Civil War Begins

“A Divisive Symbol”• Southern Mobilization

• After lower south seceded they mobilized as if at war

– Seized forts, Arsenals, customs houses, & federal buildings

– Buchanan never blinked an eye to the seizure of federal possessions except -

» Refused to give up Fort Sumter• Lincoln’s “Conundrum” Fort Sumter 1861

– Fort needed supplies – S. Carolina had called for forfeiture of all forts in the state

– Inauguration stated to maintain & “posses the property” of federal gov.

» Northerners in general opposed more concessions

– Southerners wanted the fort (for their own) & to avoid further tension/conflicts

• Fort Sumter - battle of wills– Lincoln - chose to relieve the forth with

supplies; despite only two opposing his decision

– Force was to re-supply not re-enforce

“A Divisive Symbol”• The Challenge

• Re-supply was a challenge to Southerners authority

– Considered the re-supply a ruse – to place a garrison

• Others – a welding link of Confederacy– “Sir, unless you sprinkle blood in the face of the

people of Alabama they will be back in the union in less than 10 days”

• South raises the ante– C.S.A. gov. demanded the surrender of the fort –

having learned of Lincoln's expedition– “If Major Anderson will state time at which…he will

evacuate, you are authorized to avoid blood shed. If this, or its equivalent, be refused, reduce the fort..”

• Series of conferences occur between Anderson & C.S.A. commanders –

– Anderson refuses to evacuate– Sumter attacked April 12,1861

Advantages vs Disadvantages• Fort Sumter

• Came under fire from the harbor cannon– 40 hours of bombardment– No one was killed

» Relief crew could do nothing but carry off the dejected soldiers

• Southern Border states united with C.S.A. quickly there after

• Lincoln calls for a draft of 75,000 troops two days later• South mobilizes for war as well

• North 22 million • 4:1 pop. Advantage - 3 ½ times the man power of the

South– 3,500,000 men

• All South’s industry & Banking were in the North– 7-1 or 9-1 advantage in terms of materials produced (pig-

iron, firearms, rail road tracks)• Large infrastructure

– Largest arms manufacturing in the U.S.

• South 9 million• Half pop. is slaves • 1:4 pop. Advantage• 1,000,000 men• Limited infrastructure

Advantages vs Disadvantages• Physical advantage

• Defensive Position– North has to expend man power on the South –

invasion» Holding occupied territory

– North has to invade South to “restored” the Union» North expend resources maintain presence

– South – long coastline – possibility of trade with foreign nations

» South has interior lines – rapid mobilization• Psychological;

– Greater cause for fighting» North – unification of the union – noble &

emotional» South – fighting for independence

– Patriotism - sentiments» Believing in what your fighting in – Southern

sentiments ran high» Northern sentiments – inarticulate and disjointed

– Better leadership» South has better generals than the North – most if

not all top West point grads.• Each saw the war as being small and short

North & South Strategies• North: Winfield Scott (Anaconda

Plan)• Capture and hold Missouri, Kentucky,

Tennessee– Control Mississippi River – Detaching

Southern-Western states of the south

• Implement a blockade of south– Protect Wash. D.C.– Fresh & new equip.– Minimize southern destruction of

resources – » Creating voluntary re-union of the

South

• South: Passive role• Defend Richmond• Interior lines – deny Northern

“Conquerability”• Provide surprise attacks

– Mystify and mislead the Union Forces.

First Campaigns• Bull Run – July 1861

– McDowell urged to defend D.C.• Offensive – thrust (Mannasas)

– Push against South; at railroad junction• Operated off the premise that CSA P.G.T. Beauregard not be reinforced

– Attempted to Isolate Joseph E. Johnston; CSA troops– Union sends 69 yr old General Patterson to isolate Johnston

• Johnston Slipped away from Patterson; reinforced Beauregard's troops• Beauregard expected attack from right (along railroad)• North advanced to the left of CSA – caught them be surprise (temporary victory)

– South only had to defend their position – not make long advances– Reinforcements arrived from behind the CSA Lines

• Union pushed back South to Henry House Hill• Thomas Jonathan “Stonewall” Jackson

– Stonewall and his brigade maintained their position and he rallied the left flank; Rebel Yell

• McDowell failed to deploy to Union reserve brigades to help; South pushed back the Union and caused them to retreat

– Orderly retreat becomes disorderly; turns into a mob– “There was never anything like it for causeless, sheer, absolute, absurd cowardice, or

rather panic, on this miserable earth before. Off they went, one and all; down the highway, over across the fields, towards the woods, anywhere, everywhere to escape”

Battle of Bull Run

McDowell & McClellan• McDowell Failure

• Bull Run a non-decisive battle• Promoted Southern Pride – Union humiliation

(demoralized)

• McClellan advances • Winfield Scott retired Nov. 1 1861• McDowell (Irvine) discredited• Defenses of D.C “full of drunken men in uniform”

• Two Tasks– Defense of D.C.– Drilling & Discipline

• Brilliant Organizer– Absorbed in preparation

• South not any better• Disorganized by victory (Bull Run)• President Davis – grandeur of leading troops into

battle– Mucked up communication – opposed a coordinated

attack on McDowell before Bull Run

Lincoln vs. McClellan• Lincoln & pressure

• 7 months McClellan assumed all military command

– Devoted to communication & military signals

– Building up his staff; writing up plans to be used

• Lincoln was under pressure to have something done

• McClellan’s disdain• Lincoln though not militarily trained

poured over books and strategies– McClellan hated listening to Pres. Advice– Believed the safety of nation rested with

him (McClellan)• He snubbed the president; wrote

complaining letters; disregarded Commander & Chiefs requests

• Pres. General War Order No. 1 – call of union forces to advance Feb. 22 (Push McClellan)

• McClellan chose (obviously) a differing approach on Johnston’s (ignored War Order)

Peninsular Campaign - 1862• Peninsular Campaign - Union

• Attempts to attack Richmond from the south; Cut off the South from their capital

• Attacks from Fort Monroe/ Norfolk to York Town to outskirts of Richmond.

• McClellan advanced with 120,000 men towards Richmond: insisted on more

• South halts union advance at Williamsburg• South

• General Jackson – tactics – mystify and mislead the Union forces (diversionary tactic) 16,000 vs. 45,000

• He made a series of attacks 5 attacks towards D.C.• This halted the advance of McClellan from South –

Lincoln dispatched troops to capture Jackson (concern over D.C. assault)

• This left McClellan with limited troops; (still had 140,000 to South’s 85,000

• Union Forces attempt weak assault• Union forces become attacked; when crossing a

river• 40% of troops across river – South attacks – North

routed• Seven days war in which Union forces driven back

and out of Richmond• McClellan order back to Fredericksburg (Pope

replaces McClellan) 1862

Antietam• Union is in a bad case of affairs:

• Lost Peninsular Campaign; Lost Seven Days Campaign, Lost Second Bull Run

• Pope is replaced by McClellan (again)• Sept. 1862

– Lee’s assault; live off land; destroy critical industries of the North

• Draw out union forces; Threaten vital union lines; Attack railroad

• Allow Confederacy to be recognized by foreign Empires

• South cross’s Potomac river; Northerners concerned capital will be captured– Order No. 191 – private found Lee’s orders

dispatching Jackson to Harper’s Ferry– Military No-No; Never divide your troops

• Jackson & Harper’s Ferry• Jackson’s U turn to come back and

assist Lee who is able to fend off the Union advance

– Jackson arrives on the battle field: this give Lee backbone to stay and fight

Antietam• Confederate army has choice of ground since

they arrived first• Union attacks along Antietam Creek; along a

ridge: flanking attacks on the South (vice)• Union fighting disjointed from the right

and left under Hooker & Burnside• Allows Lee to send troops back and forth

where ever needed• Confederate center broken; McClellan

refuses to send in reserve troops (Union can’t hold it)

• Burnside & Bridge fighting on the left is fierce• Burnside takes the bridge on the

Southern right; could allow a sweep of Southern flank

– A.P. Hill to rescue arrives in time to push back the Union forces and save the Southern flank

• Antietam claimed more soldiers in a single battle than any other

• 12 – hours 12,401 (north)• South – 10,318 (31% of their army)

Results of Antietam• McClellan claimed victory but failed to

capture the CSA army; who waited a day before retreating!– McClellan’s Failure

• Failed to gather intelligence w/ cavalry

• Sent driblets of reinforcements in the heat of the battle

• Failed to stop Lee’s retreat– He waited 5 weeks before moving– North Stops South on their first

major assault• McClellan asks for more men and

supplies to venture after Lee• Lincoln could stand no more;

replaces McClellan with Burnside

• Lee’s failures– Accomplished none his goals:

• Failed to influence foreign powers

• Failed to get Lincoln out of office

Fredericksburg• Burnsides colossal blunder

• (Nov - Dec 1862)

• North has an opportunity to take the south – take Jackson & Longstreet division – days previous

• Attacks at Fredericksburg – waits for pontoons to cross river

• North 110,000 vs. South 75,000

• Burnsides cross’s river – takes Fredericksburg

• March’s against CSA – Marye’s heights (high hill position)

• CSA entrenched behind the sunken wall (Cobb, Cooke’s, Kershaw’s)

• 13 separate charges; made by Union army – across open field (nightfall stopped the slaughter)

• North’s loss 12,600 (1,284 killed 9,600 wounded) vs. South’s 5,300 (600 actually killed for CSA)