Civil War: Life for Soldiers

The Fighting Begins

Confederates attack Ft. Sumter, an island off of SC

Federals surrender

Turns Southern secession into a full fledged war

Call Out The Militia

Neither the N or S had a very large army

Lincoln asks the Union states to provide 75,000 militiamen for 90 days

He thinks the war will be over quickly

Southern Army Volunteers

South has to develop an Army from Scratch

Some U.S. Army Generals Decide to leave

Lee opposed slavery and secession but “I cannot raise my hand against my birthplace”

Response To The Call To Arms Thousands of men,

young and old rushed to enlist

After the first battle (Bull Run) the North quickly realized it needed a larger army

Lincoln sent the 90 day militia home and called for all of the Union states to contribute men to an army of 500,000

Training For Raw Recruits

Leaders came from West Point, Mexican War, political appointments

Enlisted men had no fighting experience Drill, Drill, Drill

On The Job Training

Despite months of endless training and marching based on Napoleonic tactics, many units on both sides fell apart upon entering first battle

Under the stress of battle men became confused, disoriented, panicked, and deserted

Calm and brave leadership was the only way to maintain order

Uniforms

At the beginning of the war both sides struggled to provide enough consistent uniforms for entire army

Many regiments were provided uniforms from home town or state- led to a wide variety of colors and styles

Uniforms- Officers

Officers often paid tailors to design their own uniforms

Tastes ranged from very fancy to simple and plain

Generally had more insignia or badges signifying rank

Uniforms- North

Typical enlisted soldier was issued

Frock or sack coatLight blue pantsKepi or other hatBrogans or bootsBelt/straps

Uniforms- South

Were similar in basic design to North

Common colors- Gray/Tan/Brown

As war wore on were much more likely to wear out and not be replaced by army

Weapons- Infantry

Improved over previous wars- rifled barrels=improved range, accuracy

Bayonets for close range combat Officers carried pistols, swords

Weapons- Artillery

Cannons, howitzers, mortars, siege guns

Improved range, accuracy, size

Proved devastaing in combat

Weapons- Cavalry

Horses provided swift transportation

Used in scouting, raids

Armed with pistols, swords, smaller rifles

Civil War Main Idea

Weapons and technology had improved rapidly during the 1800s

Army tactics, battle formations, strategies were largely based on Napoleonic/European tactics of close combat

This combination led to tremendous casualties, unfortunately military leaders were slow to realize this and change

Common Soldier’s Life

Life for the average soldier was defined by months of marching and boredom interrupted by moments of sheer terror

Camp Life

Much time was spent on daily routines

Drills Cleaning weapons Cooking Maintaining Equip. Picket/Guard Duty Sick Duty

Free Time For The Troops

Leisure time activities:

MusicReadingWriting HomeGamblingTradingSports- Baseball

Casualties In Camp, Not Battle

Many soldiers succumbed to illness from:

Bad food, waterInfectionsWoundsLack of proper

clothing, shelter, medicine

Politics During the Civil War

North dominated by Lincoln and Republicans

Union or Slavery?Early defeats lead

to questions of leadership

Lincoln re-elected in 1864

Politics During the Civil War

South becomes Confederate States of America

Had own govt., lawsPresident Jeff DavisBuild on early military

successEach state is fiercely

independent

Civil War Political Cartoons

Political Cartoons became very popular in newspapers and magazines

Cartoons allowed people to express their views about controversial topics

View and discuss the following political cartoons from the Civil War Era and then make your own APPROPRIATE FOR 2009 cartoon on topic related to the Civil War