THE CIVIL WAR PART I: APRIL 1861 – DECEMBER 186 EUGENIA LANGAN MATER ACADEMY CHARTER HIGH SCHOOL HIALEAH GARDENS, FLORIDA
Mar 22, 2016
THE CIVIL WARPART I: APRIL 1861 – DECEMBER 1862
EUGENIA LANGANMATER ACADEMY CHARTER HIGH SCHOOLHIALEAH GARDENS, FLORIDA
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS
NARROW (THIS LESSON):
HOW AND WHY DID THE UNION WIN THE CIVIL WAR?
WHAT WERE THE EFFECTS OF THE CIVIL WAR?
BROAD:
WHAT ARE THE CAUSES AND EFFECT OF U.S. NATIONALISM AND EXCEPTIONALISM?
HOW DID THE U.S. BECOME A “SUPERPOWER”?
BACKGROUND/ REVIEW
CAUSES OF THE CIVIL WAR (OF SOUTHERN SECESSION):
FUNDAMENTAL ISSUE: STATE SOVEREIGNTY
PLAYED OUT OVER TWO SPECIFIC ISSUES: TARIFFS AND SLAVERY – BOTH WERE CAUSES OF SECESSION
ELECTION OF 1860 - REPUBLICANS GAINED WHITE HOUSE AND 2/3 MAJORITY OF BOTH HOUSED OF CONGRESS SECESSION
ELECTION OF 1860: THE CANDIDATES (LINCOLN, DOUGLAS, BRECKINRIDGE) TEAR THE COUNTRY APART)
BOTH TARIFF AND SLAVERY ISSUES LED TO SECESSION:
TARIFF: ELECTION OF 1860 MADE PASSAGE OF MORILL TARIFF CERTAIN
SLAVERY:
ELECTION ALSO MADE IT CERTAIN THAT SOUTH WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO EXPAND INTO CUBA AND CENTRAL AMERICA IF IT REMAINED IN THE UNION (SOUTH NEEDED MORE COTTON LAND)
ELECTION MADE IT POSSIBLE THAT EVENTUALLY A CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT BANNING SLAVERY WOULD EVENTUALLY PASS CONGRESS AND BE RATIFIED BY ¾ OF STATES
DECEMBER, 1860SOUTH CAROLINA SECEDES
DECEMBER 1860 – SOUTH CAROLINA SECEDED FROM U.S. IMMEDIATELY AFTER ELECTION OF LINCOLN
CONFEDERATE STATES OF AMERICA (EST. FEB. 4, 1861)
PRESIDENT JEFFERSON DAVIS
CONSTITUTION: MODELED ON U.S. CONSTITUTION BUT ALLOWED SLAVERY AND EXPANSION TO NEW TERRITORY AND BANNED PROTECTIVE TARIFFS (SEE FOLLOWING SLIDES)
INITIALLY ALL SECEDING STATES EVENTUALLY JOINED CSA: BUT N.B. BORDER SLAVE STATES (MARYLAND, DELAWARE, KENTUCKY, MISSOURI AND NEW STATE OF WEST VIRGINIA DID NOT SECEDE –LINCOLN NEEDED THEM!)
COMPROMISE EFFORTS TO PREVENT OTHER SECESSIONS, WAR
PRESIDENT LINCOLN, SENATOR JOHN CRITTENDEN, LINCOLN’S FIRST INAUGURAL PLEDGED SLAVERY WOULD NOT BE ABOLISHED WHERE IT EXISTED
LINCOLN’S FIRST EFFORT TO KEEP THE UNION TOGETHER -- TO PREVENT FURTHER SECESSIONS AND BRING SOUTH CAROLINA BACK
CRITTENDEN COMPROMISE(PROPOSED CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS)
SLAVERY FOREVER PROTECTED IN STATES WHERE IT EXISTED AS OF 1860
36030’ APPLIED TO ALL TERRITORY (EVEN “HEREAFTER ACQUIRED”) NORTH MUST RETURN FUGITIVE SLAVES
FEDERAL TERRITORIAL SLAVE CODE
SLAVERY NEVER TO BE ABOLISHED IN D.C.
NO FEDERAL INTERFERENCE WITH THE INTERSTATE SLAVE TRADE
SEN. JOHN CRITTENDON, D. KY)
REJECTED
BUT BY FEBRUARY 1861, THE REST OF THE “NEW SOUTH” (THE DEEP-SOUTH STATES) HAD SECEDED
: SOUTH CAROLINA TEXAS GEORGIA MISSISSIPPI ALABAMA LOUISIANA FLORIDA
THE OLD SOUTH (VIRGINIA, MARYLAND, NORTH CAROLINA) AND BORDER STATES (TENNESSEE, KENTUCKY, MISSOURI) DID NOT SECEDE THEN
CONFEDERATE STATES OF AMERICA (EST. FEB. 4, 1861)
PRESIDENT JEFFERSON DAVIS
CONSTITUTION: MODELED ON U.S. CONSTITUTION BUT ALLOWED SLAVERY AND EXPANSION TO NEW TERRITORY AND BANNED PROTECTIVE TARIFFS (SEE FOLLOWING SLIDES)
ALL SECEDING STATES EVENTUALLY JOINED CSA: BUT N.B. BORDER SLAVE STATES (MARYLAND, DELAWARE, KENTUCKY, MISSOURI AND NEW STATE OF WEST VIRGINIA DID NOT SECEDE – LINCOLN NEEDED THEM!)
THE DIVIDED SOUTH (BE SURE TO READ “THE SOUTH’S INNER CIVIL WAR) – FROM 1860 LETTER OF SOUTH CAROLINA CONGRESSMAN ALEXANDER H. STEPHENS (WHO WOULD LATER BECOME VICE PRESIDENT OF THE CSA):
“THE SECEDERS INTENDED FROM THE BEGINNING TO RULE OR RUIN; AND WHEN THEY FIND THEY CANNOT RULE, THEY WILL THEN RUIN. THEY HAVE ABOUT ENOUGH POWER FOR THIS PURPOSE; NOT MUCH MORE; AND I DOUBT NOT BUT THEY WILL USE IT. ENVY, HATE, JEALOUSY, SPITE … WILL MAKE DEVILS OF MEN. THE SECESSION MOVEMENT WAS INSTIGATED BY NOTHING BUT BAD PASSIONS.”
N.B. MANY SOUTHERNERS WHO OPPOSED SECESSION, INCLUDING ROBERT E. LEE, NONETHELESS SUPPORTED THE CSA BECAUSE AT THE TIME MANY PEOPLE WERE MORE LOYAL TO STATES THAN TO THE U.S.!
Lincoln/Davis
• BORN IN KENTUCKY• SELF-EDUCATED• CONGRESSMEN FROM
ILLINOIS• ABOLITIONIST• MINORITY PRESIDENT
(ONLY OF NORTHERN AND BORDER STATES)
• BORN IN KENTUCKY• GRADUATE OF WEST
POINT• MEXICAN WAR VET• SERVED AS U.S.
SECRETARY OF WAR, SECRETARY OF STATE, SENATOR FROM MISSISSIPPI
• SLAVEOWNER• PRESIDENT OF CSA
LLINCOLN V. DAVIS
WHY THE NORTH (UNION) FOUGHT THE CIVIL WAR:
AT FIRST, ONLY TO KEEP UNION TOGETHER, NOT TO ABOLISH SLAVERY
IN FIRST INAUGURAL, LINCOLN PLEDGED NOT TO SEEK ABOLITION OF SOUTHERN SLAVERY
CRITTENDEN-JOHNSON RESOLUTION (PASSED BY CONGRESS DECEMBER 1861, AFTER FIRST BATTLE OF BULL RUN): NORTH FIGHTING ONLY TO KEEP UNION TOGETHER, WOULD NOT ABOLISH SLAVERY
LINCOLN’S AUGUST 1862 LETTER TO HORACE GREELEY:
“IIF I COULD SAVE THE UNION WITHOUT FREEING ANY SLAVE, I WOULD DO IT; AND IF I COULD SAVE IT BY FREEING ALL THE SLAVES, I WOULD DO IT; AND IF I COULD DO IT BY FREEING SOME AND LEAVING OTHERS ALONE, I WOULD ALSO DO THAT.”
CIVIL WAR OVERVIEW EFFECTS:
FEDERAL SOVEREIGNTY (THIS WAS ACCEPTED AFTER WAR BUT CONSTITUTION WAS NOT AMENDED IN ANY WAR RELEVANT TO THIS!)
SLAVERY AND INVOLUNTARY SERVITUDE ABOLISHED (BUT NO EQUALITY OR LASTING CIVIL RIGHTS FOR AFRICAN-AMERICANS)
LEGAL: SUPREME COURT DECISIONS ESTABLISHED THAT EVEN DURING WARTIME PRESIDENT MUST FOLLOW THE CONSTITUTION
GENDER RELATIONS: NURSING BECAME ACCEPTABLE PROFESSION FOR WOMEN
RECONSTRUCTION – MILITARY OCCUPATION OF SOUTH UNTIL 1877 LINGERING N/S HOSTILITY
MOST DEADLY WAR IN U.S. HISTORY
WAS IT WORTH IT? YOU DECIDE . . . BUT COULD U.S. HAVE BECOME A SUPERPOWER OTHERWISE?
AND IT WAS, OFTEN LITERALLY, BROTHER AGAINST BROTHER.
RELATIVE ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES – NORTH AND SOUTH: SOUTH WOULD HAVE BEEN ONE OF THE WEALTHIEST NATIONS IN THE WORLD, AND HAD HOPES OF EXPANDING INTO CARIBBEAN AND CENTRAL AMERICA
BUT MILITARILY, SOUTH HAD MANY DISADVANTAGES, INCLUDING LACK OF RAILROADS, WHITE MEN, AND FOOD CROPS, AS THE FOLLOWING CHARTS SHOW
IT WASN’T A CAKEWALK FOR THE NORTH, THOUGH!
NORTH V. SOUTH, RAILROAD LINES 1861
N.B. THAT SOUTHERN RAILROADS LACKED STANDARD GAUGE – COULD NOT CONNECT
CRITICAL DISADVANTAGE – CIVIL WAR WAS FIRST “INDUSTRIAL” WAR – MASS MOVEMENTS OF TROOPS BY RAIL, ALSO MOVEMENT OF LARGE ARTILLERY, MATERIEL, ETC.
RESOURCES, NORTH V. SOUTH, 1861 – 65 (WITH FEW FACTORIES, SOUTH COULD NOT MAKE MUNITIONS, UNIFORMS, ETC., HAD TO RELY ON IMPORTS )
SO WHY DID THE SOUTH THINK IT COULD WIN?
SOUTH ONLY HAD TO DEFEND ITS TERRITORY (THOUGH IT TRIED TO TAKE D.C. TO WIN WAR) BUT NORTH HAD TO CONQUER THE SOUTH
BETTER GENERALS? MAYBE! THE SOUTH HAD ROBERT E. LEE!
IT HOPED BRITAIN (AND FRANCE) WOULD ENTER THE WAR ON ITS SIDE – NOT A CRAZY IDEA!
* RECALL MOST SOUTHERN COTTON WENT TO BRITAIN
* RECALL BRITAIN HAD SUPPORTED REPUBLIC OF TEXAS – LIKED IDEA OF TARIFF-FREE COTTON-PRODUCING COUNTRY
1862 – SOUTH DESTROYED TONS OF COTTON TO INDUCE “COTTON FAMINE” IN BRITAIN (CLOSURE OF TEXTILE MILLS, UNEMPLOYMENT) TO COERCE BRITISH SUPPORT
NORTHERN RESPONSE = CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTIONS FOR UNEMPLOYED BRITISH WORKERS
BRITAIN UNWILLING TO GET INVOLVED UNLESS SOUTH WON MAJOR BATTLE INDICATING LIKELY VICTORY, FRANCE UNWILLING TO GET INVOLVED UNLESS BRITAIN DID
SOUTH NEVER WON THAT MAJOR BATTLE (NONETHELESS IT TOOK FOUR YEARS FOR UNION TO DEFEAT SOUTH)
BUT BRITAIN ALLOWED BRITISH SHIPYARDS TO SUPPLY SOUTH WITH “COMMERCE RAIDERS” AND “LAIRD RAMS” (BATTLESHIPS) AT FIRST
UNION GENERALS-IN-CHIEF – LINCOLN KEPT FIRING THEM!
WINFIELD SCOTTTOO OLD
GEORGE MCCLELLANTWICE! FIRED, THEN REHIRED. DIDN’T GET ALONG WITH LINCOLN, NOT AGGRESSIVE ENOUGH FOR LINCOLN
AMBROSE BURNSIDEDIDN’T WANT THE JOB,
DIDN’T WIN
JOSEPH HOOKERDIDN’T WANT THE JOB,
DIDN’T WIN
GEORGE MEADEWON AT GETTYSBURG BUT NOT AGGRESSIVE
ENOUGH FOR LINCOLN
Ulysses S. Grant
1
1ST
2ND
3RD
4TH
5TH
6TH
ULYSSES S. GRANT ALCOHOLIC BUT WON BIG IN WEST, WON WAR!
CONFEDERATE GENERALSROBERT E. LEE, COMMANDING GENERAL FROM 1862 TO THE END
SON OF REVOLUTIONARY WAR GENERAL “LIGHT HORSE” HARRY LEE
WEST POINT GRADUATE, SECOND IN CLASS (GRANT WAS AT BOTTOM OF CLASS)
CAREER OFFICER IN U..S ARMY – MEXICAN WAR, DEFEATED JOHN BROWN’S MILITIA AT HARPER’S FERRY
LINCOLN’S FIRST CHOICE AS UNION GENERAL-IN-CHIEF -- BUT LEE FELT MORE LOYALTY TO VIRGINIA (THOUGH HE HAD OPPOSED SECESSION)
GENERALS SERVING UNDER LEE
THOMAS “STONEWALL” JACKSON, P.G.T. BEAUREGARD, GEORGE PICKETT,JAMES LONGSTREET, NATHAN BEDFORD FORREST, AND JEB STUART
JACKSON, LEE’S FAVORITE, WAS KILLED BY FRIENDLY FIRE AT CHANCELLORSVILLE, 1863
INITIAL STRATEGIES
NORTH: SCOTT’S ANACONDA PLAN – ATLANTIC BLOCKADE + TAKE CONTROL OF MISSISSIPPI – CUT SOUTH OFF FROM TRADE AND FORCE SURRENDER (PLAN WORKED, EXCEPT SOUTH WOULDN’T SURRENDER!)
SOUTH: “OFFENSIVE DEFENSE” -- ENCIRCLE D.C. TO DIVERT UNION FORCES, FORCE UNION TO GIVE UP AND LEAVE SOUTH ALONE
MAP SHOWS INITIAL STRATEGIES
N.B. LINCOLN ORDERED THE BLOCKADE AND CALLED UP THE ARMY WITHOUT PRIOR CONGRESSIONAL AUTHORIZATION) BUT CONGRESS LATER APPROVED
WESTERN THEATER EASTERN THEATER
Notes 2
SUMMARY:
USA DEFEATING CSA BECAUSE OF GENERAL GRANT
SUMMARY:CSA DEFEATING USA BECAUSE OF GENERAL LEE (DEFEAT IN SENSE THAT NORTH WAS MAINLY ON DEFENSIVE)
MAJOR BATTLES, 1861 - 1862 -- SUMMARY
CAPITOLS OF BOTH U.S.A. (D.C.) AND C.S.A. (RICHMOND) WERE IN EAST SO VICTORY THERE WAS ESSENTIAL
MAJOR BATTLES, EASTERN THEATER, 1861 -62:
FORT SUMTER, APRIL 12, 1861 – SOUTH CAROLINA MILITIA DROVE FEDERAL TROOPS OUT OF FT. SUMTER, CHARLESTON
AN EXAMPLE OF LINCOLN’S TACTICAL PROWESS: HE DID NOT WANT UNION TO FIRE THE FIRST SHOT, SO HE PROVOKED CONFEDERACY TO DO IT
FT. SUMTER WAS UNION. FORT IN CONFEDERATE TERRITORY
SOME OF LINCOLN’S ADVISORS RECOMMENDED THAT UNION SHOULD JUST ABANDON THE FORT
BUT LINCOLN DECIDED TO SEND SUPPLIES TO THE MEN IN THE FORT, KNOWING SOUTH CAROLINA WOULD ATTACK THE TROOPS BRINGING SUPPLIES
SIGNIFICANCE: NOT REALLY A MAJOR BATTLE, BUT SIGNIFICANT BECAUSE IT LED TO SECESSION OF (“OLD SOUTH”) STATES (BUT NOT BORDER STATES)
WHY? LINCOLN CALLED ON ALL STATES TO PROVIDE TROOPS – OLD SOUTH STATESS NOT EAGER TO SECEDE, BUT UNWILLING TO SEND TROOPS TO FIGHT OTHER SOUTHERNERS
FIRST BATTLE OF BULL RUN (MANASSAS), JULY 21, 1861
UNION TROOPS UNDER ATTACK MANASSAS (RR TERMINAL) – DEFEATED BY CONFEDERATE TROOPS
SIGNIFICANCE = FIRST REAL BATTLE, CONFEDERATE VICTORY – BUT STILL UNION HOPED TO AVOID WAR: CRITTENDEN-JOHNSON RESOLUTION PASSED DECEMBER 1861. APRIL 1862, PASSED LAW PROMISING TO COMPENSATE SLAVEOWNERS WHO FREED SLAVES
SLAVERY FOREVER PROTECTED IN STATES WHERE IT EXISTED AS OF 1860
36030’ APPLIED TO ALL TERRITORY (EVEN “HEREAFTER ACQUIRED”)
NORTH MUST RETURN FUGITIVE SLAVES
FEDERAL TERRITORIAL SLAVE CODE
SLAVERY NEVER TO BE ABOLISHED IN D.C.
NO FEDERAL INTERFERENCE WITH THE INTERSTATE SLAVE TRADE
DECEMBER, 1861 – AFTER BULL RUN, CONGRESS PASSED CRITTENDEN-JOHNSON RESOLUTION TO TRY TO REUNITE UNION:
UNION WAS NOT FIGHTING TO ABOLISH SLAVERY, ONLY TO PRESERVE UNION
IF SOUTH RETURNED TO UNION, SLAVERY WOULD REMAIN INTACT IN SOUTH
YOU HAVE LINCOLN’S 1862 LETTER TO GREELEY
EMANCIPATION PROCLAMATION WILL NOT COME UNTIL AFTER ANTIETAM (SEPTEMBER 1862)
MCCLELLAN’S PENINSULA CAMPAIGN, MARCH 17 – JULY 1, 1862
PLAN – AMPHIBIOUS LANDING ON YORKTOWN PENINSULA, CONQUER RICHMOND (CSA CAPITOL), QUICK END TO WAR
BATTLE OF SEVEN PINES, MAY 31, 1862 – BOTH SIDES CLAIMED VICTORY – ROUGHLY EQUAL CASUALTIES (UNION 5031 = 790 KILLED, 3,594 WOUNDED, 647 CAPTURED OR MISSING; CONFEDERATE 6,134 = 980 KILLED, 4,749 WOUNDED, 405 CAPTURED OR MISSING) – BUT MCCLELLAN PULLED BACK
SEVEN DAYS’ BATTLE, JUNE 25 – JULY 1, 1862 – CONFEDERATE COUNTERATTACK (UNDER LEE)
SIGNIFICANCE
• NOW CLEAR THAT THERE WOULD BE A REAL WAR – SOUTH WOULD FIGHT FOR INDEPENDENCE = “TOTAL WAR” NECESSARY
• AND NOW SOUTH SEIZED INITIATIVE AND LAUNCHED “OFFENSIVE DEFENSE” – ATTACK ON NORTH
MAP SHOWS PROGRESS OF LEE’S NORTHERN VIRGINIA CAMPAIGN UP TO SECOND BATTLE OF BULL RUN – NOTE CSA PROGRESS TOWARD D.C.!
SECOND BATTLE OF BULL RUN, AUGUST 28 – 30, 1862
CULMINATION OF LEE’S NORTHERN VIRGINIA CAMPAIGN - SUCCESSFUL CONFEDERATE ATTACK AGAINST UNION RAIL DEPOT AT MANASSAS – UNION FORCES UNDER GENERAL JOHN POPE FORCED TO RETREAT TO CENTERVILLE, VA. (SEE MAP PREDECING PAGE)
CONFEDERATE ARMY WITHIN 35 MILES OF D.C. USA CSATOTAL TROOPS 62,000 50,000
CASUALTIES (DEAD AND WOUNDED)
10,000 8,300
CASUALTY RATE 16.1% 16.6%
BUT NOTE THAT SOUTH HAD SLIGHTLY HIGHER CASUALTY RATE – AND SOUTH COULD NOT AFFORD AS WELL AS NORTH (FEWER WHITE MEN IN SOUTH)
ANTIETAM (SHARPSBURG, MD., SEPTEMBER 17, 1862
BLOODIEST BATTLE IN U.S. – 23,000 CASUALTIES AND LOSSES
FIRST MAJOR BATTLE IN NORTH
MORE OF LEE’S OFFENSIVE DEFENSE – HE CROSSED INTO MARYLAND
MCCLELLAN DROVE LEE’S FORCES BACK INTO VIRGINIA – BUT DID NOT PURSUE AND DESTROY (SO LINCOLN FIRED HIM)
IT WAS REALLY A DRAW, BECAUSE LEE WAS FREE TO ATTACK NORTH AGAIN, BUT LINCOLN REGARDED IT AS ENOUGH OF A VICTORY TO ISSUE THE EMANCIPATION PROCLAMATION
USA CSATOTAL TROOPS 75,500 38,000KILLED 2,108
1,546
WOUNDED 9,540 7,752TOTAL CASUALTIES 11,648 9,298MIA/ CAPTURED 753 1,018TOTAL CAS./LOSS RATE
16.4% 27.1%
CASUALTIES AND LOSSES AT ANTIETAM
NOTE AGAIN SOUTH’S HIGHER CASUALTY/ LOSS RATE (DESPITE LOWER TOTAL) – SOUTH LESS ABLE TO AFFORD TROOP LOSSES!
LINCOLN VISITS MCCLELLAN (R) AT ANTIETAM AFTER THE BATTLE – BUT HE WAS ANGRY THAT MCCLELLAN HADN’T PURSUED LEE, SOON FIRED HIM
MCCLELLAN PRIVATELY REFERRED TO LINCOLN AS “A BABOON,” ETC.
BATTLE OF FREDERICKSBURG, VA. (DECEMBER 11- 15, 1862) – BURNSIDE V. LEE – BATTLE REMARKABLE MOSTLY FOR BURNSIDE’S STUPIDITY
DECISIVE CONFEDERATE VICTORY – LEE REPELLED BURNSIDE’S EFFORT TO INVADE NORTHWESTERN VA. (EVADING LEE’S TROOPS, HE THOUGHT) AND GET TO RICHMOND (SEE MAP ON NEXT SLIDE)
LEE AND LONGSTREET STOPPED BURNSIDE AT FREDERICKSBURG
AT FREDERICKSBURG, BURNSIDE SENT THOUSANDS OF UNION TROOPS AGAINST CONFEDERATE TROOPS ENTRENCHED IN SUNKEN ROAD BEHIND STONE WALL, BACKED BY ARTILLERY ON MARYE’S HEIGHTS BLOODBATH
“MY GOD, GENERAL REYNOLDS, DID THEY THINK MY DIVISION COULD WHIP LEE'S WHOLE ARMY?” MAJOR GENERAL GEORGE MEADE TO MAJOR GENERAL JOHN REYNOLDS, AFTERNOON OF DECEMBER 13, 1861
“IT IS WELL THAT WAR IS SO TERRIBLE, OR WE SHOULD GROW TOO FOND OF IT.” GENERAL ROBERT E. LEE, OBSERVING THE CARNAGE AT FREDERICKSBURG
SUMMARY OF EASTERN THEATER AT END OF 1862:
AT THE TIME IT LOOKED AS IF SOUTH WAS WINNING
LEE HAD BEEN DRIVEN OUT OF MARYLAND, BUT WAS STILL WITHIN STRIKING DISTANCE OF D.C.
UNION ARMY, IN CONTRAST, HAD BEEN UNABLE TO MAKE ANY PROGRESS TOWARD CONQUEST OF SOUTH (AND TO KEEP UNION TOGETHER, NORTH HAD TO CONQUER THE SOUTH)
THE WESTERN THEATER, 1861 – 62. OBJECTIVE = TAKE CONTROL OF MISSISSIPPI RIVER (ANACONDA)
STEADY UNION PROGRESS UNDER GENERAL ULYSSES S. GRANT, BACKED BY GENERAL WILLIAM TECUMSEH SHERMAN
GRANT SHERMAN
BATTLE OF SHILOH (AKA BATTLE OF PITTSFIELD LANDING), APRIL 6-7, 1862
GRANT AND SHERMAN GAINED ACCESS TO TENNESSEE RIVER CONFEDERATE FORCES WOULD BE UNABLE TO BLOCK UNION ACCESS TO MISSISSIPPI (SEE MAP BELOW)
“IN THE STRUGGLE TOMORROW WE SHALL BE FIGHTING MEN OF OUR OWN BLOOD, WESTERN MEN, WHO UNDERSTAND THE USE OF FIREARMS. THE STRUGGLE WILL BE A DESPERATE ONE.” CSA GENERAL P.G.T. BEAUREGARD ON EVE OF BATTLE OF SHILOH
SHILOH CASUALTIES AND LOSSESUSA CSA
TOTAL TROOPS 66,812 44,699
KILLED 1,754 1,728
WOUNDED 8,408 8,012
MIA/CAPTURED 2,885 959
TOTAL CASUALTIES AND LOSSES
13,047 10,699
CAS./LOSS RATE 19.5% 23.9%
THE NAVAL WAR: SOUTH WAS NEVER ABLE TO BLOCK UNION BLOCKADE!
“BATTLE OF THE IRONCLADS” AKA THE BATTLE OF HAMPTON ROADS, VA. - C.S.S. VIRGINIA (FORMERLY U.S.S. MERRIMACK) V. U.S.S. MONITOR, MARCH 8 -9, 1862 - FIRST BATTLE EVER BETWEEN IRONCLAD BATTLESHIPS. MAIN SIGNIFICANCE OF BATTLE = MORE IRONCLADS BUILT
MARCH 8: THE VIRGINIA ATTACKED U.S. NORTH ATLANTIC NAVAL BLOCKADING SQUADRON AT HAMPTON ROADS (NEAR PORT OF NORFOLK), DESTROYED TWO WOODEN U.S. BATTLESHIPS (U.S.S CUMBERLAND AND U.S.S. CONGRESS – ONE OF THE ORIGINAL THREE U.S. BATTLESHIPS)
MARCH 9 – U.S.S. MONITOR ARRIVED SEVERAL HOURS OF BATTLE WITH VIRGINIA – NEITHER COULD SINK THE OTHER (THE IRON ARMOR WORKED)
1 1877 DEPICTION OF THE BATTLE
IN THE END, BOTH SHIPS WITHDREW AND BOTH CLAIMED VICTORY (BUT THE BLOCKADE WAS NOT DEFEATED!)
THE MONITOR – PHOTO TAKEN AFTER THE BATTLE. PHOTO ON RIGHT SHOWS DAMAGE TO DECK
LATER IN 1862, THE MONITOR SANK IN A STORM, AND THE COMMANDER OF THE VIRGINIA HAD HER BURNED RATHER THAN ALLOW HER EVENTUAL CAPTURE BY UNION
CONFEDERATE “COMMERCE-RAIDERS”
IN 1862, BRITAIN ALLOWED JOHN S. LAIRD & SONS SHIPYARD TO BUILD SEVERAL “COMMERCE RAIDERS” FOR THE CONFEDERACY
THESE WERE BATTLESHIPS, BUT WITH NO GUNS (SO BRITAIN COULD MAINTAIN OFFICIAL NEUTRALITY) – BUT THEN THEY’D PROCEED TO THE AZORES AND BE ARMED WITH BRITISH-MADE GUNS
EXAMPLE: THE C.S.S. ALABAMA SUNK 64 U.S. SHIPS, MOSTLY MERCHANT SHIPS, OFF COASTS OF U..S,. AND EUROPE
BUT THE SOUTH NEVER BROKE THE BLOCKADE
THIS PAINTING BY EDOURD MANET DEPICTS THE 1864 SINKING OF THE C.S.S ALABAMA BY THE U.S.S. KEARSAGE OFF THE COAST OF CHERBOURG, FRANCE
SUMMARY: ALTHOUGH IN RETROSPECT WE CAN SEE THE WEAKNESSES OF THE SOUTH, BY THE END OF 1862 IT LOOKED AS IF THE SOUTH WAS WINNING
RECALL, TO WIN SOUTH JUST HAD TO DEFEND ITSELF, WHILE NORTH HAD TO CONQUER THE SOUTH
UNION HAD ALMOST ACCOMPLISHED THE ANACONDA PLAN – SOUTH’S ATLANTIC COAST WAS BLOCKADED AND BATTLE OF SHILOH MADE UNION CONQUEST OF MISSISSIPPI RIVER ALMOST INEVITABLE – BUT SOUTH DID NOT SURRENDER
ON EASTERN FRONT, UNION MADE ABSOLUTELY NO PROGRESS TOWARD CONQUERING RICHMOND – WHILE LEE WAS POISED TO ATTACK AGAIN TO ENCIRCLE D.C.