Amanda Jenkins

History 1700
April 21, 2016
Civil War the First Modern War
The civil war is call the first modern war because of the advancement of technology and
the beginning of trench warfare. This time in early America brought about quite a few new
inventions, times were changing and no matter what side you fought on you needed to have the
advantage. With each new development it would change the outcome of the war, having better
access to new technology and tactics would help the Union win.
Some technology like railroads gave the Union an advantage over the south because
they had a bigger railroad grid than that of the Confederacy, making it easier and faster to get
guns and food to the front lines. This was much faster than by horseback or in a wagon, you
could carry much more at a fast and consistent pace. Not only was getting supplies to the front
important but the invention of the telegraph made it possible to communicate with officers on
the battle front. Compare this to correspondence through letters or by mouth, the difference is
unmatched. This allowed Lincoln to gain battlefield reports and distribute orders to his officers
quicker and more effectively than ever before.
The changes in gun technology like the Minnie bullet and rifle musket made long range
accuracy better, making traditional warfare pass away. This was an advantage because there
was not as much hand to hand combat and bayonets became nearly obsolete. Long range
weapons pushed cavalry out of the war making it the last time they would be used. This due to
the fact that the new weaponry brought immense casualties among the cavalry. Additionally
the invention of the Gatling gun and repeating rifles played a big part in the civil war, there
were many benefits. Some of which include the ability to reload less, fire more rapidly upon the

enemies, and a wider spread kill zone. Which can make all the difference when it comes to war.
The invention of these things brought about the use of trench warfare, where troops though far
from the line of fire were still within the sight of long range weapons. This forced them to dig
trenches that would keep them safe, and out of the line of fire. The union used total war
more and more. Total war means that each opponent would destroy all that they could in an
attempt to discourage the enemy. Many times this meant destroying housing, resources and
even falling upon civilians in battle.
Among the many revolutionary inventions and tactics of the civil war there were a few
that played crucial roles in warfare at the time. Starting with the most important we see that the
Minnie bullet and rifle musket revolutionized warfare at the time, this was unlike anything
used before. Along with the Gatling gun and repeating rifle which all played large parts not
only in this war but in wars to come. These guns were vastly more accurate than the muskets
before them, neither side realized this until they each had staggering losses in the battle field. A
huge tactic we cant forget is trench warfare, which would be used on a much bigger scale in the
first world war, this played a large role in helping the soldiers stay safe and out of the way. All
the various weaponry and tactics played an important role in the civil war and in the wars to
come, bringing a large amount of casualties in their wake. As these inventions became more
prevalent it changed the face of warfare casualties forever, each day adding to the seven
hundred and fifty thousand death toll in the end.