The Politics of War. Lincoln’s Generals Irwin McDowell Winfield Scott George McClellan, Again! McClellan George McClellan Ambrose Burnside Joseph Hooker.

The Politics of War

Lincoln’s GeneralsLincoln’s GeneralsLincoln’s GeneralsLincoln’s Generals

Irwin McDowellIrwin McDowellIrwin McDowellIrwin McDowell

Winfield ScottWinfield ScottWinfield ScottWinfield Scott

George McClellan,George McClellan,Again!Again!

George McClellan,George McClellan,Again!Again!

George McClellanMcClellanGeorge McClellanMcClellan

Ambrose BurnsideAmbrose Burnside

Joseph HookerJoseph HookerJoseph HookerJoseph Hooker

George MeadeGeorge MeadeGeorge MeadeGeorge MeadeUlysses S. GrantUlysses S. GrantUlysses S. GrantUlysses S. Grant

McClellan: McClellan: I Can Do It I Can Do It All!All!

McClellan: McClellan: I Can Do It I Can Do It All!All!

War in the East: 1861-War in the East: 1861-18621862

War in the East: 1861-War in the East: 1861-18621862

Battle of AntietamBattle of Antietam “Bloodiest Single Day of the “Bloodiest Single Day of the

War”War”

Battle of AntietamBattle of Antietam “Bloodiest Single Day of the “Bloodiest Single Day of the

War”War”

23,000 23,000 casualtiescasualties

23,000 23,000 casualtiescasualties

September 17, September 17, 18621862September 17, September 17, 18621862

Britain in the Civil War

• Britain no longer dependent on Southern Cotton and Dependent on Northern wheat and corn

• The Trent Incident– Southern Delegates met on British ship to convince

Britain to join their side– North stopped the ship and arrested the 2 men– Britain threatened war wanted US to apologize– Lincoln freed the men and said Captain was

unauthorized in his actions, did not apologize though– Britain was Happy to not go to war, as was Lincoln

Britain in the Civil War

• Britain did not officially recognize the Confederacy

• Did sell Ships to the South

• The Alabama Sunk or captured 64 Union ships

• After the war, the US handed a bill of $19 million to Britain, they ignored, later forced to pay $15.5 million in damages.

Habeas Corpus

• Baltimore crowd attacked Union regiment, a week after Fort Sumter

• Lincoln sent fed troops

• Suspended habeas corpus in MD– Court order that requires authorities to bring a person

held in jail before court to determine why he or she is being jailed.

– Strategy used to hold dissenters in jail

Effects of Suspension of Habeas Corpus

• Suspended in other states

• Seized telegraphs to make sure no one used wires for subversion

• President ignored chief of justice ruling that he went beyond presidential powers

• Copperhead – Northern democrats who advocated peace.– Congressman Clement Vallandigham tried in a military court for

urging Union soldiers to dissent

• Lincoln showed dramatic expansion of presidential powers.

Conscription

• Heavy casualties and widespread desertions made volunteer army dwindle

• Both sides called for a draft, but allowed men to:

The North The North Initiates Initiates

the Draft, the Draft, 18631863

The North The North Initiates Initiates

the Draft, the Draft, 18631863

Buy Your Way Out of Buy Your Way Out of Military ServiceMilitary Service

Buy Your Way Out of Buy Your Way Out of Military ServiceMilitary Service

Conscription

• Heavy casualties and widespread desertions made volunteer army dwindle

• Both sides called for a draft, but allowed men– Pay fee to avoid draft– Hire a Substitute

Recruiting Irish Immigrants in Recruiting Irish Immigrants in NYCNYC

Recruiting Irish Immigrants in Recruiting Irish Immigrants in NYCNYC

Recruiting Blacks in NYCRecruiting Blacks in NYCRecruiting Blacks in NYCRecruiting Blacks in NYC

NYC Draft Riots, NYC Draft Riots, (July 13-16, (July 13-16, 1863)1863)

NYC Draft Riots, NYC Draft Riots, (July 13-16, (July 13-16, 1863)1863)

NYC Draft Riots, NYC Draft Riots, (July 13-16, (July 13-16, 1863)1863)

NYC Draft Riots, NYC Draft Riots, (July 13-16, (July 13-16, 1863)1863)

Conscription

• Heavy casualties and widespread desertions made volunteer army dwindle

• Both sides called for a draft, but allowed men to pay fee to avoid draft or provide a substitute

• About 92% of 2 million were still volunteers

• Led to riots, one in NYC– Wrecked draft offices– Attacked well dressed men– Lynched 11 African Americans– Burned black orphanage

Proclaiming Emancipation

• Lincoln’s goal was to preserve the union, not abolition.– Felt didn’t have constitutional power

• South used slaves to build fortifications and grow food

• Lincoln can order troops to seize enemy resources, why couldn’t slaves be included in that?

• Strategic Purposes:– Discourage Britain from supporting the Confederacy– Hurt Southern War Efforts

Emancipation in 1863Emancipation in 1863Emancipation in 1863Emancipation in 1863

TheTheEmancipatiEmancipati

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TheTheEmancipatiEmancipati

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The Southern View of The Southern View of EmancipationEmancipation

The Southern View of The Southern View of EmancipationEmancipation

Effects of Emancipation• Gave moral purpose to the North

• Only applied to non-captured CONFEDERATE states (not loyal slave states)

• Free Blacks happy to join Union army now

• Many felt it would – 1) prolong war by antagonizing the South– 2) did not care to fight for African Americans

• Confederates were furious and more determined to fight

• Compromise was no longer possible.

African-American Recruiting African-American Recruiting PosterPoster

African-American Recruiting African-American Recruiting PosterPoster

The Famous 54The Famous 54thth MassachusettsMassachusetts

The Famous 54The Famous 54thth MassachusettsMassachusetts

August Saint-Gaudens August Saint-Gaudens Memorial to Col. Robert Memorial to Col. Robert

Gould ShawGould Shaw

August Saint-Gaudens August Saint-Gaudens Memorial to Col. Robert Memorial to Col. Robert

Gould ShawGould Shaw

African-AmericansAfrican-Americansin Civil War Battlesin Civil War BattlesAfrican-AmericansAfrican-Americansin Civil War Battlesin Civil War Battles

Black Troops Freeing SlavesBlack Troops Freeing SlavesBlack Troops Freeing SlavesBlack Troops Freeing Slaves

Extensive Legislation Extensive Legislation PassedPassed

Without the South in Without the South in CongressCongress

Extensive Legislation Extensive Legislation PassedPassed

Without the South in Without the South in CongressCongress

1861 – Morrill Tariff Act

1862 – Homestead Act

1862 – Legal Tender Act

1862 – Morrill Land Grant Act

1862 – Emancipation Proclamation (1/1/1863)

1863 – Pacific Railway Act

1863 – National Bank Act

1861 – Morrill Tariff Act

1862 – Homestead Act

1862 – Legal Tender Act

1862 – Morrill Land Grant Act

1862 – Emancipation Proclamation (1/1/1863)

1863 – Pacific Railway Act

1863 – National Bank Act

Morrill Tariff Act -1861Morrill Tariff Act -1861

• High protective tariff that increased duties 5%-10%. 

• Increases were designed to raise additional revenue & provide more protection for the prosperous manufacturers. 

• EFFECT: Protective tariffs became identified with the Republican Party, Upset foreign nations

Homestead Act -1861Homestead Act -1861

• FINALLY Passed in 1862

• Promised ownership of a 160-acre tract of public land to a citizen who had resided on/cultivated the land for 5 years

Legal Tender Act -1862Legal Tender Act -1862

• Authorized use of paper notes to pay the government's bills.

• Ended the long-standing policy of using only gold or silver in transactions

• Allowed the government to finance the enormously costly war long after its gold and silver reserves were depleted.

• “Greenbacks”

Morrill Land Grant Act -1862Morrill Land Grant Act -1862

• Transformed higher education• Was responsible for the establishment of

numerous colleges across the country.

• Under the terms of MLGA:– the federal government distributed land

proportionately to the states– The proceeds of the land sales supported colleges– Some states used the money from the sale of land to

aid existing schools, and other states used the money to establish new colleges and universities

Pacific Railway Act -1863Pacific Railway Act -1863

• Authorized the construction of the first transcontinental railway line connecting the east and west coasts.

• Provided that after each railroad laid forty miles of track, it was to receive:– 6,400 acres of public lands– government loans ranging from $16,000 to

$48,000 per mile of track completed.

National Bank Act -1863National Bank Act -1863

• Authorized the National Banking System. 

• Designed to stimulate the sale of government bonds and to establish a standard bank-note currency. 

• Banks who joined the National Banking System could buy government bonds and issue sound paper money backed by the bonds.