MS Studies Ch. 5
Ch. 5 Secession & Civil War
Slavery
• Slavery was viewed as a potential
problem dating back to the drafting of
the U.S. Constitution
• By 1819, slavery was the primary
political issue in the U.S.
The Missouri Compromise
• 1819 U.S. had 22 states. 11 free states. 11
slave states
• Free State – State that did not allow slavery
• Slave State – State that did allow slavery
• Missouri applied for statehood as a slave
state
• Intense debates erupted in U.S. Congress
• Missouri Compromise was created.
• Missouri was admitted as slave state
• Maine admitted as a free state
• Slavery forbidden in the remainder of the
Louisiana Purchase north of 36°30’ N
Missouri Compromise Map
Missouri Compromise Map
Antislavery Movement
• 1817 American Colonization Society
formed. Offered to send free blacks
back to Africa (Liberia)
• MS Colonization Society formed 1831.
• Many people wanted to end slavery,
but no person knew the proper way.
Nullification Crisis & States’ Rights
• States’ Rights – the principle that the rights
of the individual state should prevail over
the rights of the federal government.
• Many southerners believed deeply in states’
rights
• 1832 South Carolina challenged the U.S.
tariff saying that they had the right as a
state to nullify this U.S. law.
• S. Carolina threatened to secede
• A compromise reduced the tariff, but a law
was passed that denied the states the right
to nullify a national law
• Mississippians were divided on this issue.
The Compromise of 1850
• 1846 U.S. gained new lands from Mexico
and the Missouri Compromise did not apply
to them.
• By 1850 California was ready for statehood
& wanted to be free.
• Issue was raised “FREE or SLAVE”
• Compromise of 1850 solved the issue
• California admitted as free state
• Slavery in new territories would be determined by
Popular Sovereignty (means a vote by those
living there)
• South got a stronger fugitive slave law
Compromise of 1850
Slavery Issues
• Kansas-Nebraska Act passed 1854
• Said Pop. Sovereignty would decide slavery issue
• Led to violence and wars known as “Bleeding
Kansas” or “Border War”
• 1854 Republican Party created to stop
expansion of slavery
• 1857 Supreme Court rules that Dred Scott
was property and that slavery could expand
into territories.
• 1859 John Brown leads a raid against an
armory at Harper’s Ferry Virginia.
• He hoped to start a slave revolt, but he was
captured and executed
John Brown
Dred
Scott
Harper’s Ferry
MS & Secession
• Mississippians were divided. They
loved the U.S., but also loved slavery.
• Secession (withdrawal from the Union)
was not accepted by most
Mississippians during the 1850’s. They
wanted U.S. Congress to protect
slavery
• By 1859 most Mississippians felt like
secession was the only answer to the
slave question.
1860 Presidential Election
• Democrats divided
• Southern Democrats nominated John C.
Breckinridge (U.S. Vice President)
• Northern Democrats nominated Stephen
Douglas
• Constitution Party nominated John Bell
• Republican Party nominated Abraham
Lincoln
• Lincoln won the election (Breckenridge
carried the south)
Election of 1860
Candidates
Abraham
Lincoln
(Republican)
John C.
Breckinridge
(Southern
Democrats)
John Bell
(Constitutional
Party)
Stephen A.
Douglas
(Northern
Democrats)
Secession
• Dec. 20, 1860 South Carolina seceded from the
union
• MS called a state convention.
• MS delegates voted 84 – 15 in favor of secession
• Jan. 9, 1861 MS became 2nd state to secede from the Union
• AL, GA, FL, LA, & TX followed.
• Feb. 1861 delegates from each state met in
Montgomery, AL and formed the Confederate States
of America (new government)
• Jefferson Davis was selected as the President &
Montgomery, AL was the capital
• When VA seceded from the Union, the capital was
moved to Richmond, VA.
Secession
Map
Jefferson
Davis
Confederate Flags
Confederate Flag
1861-1863
Confederate Flag
1865-
Confederate
Navy Jack
Confederate Flag
1863-1865
Confederate
Battle Flag
War Begins
• April 1861, Confederate forces fire on Fort
Sumter in Charleston, South Carolina when
a resupply is attempted.
• President Lincoln called for troops to put
down the rebellion.
• VA, NC, TN, & AR seceded.
• Both sides thought they could win
• South had better leaders & thought foreign
nations would support them
• North had more people and resources than the
south.
Fort
Sumter
War Begins
Fort
Sumter
Aftermath
U.S. Leaders
Confederate Leaders
Jefferson Davis
Gen. Robert E. Lee
(Eastern Front)
Gen. Albert Johnston
(Western Front)
MS River
• The MS River was a key component to
the Union’s success during the war.
• Gen. Ulysses S. Grant commanded
Union forces in the West
• Gen. Albert Sidney Johnston
commanded Confederate troops in the
West.
• March 1862 Gen. Johnston is defending
Corinth, MS. Gen. Grant has a fort at
Shiloh (TN).
Ulysses S. Grant
Confederate encampment at Corinth
Battle of Shiloh
• Johnston attacks grant on April 6 beginning
the Battle of Shiloh. Johnston is killed
during the battle.
• Gen. P.G. T. Beauregard takes command of
southern forces. South advances on Day 1,
but on Day 2 reinforced Union forces cause a
Confederate retreat back to Corinth.
• Shiloh was the bloodiest battle of the war to
that point.
• Corinth & Memphis were later abandoned by
the Confederates.
Battle of Shiloh
Western Campaign
Battle of Shiloh
Battle for Vicksburg
• Vicksburg was vital. It sat within a great
curve in the MS River. The city was well
fortified and sat atop high bluffs.
• Vicksburg was a key supply point for the
Confederacy.
• Union tried to dig a canal on the LA side of
the river to avoid Vicksburg. This failed.
• Dec. 1862 Union Gen. William Tecumseh
Sherman begins a direct attack against
Vicksburg from the North. Attack Fails
Vicksburg 1863
Battle for Vicksburg (Cont.)
• Grant tries to dig a canal to bypass
Vicksburg, but this fails due to Confederate
Artillery fire.
• Grant moves his forces south of Vicksburg
through LA.
• Grant attacked & captured Jackson, MS in
May 1863 & then led a direct attack on
Vicksburg.
• Vicksburg was surrounded, but numerous
attacks failed
• Grant laid siege to Vicksburg for 6 weeks
• Vicksburg fell July 4, 1863 (same day as
Gettysburg victory)
Vicksburg, MS
Vicksburg Map
Union blockade at Vicksburg
Union soldiers at Vicksburg
Vicksburg
National
Cemetery
After Vicksburg
• Grant named Commander of all Union Forces
• General William T. Sherman commands
Union troops in the West
• Sherman captured Meridian, MS in Feb. 1864
(RR Depot)
• Sherman moved on to Chattanooga
• Sherman kept MS Generals Nathan Bedford
Forrest and Stephen Lee off of his supply lines by
constantly raiding North & East MS
• Late 1864 Sherman makes his famous
“March to the Sea” (from Atlanta to
Savannah, GA)
Battle of Chattanooga & Chickamagua
Atlanta
Gen. William
Tecumseh Sherman
Battle Map
Fort Massachusetts (Ship Island)
War Ends
• March 1865 Richmond, VA falls to the
Union.
• April 1865 Robert E. Lee surrenders at
Appomattox Court House, VA
• MS & AL troops surrendered on May 4,
1865 at Citronelle, AL
• Jefferson Davis was captured on May
10, 1865 in Irwinville, GA
Lee Surrender
Mclean House
Washington D.C. after the War
MS Numbers
• 80,000 Mississippians fought for the
Confederacy
• About 500 Mississippians fought for the
Union Army
• 17,000 MS slaves or freedmen fought
for the Union Army
• MS had about 27,000 dead at the end
of the Civil War.
9th Mississippi Infantry
9th MS Infantry
at Ft Pickens,
Pensacola
• Private James
Madison Moore,
Company A,
14th Regiment,
Mississippi
Consolidated
Infantry
MS’s Homefront
• Those at home did what they could
• Men joined the service
• Women made uniforms or were nurses
• Everyone supported the state or opposed in silence
• MS tried to have normal politics but it was
impossible.
• Money became worthless in the south.
• People did not have
• Candle wax, salt, coffee & tea (corn, okra, sweet potatoes
used instead),
• Slave Revolts were feared
• Union Soldiers took what they wanted and in many
cases destroyed everything else.
Hardtack
End of Slavery
• During war many southern blacks fled to
Union army camps.
• Some stayed on the Plantations
• Blacks joined Union army and mainly
performed labor roles.
• By end of war blacks were actively fighting
for the Union
• Blacks were paid less and usually given menial
tasks.
• 1862 Emancipation Proclamation issued.
Freed slaves in the seceding states.
• Dec. 1865 13th Amendment abolished
slavery
Slaves
Slaves
Slaves
Emancipation
Proclamation
13th
Amendment
(from
Harper’s
Weekly)
SCENE IN THE HOUSE ON THE PASSAGE OF
THE PROPOSITION TO AMEND THE
CONSTITUTION, JANUARY 31, 1865.