Civil War: Life for Soldiers - Waukee Community School District Blogs
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Transcript Civil War: Life for Soldiers - Waukee Community School District Blogs
Civil War: Life for Soldiers
The Fighting Begins
Confederates
attack Ft.
Sumter, an
island off of SC
Federals
surrender
Turns Southern
secession into a
full fledged war
Call Out The Militia
Neither the N or S
had a very large
army
Lincoln asks the
Union states to
provide 75,000
militiamen for 90
days
He thinks the war will
be over quickly
Southern Army Volunteers
South has to develop
an Army from Scratch
Some U.S. Army
Generals Decide to
leave
Lee opposed slavery
and secession but
“I cannot raise my hand
against my birthplace”
Response To The Call To Arms
Thousands of men,
young and old rushed
to enlist
After the first battle
(Bull Run) the North
quickly realized it
needed a larger army
Lincoln sent the 90
day militia home and
called for all of the
Union states to
contribute men to an
army of 500,000
Training For Raw Recruits
Leaders came from West Point, Mexican
War, political appointments
Enlisted men had no fighting experience
Drill, Drill, Drill
On The Job Training
Despite months of endless training and
marching based on Napoleonic tactics,
many units on both sides fell apart upon
entering first battle
Under the stress of battle men became
confused, disoriented, panicked, and
deserted
Calm and brave leadership was the only
way to maintain order
Uniforms
At the beginning of
the war both sides
struggled to provide
enough consistent
uniforms for entire
army
Many regiments
were provided
uniforms from home
town or state- led to
a wide variety of
colors and styles
Uniforms- Officers
Officers often paid
tailors to design their
own uniforms
Tastes ranged from
very fancy to simple
and plain
Generally had more
insignia or badges
signifying rank
Uniforms- North
Typical enlisted
soldier was issued
Frock or sack coat
Light blue pants
Kepi or other hat
Brogans or boots
Belt/straps
Uniforms- South
Were similar in
basic design to
North
Common colorsGray/Tan/Brown
As war wore on
were much more
likely to wear out
and not be
replaced by army
Weapons- Infantry
Improved over previous wars- rifled
barrels=improved range, accuracy
Bayonets for close range combat
Officers carried pistols, swords
Weapons- Artillery
Cannons,
howitzers,
mortars, siege
guns
Improved
range,
accuracy, size
Proved
devastaing in
combat
Weapons- Cavalry
Horses provided
swift
transportation
Used in scouting,
raids
Armed with
pistols, swords,
smaller rifles
Civil War Main Idea
Weapons and technology had improved
rapidly during the 1800s
Army tactics, battle formations,
strategies were largely based on
Napoleonic/European tactics of close
combat
This combination led to tremendous
casualties, unfortunately military leaders
were slow to realize this and change
Common Soldier’s Life
Life for the average soldier was defined by
months of marching and boredom interrupted
by moments of sheer terror
Camp Life
Much time was
spent on daily
routines
Drills
Cleaning weapons
Cooking
Maintaining Equip.
Picket/Guard Duty
Sick Duty
Free Time For The Troops
Leisure time
activities:
Music
Reading
Writing Home
Gambling
Trading
Sports- Baseball
Casualties In Camp, Not Battle
Many soldiers
succumbed to
illness from:
Bad food, water
Infections
Wounds
Lack of proper
clothing, shelter,
medicine
Politics During the Civil War
North dominated
by Lincoln and
Republicans
Union or Slavery?
Early defeats lead
to questions of
leadership
Lincoln re-elected
in 1864
Politics During the Civil War
South becomes
Confederate States of
America
Had own govt., laws
President Jeff Davis
Build on early military
success
Each state is fiercely
independent
Civil War Political Cartoons
Political Cartoons became very popular
in newspapers and magazines
Cartoons allowed people to express
their views about controversial topics
View and discuss the following political
cartoons from the Civil War Era and
then make your own APPROPRIATE
FOR 2009 cartoon on topic related to
the Civil War