THE WARTIME ECONOMIES
CHAPTER 11.3
THE WARTIME ECONOMIES
• SOUTHERN ECONOMY: IN THE SOUTH FOOD
SHORTAGES OCCURRED:
1. COLLAPSE OF THE SOUTH’S
TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM
2. PRESENCE OF UNION TROOPS IN MANY
AGRICULTURAL REGIONS
3. SHORTAGES HURT THE SOUTHERN MORALE
AND LED TO RIOTS
THE WARTIME ECONOMIES
• NORTHERN ECONOMY: ECONOMIC BOOM B/C OF
WAR:
1. INCREASED USE OF MECHANICAL
REAPERS AND MOWERS MADE FARMING
POSSIBLE WITH FEWER WORKERS
2. WOMEN ENTERED THE WORKFORCE TO
FILL LABOR SHORTAGES
3. THE NORTH PRODUCED AN ABUNDANCE OF
CLOTHES FOR ITS SOLDIERS  CLOTHING
INDUSTRY PROFITED FROM GOVT.
CONTRACTS
AFRICAN AMERICANS IN THE
MILITARY
• AFRICAN AMERICANS WERE OFFICIALLY
ALLOWED TO ENLIST IN THE UNION ARMY
AND NAVY AS A RESULT OF THE
EMANCIPATION PROCLAMATION
• THOUSANDS OF AFRICAN AMERICANS
JOINED THE MILITARY
• MANY THOUGHT THAT BY JOINING THE
MILITARY IT WOULD HELP END
DISCRIMINATION
• 54TH MASACHUSETTS: FIRST AFRICAN
AMERICAN REGIMENT OFFICIALLY
ORGANIZED IN THE NORTH
54TH MASACHUSETTS
MILITARY LIFE
• BOTH UNION AND CONFEDERATE
SUFFERED HARDSHIPS
• FOOD WAS TASTELESS AND OFTEN
SCARCE
• UNION SOLDIERS ATE HARDTACK (HARD
BISCUIT MADE OF WHEAT FLOUR)
BIVOUAC
MILITARY LIFE
• DOCTORS:
1. HUGE NUMBERS OF CASUALTIES
2. DID NOT UNDERSTAND INFECTIOUS
GERMS  INFECTION SPREAD
QUICKLY IN FIELD HOSPITALS
3. SMALLPOX AND PNEUMONIA
SPREAD TO CIVIL WAR SOLDIERS
4. ARMS AND LEGS OF WOUNDED
SOLDIERS WERE AMPUTATE TO
PREVENT GANGRENE AND OTHER
INFECTIONS
MILITARY LIFE
• WOMEN IN THE CIVIL WAR:
1. MANAGE FAMILY FARMS AND
BUSINESS
2. NURSES TO THE WOUNDED:
A. ELIZABETH BLACKWELL: FIRST
FEMALE PHYSICIAN IN THE U.S. WHO
STARTED THE FIRST TRAINING PROGRAM
FOR NURSES  LAID THE FOUNDATION FOR
THE U.S. SANITARY COMMISSION (PROVIDED
MEDICAL ASSISTANCE AND SUPPLIES TO
ARMY CAMPS AND HOSPITALS)
3. CLARA BARTON: NURSED SOLDIERS
ON THE BATTLEFIELD  LAID THE
FOUNDATION FOR THE RED CROSS IN THE
U.S.
BLACKWELL
BARTON
MILITARY LIFE
• P.O.W.’S:
1. AT FIRST THE UNION AND THE SOUTH HAD A
FORMAL EXCHANGE OF PRISONERS
2. AFTER THE EMANCIPATION PROCLAMATION
 THE SOUTH REFUSED TO RECOGNIZE AFRICAN
AMERICANS AS FREE AND STOPPED EXCHANGING
THEM FOR WHITE SOLDIERS
3. IN RESPONSE, LINCOLN STOPPED ALL
PRISONER EXCHANGES
4. ANDERSONVILLE: SOUTHWEST GA 
POOR CONDITIONS (NO SHADE OR SHELTER FOR
ITS HUGE POPULATION), EXPOSURE,
OVERCROWDING, LACK OF FOOD,
AND DISEASE)  THOUSANDS DIE
 HENRY WIRZ (COMMANDANT) IS
THE ONLY PERSON EXECUTED FOR WAR
CRIMES DURING THE C.W.
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- Prisoner of War Camps:
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Andersonville Civil War Prison, located in the village of Andersonville,
Sumpter County, Georgia, became notorious for its overcrowding,
starvation, disease, and cruelty. It was in operation from February
1864 to April 1865.
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Andersonville Prison was established as a "stockade for Union
enlisted men". The prison consisted of 27 acres and was enclosed
with walls made of pine logs, which stood 15-20 feet high. The
"stockade" held a hospital but no barracks were ever constructed for
the prisoners. Originally intended to hold 10,000 men, Andersonville
at one time held over 33,000 men. According to records, a total of
49,485 prisoners went through the gates of Andersonville Prison.
Prisoners suffered from hunger, disease, medical shortages, and
exposure. The death rate at Andersonville was the highest of all Civil
War prisons. A staggering 13,700 men died within thirteen months!
The superintendent of the prison was Captain Henry Wirz. It is said he
was heartless and high-handed. John L. Ransom, a Michigan sergeant
and Andersonville prisoner, wrote in his diary on May 10,
1864: "Captain Wirz very domineering and abusive, is afraid to come
into camp any more. A thousand men here would willingly die if they
could kill him first. The worst man I ever saw." Captain Wirz was tried
and hanged by a military court after the war.