The Furnace of Civil War 18611865

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The Furnace of Civil War1861-1865

• The American Pageant
• Chapter 22

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End of 90-Day War

• Lincoln expected call-up of 75,000 troops to be
  only 90 days.
• Lincoln ordered attack on Confederates at Bull
  Run, expected quick victory, pos-sible exposure
  of Richmond.

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End of 90-Day War (2)

• July 21, 1861 Union attacks, initially
  successful, but forced back by Stonewall
  Jackson, then panicked.
• Effects (1) Many in South thought war over, went
  home or failed to enlist.

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End of 90-Day War (3)

• (2) North began to take war seriously.

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Tardy McClellan

• Late 1861 George McClellan (34) given command of
  Army of the Potomac.
• McClellan was a perfectionist, did not want to
  lose men, believed he was outnumbered.
• Result failed to attack.

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Tardy McClellan (2)

• Lincoln lost patience, ordered him to advance.
• McClellan decided to attack Richmond via water,
  dubbed Peninsula Campaign.
• Approached Richmond, but Lincoln pulled
  reinforcements.

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Tardy McClellan (3)

• June, 1862 Lee counter-attacks, in Seven Days
  Battles drove McClellan back to sea, though lost
  20,000.
• Lincoln removes McClellan as commander
  temporarily.
• Effect no easy way for South back to union,
  slavery at risk.

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Tardy McClellan (4)

• New total war plan for Union
• Blockade
• Liberate slaves to undermine economy.
• Cut South in half by seizing Mississippi.

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Tardy McClellan (5)

• New total war plan for Union
• Separate South through Georgia Carolinas.
• Decapitate South by capturing Richmond.
• Engage enemys strength and subdue it.

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The War at Sea

• Blockade leaky, but could at least concentrate on
  key ports.
• London respected blockade as precedent for own
  interests.
• Blockade-running was highly profitable if
  successful went to South with arms from England,
  return with cotton.

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The War at Sea (2)

• Northern navy high-handed would seize British
  ships headed for Nassau, other ports b/c goods
  were obviously headed for South.
• London did not object thought it may also use
  practice in the future.

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The War at Sea (3)

• 1862 Biggest threat to blockade was ironclad
  Virginia (Merrimack).
• Destroyed two wooden Union ships in Chesapeake
  Bay, frightened Union.
• Union hastily built Monitor, two ships fought to
  standstill.

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Pivotal Point Antietam

• Aug. 1862 Lee advances north, defeats Gen. Pope
  at 2nd Battle of Bull Run.
• Lee advanced into MD, hoping they would join
  South.
• Lincoln quickly restored McClellans command.

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Pivotal Point Antietam (2)

• 2 Union soldiers found a copy of Lees battle
  plan, McClellan stopped Lee on Sept. 17, 1862 at
  bloody battle of Antietam.
• Lee fell back across Potomac, McClellan fired
  again for not pursuing enemy.

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Pivotal Point Antietam (2)

• Most decisive battle of war
• (1) British French on verge of diplomatic
  intervention, possible military help.
• (2) Provided victory that Lincoln needed for
  Emancipation Proclamation.

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Pivotal Point Antietam (3)

• Jan 1., 1863 Lincoln issues proclamation, war
  was more of a moral crusade. The war will be
  one of subjuga-tionThe old South is to be
  destroyed and replaced by new propositions and
  ideas.

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Without Emancipation

• Proclamation said slaves forever free in
  rebellious states only.
• Lincoln not willing to alienate border states.
• Yet word got out, some slaves fled to advancing
  Union army.

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Without Emancipation (2)

• Lincolns goal was not only to free slaves, but
  to strengthen moral cause of Union.
• Foreshadowed ultimate doom of slavery
  ratification of 13th Amendment in 1865.
• Removed chance of negotiated settlement of war.

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Without Emancipation (3)

• Public reaction split, deser-tions up sharply,
  especially among those from Border States.
• 1862 Mid-term election went heavily against
  Lincoln.
• European reaction split be-tween aristocrats,
  commoners.

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Blacks Battle Bondage

• Initially, War Dept. refused to accept black
  volunteers, though navy used them in supporting
  roles.
• But emancipation need resulted in black
  enlistment 180,000 by end of war, most from
  slave states.

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Blacks Battle Bondage (2)

• Blacks participated in about 500 engagements, won
  22 Congressional Medals of Honor, 38,000 died.
• When captured by South, black soldiers were often
  put to death as slaves in revolt, e.g. Fort
  Pillow, TN.

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Blacks Battle Bondage (3)

• South would not enlist blacks until too late a
  month before end of war.
• However, many had been forced into support roles.
• Were the stomach of the Confederacy - kept
  farms running.

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Blacks Battle Bondage (4)

• Most Southern slaves did little to aid North. A
  moderate revolt could have ended war.
• But many did abandon plantations when Union
  armies approached, some joined Shermans march.

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Lees Last Lunge

• After Antietam, Lincoln replaced McClellan with
  Burnside.
• Dec. 1862 Burnside led rash frontal assault on
  Lee at Fredericksburg, VA 10,000 Union
  casualties.

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Lees Last Lunge (2)

• Burnside replaced with Hooker.
• May, 1863 Hooker defeated at Chancellorsville,
  VA by brilliant leadership of Lee, Jackson.
  (Jackson accidentally killed by own men.)

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Lees Last Lunge (3)

• Lee prepared to invade North through PA to bring
  them to peace, encourage foreign intervention.
• Meade replaced Hooker.
• Meade set up defenses on ridge near Gettysburg,
  PA.

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Lees Last Lunge (4)

• July 1-3, 1863 3 days of fighting, including
  Picketts charge, broke Confederates, sealed fate
  of South.
• Later Lincoln dedicated cemetery with Gettysburg
  address, attracted little attention at time.

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The War in the West

• U.S. Grant, general in western theater, had
  undistinguished military/business career.
• However, his qualities of boldness,
  resourcefulness and tenacity led to his quick
  climb.

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The War in the West (2)

• Grants first victory Forts Henry Donelson on
  TN Cumberland R., Feb. 1862. (unconditional
  surrender)
• Victory kept KY in Union, exposed heart of South.
• April, 1862 slowed at Shiloh.

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The War in the West (3)

• Lincoln resisted demands for removal of Grant b/c
  he fights.
• July, 1863 victories at Vicksburg, Port Hudson,
  together with Farragut attack on New Orleans,
  took control of Miss. R. away from South.

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The War in the West (4)

• Result of victories on Miss.
• Control of Miss. calmed Butternut region due to
  reopening of trade down river.
• England stopped delivery of Laird rams, France
  ended deal to sell naval vessels to South.

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Sherman Scorches GA

• Grants victory at Chattanooga cleared way for
  Shermans invasion of GA.
• Sherman burned Atlanta in Sept., 1864, left
  supply camp and cut 60-mile wide path of
  destruction to sea (Savannah).

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Sherman Scorches GA (2)

• Purpose destroy supplies and weaken morale of
  men on front by destroying their homes.
• Pioneer of total war.
• Turned north to SC to punish hell-hole of
  secession.

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Politics of War

• 1864 election Lincoln criticized by own party
  Treas. Sec. Chase, radical Republican in
  Congress.
• Criticized for exercise of presidential powers,
  perceived weakness on emancipation.

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Politics of War (2)

• Northern Democrats, w/out leaders like Douglas,
  split into War and Peace Dems.
• War Democrats supported Lincoln.
• Peace Dems (Copperheads) attacked draft,
  Lincoln.

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Politics of War (3)

• Ohio Congressman C.L. Vallandingham caused
  trouble, demanded end to war.
• 1863 Convicted by military tribunal for
  treasonable utterances, sentenced to prison.

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Election of 1864

• Afraid of defeat, Republicans and War Dems formed
  Union party, nominated Lincoln.
• War Dem Andrew Johnson (TN) was running mate to
  attract voters from border states.

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Election of 1864 (2)

• Dems nominate McClellan, Copperheads attempted to
  force platform to denounce war as failure, but
  McClellan would not allow it.
• Campaign Dont swap horses midstream.

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Election of 1864 (3)

• Initially with war going poorly, reelection in
  doubt.
• Farragut Sherman victories changed perception
  of war.
• Extra efforts made to be sure Union soldiers
  allowed to vote (for Lincoln, of course).

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Election of 1864 (4)

• Though McClellan gets 45 of vote, Lincoln wins.
• Lincoln defeat was last hope for South, after
  reelection, Southern desertions increased.

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Grant Outlasts Lee

• After Gettysburg, Grant brought from west over
  Meade.
• Grants strategy attack enemys armies
  simultaneous-ly so they cannot assist each other.

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Grant Outlasts Lee (2)

• May/June 1864 Grant advances toward Richmond in
  VA Wilderness Campaign, suffered 50,000
  casualties.
• Critics decried Grants butchery, but Grant knew
  he could lose men 21, still win.

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Grant Outlasts Lee (3)

• Feb. 1865 Nearing defeat, South attempt to
  negotiate peace between 2 countries.
• Lincoln would not accept less than Union and
  emancipation, South demanded freedom no peace.

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Grant Outlasts Lee (4)

• April, 1865 Union troops captured Richmond,
  cornered Lee at Appomattox.
• Grant gave generous terms of surrender The war
  is over the rebels are our countrymen again.

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Martyrdom of Lincoln

• 5 days after surrender, pro-Southern actor John
  Wilkes Booth shot Lincoln in Fords Theater.
• Lincoln died following morning.

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Martyrdom of Lincoln (2)

• Assassination was timed perfectly to grant
  Lincoln martyrdom status at height of fame,
  silenced critics.
• Some Southern soldiers, civilians even Northern
  Copperhead initially cheered.

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Martyrdom of Lincoln (3)

• Eventually, Southerners realized that Lincoln
  would have protected them from wrath of
  Congressional Republicans.
• Crucifixion theory If Lincoln had lived, would
  have suffered same fate as Johnson.

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Martyrdom of Lincoln (4)

• Theory doubtful Lincolns war leadership,
  reasonable-ness, common sense would have produced
  much different result than Johnsons hot temper.

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Aftermath of Nightmare

• 600,000 deaths, over 1M casualties altogether.
• Nation lost potential leadership, babies unborn
  due to fathers at front.
• War cost 15B continual expenses, e.g. interest.

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Aftermath of Nightmare (2)

• States righters crushed, along with
  nullification secession.
• Question posed at Gettysburg, can nation
  dedicated to democratic principles endure?
  answered positively.

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Aftermath of Nightmare (3)

• Victory for Union/democracy encouraged democrats
  world over, e.g. 1867 English Reform Bill made
  England true political democracy.
• Nation unified, but would remain morally split
  for years to come.

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