STRENGTHS, WEAKNESSES, MILITARY STRATERGY, AND BATTLES OF THE
CIVIL WAR
NORTHERN CHARACTERISTICS
Diverse, fast growing populationHigh concentration of railroadsMany factories producing manufactured
goodsWell-developed telegraph system
Southern CharacteristicsEconomy based on agricultureReliance on Slave laborFew citiesFew factoriesFurther between towns- less developed
railroads
NORTHERN ADVANTAGESPopulation: North: 21.5 million > South: 9
Million
Railroad Mileage: North: 21,700 Miles > South: (Not same gage) 9,000 Miles
Factories: 110,100 > 20,600At the start of the war, the value of all
manufactured goods produced in all the Confederate states added up to less than one-fourth of those produced in New York State alone.
Northern DisadvantagesDivided public opinion- some didn’t want
free slavesAway from homes- climateUnder-trained and timid generals
SOUTHERN ADVANTAGESLEADERSHIP: 7 of 8 military schools
located in the South- Most officers went with South
MILITARY TACTICS: South was defending which meant was less costly: “War of attrition”- Bleed opponent to death
MORALE: Southerners were more willing to fight-felt to preserve way of life- Some Northerners thought it was to free slave and they didn’t want that
Southern WeaknessesAgricultural Economy- Can’t shoot cotton
ballsNo navy and army- Had to DevelopNo national government- Still for strong
states rightsFew railroads
NORTHERN TACTICS: Anaconda Plan- Crush the South
Control Mississippi River: Split West & East
Control Major Rail Road Junctions: Stop Southern supplies
Blockade South: Cut off trade of cotton- cut off money
Take Richmond: Capital of SouthOrganized by Winfield ScottFelt it would take 3 years and
300,000 men
Northern Tactics: Anaconda Plan’s WeaknessNavy- Couldn’t fully blockade South
Army was small
Underestimated the will of South
BORDER STATESHad to treat Kentucky, Missouri, Delaware
and Maryland with kid gloves- keep them happy
Reason Lincoln didn’t free slaves in that area during the Emancipation Proclamation
DISEASESNo knowledge about how diseases were
spreadHighest chance of dying of diseases came
within the first 5-6 months: Why?For every one solider that died of
wounds, 2 died of diseases: Diarrhea, dysentery, typhoid, etc.
AMPUTATIONS3 out 4 soldiers were hit in the extremities
(arms & legs)Accounted for 75 % of all the surgeriesWould use same saw all day, wiped on apron
if too slick / No Anesthesia
Clara Barton
“Angel of the Battlefield”Worked in the patent office- resigned to
become a nurseOrganized, petition, and collected medical
supplies for the troopsAfter the war, started the American Red
Cross
Modern WarWith all of its advancements, the Civil War is
considered the first modern war
RIFLED GUNSGo greater distance and be more destructive
than previous warsMade direct, frontal charges more deadly-
Pickett’s ChargeHad more of an impact on the severity of Had more of an impact on the severity of
the war than any other weapon the war than any other weapon advancementadvancement
Shells and CanisterReplaced cannon ballsArtillery would go over battle field, explode,
and send shrapnel over the field- more like a bomb
TELEGRAPHMade communications among troops,
regiments, and capitals more efficientMade communications more secureFirst air to ground communications: From
Hot Air Balloon
RAILROADSMovement of troops and supplies
quicker- allowed for larger armies because didn’t have to march
HOT AIR BALLOONSAllowed for spying and recon.Developed by North, Lincoln wanted to us,
refused at first in fieldOther troops would attempt to shoot down
balloons
Iron- Clad ShipMetal covered ship- more durable
meant longer Navy battlesDeveloped by South 1st, but info. Was
leaked to the NorthMonitor (Union-All iron) vs.
Merrimack (Confederates- iron plates)- First navy battle between iron ships: Union Victory
THE MERRIMACK- CONFEDERATES THE MONITOR: UNION
Technology: OthersSubmarinesTorpedoes- depth charges
Jefferson DavisPresident of the
Confederate States of America
Abraham Lincoln16th President of
the United StatesElected in 1860Took Office in
1861Assassinated April
14, 1865 by John Wilkes Booth
Robert E. LeeCommander of
the Army of Virginia
Confederate
Ulysses S. Grant Commanded army
in the westTook VicksburgBrought to the east
to fill in for the inept generals
Lee surrendered to Grant
“Unconditional Surrender” Grant
Other Union GeneralsGeorge McClellan-
Ambrose Burnside-
Joseph Hooker-
George Meade-
Winfield Scott-
Other Confederate GeneralsThomas “Stonewall” Jackson-
P.G.T Beauregard-
James Longstreet-
Joseph Johnston-
Braxton Braggs-
John B. Hood-
Fort SumterFirst battle of Civil WarConfederates fire on fort located in
Charleston (SC) HarborUnion held fort for 34 hours and abandoned
fortOnly death came when shooting cannon for
100 gun salute
First Bull RunFirst major land battleUnion troops were unprepared- Reporters
from D.C. followed troopsLocated in Manassas, VA- major railroad
junctionStarted to push them back, but
“Stonewall” Jackson rallied troopsUnion forced to retreat back to Washington
with major and embarrassing defeatThis battle showed the war would not
be easy
The Battle of ShilohTook place in the western theater of the warTook place near Corinth, MS on TN and MS
borderUnion troops had to fall back after first day,
but U.S Grant would not retreat- Proves his willingness to fight
Union won battleShiloh was the bloodiest single day (until
Antietam) of fighting in war and ended all hope that this would be a quick war
Monitor vs. MerrimackMerrimack- Southern wooden ship with
iron bolted to itMonitor- Union ship, completely of iron,
took 100 daysFought to a draw, but Merrimack withdrew-
never to meet againWooden navies would now be obsolete
Battle of AntietamAKA- Battle of Sharpsburg (Known as
this mainly in South)Lee hoped a victory on Northern soil
would increase European supportMcClellan (U) figured out where the
Confederates were because of Lee’s orders wrapped around cigars were found – but he delayed and gave Lee time to prepare
Lee’s 14,000 causalities (in 1 day) was a 1/3 of his army
Battle of AntietamBecame the BLOODIEST SINGLE DAY of
warMcClellan could have crushed Lee’s army
but delayedWith great Union victory, Lincoln issued
his Emancipation Proclamation
Emancipation ProclamationIssued after the Battle of AntietamStated that effective January 1, 1863- All
slaves held in areas still in rebellion would be free (Did NOT free all slaves)
Was limited because of border states of KY, MO, and MD- Lincoln did not want to force them towards the Confederates
Northerners feared an influx of uneducated African Americans from the south would threaten their jobs, but many were in favor- Continued split in the North
Many Southerners did not recognize Lincoln’s right to pass a law in their country because they felt they were no longer part of the United States
Although the Emancipation Proclamation did not free all the slaves, it did mark a significant shift from the war being simply about the unification of the Union, to the ending of slavery.
Ambrose BurnsideBecause of his delay, Lincoln again removed
McClellan from command and gave it to Ambrose Burnside (From Liberty, IN)
Lee’s Victories: FredericksburgBurnside attempted to march to Richmond-
Lee met his armyBurnside walked right into the fire at the
Battle of Fredericksburg- he will lose 14,000 men to Lee’s 5,000- and Lee dealt the union a major defeat
Lee’s Victories: Battle of ChancellorsvilleBurnside resigned, Joseph Hooker replaced
himBattle of Chancellorsville: Stonewall Jackson
snuck around the lines of the UnionUnion was surrounded and nearly crushed in
single nightTragedy- Stonewall Jackson was mistaken by his men to be the enemy and was shot- He later died from his injuries
GettysburgLee’s army needed supplies and he hoped a
victory on Northern soil would force Lincoln and the Union to finally give in
Confederate troops ran into Union troops while looking for shoes in Gettysburg and this skirmish led to the
* Deadliest Battle to ever be fought in North America*
Gettysburg: Day 1Day One: Both sides heard the gun fire in town
and rush to set up linesLines stretched some 4 milesSouthern troops forced Northern troops back a
littleHaving won the day, Robert E. Lee elected
to continue the fight despite protest from James Longstreet- his new second in command
Gettysburg: Day 2Alabama troops noticed an undefended hill-
Little Round Top- of the Union that could allow them to fire on the Union
They attempted to take the hill, but the Union also noticed the mistake and reinforcements arrived in time
Union lines remained intact
Gettysburg: Day 3Confederate briefly attacked and then all went
quietThen Confederates open with the largest
artillery barrage of the warUnion stopped firing to save ammo- South
thought they had given up- began a direct assault on the center of the Union lines
Pickett’s Charge: Name given to this assault- only a few 100 of 15,000 survived
Gettysburg- The Turning PointGettysburg was not only the deadliest battle
ever fought in North America, but was also considered to be the turning point of the war.
Why? The South’s huge loss of men meant that
Lee and the Confederates could not invade Union territory again- and they didn’t
Morale dropped to a new lowThere was no hope that European nations
or other nations would become involved for the Confederates
This was Lee’s last, great chance of victory in the North
Gettysburg AddressDedication of cemetery to honor the Union
troops that had diedAbraham Lincoln as asked only to fill in the rest
of the programHis two minute speech, known as the
Gettysburg Address, reminded listeners why the fight must go on: for the principles of freedom, equality, and self-government
Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the
proposition that all men are created equal. Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation, so conceived and so dedicated, can long
endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for
those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.
But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate—we can not consecrate—we can not hallow—this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power
to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is
for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is
rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us — that from these honored dead we take increased
devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion — that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain — that this nation, under God, shall have a new
birth of freedom — and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth
VicksburgGrant captured Vicksburg on July 4th,
1863 (Day after Gettysburg)Grant attempted to take this town several
times and then laid siege to it in early May- attempted to starve it out
Finally, the South gave control of itUnion now controlled all of the
Mississippi River- cutting the South into half (Anaconda Plan)
The Fourth of July was not be celebrated in Vicksburg for another 81 years.
Morgan’s RaidInvasion by Confederate John Morgan
into Indiana and Ohio looking for supplies
Morgan sent a detachment of men to fool the North about their whereabouts, but were captured near Pekin, Indiana
Burnside was the Union Commander
Sherman’s March to the SeaWilliam Tecumseh Sherman was ordered
by Grant, once he took over command of the eastern army, to march to Atlanta, GA- an important rail station
Sherman took Atlanta and began “March to the Sea”
March to the Sea: Used scorched earth policy and living off the land to crush and remaining hope of the South
Appomattox Court HouseSherman marched North to meet with Grant-
dealing with South Carolina more harshly- why?
Lee attempted to get around Grant to meet with other army- couldn’t
Finally, in a small town known as Appomattox Court House, Lee agreed to meet with Grant and surrender
SurrenderAppomattox Court House- The War Ends
Surrender came in the same man’s house that the war started in
Lee full dress, Grant in private’s uniform covered in mud
Terms were generous- Southern troops could take horse, guns, and were fed
Grant ordered celebrations to stop- they were country men again
Andersonville (Fort Sumter)Confederate prison where many deaths and
cruelty took place.Originally built to hold 10,000 it eventually
held more than 32,000 at one given timeMore than 45,000 Union troops sent- 12,912
(close to 30%) died of diseases and malnutrition
Leader of camp was only Confederate charged and hung for war crimes
Camp Douglas (Camp Chicago)Union equivalent of AndersonvilleLand from Stephen Douglas’ estate and
served as army training campHeld over 18,000 prisoners – 12,000 at one
timeNick named: “Eighty Acres of Hell”About 6,129 died- about 1/3 of camp
population
Lincoln AssassinatedLincoln was at Ford’s theatre in D.C.Earlier, John Wilkes Booth wanted to
kidnap the President and trade him with Confederate prisoners of war but his plans failed so he changed them
April 14, 1865- Booth slipped into back of the President’s unguarded box, pulled out a pistol, and shot Lincoln in back of head- died next morning never gaining consciousness
Jumped over the rail, broke legWoman involved in plot- she was first
woman executed by the U.S. Government
Interesting Facts• On November 9, 1863, President Lincoln
attended a theater in Washington, D.C., to see "The Marble Heart." An accomplished actor, John Wilkes Booth, was in the cast.
• On March 4, 1865, Lincoln was inaugurated for a second term. Yards away in the crowd was John Wilkes Booth with a pistol in his pocket. His vantage point on the balcony, he said later, offered him "an excellent chance to kill the President, if I had wished."
ConnectionsJFK and Abe
Glory, glory, hallelujah His truth is marching on This is a strange but true story Which proves that history Does repeat itself And the events depicted here Happened just one hundred years apart Both President Lincoln And President Kennedy Were concerned with The issue of civil rights Lincoln was elected In eighteen hundred sixty Kennedy was elected In nineteen hundred sixty One hundred years apart Both were shot from behind in the head Their successors both named Johnson Were Southern Democrats With seats in the Senate Andrew Johnson was born In eighteen hundred and eight Lyndon Johnson was born In nineteen hundred and eight One hundred years apart John Wilkes Booth The man that shot Lincoln Was born in 1839 Lee Harvey Oswald Lyrics courtesy Top40db.
The man that shot Kennedy Was born in 1939 One hundred years apart Booth and Oswald were Southerners Favoring unpopular ideas Booth and Oswald were both Assassinated before going to trial Both presidents wives Lost children through death While in the White House Both presidents were killed on a Friday And in the presence of their wives President Lincoln's secretary Whose name was Kennedy Advised him not to go to the theater President Kennedy's secretary Whose name was Lincoln Advised him not to go to Dallas John Wilkes Booth shot Lincoln In a theater and ran to a warehouse Lee Harvey Oswald shot Kennedy From a warehouse and ran to a theater The names Lincoln and Kennedy Each contain seven letters The names Andrew Johnson And Lyndon Johnson each Contain thirteen letters The names John Wilkes Booth And Lee Harvey Oswald Each contain fifteen letters And friends, it is true History does repeat itself His truth is marching on
ConspiracyMost stories state that he was tracked down
to a warehouse or barn. It was set on fire but he was shot while trying to flee- some doubt story
Lincoln’s assassination was part of a larger plan to “behead” the government
Plans were made to murder Sec. of State William Seward (Guy who bought Alaska- “Seward’s Folly”): Powell broke into home and stabbed him in face and neck. Neck brace saved him
Vice President Andrew Johnson was supposed to be murdered but conspirator back outLincoln chose Johnson because he was a
Southerner (TN) and did not leave his seat in the House- Lincoln was preparing to put Humpty Dumpty back together
INTERESTING FACTSLincoln didn’t feel blacks and whites could live in
peace- he wanted to relocate blacks to C. AmericaLincoln had confederate money on the night that he
was shotRobert E. Lee traveled w/ pet hen that laid one egg
under his bed each morningThe artillery battery at Pickett’s charge could be
heard 100 miles away in PittsburgBlack soldiers were paid $10 during the war-
whites $13There were 10,000 troops under the age of 18
serving in the Union armyRoughly 180,000 freed slaves became Union
troops
Counterfeit and Secret ServiceDuring Civil War 1/3 to ½ of money in
circulation was counterfeitSecret Service was formed to track down
counterfeitersThe Secret Service’s role of protecting the
president was first down informally for Pres. Cleveland in 1894 and full time in 1902.
The Secret Service is a part of the Department of the Treasury
Assassinated Presidents-Lincoln, James Garfield, William McKinley, and JFK
Attempted Assassinations (Shot)- Teddy Roosevelt and Ronald Reagan
Fast FactsFort Sumter- First battle of CW- ConfederatesGettysburg- Deadliest battle of war / Turning
PointMonitor vs. Merrimack- 1st navy battle
between 2 iron shipsAntietam- Deadliest single day- Emancipation
Proclamation and “draw” kept Europe outVicksburg- U.S. Grant gained control of
Mississippi RiverAppomattox Courthouse- Lee surrendersMorgan’s Raid- Battle @ Corydon, through
Salem, Vienna, and into OhioBooth kills Lincoln
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