Chapter 13: The Civil War (IRONY!

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A New Kind of War

The Sides Compared
The two sides were different with each other during the battles. The Union had 20 million people. The
Confederacy had 9 million, which included the slaves. In resources, the North was far ahead also. The
North also had many laborsaving devices while the South depended on slaves. The slaves may also
become an enemy force. They had many reasons for helping the North. Southerners did not use slaves
as people, so they failed to use them in the war. The North used these blacks. Southerners were
astonished that any power would dare to make war on the greatest producer of cotton. These
advantages of the North would produce victory.
The Short War
When Southerners wanted to secede from the Union, they gave themselves a military advantage. The
North would have to force the Southern states to stay in the Union. The North had to attack. Many
Northerners optimistically called it the six months war. The way to succeed was to mass forces, invade
the land, and win the war by a battle or a capture of the capital.
The Rifle
Weapons had given almost no advantage to the defenders. The musket (standard equipment in the
British army) was inaccurate. It had a short range and was slow to reload. Many great changes made
the difference. All these textbooks said the Civil War had read that came from the smoothbore flintlock.
The rifle was called because of the inside of its barrel was rifled. This gave it a longer range. In
addition, the caplock was a new chemical enclosed in a cap to make the explosion that sent the bullet.
They have been muzzleloaders. They loaded more quickly.
Soldiers Learn to Dig on
Now, with these rifles, defenders sat protected behind battlements in well-supplied positions. They
picked off the attackers and fired repeatedly because of range. They used the Indian tactics. However,
some used the spade. General Robert E Lee was called the King of Spades. The spade was now as
important as the gun.
The Importance of Railroads
The army had to carry enormous supplies of everything. The railroad was now a great help. They were
slow and hard to build, but they could be easy to cut. Later, the Union army was aiming at the
Confederate railroads.
The War of Exhaustion
This new war was exhaustion. After cutting supplies from railroads, you also had to top by water. The
North had to blockade the Southern ports also. Small fast ships pierced the blockade. Union ships
though made it difficult for the South to export cotton and kept many ships or Confederate vessels from
reaching Southern ports.
Everybodys War
This could be anyones war. Nearly everyone lost a family. Some telegraphed eyewitness accounts.
Others smuggled themselves and risked their lives. Mathew Brady was one of them.
Women at War
Women had a major role in this war. Dorothea Dix was appointed the first Superintendent of Women
Nurses. She was the pioneer with this job of selecting and assigning women to hospitals. Louisa May
Alcott later made her name. She also helped. Clara Barton left her job to help the injured. She founded
and became president of the America Red Cross. Women helped set up the voluntary United States
Sanitary Commission. It assisted the military by creating hospitals. Caring for the injured, promoting
sanitation, etc. Some pretended to be men and served until they were discovered.
The Border States
Like the generals, some broke off. Lincoln did not know if Washington would be held. It turns out that it
did. These states still held slavery but did not secede from the Union. Maryland was now important
since it held Washington. The Constitution could not contain seeds of its own destruction. He tried to
defend Maryland. He refused to let them appear before judges to hear why they were being held. This is
habeas corpus. This gives the power to free a person who is being held illegally or without just cause.
Habeas corpus is a writ (legal action) which requires a person under arrest to be brought before a judge
or into court.
The Question of Emancipation

Chapter 13: The Civil War (IRONY!)

Lincoln was a strong leader. In order to keep in the Union the Border States, he refused to emancipate
the slaves. He needed to keep them as part of the Union.
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The First Year: 1861-1862
The Civil war was mainly fought in three areas: between Richmond and Washington, the valleys of the
Ohio,
Cumberland, and the Tennessee rivers and in the Mississippi River Valley.

The First Battle of Bull Run (Manassas)

Northerners thought that the war would be short and easy. Irvin McDowell could seize Richmond and
end the war quickly. General Scott Old Fuss and Feathers protested. He wanted to blockade the South.
These two brought victory to the North over time. The two met at Manassas a town near Bull Run. The
Confederates broke the attack and won. This hurt the south after when the North retreated. Captain
McClellan would take over.

The Trent Affair

In 1861, a Union warship the Trent bounded for London. Two confederates were removed from the
vessel. They were on the way to England (James Mason and John Slidell) for violation. Many called for
war and 8000 troops rushed to Canada. War with Britain would have made it impossible to conquer the
South. When they were freed, this ended the crisis.

The War in the West

The Tennessee and the Cumber rivers were the heart of the Confederacy. The fate of the Confederate
States would be decided. The greatest Union general, Grant, was part of the States of the West.

Henry, Donelson, and Shiloh

One of Grants successes came in Tennessee. He captured Fort Henry and opened the Tennessee River
all the way to Alabama. He also joined with Officer A. H. Foote. This battle followed Fort Henry. At the
battle for Fort Shiloh, the Confederates won with Sidney Johnston for the day. However, the next day,
Grant drove the Confederate troops from the field.

New Orleans
Meanwhile, Foote and Pope were working down on the Mississippi River. However, David Farragut
captured New Orleans for the Union. This was the queen city of the South. The South could no longer
support its troops in the West with supplies from the Gulf of Mexico.

The War in the East

In the East, the Northern forces were too cautious under General McClellan. He commanded a huge
army but did not want to move.

The Monitor and the Merrimac

A historical sea battle took place. The Merrimac attacked the CSS Virginia. The Merrimac proceeded to
destroy the others. However, the Monitor was ready for to challenge. A duel took place. The Merrimac
withdrew again to Norfolk.

The Peninsular Campaign

McClellan made up his mind to move. He decided to try to take Richmond by a classic maneuver. He
transported his large army by water. He halted and the Confederates figured out how to beat him. He
saved his army from a near defeat. Robert E. Lee was now in the command of the Confederacy, and this
inspired respect and fear.

The Second Battle of Bull Run (Manassas)

John Pope took over the command of McClellan. He was attacked by Jackson at Bull Run, and then his
army was defeated. This was placed under McClellan again after.

Antietam, Maryland
After Bull Run, Lee moved quickly. He divided his army and sent a unit to drive out of the Union troops.
However, this failed. The battle was a draw in conclusion.
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The Widening Conflict

Abraham Lincoln and Slavery
Lincoln has sometimes been criticized. There is a doubt that Lincoln thought that slavery was wrong. He
was a crusader. The North would have to pay a price in blood and tears. This would be persuaded and
this was a war against slavery. Lincoln realized that people loved the Union, and they had entered the
war because of this.
The Emancipation Proclamation

Chapter 13: The Civil War (IRONY!)

Lincoln drafted his Emancipation Proclamation when he wrote to Horace Greeley. Anyone held as a slave
in any state or part of a state would be forever free

Ending Slavery

Gloom in the North

Blacks in Arms

Banks, Bonds, and Currency

The Trans-Mississippi West, 1861-1865

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Gettysburg to Appomattox 1863-1865

The Battle of Gettysburg

The South Divided

The drives for Petersburg and Atlanta

Shermans March to the Sea

Sherman Turns North

The End Appomattox Court House