Section 1 The Opposing Sides

Robert E. Lee: One of the best senior officers in the US Army Offered from Winfield Scott to command the

Union’s troops Resigned from the Army and joined the

Confederacy (originally from the South) 1860 the US had 8 military colleges- 7

were in the south North had strong naval traditions and all

but one shipyard was under Union control

NORTH SOUTH

Economic Advantages Population- 22 million 80% of factories

Produced 90% of countries clothing, boots, and shoes

93 % of unrefined iron Firearms manufactured

in north

Experienced officers Population- 9 million Tredegar Iron Works,

Richmond: the only factory capable of producing cannons

No major facilities for producing gun powder Confederacy Ordinance

Bureau: gun powder mill 1862: all caught up

(weapons, gun powder and ammunition)

Produced its own food Only ½ as many rr tracks

NORTH SOUTH Advantages:

Controlled the national treasury

Had revenue from tariffs Northern banks had huge

reserves of cash Legal Tender Act 1862

People were concerned about northern ability to win the war so they withdrew their gold and silver

Created a national currency and allowed the government to issue paper money (green backs)

Financial situation not good Banks small with few

reserves Best hope was to raise

money was to tax trade Problem: Union navy

blockaded southern ports Result: direct taxation

Lack of money caused south to print = inflation Confederate became almost

worthless By the end it had

experienced 9000% inflation

Lincoln wanted to preserve the Union even if it meant slavery would continue

Democrats were divided War Democrats: supported conflict, wanted to restore

the Union to the way it was before, opposed ending slavery

Peace Democrats: opposed war, reuniting through negotiations Viewed by republicans as treason (anyone against the war) Called Copperheads

Disagreements between republicans and democrats Civil liberties 1862 Congress Militia Law- conscription Democrats strongly oppose

To enforce conscription Lincoln suspends writs of habeas corpus (a person’s right to not be imprisoned unless charged with a crime and given trial) Suspending means imprisoning indefinitely with

no charge or trial Lincoln did this to anyone supporting rebels or

resisting the draft

Jefferson Davis: states rights interfered with ability to conduct the war

1862 he met opposition He supported conscription and martial law,

draft and new taxes Alexander Stephens (VP) opposed him

US didn’t want European interference Confederacy wanted European recognition

(British)-to declare blockade illegal- use British navy to assist south To pressure they refused to sell Europe cotton Confederacy met with British and French May 1861

French promised to recognize British not ready

Fall of 1861 Britain and US came close to war Trent Affair: south slipped pass blockades, went to Havana

Cuba and boarded the Trent (British Ship) Union intercepted and arrested two confederates North applauded, British mad for interference

Demanded release of confederates British sent troops to Canada to strengthen Atlantic Fleet After a few weeks Lincoln freed the prisoners

Huge armies of mostly volunteers-required huge amounts of supplies and equipment

Military Technology and Tactics Officers were well trained and experienced Fired in mass volleys At close range-charged with bayonets Developed Conoidal bullets- much more accurate Used trenches, barricades=high casualties War of attrition

North able to replace South not as many

The South’s Strategy Passive approach-picked battles, attacked and

retreated as necessary, avoid large battles Defensive war of attrition

Southerners angry-saw themselves as superior fighters

The Union’s Anaconda Plan Winfield Scott-idea Union blockade of Confederate

ports Send gunboats down the Mississippi to divide the

Confederacy=Separate the south This would run them out of resources and surrender North rejected because it was too slow