Chapter 11 Outline: The Civil War

Chapter 11 Outline: The Civil War

Section One: The Civil War Begins A. Confederates fire on Fort Sumter Deep South already seceded to form Confederate States of America in Feb, 1861. Confederates take over federal instillations in south: Post offices, courthouses, forts. March: Only fort left in northern hands was Fort Sumter on an island in Charleston Harbor in SC. New President Abraham Lincoln decides to peacefully re-supply fort April 12, 1861: Confederates fire on Fort Sumter, force surrender Lincoln calls for 75,000 volunteers to suppress rebellion, VA and rest of southern states join Confederacy in anger

B. Americans Expect a Short War Union (North) had many advantages: More people, factories, food production, better rail system. South had better generals (Robert E. Lee, Thomas J. Stonewall Jackson), fighting on own ground. Union Anaconda Plan: 1. Blockade Southern Ports 2. Gain control of Mississippi River 3. Capture southern capital of Richmond, VA Battle of Bull Run (July 21, 1861) 1. First major bloodshed 2. 25 miles south of Washington, DC 3. Union commander Irvin McDowell defeated by confederates, forced to retreat 4. McDowell fired, replaced with General George B. McClellan

C. Union Armies in the West Feb 1862: Union in West under General Ulysses S. Grant invades TN, captures Fort Henry and Fort Donelson March: Confederates counterattack Grant in Battle of Shiloh 1. Surprise attack at dawn 2. Grant gains upper-hand next day, wins April 1862: Union fleet under David G. Farragut captures New Orleans. D. A Revolution in Warfare Ironclad warships 1. March 1862: Ironclad northern ship Monitor battles Confederate ironclad Merrimack (C.S.S. Virginia) in Chesapeake Bay 2.Monitor commissioned by Navy Secretary Gideon Welles, designed by John Ericsson Rifles (more accurate and quicker-loading than muskets) The minié ball (more destructive soft lead bullet)

The War for the Capitals Spring 1862: McClellan moves cautiously south Confederate General Lee takes command, defeats McClellan in Seven Days Battles Lee goes on attack, winning Second Battle of Bull Run and crossing into MD to attack Washington Battle of Antietam (Sep 17, 1862): 1. North stumbles on Lee s plans 2. Bloodiest single day in U.S. history (26,000 casualties) 3. Lee beaten back, but McClellan fails to pursue 4. Lincoln fires McClellan in response

Section Two: The Politics of War A. Britain Remains Neutral South hoped Britain would support them because they needed cotton Trent Affair: Confederate diplomats on British ship Trent on way to England to get support for South Captured by Union Navy, British protest violation of their ship Lincoln frees prisoners B. Proclaiming Emancipation Lincoln decides slavery needs to be ended, decides to use war powers to do so. Waits until after victory at Antietam to issue Emancipation Proclamation taking effect on Jan 1, 1863 Freed slaves in areas in rebellion.

C. Both Sides Face Political Problems Lincoln faces unrest & opposition in MD, sends in Federal troops and suspends habeas corpus in MD. 13,000 possible Southern sympathizers arrested and held without trial Copperheads: Northern Democrats who wanted peace (targets of suspicion). 1863: High casualties force North to resort to conscription (drafting men into the army) July 1863: Draft Riots in NYC leave over 100 people dead Poor Irish immigrants oppose being forced to fight, riot as their names are called

Section Three: Life During Wartime A. African-Americans Fight for Freedom 1862: Congress passes law allowing formation of all-black regiments July 1863: All-black 54 th Massachusetts assault Fort Wagner Assault fails, but bravery of soldiers proves black soldiers could fight 1864: Confederates massacre 200 African-American prisoners at Fort Pillow in TN. B. The War Effects Regional Economies South faces food shortages due to loss of manpower & Union blockade To help pay for war, North institutes first income tax in U.S. History C. Soldiers Suffer on Both Sides Hygiene conditions in both armies very poor, resulting in disease 3000 women serve in the Civil War as nurses, including Clara Barton POWs face poor conditions and overcrowding Andersonville Prison in Georgia (1/3 of all 33,000 Union prisoners die there of various causes

Section Four: The North Takes Charge A. Gettysburg May 1863: Lee defeats Union General Joseph Hooker at Battle of Chancellorsville but Stonewall Jackson dies. Grant closing in on southern stronghold of Vicksburg in MS Lee decides attack North. Result is three-day Battle of Gettysburg in PA (July 1-3, 1863): 1. Day One: South under A.P. Hill clash with Union troops under John Buford 2. Day Two: South attack flank of Union lines, repulsed by 20 th Maine under Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain at Little Round Top 3. Day Three: Massive charge at center of Union lines led by General George Pickett. Pickett s Charge fails, south withdraws.

B. Grant Wins at Vicksburg Spring 1863: Grant moves in MS, capturing capital of Jackson and surrounding Confederates at Vicksburg overlooking the MS River) Vicksburg falls on July 4 th, completing northern control of the river and splitting the Confederacy in two C. The Gettysburg Address Nov. 1863: Lincoln travels to Gettysburg to attend dedication of military cemetery there. Listens to two-hour speech by Edward Everett, then delivers famous (and brief) Gettysburg Address Speech defines Lincoln s idea of America s meaning & the purpose of the war.

D. The Confederacy Wears Down After 1863, Southern morale wears down Grant new head of Northern army, William T. Sherman second-in-command. Grant takes command in VA, Sherman invades Georgia Grant in VA May 1864: Grant fights series of battles in VA against Lee (The Wilderness, Spotsylvania, Cold Harbor, etc.) Grant refuses to retreat, soon corners Lee near Richmond Sherman in Georgia Sherman captures Atlanta, decides to march to sea & cut path of ruin through Georgia to make South sick of war (burns Atlanta before leaving) Lays waste to southern Georgia, turning north in SC. The idea of total war : hurting civilians to defeat an enemy.

Election of 1864 Lincoln vs. McClellan Democrats say war a failure & time to make peace with South Victories of Atlanta and Mobile Bay prove them wrong, Lincoln wins 55-45% Lee Surrenders Grant captures Richmond, pursues Lee west Lee trapped near Appomattox Courthouse, surrounded with less than 20,000 men Decides against guerilla war, agrees to give up April 11: Meets with Grant, works out surrender: 1. Confederates to keep side arms & horses 2. No prosecutions for treason if they swear to stop fighting Lee tells his men to accept the defeat and be good citizens April 12: Official surrender of South (Joshua Chamberlain presides) April 13: Remaining troops surrender to Sherman in NC

Section Five: The Legacy of the War A. The War Changes the Nation Federal government s size and power greatly increased by war National Bank Act: Set up a system of federally-chartered banks Jan 1865: 13 th Amendment passed, outlawing all slavery in the U.S. D. Assassination of Lincoln April 14, 1865: Lincoln shot by actor John Wilkes Booth while watching a play in Ford s Theater. Taken across street, dies next morning. Part of a plot to throw U.S. government into chaos (Sec of State stabbed at home). VP Andrew Johnson of TN becomes President Booth hunted down & killed 12 days later.