Lecture 22: The Civil War I PDF

Lecture 22: The Civil War I I. Union vs. Confederacy A. Confederate Advantages 1. Home Field Advantage: Fighting on home soil Knowledge of the land Morale: fighting for home and families B. Union Advantages 1. Larger Population: 2.5 times more people than Conf...

Lecture 22: The Civil War I I. Union vs. Confederacy A. Confederate Advantages 1. Home Field Advantage: Fighting on home soil Knowledge of the land Morale: fighting for home and families B. Union Advantages 1. Larger Population: 2.5 times more people than Confederacy 1/3 of Confederate population were slaves, not used for fighting 2. Industrial Might: 90% of U.S. industrial capacity in the North More guns, clothing, etc. 3. Railroads: 2/3 of U.S. railroad lines 4. Moral Position after 1862: Emancipation Proclamation made the war about destroying slavery C. Resources i. Manpower 1. Union: 22 million 2. Confederacy: 6 million (1/3 slaves) 3. Conscription: Confederacy: Conscription Act (April 1862) ○ Males 18-35 (later 17-50) to serve 3 years ○ Exemptions: Hire replacements, 20 Slave Rule Union: Enrollment Act (March 1863) ○ Men 20-45 eligible ○ Exemptions: Commutation ($300), hire replacements ii. Weaponry Advantage to Union due to manufacturing Confederacy imported weapons from Europe, built domestic ordnance iii. Food/Clothing/Shoes Advantage to Union Confederacy had shortages D. Economy 1. Union: More population, markets for goods, less reliant on foreign trade 2. Confederacy: Economy based on cotton trade, affected by Union blockade 3. War Bonds: Confederate bond issue (1861): $15,000,000 Union bond issue (1861): $150,000,000 4. Taxes: Income taxes by both governments 5. Print Money: Union: $431,000,000 ("Greenbacks") Confederacy: $1,500,000,000 Led to inflation: Union 80%, Confederacy 9,000% 6. Economic Impact: Union prospered Confederacy became poorer E. Women in the War 1. Home Front: Running farms 2. Government Work: Bureaucracy, spies, smuggling supplies 3. Nursing: New occupation, influenced by Florence Nightingale Female nurses: 3,200 served in the war Figures: Dorothea Dix, Clara Barton 4. Teaching: Dominated by women II. First Modern War?: Technology of the Civil War A. Telegraph Used to pass intelligence and track troops B. Railroad Used to move troops and supplies C. Naval Advances i. Union Blockade Anaconda Plan (General Winfield Scott) ○ Blockade southern coastline ○ Control Mississippi River ii. Ironclads Iron-plated warships: CSS Virginia (Confederacy), Monitor (Union) Battle of Hampton Roads (March 9, 1862): Indecisive, first ironclad battle iii. Submarine Confederacy’s Hunley sank USS Housatonic (Feb 17, 1864) D. Rifles (1850) Musket with rifling for accuracy and range (400 yards) E. Machine Guns, Repeating Rifles Not available in significant quantities F. Trench Warfare Defensive warfare providing relief from rifle fire III. The War: Phase I (1861-1862) A. Leadership i. Union Early struggles with finding aggressive generals George B. McClellan: Organizer, not aggressive enough ii. Confederacy  Strong leadership, Robert E. Lee commanding Army of Northern Virginia (June 1862) B. Border States Lincoln kept Maryland, Delaware, Kentucky, and Missouri in the Union West Virginia formed from non-slaveholding part of Virginia C. Expectations Both sides expected a short conflict, romanticized war D. First Battle of Bull Run (July 1861) Confederate victory under General Beauregard E. Theaters of War Western Theater: Tennessee, Mississippi Eastern Theater: Virginia F. Campaigns (1861-1862) i. Union Objectives Destroy Army of Northern Virginia Capture Richmond (Confederate Capital) ii. Peninsula Campaign (Spring 1862) McClellan's plan to capture Richmond Stalled, ended by General Lee’s Seven Days Battles iii. Lee’s Invasion of Maryland (September 1862) Goal: Gain supplies, threaten Washington Battle of Antietam (September 17, 1862): Draw, strategic Union victory, bloodiest day in American history (24,000 casualties) G. Emancipation Proclamation (September 1862) Freed slaves in Confederacy Military decision to weaken the South  Changed nature of the war, promoted enlistment of black troops Diplomatic impact: Prevented European alliance with Confederacy