Adjusting to Total War

Military tactic employed by the North to defeat the South so soundly, the separatist government would have no other choice to come back to the Union

Total war tested societies, economies, and political systems as well as military planners and civilians

South had a passionate cause for the war; willing to defend slavery till the death

North resolve was a bit more mixed; not quite as distinguishable

Confederate soldiers were predicted to be better soldiers than the Yankees• New land better→ home court advantage• Farm boys, used to riding and shooting

A majority of the Union soldiers would be farm boys as well

UNION ARMY CONFEDERATE ARMY Trial and error in deciding

what type of strategy to use Take the capitol city of the

Confederacy: Richmond Anaconda Plan, suggested by

Gen. Winfield Scott Pres. Lincoln would decide on

a two-front war Good strategies, but lack of

good military leadership

Choice of defensive or sudden offensive strategy

Pres. Davis chose a defensive strategy; best suited for the strengths and weaknesses of the South

BUT, this did not obliterate the possibility of invasion of the Union if necessary

Both sides had more volunteers than positions

Control of militias Problems with re-enlistment Both enacted conscription/draft Inefficient supply flow b/c of private

industry

Romanticized idea of war ½ believed in cause ½ were bribed or drafted Both Northern and Southern armies were ill prepared Training camps created units, rather than individuals Poor uniforms and horrible food South relied on exports, Northern blockade was effective North had more men, but South had better trained men North broke RR lines, increasing supply shortages Diseases such as typhiod and dysentary killed more than

actual combat 618,000 died (more than Vietnam, WWI, and WWII

combined)

NORTHERN SUCCESS SOUTHERN FAILURE Pres. Lincoln named

commander and chief of army and navy

Bold in stretching the executive boundaries

Declared martial law Suspended the writ of

habeus corpus Unified support in Congress,

especially with war policies Lincoln held the party

together by persuasion, patronage, and flexible policy making

Pres. Davis named commander and chief of army and navy

Ineffective military leader and policy maker compared to Lincoln

Tenuous relationships with military generals

Lack of initiative and leadership in dealing w/ home front issues

No organized party to support him

1st Battle at Bull Run- July, 1861: humiliating Northern defeat b/c of leadership

Gen. George McClellan replaced weak leadership; started intense drills and training for Union troops

1862- Western front victories; capture of Fort Donelson and Fort Henry

Battle of Shiloh- Southern counter attack; bloodiest battle of the war• Union troops decimated in the 2 day battle

Success on the western front, after Battle of Shiloh Anaconda Plan was starting to gain some ground Monitor vs. Merrimack McClellan moved to assault Richmond, but never got

reinforcements Stonewall Jackson, took advantage of Union troops awaiting

reinforcements• Series of quick, lightening strikes

Battle of Seven Pines, McClellan forces in two; shift in Confederate power→ enter Robert E. Lee

Lee upstaged McClellan’s inadequacies

2nd Battle of Bull Run, showcased Lee’s brilliance as a military leader

Battle of Antietam followed• Bloodiest 1 day battle of the

war• 5,000 killed• Over 18,000 wounded

England and France dependent on South for 75% cotton

Halt of overseas trade when Confederate privateers raided and sank Northern ships

Because of surplus France and England failed to recognize the South

Napoleon III considered recognition in return for support of France in Mexico, but would not support w/out Britain

U.S. threatened was w/ Britain b/c of loss at Antietam, declared hands off policy

Cotton shortage in South forced Britain to turn to Egypt and India