Civil War Notes
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Seven states seceded before February 1, 1861. (SC, AL, GA, FL, MS, LA, TX) After the attack on Ft.
Sumter, four more states joined the Confederacy. (VA, NC, TN, AR)
A total of roughly 3 million men served in the Civil War. Out of this number, there were 180,000
African American fighting on the Union side, and 3,000+ women serving as nurses.
Youngest was a 9 year old from Mississippi, and the oldest was 80 year old from Iowa.
Advantages and Disadvantages:
North
1. 71% of US population (22 million)
2. 72% to 75% of nation’s rail lines
3. 110,000 factories (85%), 97% production
of weapons, & 90% of nation’s
manufactured goods
4. Strong navy/large fleet of private trading ships
5. 70% grain production
6. 65% livestock
7. East-West telegraph lines
8. 81% bank deposits
South
1. Fighting a defensive was (geographical
advantage)
2. Spirit and confidence of its people
3. Skills – hunting, using weapons, and
riding horses
4. Military leadership
1.
2.
3.
4.
1. Few factories to provide weapons
(18,000)
2. RR (9,000 miles) lines didn’t connect
3. 9 million population (13% < North)
4. Manufactured goods - from N/Europe
5. No telegraph lines
6. Food- rice in large quantities, cotton,
tobacco, and indigo
7. Fewer people to support
8. Almost no warships
Had to fight an offensive war
Huge area to conquer
Needed training in basic fighting skills
Had to learn to use weapons to survive
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Presidential Election of 1860 was the breaking point for the South. Who was elected President of the
United States? Abraham Lincoln After several states in the south seceded, they met to form a new
government, the Confederate States of America. Who was elected President of the Confederates States
of America? Jefferson Davis Who was their vice-president? Alexander Stephens
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Each side had their list of goals that they wished to accomplish.
North:
South:
1. Sea – blockade southern ports
1. To fight a defensive war – wear the
2. West – take control of Mississippi River; stop
Union out
trade and separate Arkansas, TX, and LA from the
2. European supplies and money would
rest of the Confederacy
help them to survive.
3. East – seize Richmond and capture CSA gov’t
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Battle of Bull Run
On July 1861, Union troops setting out for Richmond were stopped just outside of Washington, D.C.
near Bull Run by the Confederates. They thought it would be an easy defeat, but they were mistaken. This
is where the Confederate General Thomas Jackson earned his nickname “Stonewall” because he stood as a
stone wall during the attack. The Battle of Bull Run showed that both sides needed training.
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Phase one of the 3 pronged attacks was accomplished when a blockade was put on Southern ports. This
blockade made traffic in the South drop 90%.
Iron clad ships
Confederates took a Union abandoned ship and covered it with 4 inches of iron. They renamed it the
Virginia and then proceeded to defeat 3 Union ships. The Union developed their own iron clad ship
called Monitor which was quicker than the Confederate ship. What was the significance of these ships?
They changed naval warfare
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Battle of Antietam
Why did this battle occur? a Confederate messenger lost Lee’s battle plans
September 17, 1862, McClellan attacked Lee’s main force at Antietam. How many soldiers were either
wounded or killed? 24,000 Even though no one had the victory for this battle, who claimed the victory?
Union. After this battle, Lincoln gave command of the Union forces to General Ambrose Burnside
because McClellan failed to pursue Lee’s troops.
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Ft. Henry and Ft. Donelson in Tennessee
Who captured the above two forts? General Ulysses S. Grant Then he moved south toward where the
TN and MS rivers join. In April of 1862, the Confederates forces planned a surprise attack on Grant
near Shiloh, TN. This battle was the first of the huge battles that became typical of the Civil War. Over
24,000 men fought at Shiloh. Almost 23,000 were either killed or wounded. More Americans died at
Shiloh than in the following wars American Revolution, War of 1812, and Mexican-American War
combined.
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Jackson and Vicksburg, Mississippi
The Union gained control of both ends of the Mississippi River in April 1862. Another city named
Vicksburg, MS was protected by a huge cliff on the Mississippi River making it difficult to attack.
Therefore, General Grant decided to take Jackson, MS and then attack Vicksburg from the rear.
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Emancipation Proclamation
First, we must understand that the whole reason the North was fighting in the war was to restore the
Union even though abolitionists argued that it was to rid the nation of slavery. On September 22, 1862
Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation. What does emancipate mean? To set free
Over 1 million copies were distributed in the South in the hopes that the slaves there would rebel or
escape to join the Union army. Slaves were not freed on this day because they were not under Union
control; however, they would be set free when their state was obtained by the Union. The Emancipation
Proclamation changed the purpose of the war and won sympathy in Europe which sent a wave of
support for the Union.
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African American Involvement
Federal laws kept blacks from becoming soldiers. Instead, they signed up for non-combat tasks. In
Summer of 1862, Congress passed a law allowing blacks to join the army. All black units were formed,
but their commanders were white. These black units received ½ the pay of white soldiers.
Massachusetts was the first state to organize all black regiments. The 54th regiment attacked Fort
Wagner near Charleston in the summer of 1863. Even though most of the regiment was killed, they
won the respect for black soldiers. (The movie Glory is about this unit.)
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New Technology
Cone-shaped bullets, new cannons, ……
Dangers that the soldiers faced:
¼ or more soldiers were causalities in any given battle --- Some soldiers would write their name on a
piece of paper and pin it to their bodies so that they could be identified when it was over.
Medical dangers – More soldiers died from disease than were killed by bullets. For every Union soldier
killed in battle, 2 died from disease. (93,400 compared to 210,000)
Prison – more than one out of three Union soldiers died from disease; Name a prison in the South.
Andersonville, GA
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Draft Law
If you were opposed to the war, you were called Copperheads.
The Union became so desperate that they passed a draft law in 1863. This law stated that all males
between the ages of 18-45 were required to serve in the military. They could get out of serving by paying
$300 or getting someone else to take their place. The common man started saying that this was “a rich
man’s war and a poor man’s fight.” This made many desert or ran away.
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Money
The first federal income tax was 3% on all incomes over $800 per year. It raised about 20% of the
revenues. They also raised money by selling bonds.
North printed over $ 400 million in paper money during the war. These were called greenbacks because
of their color. Because there was so much money in circulation, there was an inflation which made the
dollar lose its worth. In retrospect, this inflation helped the Northern economy. How? Machines were
used to harvest and plant, 165,000 reapers were sold, farm production increased, demand
increased for clothing, shoes, guns, ammunition, and more
Some people made their fortunes by profiteering. What is profiteering? Overcharging the gov’t for
supplies desperately needed for the war
South –
South had to pass an income tax as well. They also passed a tax-in-kind which required farmers to
turnover 1/10th of their crops to the gov’t. During the war, “Dixie” came to mean the South. This
came from the French word “dix” meaning 10 that was printed on the Louisiana $10 bill. There was
also a wild inflation in the South which made the Confederate dollar worth 2cents in gold making the
economy suffer. They also were suffering because President Davis stopped cotton shipments to
Britain in the beginning of the war. He thought that this would make them want to support the South
instead Great Britain began getting its cotton from Egypt and India.
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Women in the War
Roles: jobs in industry, teaching, farm work, held bake sales, donated jewelry, and organized fairs to
raise money for medical supplies, fought in battle, were spies, and were nurses.
Most famous nurse in the North was Dorothea Dix, nicknamed “Dragon Dix” She became
Superintendent of nurses for the Union army. Clara Barton was another Civil War nurse. She
founded the American Red Cross and was responsible for training nurses, collecting medical supplies,
and serving on the war front. Sally Louisa Tompkins opened a private hospital in Richmond, VA.
When there was a threat to close private hospitals, Tompkins was made a captain in the Calvary and her
hospital was allowed to remain open. Of the 1,333 patients treated at her hospital, only 73 died.
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The Tide Turns
After Antietam, Robert E. Lee led the Confederate Army to victories over the Union troops. General
Ambrose Burnside led Union troops against Lee outside Fredericksburg, VA. He ordered his men
charge 6 times across an open field where the Confederates had dug trenches.
Lee and Jackson outfought the Union at the battle of Chancellorsville. It was here that Stonewall
Jackson was shot and died several days later of blood poisoning.
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Gettysburg, PA
From July 1st to July 3rd, over 150,000 soldiers fought outside the town. General Meade was the
commander of the Union forces. Lee sent 15,000 soldiers under the command of General Pickett to
attack the strongest Union position. This attack was called Pickett’s Charge. 40,000 were left dead or
wounded.
On November 20, 1863, a ceremony was held to dedicate this cemetery. Main speaker was Edward
Everett, who spoke for 2 hours. President Lincoln with a low popularity spoke for only 3 minutes. His
speech was called Gettysburg Address.
After Gettysburg, General Ulysses S. Grant developed a plan to end the war. The goal was to weaken
the South’s ability to fight. Grant was to move south toward Richmond while General Philip Sheridan
was sent to the Shenandoah Valley. General William Tecumseh Sherman was sent to Atlanta, GA and
instructed to move toward the Atlantic Ocean. His “March to the Sea” was a form of fighting called
total war. Many civilians suffered because of total war.
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Presidential Election of 1864
Democratic candidate, George McClellan, called for an immediate end to the war. If he won then
southerners felt that the Confederacy would be saved.
The Republican candidate, President Abraham Lincoln, won the election.
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Appomattox Courthouse
Grant and Lee went against each other in several battles such as Wilderness and Cold Harbor. Grant
wanted to get at the Confederate capital, Richmond, but it was guarded by Petersburg. It took 9 monts
to seize this city. Richmond fell the next day but Confederate President Jefferson Davis and his cabinet
had fled before the Union took Richmond. Grant moved onto Appomattox Courthouse.
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The Surrender
April 9, 1865 was the day Lee surrendered and the Civil War came to an end. He had to surrender
because his army was trapped and he knew that they would be killed. What were Grant’s terms of
surrender? Troops turned over their rifles but kept their horses; officers kept their pistols
When word of the surrender spread, the Union soldiers cheered. Grant silenced them by saying, “The
war is over – the rebels are our country men again.” What did the Civil War make clear? That no part
of the US could secede in peace