9.2: The Early Stages

1st Battle of Bull Run (Manassas) FYI: Casualties # of dead, wounded, missing, or captured (specific # of dead) Date: July 21, 1861 (Virginia) Union Command: McDowell (28,450) Confederate Command: Johnson and Beauregard (32,230) Why Union wanted to crush Confederate troops in VA; Lincoln hoped quick victory would end conflict Result– Confederates better organized and Union retreats into Washington DC; Both know war will be long and costly Casualties= Union 2,896(460) Conf 1,982(387)

How Did they Get Troops to Fight? 1861 Nationalism –many volunteered More deaths/injuries? fewer volunteers South-deserters

Union & Confederacy resorted to conscription (Military Draft) North All males aged 20-45; South 18-35 Draftee could hire a substitute to go to war for him South any man who owned 20 slaves was exempt

North paid soldiers a bounty (lump sum of money) of $1,500 to men who promised 3 years of service Some would take the money and leave!

Naval War 1861 blockade of all Southern ports US Navy sealed off all Conf harbor except Charleston, SC

and Wilmington, NC Goal hurt South’s economy by cutting off its trade

South’s response blockade runners Small, quick vessels used to smuggle goods past blockade Enabled some trade with Europe but not enough

CSS Florida & CSS Alabama Confederate ships operating out of British ports

Harassed Union merchant ships disrupt trade w/ Europe Captured/destroyed 102 Union ships combined US “Hey Britain, what the hell bro?”

Taking New Orleans Date: April 1862 (Louisiana) Union Command Farragut (Navy); Butler (Army) Conf Command Lovell Why gain control of lower Mississippi River by capturing largest port in South Battle after bombarding Conf forts for weeks, Farragut ordered naval ships upriver in single file

Union ships attacked by continuous Southern fire 38 out of 42 Union ships make it to New Orleans

Result Gen. Butler’s troops take control of city after 6 day battle; Union controlled center of cotton trade

In the West Battles around the Mississippi River & waterways Union was MUCH MORE SUCCESSFUL in the west (No Robert E. Lee there!)

Union force Army of the Tennessee -wanted to control the vital Mississippi River to cut

the Conf in two -Deny South the goods from the west

1862 Ulysses S. Grant began assault on Cumberland & Tennessee River valleys Captured Fort Henry & Fort Donelson Gave Union control much of Tennessee

Shiloh Date: April 6-7, 1862 (Tennessee) Union Command: Grant(65,085) Conf Command: Johnston and Beauregard(44,968) Why Conf launch surprise attack on Union forces to prevent their further advancement into Tenn. Result– Grant is surprised at first but Union backups arrive in time; Union victorious when Conf retreat Casualties=Union 13,047(1,754) Conf 10,669(1,728) 1st battle of war w/ 20,000+ casualties

Battle of Perryville Date: October 8, 1862 (Kentucky)

Union Command Don Carlos Buell (22,000)

Confederate Command Braxton Bragg (16,000)

**Why- Bragg wanted to 1) divert Union attention from Vicksburg & draw Union troops out of Tenn.; 2) encourage pro-Confederate Kentuckians to join the war

Result Tactical Confederate victory but Bragg was forced to retreat into Tenn.; unsuccessful in recruiting Kentuckians; Conf. troops never again set foot in Kentucky

Casualties Union 4,276 (894); CSA 3,401 (532)

Murfreesboro (Stone River) Date: December 31, 1862- January 3, 1863 (Tenn.)

Union Command: Rosencrans (41,400)

Confederate Command: Bragg (35,000)

Purpose Lincoln ordered Buell to seize Chattanooga & cut railroad lines

Wanted eastern Tennessee under Union Control Deprive Confederacy of “hogs & hominy” Meat and corn essential to South Buell moved too slow; replaced by w/ Rosecrans

Why Bragg attacks Union on their march to Chattanooga

Result Tactical draw; Union reinforcements arrived to force Bragg to retreat (Union strategic victory)

Casualties: Union 12,906 (1,677); CSA 11,739 (1,294)

The Eastern Theater Fighting east of the Appalachians Mostly in eastern VA

Union force Army of the Potomac Wanted to capture Richmond (CSA capital) (Remember this

strategy?!)

Confederate force Army of Northern Virginia Wanted to threaten Washington Force negotiation to recognize CSA as independent

Rebels were very successful early in the war b/c of ROBERT E. LEE

Peninsula Campaign Early Union strategy to capture Richmond, VA Plan attack Rebels on eastern Virginia peninsula Union Command McClellan

Battle of Seven Pines Conf General Johnston attacked McClellan’s force during

march toward Richmond Inflicted heavy casualties Johnston is wounded during battle; Robert E. Lee takes

over

Seven Days Battle Date: June 25-July 1, 1862 (VA)

Union Command McClellan (104,100)

Conf Command Lee (92,000)

Why Lee maneuvers army to engage McClellan in a series of 6 battles over 7 days

Results Both sides endure heavy casualties; forced Union to retreat back to Washington

Casualties Union 15,855 (1,734); CSA 20,204 (3,934)

Second Bull Run (Manassas) Date: August 28-30, 1862 (VA) Union Command: Pope (62,000) Conf Command: Lee (50,000)

Why Lee decided to attack forces defending Washington Much larger & more organized battle than first Bull Run

Result: Confederates crushed Union to force retreat; Left Confederates 20 miles from DC; allowed Lee to plan invasion of North Casualties: Union 13,830 (1,716); CSA 8,350

Antietam Robert E. Lee & Jefferson Davis wanted to invade Maryland because:

1. Invasion of North would convince Union to accept South’s independence

2. Victory on Northern soil would convince British to recognize South’s independence

3. Lee could feed his men from Northern farms4. Wanted to draw Union troops out of VA during harvest season

In September 1862, Lee split his forces between himself and “Stonewall” Jackson

A Union patrol found Lee’s battle plans and McClellan decided to attack Lee

Antietam (Sharpsburg) Date: September 17, 1862 (Maryland) Union Command: McClellan(87,000) Conf Command: Lee (45,000)

Result– More Americans died on September 17, 1862, than on any other day in nation's military history

Inconclusive winner Union “claims” victory when Lee retreats into VA

Casualties=Union 12,401; CSA 10,316 Total DEAD= approx. 6,000; Total wounded= 16,000+

RESULTS OF ANTIETAM?

1. Stopped Lee’s 1st invasion of North

Put him on the defensive (only for a very short time)

2. Prohibited Britain from recognizing CSA & intervening in the war

3. Gave Lincoln the “victory” needed to end slavery in the South

To End Slavery or Not? Republicans divided on the issue Some were abolitionists Some (Lincoln) didn’t want to lose loyalty of border states

August 1861 John C. Fremont declared all slaves free in his controlled area

Lincoln overturned the decree “It’s a war to preserve the Union, NOT a battle against slavery”

Fall 1862 Northern casualties rose to staggering levels Lincoln: “Slavery must end” because… To punish the South for this atrocious war To make Union soldiers’ sacrifices worthwhile

The Emancipation Proclamation Delivered: September 22, 1862 5 days after Antietam

Freed slaves in rebelling Confederate States DID NOT END SLAVERY IN BORDER STATES

Effective: January 1, 1863 Transformed the conflict into a war to end slavery European countries now supported the Union mission

to end slavery