courage, dignity, and humility Beginning: little known to Americans

◦ EVERYONE knows who Lincoln is now! 3 Philosophies of Lincoln:

◦ A) Democracy: life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness is supposed to be guaranteed to any person

◦ B) The Union: “A house divided cannot stand”; always for the preservation of the Union

◦ C) Reuniting the Nation: did not focus on punishing the South, but making the Union whole again

Lincoln as a Leader

1. What can we infer about the letter writer at the time the Civil War started, his or her home, family members, work, level of education? How do you know?

2. Can we tell which side the author of this letter supported, the Union or Confederacy? If so, how do we know? Give specifics.

3. What is happening during the Civil War at the time the letters were written? (Check your notes)

4. If the author is a man, why do you think he has enlisted? Does he say anything about the views or attitudes he holds that have led him to make the commitment to fight, or can we infer them in any way?

Civil War: An Inside Look

With E.P., African Americans can fight 180,000 volunteer fighters Dealt with racism in North (low

expectations) and did menial tasks◦ Cooks, cleaning weapons, dig latrines◦ 3 year battle for equal pay◦ Exposed battle positions, longest guard duty

Passively and actively helped in the South◦ Helped feed union troops◦ Worked as spies and scouts◦ Organized own military units

African Americans Join

New opportunities for public life Many took over family businesses/farms

◦ Fun Fact: several asked for their husbands to come home…reason for Southern desertion

New teaching jobs open for women Development of Nursing profession

◦ Clara Barton◦ Formation of the US Sanitary Commission

Women in the War

Impact of the WarHow the war changed America forever

620,000+ dead, thousands more wounded Originally not as nationalistic as South BUT

that changes as the war continues◦ Greater technological prowess◦ Larger population (2:1)◦ More abundant resources◦ Developed new advantages like military leaders

Grant and Sherman◦ Steady leadership of President Lincoln◦ Emancipation Proclamation

Why the North Won

Impact of War: Economic

North South

Industrial boom from the war continued

Gilded Age: “glitter covering decay”

1862 Homestead Act: gave land out west

Land Grant College Act: protective tarrif that gave money to establish colleges that taught agr/tech

South slow to rebuild Relied on northern

investment; tensions still high

North blamed south for their shortcomings (forgot that Sherman destroyed everything)

Impact of War, continued

North South

Distressed over the loss of Lincoln

Cemented federal authority after accepting the South; state’s right problems do not end with war

Citizens of a United Nation, not just states

Landscape in shambles

Dislocated southerners left to roam

Defeat v. noble cause (The South Will Rise Again!!!)

Aimless African Americans; sense of hope