American Stories:American Stories:A History of the United States

Second Edition

Chapter

American Stories: A History of the United States, Second EditionBrands • Breen • Williams • Gross

Secession and the Civil War1860–1865

15

Secession and the Civil WarSecession and the Civil War1860–18651860–1865

• The Storm Gathers• Adjusting to Total War• Fight to the Finish• Effects of the War

The Emergence of LincolnThe Emergence of Lincoln

• Lincoln’s election plunged nation into greatest conflict

• People were skeptical of his abilities• Proved to be an effective war leader• Identified wholeheartedly with Northern

cause• Civil War put on trial the very principle

of democracy

The Storm GathersThe Storm Gathers

• Secession does not necessarily mean war

• One last attempt to reconcile North and South

• Federal response to secession debated

The Deep South SecedesThe Deep South Secedes

• December 20, 1860: South Carolina secedes

• February, 1861: Confederate States of America formed Included South Carolina, Georgia, Florida,

Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas

The Deep South Secedes (cont’d)The Deep South Secedes (cont’d)

• Government headed by moderates • Confederate constitution resembles

U.S.• Aim to restore pre-Republican Party

Union • Southerners hope to attract Northern

states into Confederacy

The Failure of CompromiseThe Failure of Compromise

• Crittenden Plan: Extend the Missouri Compromise line to the Pacific

• Lincoln rejects compromise Does not think it will end secession Misperceived depth of support for

secession and thought compromise would demoralize union sympathizers

Viewed as repudiation of majority rule

And the War CameAnd the War Came

• North seeks action to preserve Union• April 13, 1861: Fort Sumter, S.C., falls• April, 15: Lincoln calls out Northern

state militias to suppress Southern insurrection

• April–May: Upper South secedes• Border states: Slave states remain in

Union• War defined as effort to preserve Union

Map 15.1 Map 15.1 SecessionSecession The fall of Fort Sumter The fall of Fort Sumter was a watershed for the secessionist movement.was a watershed for the secessionist movement.

Adjusting to Total WarAdjusting to Total War

• North must win by destroying will to resist

• Total War: a test of societies, economies, political systems as well as armies

Mobilizing the Home FrontsMobilizing the Home Fronts

• 1862: North and South begin conscription

• Northern mobilization Finance war through taxes, bonds, paper

money Private industry supplies Union armies well

Mobilizing the Home Fronts Mobilizing the Home Fronts (cont’d)(cont’d)

• Confederate mobilization Government arsenals supply Confederate

armies Efforts to finance lead to runaway inflation Transportation system inadequate

Figure 15.1 Figure 15.1 Resources of the Union and the Resources of the Union and the Confederacy, 1861Confederacy, 1861

Political Leadership: Northern Political Leadership: Northern Success and Southern FailureSuccess and Southern Failure

• Lincoln expands wartime powers Declares martial law Imprisons 10,000 "subversives" without

trial Briefly closed down a few newspapers

Political Leadership: Northern Success Political Leadership: Northern Success and Southern Failure (cont’d)and Southern Failure (cont’d)

• Jefferson Davis Concerned mainly with military duties Neglects civilian morale, economy Lacks influence with state governments

Early Campaigns and BattlesEarly Campaigns and Battles

• Northern achievements by 1862 Total naval supremacy Confederate troops cleared from West

Virginia, Kentucky, much of Tennessee New Orleans captured

Early Campaigns and Battles Early Campaigns and Battles (cont’d)(cont’d)

• Confederate achievements by 1862 Stall campaign for the Mississippi at Shiloh Defend Richmond from capture

Fight to the FinishFight to the Finish

• North adopts radical measures to win• 1863: War turns against South• Southern resistance continues

The Coming of EmancipationThe Coming of Emancipation

• September 22, 1862: Antietam prompts preliminary Emancipation Proclamation Surrender in 100 days or lose slaves

• January 1, 1863: Proclamation put into effect for areas still in rebellion

• African Americans flee to Union lines• Confederacy loses thousands of

laborers

African Americans African Americans and the Warand the War

• 200,000 African American Union troops• Many others labor in Northern war

effort• Lincoln pushes further for black rights

Organizes governments in conquered Southern states that abolish slavery

Maryland, Missouri abolish slavery January 31, 1865: 13th Amendment passed

Black Soldiers Black Soldiers This 1890 lithograph by Kurz and This 1890 lithograph by Kurz and Allison commemorates the 54Allison commemorates the 54thth Massachusetts Massachusetts Colored Regiment charging Fort Wagner, South Colored Regiment charging Fort Wagner, South

Carolina, in July 1863. The 54Carolina, in July 1863. The 54thth was the first African- was the first African-American unit recruited during the war. Charles and American unit recruited during the war. Charles and Lewis Douglass, sons of Frederick Douglass, served Lewis Douglass, sons of Frederick Douglass, served

with this regiment.with this regiment.

The Tide TurnsThe Tide Turns

• May, 1863: War-weariness New York riots against conscription Anti-war activist like Congressman Clement

Vallandigham arrested Grant bogged down at Vicksburg Union defeated at Chancellorsville Democrats “Copperheads” attack Lincoln

The Tide Turns (cont’d)The Tide Turns (cont’d)

• July, 1863 Confederate invasion of North fails at

Battle of Gettysburg Vicksburg falls, North holds the Mississippi

An 1863 draft call in New York provoked violence An 1863 draft call in New York provoked violence against African Americans, viewed by the rioters as against African Americans, viewed by the rioters as the cause of an unnecessary war, and rage against the cause of an unnecessary war, and rage against the rich men who had been able to buy exemptions the rich men who had been able to buy exemptions from the draft. This 1863 illustration from from the draft. This 1863 illustration from Harper’s Harper’s

Weekly Weekly depicts a mob lynching a black man on depicts a mob lynching a black man on Clarkson Street in New York City.Clarkson Street in New York City.

Last Stages of the ConflictLast Stages of the Conflict

• March 9, 1864: Grant supreme commander of Union armies

• Union invades the South on all fronts William Sherman marches through Georgia Grant lays siege to Richmond, Petersburg

• September, 2: Sherman takes Atlanta• November, 8: Lincoln re-elected

TABLE 15.1 TABLE 15.1 The Election of 1864The Election of 1864

Last Stages of the Conflict (cont’d)Last Stages of the Conflict (cont’d)

• Sherman’s March to the sea through Georgia

• Scorched earth policy• April 2, 1865: Grant takes Richmond • April 9, 1865: Lee surrenders • April 14, 1865: Lincoln assassinated• April 18, 1865: Last major Confederate

force under Joseph Johnston surrender

Map 15.2 Map 15.2 Civil War, 1861–1865 In the western Civil War, 1861–1865 In the western theater of war, Grant’s victories at Port Gibson, theater of war, Grant’s victories at Port Gibson,

Jackson, and Champion’s Hill cleared the way for Jackson, and Champion’s Hill cleared the way for his siege of Vicksburg. In the east, after the hard-his siege of Vicksburg. In the east, after the hard-won Union victory at Gettysburg, the South never won Union victory at Gettysburg, the South never again invaded the North. In 1864 and 1865, Union again invaded the North. In 1864 and 1865, Union armies gradually closed in on Lee’s Confederate armies gradually closed in on Lee’s Confederate

forces in Virginia. Leaving Atlanta in flames, forces in Virginia. Leaving Atlanta in flames, Sherman marched to the Georgia coast, took Sherman marched to the Georgia coast, took

Savannah, then moved his troops north through the Savannah, then moved his troops north through the Carolinas. Grant’s army, though suffering enormous Carolinas. Grant’s army, though suffering enormous losses, moved on toward Richmond, marching into losses, moved on toward Richmond, marching into

the Confederate capital on April 3, 1865, and the Confederate capital on April 3, 1865, and forcing surrender.forcing surrender.

Figure 15.2 Figure 15.2 Casualties of warCasualties of war

Effects of the WarEffects of the War

• 618,000 troops dead; bereft women seek non-domestic roles

• Four million African Americans free, not equal

• Industrial workers face wartime inflation• Federal government predominant over

states, takes activist role in economy Higher tariffs, free land, national banking

system

Conclusion:Conclusion:An Organizational RevolutionAn Organizational Revolution

• Modern bureaucratic state emerges• Individualism gives way to organized,

cooperative activity• Catalyst for transformation of American

society in the late 19th century

TimelineTimeline