The Beginning of the Civil War

What you need to know

• Fort Sumter• West Virginia• Anaconda Plan• Bull Run• Shiloh• Monitor & Merrimack• Antietam

Confederate States of America

• Formed Feb 1861–Originally 7 states in deep south–CSA states claimed US property

within state borders• Post offices, courthouses, forts

Fort Sumter• In harbor of Charleston, SC

• 1 of only 2 forts in deep south not taken over by Confederacy

• SC demanded that US Army surrender fort or be attacked

Lincoln’s dilemma• If fort is reinforced & defended, US

appears to start the war–Probably alienate other southern

states into joining CSA

• If fort is left without reinforcements or is surrendered, US admits legitimacy of CSA’s claims

Attack on Fort Sumter

• Lincoln decided not to reinforce fort, but not to leave it either

• April 12, 1861–CSA fired on Fort Sumter from

smaller forts surrounding it–Fort Sumter surrendered, no one died

Lincoln’s response• Called for 75,000 volunteer

troops, marched them to SC

• Virginia wouldn’t fight against another southern state–Seceded April 17, 1861

West Virginia• Virginia was south’s largest state

–Richest, most industrial

• Western counties of VA voted against secession

• They asked US to allow them to form their own state

• Became new state in 1863

Expectations about war

• Both Union and Confederacy expected a short, glorious war

• They were wrong

War inventions/technolog

y• Ironclad ships–Resistant to cannons and fire–Monitor (US) & Merrimack (CS) in

famous battle, ended basically in a tie

War inventions/technolog

y• Rifle–More accurate than muskets–Loaded quickly, easily, safely

• Minie ball – soft lead bullet–More destructive

• Hand grenades & landmines

Union’s advantages

• More resources–More money–More factories (so more supplies)–Better railroads–More food–Larger population

• Lincoln’s smart leadership

Confederacy’s advantages

• Worldwide demand for cotton was always high–Other countries might help

• Troops were better trained–Excellent generals

• Motivation – most battles on southern land – fight for home

Union’s Anaconda Plan

• Devised by Winfield Scott• Suffocate & kill south like an

anaconda kills its prey

1. Blockade southern ports2. Use Mississippi R – split CSA in ½ 3. Take CSA capital – Richmond, VA

South’s strategy• Mostly defensive – make north

give up fighting

• Generals willing to attack north for distraction

Names of Civil War battles

• Battles often known by 2 names• US names are of nearby natural

features–Rivers, mountains, etc.

• CSA names for same battles based on nearby civilization–Town names, churches, taverns

Battle of Bull Run/Manassas

• 1st major battle – July 21, 1861

• US army was marching to attack Richmond, VA (Capital of CSA)

• Encountered CSA army, attacked• Both armies very inexperienced

Battle of Bull Run/Manassas

• Seesaw battle, CSA won• US retreated, CSA should have pursued

– Might have ended the war right then

• CSA Gen Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson was the hero of the battle

War in the West• US Gen Ulysses S Grant

commanded troops in west–Was attempting to take control of

the Mississippi River

Battle of Shiloh• Grant had troops camped out

near Shiloh church in TN

• CSA ambushed them, US counterattacked next day–Battle ended as basically a tie

Lessons of Shiloh• Armies must have spies &

defenses to survive

• War isn’t easy or clean – about 25,000 casualties at Shiloh

Antietam/Sharpsburg• September 1862• US Gen George McClellan retreated

north• Lee followed north but he was headed

to Washington DC• One of Lee’s men lost the battle plans

– US soldiers found them• McClellan intercepted Lee near

Antietam Creek in Sharpsburg, MD

Antietam/Sharpsburg• The worst single day in US

military history – 23,000 dead• Lee retreated back to VA• McClellan could have wiped out

Lee’s army if he pursued• He didn’t, he was fired by

Lincoln

What you need to know

• Fort Sumter• West Virginia• Anaconda Plan• Bull Run• Shiloh• Monitor & Merrimack• Antietam