Learning Lessons Year By Year

Hindsight is 20-20. Keep that in mind.The Civil War reminded us that we have to

make decisions on the fly and the Civil War was as much of a war of mistakes as it was about defining our country’s image.

Question: If you’re the Union, what is your goal? If you’re the Confederates, what is your goal in all this?

Overview

Fall of Fort SumterAssumption on both sides that it would be a short war.Small Forces for both sides.Major Battles

First Battle of Bull Run – Confederacy wins, shows that war will be long and drawn out

Battle of Wilson’s Creek – First major battle west of the Mississippi River

Battles concentrated in Virginia, Missouri, KentuckyLeaders

Gen. George B. McClellan – Union Confederacy – No formal leader, Jefferson Davis calls shots

Capture of 2 Confederate Officials by US Navy on Nov. 8. Another war with Britain?

1861

Virginia, July 21st

Early Morning: Union forces chip away at the sides of the Confederates

Problems: Waterways, BridgesNoon: Jackson’s Stand – Maybe a mistake and

miscommunication BUT inspired the troops and allowed him to assert control over the main attacking portion of the Army.

First Battle of Bull Run

What would you do different?

Major BattlesCapture of Fort Henry & Fort Donelson – Union

cuts off key rivers of the ConfederacyMonitor vs. Merrimac – Naval Battle, ironclad

shipsShiloh – More men die here than in all wars

combined up to this pointNew Orleans captured by UnionSeven Days Battle – Lee defeats McClellanAntietam – Bloodiest single day of war, 23,000 dieFredericksburg – Union loses 2x amount of men,

shows inept Union leaders

1862

LeadersRobert E. Lee – Confederacy – given full commandUnion

McClellan is fired after Antietam (Sept) Replaced by Gen. Ambrose Burnside, Burnside fired after

Fredericksburg Replaced by General Joseph Hooker

Fighting takes place in Virginia, Tennessee, KentuckyFighting expands further south but Lee takes war

north at the end of the yearEmancipation Proclamation

Frees slaves in non-Union territoriesMakes war about slavery

1862

Union learns lesson, doesn’t get backed up by waterways

Fought more in open fieldLee has the advantage of numbersCommunication will be lost for UnionConcentration vs. Spread

Second Battle of Bull Run

Haven’t We Seen This Before?

Non-Battle related issuesDraft for Military – Get out for $300Anti-draft Riots – Murder of Blacks by Poor Whites, Army has to

subdueLincoln meets with Frederick Douglass

Major BattlesChancellorsville – Lee’s genius: splits army twice, Stonewall

Jackson shot by his own men, Lincoln loses faith in HookerSiege of Vicksburg – Cuts off Confederacy’s actions west of

Mississippi, Grant becomes hero, Confederacy loses 7x amount of men as the Union, splits Confederacy army in two

Gettysburg – turning point of war, bloodiest battle, ends Confederacy’s hopes of northern invasion

Siege of Chattanooga – Union escapes siege, Confederacy fails to crush Union’s army

1863

War will primarily be fought in Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, Virginia

GettysburgSouth will fight for survival after failure With army split in two (Vicksburg), Union strategy

becomes entrapmentMeade wins but fails to follow up victory

Gettysburg Address5 different copies/versions existMakes war appeal to deepest emotionsReiterates the values of the Declaration of IndependenceRenews optimism in Union for victory

1863

How Many Things Are Wrong Here?

Lincoln appoints Grant to head Union Army 5th Commander, Who else was there?Last ditch effort for Union

New tacticsOverwhelm with men and munitionsTotal War – Not in killing but in destruction

Sherman – Takes Atlanta, March to SeaFighting takes place in Western Confederacy Lee and Grant meet, Lee initially wins opening

battles but is losing men and resources Lincoln defeats McClellan for Presidency

1864

Nashville

Thirteenth Amendment passedLincoln inauguration

“With malice towards none…”Last offensive of the Confederates

Only two major forces remainingGrant breaks through Lee’s lines

Final StrokeRichmond evacuated

1865

Richmond burned and later captured by Union

Surrender at Appomattox Court HouseLeniency towards ConfederatesApril 9th, 1865

April 14th – Lincoln shot, dies a day laterJohn Wilkes Booth found, shot deadFinal surrender of remaining Confederate

ForcesEnd of War, now what?

1865

How would you have done things differently?

How did this shape our image?

How many mistakes does it take before you get fired?

Looking Back