8th Grade Inquiry into The Civil War

HOW SHOULD THE CIVIL WAR BE REPRESENTED?

"The Monitor and Merrimac: The First Fight Between Ironclads", produced by Louis Prang & Co., Boston, 1886.

Supporting Questions 1. Whateventsinthemid-1800scontributedtoadividingnation?2. WhatnewtypesoftechnologiesandwarfareemergedduringtheCivilWar?3. WhatweresomeofthesacrificesandconsequencesoftheCivilWar?

SupportingQuestion3FeaturedSource SourceA:ComparativepopulationsandmilitarystrengthsduringtheCivilWar

InfographicshowingU.S.populationin1860.(TheGilderLehrmanInstituteofAmericanHistory).InfographiccomparingmilitarystrengthsoftheUnionandConfederacy.(TheGilderLehrmanInstitute).

SupportingQuestion3FeaturedSource SourceB:CasualtiesandconsequencesoftheCivilWar

MostcasualtiesanddeathsintheCivilWarweretheresultofnon-combat-relateddisease.Foreverythreesoldierskilledinbattle,fivemorediedofdisease.TheprimitivenatureofCivilWarmedicine,bothinitsintellectualunderpinningsandinitspracticeinthearmies,meantthatmanywoundsandillnesseswereunnecessarilyfatal.Ourmodernconceptionof casualties includes thosewhohavebeenpsychologicallydamagedbywarfare.Thisdistinctiondidnotexist during the Civil War. Soldiers suffering from what we would now recognize as post-traumatic stress disorder wereuncataloguedanduncaredfor.

Approximatelyoneinfoursoldiersthatwenttowarneverreturnedhome.Attheoutsetofthewar,neitherarmyhadmechanismsin place to handle the amount of death that the nationwas about to experience. Therewere no national cemeteries, no burialdetails, andnomessengersof loss.The largesthumancatastrophe inAmericanhistory, theCivilWar forced theyoungnation toconfrontdeathanddestructioninawaythathasnotbeenequaledbeforeorsince.

Recruitmentwas highly localized throughout thewar. Regiments of approximately one thousandmen, the building block of thearmies,wouldoftenberaisedfromthepopulationofafewadjacentcounties.Soldierswenttowarwiththeirneighborsandtheirkin.Thenatureofrecruitmentmeantthatabattlefielddisastercouldwreakhavoconthehomecommunity.

OneinthirteensurvivingCivilWarsoldiersreturnedhomemissingoneormorelimbs.Pre-warjobsonfarmsorinfactoriesbecameimpossibleornearlyso.This ledtoarise inawarenessofveterans'needsaswellas increasedresponsibilityandsocialpowerforwomen.Formany,however,therewasnosolution.Tensofthousandsoffamiliesslippedintodestitution.

TendingwoundedUnionsoldiersatSavage'sStation,Virginia,duringthePeninsularCampaign,1862,LOC.

SupportingQuestion3FeaturedSource SourceC:FallenUnionandConfederatesoldiers

TheBattleofGettysburgleftapproximately7,000corpsesinthefieldsaroundthetown.Familymembershadtocometothebattlefieldtofindtheirlovedonesinthecarnage.(LibraryofCongress).

SupportingQuestion3FeaturedSource SourceD:FatalitiesincurredduringtheCivilWar

ComparisonchartofAmericansoldierskilledinmajorU.S.wars.(Civilwar.org).Infographicshowingtroopfatalitiesandcausesofdeath.(TheGilderLehrmanInstituteofAmericanHistory).

SupportingQuestion3FeaturedSource SourceE:Lettersanddiariesfromsoldiers

FromAlexanderHunter(Confederatesoldier)tohisfamilyabouttheAntietamcampaign:[September21,1862].DearFolks,Onthe8thwestruckuptherefrainof"Maryland,MyMaryland!"andcampedinanappleorchard.Wewenthungry,forsixdaysnotamorselofbreadormeathadgoneinourstomachs-andourmenuconsistedofapple;andcorn.Wetoasted,weburned,westewed,weboiled,weroastedthesetwotogether,andsingly,untiltherewasnotamanwhoseformhadnotcavedin,andwhohadnotabadattackofdiarrhea.Ourunder-clotheswerefoulandhanginginstrips,oursockswornout,andhalfofthemenwerebare-footed,manywerelameandweresenttotherear;others,ofsternerstuff,hobbledalongandmanagedtokeepup,whilegangsfromeverycompanywentoffinthesurroundingcountrylookingforfood...Manybecameillfromexposureandstarvation,andwereleftontheroad.Theambulanceswerefull,andthewholeroutewasmarkedwithasick,lame,limpinglot,thatstraggledtothefarmhousesthatlinedtheway,andwho,inallcases,succoredandcaredforthem...

FromCaptainAugustusC.Brown(UnionOfficer),TheDiaryofaLineOfficer:

Tuesday,May10th[1864].Heavycannonadingfrom8A.M.to1P.M.ThePontoontrainhasbeensentbacktoFredericksburg,apparentlytogetitoutoftheway,andthearmyhorsesareputonhalf-rations,thatis,fivepoundsoffood.Ambulancesandarmywagonswithtwotiersofflooring,loadedwithwoundedanddrawnbyfourandsixmuleteams,passalongtheplank,orrather,corduroyroadtoFredericksburg,theteamsterslashingtheirteamstokeepupwiththetrain,andthewoundedscreamingwithpainasthewagonsgojoltingoverthecorduroy…Thesemenhadbeensufferingintemporaryfieldhospitals,asnoopportunityhadbeenaffordedtosendthemtotherearuntilwegotwithinreachoftheroadrunningtoFredericksburg.

FromWilliamGastonLewis(Confederatesoldier)writingtohisfuturewifeaftertheBattleofGettysburg:

[Darkville,VaJuly15th1863].MyDearMitte,IamgladtoinformyouthatIamsafeinVaagainaftergoingthrough,untouched,themostterrificandsanguinarybattleofthewar.Areyourejoicedornottohearit?IwillnotgiveyouanyaccountofthebattleforIsupposeyouhavereadalltheaccountsinthenewspapers.ColKenanwaswoundedandtakenprisoner,soIamnowincommandoftheregiment.WillyouthinkIamwantinginnerveifItellyouthatIfeelmuchrelievedsinceIhavereturnedtothesacredsoiloftheSouth?Iamandalwayshavebeenopposedtoinvasion,andIthinkthistripwillmakeourauthoritiesbelievethatinvasionisthewrongpolicy,foritisimpracticable.BothsidesgottheworstofthefightatGettysburg,andbothfellback.IamsorrythatMajLewisofthesameregimentwasasseverelywoundedinthefacebyashell…Ioftenthinkofyou.IcomparemypresenthardshipswiththepleasantmomentsIhavespentwithyou,andlookforwardwithpleasuretoarepetitionofthoseagreeableminutes…Givemylovetothefamily.AndbecertaintowriteforIamhalfcrazytohearfromoneIsomuchlove…

SupportingQuestion3FeaturedSource SourceF:LettersandmemoirsfromAfricanAmericansandwomen

FromSgt.MorganW.Carter,anAfrican-AmericanUnionsoldier,writingtohisfriend:

Well,friendCharlesIamdoingaswellascouldbeexpectedofafellowinUncleSam'semployment.WeareinwinterquartersatCityPointnow,doingprovostduty,whichisquiteagreeableafterourSummerCampaignwhichhasbeenquitesevereonusatsometimes.ButwearelastatrestfortheWinter.IhaveasplendidlittlehousetomyselfwithafireplaceinitandyoucanseethatIamsnugasyouplease.OnlytherecollectionofhomeassociationscomesforcibletomemorythenIfeelalittledownhearted.ButsoonrallywhenIthinkonwhatprincipalIamfightingwhichisforthebenefitofmyrace.IhavebeeninagoodmanynearcloseplacebutbytheLord'swillIhaveescapedwithlife.SofarIhavebeenwoundedtwice,oncebyapieceofshellonthelongtoberememberedfieldofbloodshedandslaughteronthe31stofJuly(theStonemanRaid).Theremanyapoorfell[ow]lostthearlifeforthearcountryandthearpeople.ButpoorfellowstheydiedanobledeathandinthiscauseifitisnecessaryIwillgiveupmylifemostwillinglytobenefittheColoredRace.Youknowyourselfthatwehavebeentrampledunderthewhiteman'shealforyearsandnowwehaveachoicetoelevateourselfsandourraceandwhatlittleIcandotowarditIwilldosomostwillingly.IfIshoulddiebeforeIreceivethebenefitofitIwillhavetheconsolationofknowingthatthegenerationstocomewillreceivetheblessingofit…

MorganW.Carter.DirecttoSgt.MorganW.Carter,CompanyG,28thU.S.Cold.Troops,CityPoint,Virginia.

FromLouisaMayAlcott'sHospitalSketches,whenshevolunteeredasahospitalnurseinlate1862:Heneverspokeagain,buttotheendheldmyhandclose,soclosethatwhenhewasasleepatlast,Icouldnotdrawitaway.Danhelpedme,warningmeashedidsothatitwasunsafefordeadandlivingfleshtoliesolongtogether;butthoughmyhandwasstrangelycoldandstiff,andfourwhitemarksremainedacrossitsback,evenwhenwarmthandcolorhadreturnedelsewhere,Icouldnotbutbegladthat,throughitstouch,thepresenceofhumansympathy,perhaps,hadlightenedthathardhour…LouisaMayAlcott,HospitalSketches,1885.

EmmaE.Edmondswasafemalesoldierandspy.Shetookadvantageofthewartocrossgenderandracialboundaries.Onvariousoccasionsinhermemoir,Edmondsdisguisesherselfsuccessfullyasawhite,malesoldier;anAfricanAmerican,maleslave;andanAfricanAmerican,femaleslave.Here,sherecountswhenshedecidedtotakepartinthewarinApril,1861:Iwasarousedbymyreveriebyavoiceinthestreetcrying“NewYorkHerald–FallofFortSumter–President’sProclamation–Callforseventy-fivethousandmen!”Thisannouncementstartledme,whilemyimaginationportrayedthecomingstruggleinallitsfearfulmagnitude…Itistrue,IwasnotanAmerican–Iwasnotobligedtostayhereduringthisterriblestrife–Icouldreturntomynativelandwheremyparentswouldwelcomemetothehomeofmychildhood,andmybrothersandsisterswouldrejoiceatmycoming.Butthesewerenotthethoughtswhichoccupiedmymind.Itwasnotmyintention,ordesire,toseekmyownpersonaleaseandcomfortwhilesomuchsorrowanddistressfilledtheland.Butthegreatquestiontobedecided,was,whatcanIdo?WhatpartamItoactinthisgreatdrama?Iwasnotabletodecideformyself–soIcarriedthisquestiontotheThroneofGraceandfoundasatisfactoryanswerthere.

SarahEmmaEdmonds,Soldier,NurseandSpyintheUnionArmy,1865.

SupportingQuestion3FeaturedSource SourceG:AbrahamLincoln,executiveorderchangingthelegalstandingofslavestofreedpeopleinthe

southernstatesinrebellion,EmancipationProclamation(excerpts),1863

Whereas,onthetwenty-seconddayofSeptember,intheyearofourLordonethousandeighthundredandsixty-two,aproclamationwasissuedbythePresidentoftheUnitedStates,containing,amongotherthings,thefollowing,towit:"ThatonthefirstdayofJanuary,intheyearofourLordonethousandeighthundredandsixty-three,allpersonsheldasslaveswithinanyStateordesignatedpartofaState,thepeoplewhereofshallthenbeinrebellionagainsttheUnitedStates,shallbethen,thenceforward,andforeverfree;andtheExecutiveGovernmentoftheUnitedStates,includingthemilitaryandnavalauthoritythereof,willrecognizeandmaintainthefreedomofsuchpersons,andwilldonoactoractstorepresssuchpersons,oranyofthem,inanyeffortstheymaymakefortheiractualfreedom....Now,thereforeI,AbrahamLincoln,PresidentoftheUnitedStates,byvirtueofthepowerinmevestedasCommander-in-Chief,oftheArmyandNavyoftheUnitedStatesintimeofactualarmedrebellionagainsttheauthorityandgovernmentoftheUnitedStates,andasafitandnecessarywarmeasureforsuppressingsaidrebellion,do,onthisfirstdayofJanuary,intheyearofourLordonethousandeighthundredandsixty-three,andinaccordancewithmypurposesotodopubliclyproclaimedforthefullperiodofonehundreddays,fromthedayfirstabovementioned,orderanddesignateastheStatesandpartsofStateswhereinthepeoplethereofrespectively,arethisdayinrebellionagainsttheUnitedStates,thefollowing,towit:Arkansas,Texas,Louisiana,(excepttheParishesofSt.Bernard,Plaquemines,Jefferson,St.John,St.Charles,St.JamesAscension,Assumption,Terrebonne,Lafourche,St.Mary,St.Martin,andOrleans,includingtheCityofNewOrleans)Mississippi,Alabama,Florida,Georgia,SouthCarolina,NorthCarolina,andVirginia,(excepttheforty-eightcountiesdesignatedasWestVirginia,andalsothecountiesofBerkley,Accomac,Northampton,ElizabethCity,York,PrincessAnn,andNorfolk,includingthecitiesofNorfolkandPortsmouth[)],andwhichexceptedparts,areforthepresent,leftpreciselyasifthisproclamationwerenotissued.Andbyvirtueofthepower,andforthepurposeaforesaid,IdoorderanddeclarethatallpersonsheldasslaveswithinsaiddesignatedStates,andpartsofStates,are,andhenceforwardshallbefree;andthattheExecutivegovernmentoftheUnitedStates,includingthemilitaryandnavalauthoritiesthereof,willrecognizeandmaintainthefreedomofsaidpersons.AndIherebyenjoinuponthepeoplesodeclaredtobefreetoabstainfromallviolence,unlessinnecessaryself-defence;andIrecommendtothemthat,inallcaseswhenallowed,theylaborfaithfullyforreasonablewages...Publicdomain.U.SNationalArchives&RecordsAdministration.http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/featured_documents/emancipation_proclamation/transcript.html.SomeimportntpointsabouttheEmancipationProclamation:

1.PresidentLincolnjustifiedtheEmancipationProclamationasawarmeasureintendedtocrippletheConfederacy.Beingcarefultorespectthelimitsofhisauthority,LincolnappliedtheEmancipationProclamationonlytotheSouthernstatesinrebellion.

2.UpuntilSeptember1862,themainfocusofthewarhadbeentopreservetheUnion.WiththeissuanceoftheEmancipationProclamationfreedomforslavesnowbecamealegitimatewaraim.

3.AlthoughtheProclamationinitiallyfreedonlytheslavesintherebelliousstates,bytheendofthewartheProclamationhadinfluencedandpreparedcitizenstoadvocateandacceptabolitionforallslavesinboththeNorthandSouth.The13thAmendment,whichabolishedslaveryintheUnitedStates,waspassedonDecember6th,1865.AlthoughhewasheraldedasthesavioroftheUnion,LincolnconsideredtheEmancipationProclamationthecrowingachievementofhispresidency.

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SupportingQuestion3FeaturedSource SourceH:UnitedStatesCongress,actionthatabolishedslavery,ThirteenthAmendmenttothe

Constitution,1865

Neitherslaverynorinvoluntaryservitude,exceptasapunishmentforcrimewhereofthepartyshallhavebeendulyconvicted,shallexistwithintheUnitedStates,oranyplacesubjecttotheirjurisdiction. Publicdomain.U.SNationalArchives&RecordsAdministration.http://www.archives.gov/historical-docs/document.html?doc=9&title.raw=13th+Amendment+to+the+U.S.+Constitution%3A+Abolition+of+Slavery. SomeimportntpointsabouttheReconstructionAmendments: TheThirteenthAmendmentabolishedslaveryintheUnitedStatesandwasthefirstofthreeReconstructionAmendmentsadoptedinthefiveyearsfollowingtheAmericanCivilWar.AlthoughPresidentAbrahamLincolnhadissuedtheEmancipationProclamationonJanuary1,1863,therewereseveralproblemswithrelyingonittoensureanendtoslaveryintheU.S.TheproclamationwasissuedusingLincoln’swarpowersandtherewasconcernitcouldbeseenastemporary.Theproclamationalsoonlyfreedslaves,itdidnotabolishslaveryitself.ItalsoappliedonlytothestatesthatwereinactiverebelliononJanuary1,1863,butdidnotapplytoslave-holdingborderstatesortoareasofConfederatestatesalreadyunderUnioncontrolatthetime.Backin1857,aSupremeCourtcaseknownastheDredScottDecisiondeterminedthatblackAmericanswerenotcitizens.TheFourteenthAmendmentoverturnedthatruling,statingthat'AllpersonsbornornaturalizedintheUnitedStates...arecitizensoftheUnitedStatesandoftheStatewhereintheyreside.'ThiswasoneofthreeConstitutionalamendmentsaimedatestablishingpoliticalequalityforAmericansofanyrace.Together,theThirteenth,FourteenthandFifteenthAmendmentstotheU.S.ConstitutionarereferredtoastheReconstructionAmendments.Theyaddressslavery,citizenship,andvotingrights.TheRadicalRepublicansdidn'talwayshavethepurestmotives,theydidn'talwaysusethemostdemocraticmethodsofachievingtheirgoalsandAmericaisstillnotalwaysperfectlyequal.ButhistoryhasproventhatthecontroversialReconstructionAmendments,whichweredesignedtoguaranteetherightsoffreedslaves,havehelpedtocreateoneofthemostfree,mostdemocraticsocietiesintheworldtoday.ThesehistoricReconstructionAmendmentsabolishingslavery,guaranteeingdueprocessforallcitizens,andpromisinguniversalfranchisewereembeddedintheConstitution.Theretheylayforacentury,theenduringseedsofasecondAmericanRevolutionthatdidnotburstforthuntilthelandmarkcivilrightsmovementofthe1940s—1960s.