Fort Sumter, April 12-15, 1861

Mobilization• Lincoln prepares

North for war• VA, AR, TN, NC

secede• 4 slave states remain

– Delaware– Border states / regions

• Maryland• Kentucky• Missouri• Western Virginia

Temporary measures

• Lincoln would take no chances with MD

• Imprisonment of pro-secession state legislators

• Suppression of disloyal newspapers

• Suspended habeas corpus– Supreme Court struck it down– Lincoln ignored Taney – just like Jackson

American Civil War 1861-1865

North v. South

• On the eve of war, one certainty:• North has material advantage• 2x the population – 4x the white pop.• More fighters and workers• Northern advanced industrial complex• South improved, still reliant on Europe• North has better transportation:• More and better roads; 2x the rails• Better integrated rails – uniform gauges• By 1864 Southern inferior rails collapse

Comparing Sides

Railroads 1860

Hindsight is 20/20• At the time, South seems better situated

• Defense war, positions --so…

• North fighting in the South –so…

• Southern commitment mostly uniform

• Northern commitment divided, shaky to end

• One decisive victory away from failure of Northern will

• Perhaps even European intervention for South

Strategy and Diplomacy

• Militarily– Initiative to fight is up to the Union– To keep South it has to defeat South

• Diplomatically– South has to gain recognition from Europe– North needs to maintain status quo

• Attack and Die– South adopts a “Celtic” strategy – full frontal

assault

• Commander-In-Chief

• Material Advantage

• Sees goal– destroy Armies– not territories

• Lincoln is more competent than his generals– Not schooled in

war– “By the power

of his mind, [he] became a fine strategist.”

Lincoln’s GeneralsLincoln’s GeneralsLincoln’s GeneralsLincoln’s Generals

Irwin McDowellIrwin McDowellIrwin McDowellIrwin McDowell

Winfield ScottWinfield ScottWinfield ScottWinfield Scott

George McClellan,George McClellan,Again!Again!

George McClellan,George McClellan,Again!Again!

George McClellanMcClellanGeorge McClellanMcClellan

Ambrose BurnsideAmbrose Burnside

Joseph HookerJoseph HookerJoseph HookerJoseph Hooker

George MeadeGeorge MeadeGeorge MeadeGeorge MeadeUlysses S. GrantUlysses S. GrantUlysses S. GrantUlysses S. Grant

Joint Committee on the Conduct of War

• Congress’ voice in formulating war policy

• Very powerful, interfering

• Joint investigative committee from both houses

• Chair: Sen. Benjamin Wade of Ohio

• Radical Republicanism

• Function

• Constantly plague Lincoln

Confederate States of America• Professional Solider

(West Point)• Fails to create

effective system of command

• 1862 names Robert E. Lee principal military advisor

• No plan on sharing• Fed up, Lee goes to

field

The Confederate The Confederate GeneralsGenerals

The Confederate The Confederate GeneralsGenerals

Jeb StuartJeb StuartJeb StuartJeb Stuart

James LongstreetJames LongstreetJames LongstreetJames Longstreet

George PickettGeorge PickettGeorge PickettGeorge Pickett

““Stonewall” JacksonStonewall” Jackson““Stonewall” JacksonStonewall” Jackson Nathan Bedford Nathan Bedford ForrestForrest

Nathan Bedford Nathan Bedford ForrestForrest

Robert E. LeeRobert E. LeeRobert E. LeeRobert E. Lee

The North’s Plan

Anaconda

• Gen. Scott• Naval blockade• River control• Eventually “squeeze”

toward Richmond

Advantage at Sea

1. Logistics most important 2. Union Blockades

– Not fully effective– Smugglers (Gone with the Wind)– Union is able to squeeze Southern ports

• South tries to break the Blockade – Ironclads – Merrimack v. Monitor– Torpedo boats– Hand-powered submarines

• CSS Huley v. USS Housatonic

USS Cairo

Europe• England and France Southern

sympathizers at start– Cotton importation– Weaken USA– Aristocratic nature of society

• France stays out – will follow Britain• Britain stays out – Popular Union support• Freedom v. slavery• Emancipation Proclamation fuels this view

Death of King Cotton

• 1861 UK cotton surplus

• No need for CS cotton

• Turn to Egypt and India to meet demand

• Major southern bargaining tool undermined

• No foreign recognition – never proves its close enough

Battle of Bull Run Battle of Bull Run (1(1stst Manassas) Manassas)

July, 1861July, 1861

Battle of Bull Run Battle of Bull Run (1(1stst Manassas) Manassas)

July, 1861July, 1861

•North defeated

•Disorganized retreat

•Stonewall Jackson got his name

The Battle of the Ironclads, The Battle of the Ironclads, March, 1862March, 1862The Battle of the Ironclads, The Battle of the Ironclads, March, 1862March, 1862

The Monitor vs.

the Merrimac

The Monitor vs.

the Merrimac

War in the East: 1861-War in the East: 1861-18621862

War in the East: 1861-War in the East: 1861-18621862

Battle of AntietamBattle of Antietam “Bloodiest Single Day of the War” “Bloodiest Single Day of the War”

Battle of AntietamBattle of Antietam “Bloodiest Single Day of the War” “Bloodiest Single Day of the War”

September 17, September 17, 18621862September 17, September 17, 18621862

Order No. 191

• Lee’s battle plan for Antietam

• Fell into Union hands• McClellan knew

exactly how Lee would attack

• Still, McClellan refused to commit to victory

23,000 23,000 casualtiecasualtie

ss

23,000 23,000 casualtiecasualtie

ss

TheTheEmancipatiEmancipati

ononProclamatioProclamatio

nn

TheTheEmancipatiEmancipati

ononProclamatioProclamatio

nn

Emancipation in 1863Emancipation in 1863Emancipation in 1863Emancipation in 1863

The Famous 54The Famous 54thth MassachusettsMassachusetts

The Famous 54The Famous 54thth MassachusettsMassachusetts

Extensive Legislation Extensive Legislation PassedPassed

Without the South in Without the South in CongressCongress

Extensive Legislation Extensive Legislation PassedPassed

Without the South in Without the South in CongressCongress

1861 – Morrill Tariff Act

1862 – Homestead Act

1862 – Legal Tender Act

1862 – Morrill Land Grant Act

1862 – Emancipation Proclamation (1/1/1863)

1863 – Pacific Railway Act

1863 – National Bank Act

1861 – Morrill Tariff Act

1862 – Homestead Act

1862 – Legal Tender Act

1862 – Morrill Land Grant Act

1862 – Emancipation Proclamation (1/1/1863)

1863 – Pacific Railway Act

1863 – National Bank Act

The War The War in in

the West, the West, 1863:1863:

VicksburgVicksburg

The War The War in in

the West, the West, 1863:1863:

VicksburgVicksburg

The Road to Gettysburg: The Road to Gettysburg: 18631863

The Road to Gettysburg: The Road to Gettysburg: 18631863

Gettysburg Gettysburg CasualtiesCasualtiesGettysburg Gettysburg CasualtiesCasualties

The North The North Initiates Initiates

the Draft, the Draft, 18631863

The North The North Initiates Initiates

the Draft, the Draft, 18631863

NYC Draft Riots, NYC Draft Riots, (July 13-16, 1863)(July 13-16, 1863)NYC Draft Riots, NYC Draft Riots, (July 13-16, 1863)(July 13-16, 1863)

Inflation in the SouthInflation in the SouthInflation in the SouthInflation in the South

The Progress of War: 1861-The Progress of War: 1861-18651865

The Progress of War: 1861-The Progress of War: 1861-18651865

Sherman’Sherman’ss

“March“Marchto theto theSea”Sea”

throughthroughGeorgia,Georgia,

18641864

Sherman’Sherman’ss

“March“Marchto theto theSea”Sea”

throughthroughGeorgia,Georgia,

18641864

1864 Election1864 Election1864 Election1864 Election

Pres. Lincoln (R)Pres. Lincoln (R)Pres. Lincoln (R)Pres. Lincoln (R) George McClellan George McClellan (D)(D)

George McClellan George McClellan (D)(D)

The Peace Movement: The Peace Movement: CopperheadsCopperheads

The Peace Movement: The Peace Movement: CopperheadsCopperheads

Clement Clement VallandighamVallandigham

Clement Clement VallandighamVallandigham

PresidentiPresidential Election al Election

Results:Results:

18641864

PresidentiPresidential Election al Election

Results:Results:

18641864

The Final Virginia The Final Virginia Campaign:Campaign:1864-18651864-1865

The Final Virginia The Final Virginia Campaign:Campaign:1864-18651864-1865

Surrender at Surrender at AppomattoxAppomattox

April 9, 1865April 9, 1865

Surrender at Surrender at AppomattoxAppomattox

April 9, 1865April 9, 1865

Casualties on Both Casualties on Both SidesSides

Casualties on Both Casualties on Both SidesSides

Civil War CasualtiesCivil War Casualtiesin Comparison to Other in Comparison to Other

WarsWars

Civil War CasualtiesCivil War Casualtiesin Comparison to Other in Comparison to Other

WarsWars

Ford’s Theater Ford’s Theater (April 14, (April 14, 1865)1865)

Ford’s Theater Ford’s Theater (April 14, (April 14, 1865)1865)

The AssassinThe AssassinThe AssassinThe Assassin

John Wilkes BoothJohn Wilkes BoothJohn Wilkes BoothJohn Wilkes Booth

The AssassinationThe AssassinationThe AssassinationThe Assassination

“Sic semper tyrannis!”

WANTED

WANTED

WANTED

WANTED

The ExecutionThe ExecutionThe ExecutionThe Execution