Transcript File

The Early Civil War
Secession

Between November 1860 and March 1861,
seven states seceded (left) from the Union
– South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama,
Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas
– The “Deep South”—cotton states

After the Battle of Fort Sumter, four
“Upper South” states also seceded
– Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Arkansas
– Had little reason to secede originally (no
cotton), but supported the Southern way of
thinking and slavery
Border States

Four slave states stayed with the Union
– Missouri, Kentucky, Maryland, Delaware
– West Virginia later joined after seceding from
Virginia (WV didn’t really have slaves)

Border states generally opposed
secession, but also opposed war
– Many citizens in these states were
Confederate sympathizers
– Lincoln often had fierce opposition from these
areas
Changing Borders of the Civil War
Preparedness

Lincoln asked Robert E. Lee to take command of
Union troops, but Lee supported the Confederacy
– Couldn’t bring himself to fight against VA, became the
#1 Confederate General

Both Union and Confederacy believed they could
win
– Union had more railways, more people, and a stronger,
more diverse economy
– Confederacy had more experienced civil leaders and
military leaders, and had a more solid reason to be
fighting (fighting for their “way of life”)
Strategies for Victory
The South's war plan was simple.
1. Fight a defensive war until it became unpopular in
the North.
2. Count on European money and supplies to help fight
the war. Cotton is still very important to textile mills.

The North had an aggressive war plan.
1. A blockade (blocking off ports) would cut off the
South from European supplies and money.
2. Seizing Richmond (CSA Capital) could capture the
government and force a surrender.
3. Control the Mississippi River, prevent supplying and
isolate Arkansas, Texas and Louisiana.


The North’s plan was called
the “Anaconda Plan”
– Like an anaconda, it would
choke out the Confederacy
– It was originally mocked in
the press, but ultimately a
very good strategy

It was created by Winfield
Scott, head of Union troops
– Unfortunately, Scott was old,
out-of-shape, and unable to
lead troops, so he resigned
Anaconda Plan
Early Encounters
In July of 1861 Union troops set out from
Washington towards Richmond.
 They met up with Confederate troops at a creek
in Virginia named Bull Run.
 The Union forces broke the Confederate lines.

The Confederates were on the run until General
Thomas Jackson rallied his troops.
 Troops cried out “there is Jackson standing like a
“stonewall”. The Confederates reorganized and
scattered the Union troops. (South Wins)
 From that day on the general was called “Stonewall”
Jackson.

– Was originally not a compliment, but a complaint
First Bull Run/First Manassas
The Battle of Bull Run
showed both sides that
their troops needed
more training. It also
showed that the war
would be long and
bloody.
 General McClellan was
appointed commander of
the Union army of the
east, also called the
Army of the Potomac.
 He got the army in
shape, ready to fight.

General McClellan’s weakness was being too cautious.
President Lincoln had to push him into action.
 In March of 1862 McClellan started the Peninsula
Campaign. He landed south of Richmond and inched
his way north. Lee launched a series of counterattacks.
 Lee had Stonewall Jackson sweep around the Union
troops and head for Washington.

After Stonewall moved on Washington, DC Lincoln
could not commit any more troops to McClellan’s
campaign.
 Without the reinforcements McClellan was forced to
retreat. (South Wins, Peninsula Campaign)


Although the Union blockade started kind of shaky
they began to stop the “blockade runners”. The
blockade stopped 90% of the southern trade.
– Union ships were originally too large to stop the smaller
Confederate blockade runners
– Eventually the Union started using a wider variety of ships,
stopping the blockade runners
The South’s solution to the blockade was the ironclad.
 They seized the Merrimack, covered it with iron and
renamed it the Virginia.
 In March of 1862 the Virginia sunk two Union ships
and drove three aground.

The Union responded
with the Monitor, their
own ironclad.
 The two ships clashed
in a long battle with
essentially no
damage. Both
withdrew. (Tie)
 The South would
never again challenge
the US navy after they
were forced to scuttle,
willingly sink, the
Virginia.

Ironclads
In September of 1862 General Lee decided to go on
the offensive. He was hoping to crush the Union
morale.
 Unfortunately for Lee his battle plan was found by the
Union at an abandoned campsite.
 Although the Union had a huge advantage, McClellan
moved slow.

At Antietam 23,000 soldiers lay dead or wounded.
Lee decided to retreat during the night, as a result the
Union got a huge morale boost. Lee got the exact
opposite results he was hoping for. (Tie)
 President Lincoln was disappointed because McClellan
failed to pursue the fleeing Confederate army.
 In November he appointed General Burnside as
commander of the army, firing McClellan

Antietam
Confederate Victories in the East
In December of 1862 Union forces again headed for
Richmond. This time the Confederates held out at
Fredericksburg.
 The Union army had to cross a river, go through the
town, and then up a hill to attack an entrenched
enemy.

The Confederate guns mowed down one Union wave
after another.
 It was the Union’s worst defeat of the war. (South Wins)




Shortly after Fredericksburg the Confederates ran into the
Union army at Chancellorsville.
The Union held the high ground but “Stonewall” Jackson
flanked the Army of the Potomac and swept through the side of
the army. (South Wins)
The Confederates outmaneuvered Burnside in the three day
battle.

It was, however, a costly victory. After chasing Union
troops “Stonewall” was coming back into his own lines
after dark. His troops mistook him for a Union solider
and shot him. “Stonewall” died several days later.
Chancellorsville
Union Victories in the West
In the west the Union was having more success.
 In February of 1862 General Grant managed to
capture two forts (Henry & Donelson) and was pushing
for south.

Grant had moved his army up the Tennessee River to
Shilo. Here the Confederates surprised Grant and
forced a retreat.
 During the battle Confederate General Johnston was
shot in the leg and bled to death. He was the highest
ranking officer to die in battle for the entire war.

However, the stubborn Grant (Union) attacked
the next day and beat the Confederates back.
 The Battle of Shiloh was the largest and
bloodiest at that point of the war. (North Wins)
 Despite the victory, some Northern citizens
called for the resignation of General Grant

– Supposedly Lincoln said
“I can’t fire him, he fights”
While Grant was fighting in April of 1862, Union
gunboats were able to seize both New Orleans and
Memphis. (North Wins)
 With these two cites, the Union controlled both ends
of the Mississippi River.

East - Confederates
are winning.
West - Union
winning.
Mississippi - Union
winning.
Blockade - Union
winning.