Chapter 14: The War to Save the Union

What were greenbacks? Why did the government print them? How successful were they?

"Greenbacks" was a term used for the flat money from the redeemable yellowback bills. Public confidence previously placed in paper money vacillated with each change in the fortunes in the Union armies, but by the end of the war the cost of living in the North had doubled.

Why hadn't African Americans been able to fight in the early part of the war? Why did that change? How were they treated? Why were death tolls higher?

Blacks had fought in Revolution and in War of 1812 but law of 1792 barred them from army. By 1862, need for manpower led to changes. August: Secretary of War Stanton authorized the military government of the captured South Carolina Sea Islands to enlist blacks. After Emancipation Proclamation authorized the enlistment of blacks, governor of Massachusetts organized the all-black (white officered) Massachusetts 54th. Other states followed and in May 1863 federal government established a Bureau of Colored Troops. By end of war, one soldier in eight in Union army was black. Enlisting so many black soldiers changed war from struggle to save Union to a kind of revolution. Black soldiers initially received only $7 a month (1/2 of white pay). Of 178,000 who served in Union army, 37,000 were killed (40 percent higher than among white troops). Due in part to Confederate tendencies to kill black soldiers on the spot

Discuss the Battle of Antietam. Why was it significant?

Captured documents revealed Lee's plans and caused McClellan to move more swiftly resulting in confrontation at Sharpsburg, between the Potomac and Antietam Creek, on September 17. 70,000 Union troops clashed with 40,000 Confederates. At end of day, 22,000 casualties. McClellan failed to press his advantage against an exhausted Lee who, after a day of no confrontation, slipped back across the Potomac. Lincoln dismissed McClellan

What impact did this war have on America? Discuss the good and bad of this war.

Casualties totaled more than 600,000 Enormous property losses, mostly in the South Created hatred, bitterness, corruption, gross materialism and selfishness Slavery was dead United States was now viewed as a nation not as a union of states Resulted in better integrated society and more technically advanced and productive economy

Who was Clement Vallandigham? Why was he important?

Clement Vallandigham was an Ohio politician, and leader of the Copperhead faction of anti-war Democrats during the American Civil War. He served two terms in the United States House of Representatives.

Discuss the Battle of Gettysburg.

Confederate army was stretched across 50 mile arc in southern Pennsylvania. Destroyed property and commandeered food, horses, and clothing. July 1: looking for shoes in Gettysburg, a Confederate division clashed with two brigades of Union cavalry Both sides called for reinforcements. Confederates controlled town but Union army under General George Meade took control of heights. For two days, Confederates attacked the ridge. By July 3 the Confederate Army was spent and the Union lines unbroken. Meade failed to press the attack on July 4. On July 5, the Confederates retreated

What kind of military man was Robert E. Lee? Discuss. How did he compare to McClellan?

Confederate commander Robert E. Lee was an excellent tactician, and, unlike McClellan, was bold and masterful on the battlefield.

Who were the Copperheads? What did they stand for?

Copperheads were northern Democrats who opposed the war and wanted to make peace with the Confederates.

Discuss the election of 1864. Who was running? What party were they associated with?

Democrats nominated George McClellan and Lincoln was renominated on a national union ticked with Andrew Johnson. Radical Rep. factored Salmon Chase.

How did the war impact the Northern economy? Why?

Economy flourished. Government purchases stimulated certain lines of manufacturing. Railroads operated close to capacity and with increasing efficiency. Farm machinery business boomed because of labor shortages and rise in agricultural prices

What was the mentality of the North in 1864? Why? What changed it all?

Everything Changed on September 2: Sherman captured Atlanta and, ignoring a Confederate feint toward Tennessee, marched south through Georgia, living off the land, practicing total war

Who was Clara Barton?

Founder of the American Red cross

Why was Ulysses S. Grant one of the more controversial generals in the U.S. military? What did Lincoln like about Grant? What was Grant's aim when he resumed command of the Union troops?

Grant was so controversial because at West Point he had compiled an indifferent record, ranking twenty-first in a class of thirty-nine. During the Mexican War he served well, but when he was later assigned to a lonely post in the West, he took to drink and was forced to resign his commission. Thereafter he was by turns a farmer, a real estate agent and a clerk in a leather goods store. By age 40 he seemed well into a life of frustration and mediocrity. Lincoln liked that he knew how to manage a large army and win battles. His major aim was to capture Vicksburg.

What was Grant's strategy in the West? Discuss the Battle of the Wilderness. What was the fundamental truth of how the war was going to be won?

Grant's strategy: Attack Lee and capture Richmond General William Tecumseh Sherman would drive from Chattanooga toward Atlanta, Georgia Began operations in early May 1864 with more than 100,000 men each May 5-6: Grant confronted Lee at Battle of the Wilderness where Grant suffered 18,000 casualties but continued to move forward trying to outflank Lee

Why wasn't the spending on the war considered irresponsible?

In a country still heavily based on agriculture, people had relatively low cash incomes and therefore could not easily bear a heavy tax load. Many Americans considered it reasonable to expect future generations to pay part of the dollar cost of saving the Union when theirs was contributing so heavily in labor and blood.

What happened at Shiloh?

In early 1862, a Confederate invasion of New Mexico failed, and General Grant captured strategic forts in western Tennessee and invaded northern Mississippi, while the Union navy captured New Orleans. The carnage was appalling at the bloody battle of Shiloh, shaking the confidence of both armies. Modern technology had produced weapons of unprecedented accuracy and destructive power. Both sides now recognized how grim the war would be.

Who was Ulysses S. Grant? Discuss his successes and failures.

In the same week as Gettysburg, Grant laid siege to Vicksburg, a Confederate stronghold on the Mississippi River. His capture of Vicksburg gave the Union full control of the river and effectively severed the trans-Mississippi region from the rest of the Confederacy. The success of his brilliant campaign caused Lincoln to place Grant in charge of all Union armies west of the Appalachians. In a short time his forces captured the rail center of Chattanooga and cleared the way for an invasion of Georgia. Lincoln then gave Grant supreme command of all Union armies.

What economic changes are speeded along by the Civil War? Give at least four.

Inflation and shortages encouraged speculation and fostered a selfish, materialistic attitude toward life Many contractors sold the government shoddy goods Unscrupulous operators trafficked in cotton (selling for 20 cents in South and $1.90 a pound in North) across the lines War hastened industrialization and helped create a more complex and efficient economy

Why was the fight between the Monitor and Merrimack significant?

Ironclads were the first iron war ships and the battle between the Monitor and the Merrimack marked the first modern navy battle in the history of the world.

Who was Jefferson Davis? Why type of man was he? Where did he stand on issues prior to the Civil War? How was he as a president?

Jefferson Davis was president of the Confederate States of America. Davis was courageous, industrious and intelligent. He was too reserved and opinionated to make either a good politician or a popular leader; he devoted too much time to details. Unlike Lincoln, Davis was impatient with garrulous and dull-witted people.

What was the South's strategy after Bull run?

Jefferson Davis's strategy was to defend the South, hoping in time to wear down the Union's will to fight. Confederates were the first to draft men into military service, but wealthy planters easily escaped the draft.

Discuss the problems of General Ambrose Burnside and General Joseph Hooker. What were the results of their failures as generals? Be specific.

Late April 1863: Hooker crossed Rappahannock and concentrated at Chancellorsville with 125,000 men. Did not attack immediately, which gave Lee time to have Jackson and 25,000 men outflank Hooker and attack on May 2. Union right crumbled but regrouped next day and held ground until May 5 when Hooker retreated. Confederates lost 12,000 soldiers (almost as much as Union, and harder to replace) and Stonewall Jackson. Lee decided to go on offensive against North with 75,000 men

What took place at Appomattox Court House? What was the meeting like between Lee and Grant?

Lee surrendered his remaining 30,000 men to Grant and his 115,000 troops at Appomattox Courthouse on April 9, 1865. The Confed. soldiers required to lay down their arms, could return to their homes in peace, and grant allowed the men to retain their horses .

How did Lincoln initially deal with Congress? What were his strengths as a leader? What did Lincoln do that be considered beyond the bounds of presidential power?

Lincoln boldly exceeded the conventional limits of presidential power. He expanded the army without congressional authorization, and suspended the writ of the Habeas Corpus.

How was Lincoln dealing with the issue of secession? What were the two northern strongholds in the South? Discuss the issue with surrendering these forts? What happens to one of the forts?

Lincoln denied the legality of secession, but this did not stop the Southerners. By now, most federal property had been captured in the Deep South; only two strongholds remained: Fort Sumter, in South Carolina, and Fort Pickens, in Pensacola, Florida. Lincoln and most republicans did not want to surrender these forts without a show of resistance. When Lincoln made the decision to send food and supplies to Fort Sumter, the Confederates opened fire. The fort was surrendered 34 hours later.

How many volunteers does Lincoln ask for? How did the South react when he asked for those volunteers? What happened in the city of Baltimore?

Lincoln issued a call for 75,000 volunteers. His request prompted Virginia, North Carolina, Arkansas, and Tennessee to secede. When Union troops marched through Baltimore in mid-April, they were attacked by a mob.

How did Lincoln treat dissenters?

Lincoln periodically used martial law and suspended the writ of habeas corpus to control antiwar dissent, but the federal courts defended individual civil liberties.

How successful was Grant in the West? What did Lincoln do to Grant because of his results in the West?

Lincoln put Grant in charge of all federal troops west of Appalachians. Took charge of troops around Chattanooga where Confederates were on the offensive and won a major victory there on November 25. This cleared the way for an invasion of Georgia. March 1864: Lincoln summoned Grant to Washington, made him a lieutenant general and gave him supreme command of armies of U.S.

Who won the election of 1864?

Lincoln was easily reelected in the election of 1864

What type of message was he trying to convey? What was the tone of Lincoln's inaugural address? What was the message?

Lincoln's inaugural address was conciliatory but firm. He made it clear that secession was illegal. His closing words were, "I am loath to close. We are not enemies, but friends. We must not be enemies. Though passion may have strained, it must not break, our bonds of affection."

What were the consequences of the war being prolonged?

Many American lives were lost after the war was prolonged, and both sides had major economic problems, especially the south.

Why was the cabinet that President Lincoln chose " alarming"? Who was Lincoln's secretary of state? Why was he controversial? Who was his secretary of the treasury? Who did he represent?

Many people considered Lincoln's cabinet selection "alarming," because he had chosen a "balanced" cabinet full of divergent opinions. William H. Seward, secretary of state, hoped to conciliate the South, while Salmon P. Chase, secretary of the treasury, represented radicals.

What impact did the Emancipation Proclamation have on conscription?

March 1863, Congress passed Conscription Act which applied to all men between 20 and 45 but allowed draftees to hire substitutes or buy exemption for $300 -46,000 actually drafted -118,000 hired substitutes -161,000 failed to report

Describe George McClellan.

McClellan had experience in Mexican-American War and had spent a year studying in the Crimean War. He had flair for drama and the ability to inspire troops. He was also a talented administrator and organizer, and insisted on massive logistical support, thorough training for troops, iron discipline and meticulous staff work before making a move.

What were McClellan's weaknesses? What kind of general was he?

McClellan was an unsurpassed military administrator and planner, but he did not like to fight and risk damage to his excellently prepared army. Thus, McClellan's Peninsula campaign was conducted with too much caution.

Discuss the second Battle of Bull Run.

McClellan was in impregnable position on James River at Harrison's Landing, within striking distance of Richmond, with 86,000 men and secure supply lines. Failure to move more quickly resulted in Lincoln placing General Henry Halleck over McClellan. Halleck called off Peninsula campaign and recalled army to Potomac where it was to join a new army being gathered under General John Pope Lee took advantage of withdrawal and marched north, defeating Pope at Second Battle of Bull Run in late August

Discuss the Seven Days Battle for Richmond.

McClellan's plan was to invade Richmond through the peninsula formed by the York and James rivers in Virginia. But he had no intellectual grasp of the demands of modern warfare. McClellan hoped to capture Richmond, but thought it uncivilized to crush the South by destroying Confederate armies. He was an unsurpassed military administrator and planner, but he did not like to fight and risk damage to his excellently prepared army. Thus, McClellan's Peninsula campaign was conducted with too much caution. Confederate commander Robert E. Lee was an excellent tactician, and, unlike McClellan, was bold and masterful on the battlefield. His plan for the Seven Days Battle for Richmond placed McClellan on the defensive. Again, the loss of life was terrible.

What were the Northern advantages? What did the South see as the Northern weaknesses? What were the southern strengths?

Northern advantages: 20 million people (excluding Kentucky and Missouri) but only 9 million in South (including 3.5 million slaves) Manufactured 9 times as much as the South (including 97 percent of nation's firearms) Far larger and more efficient railway system North had control of navy and merchant marines (allowing for blockade of South) Southern advantages: They could fight a defensive war They only had to protect what they had Patriotism and much better generals

Give at least four examples of how the Southern economy began to struggle towards the end of the war.

Northern military pressure was eroding southern manpower. Naval blockade was reducing economic strength. Shortages led to spiraling inflation. By 1864, officer's coat cost $2,000, cigars $10 each, butter $25 a pound and flour was $275 a barrel. Southern railroad lines were wearing out. Imported products were disappearing and even salt was scarce. Efforts to increase manufacturing inhibited by lack of manpower, capital and technical knowledge. Dislike of centralized authority meant no overarching management of scarce resources

How was the Emancipation viewed by African Americans? How did African Americans view Lincoln? What happened after January 1, 1863 when the U.S. military approached? What was the southerners reaction to this?

Proclamation served as promise of future improvement for blacks. Wherever Union Army appeared, slaves flocked to it. Owners were shocked. Replaced paternalist rhetoric with racist slang

How did Congress begin to chip away at ending slavery? How did Lincoln want to dispose of slavery?

Radicals in Congress chipped away at slavery. April 1862: abolished slavery in Washington DC. June 1862: outlawed it in the territories. July the Confiscation Act "freed" all slaves owned by persons in rebellion against U.S.

Discuss these cases: Ex parte Merryman ( 1861) Ex parte Milligan ( 1866)

Roger Taney ruled that it was the power of congress rather that the president to suspend habeas corpus. However, the case was voided because Lincoln ended up freeing all of the prisoners This case ruled that the application of military tribunals to citizens when civilian courts are still operating is unconstitutional.

How did the Secretary of the Treasury attempt to solve the economic problem of paying for the war?

Secretary of the Treasury Salmon P. Chase took out $140 million in loans to attempt to pay for the war.

What did fighting strategy is General Sherman believe in? What were his objectives in his march South?

Sherman's objects while marching through Georgia included to destroy the South's economy by destroying southern resources and my psychological devastation by convincing southerners their cause was hopeless.

What role did Southern women play in the war? What happened to Southern " lady hood"? Why? In what ways did Northern women contribute to the war effort?

Southern women took over management of farms and plantations. Became volunteer nurses and worked as store clerks. Southern "lady hood" was a casualty of war, with women learning to fend for themselves.

What did Southerners think of the Emancipation Proclamation? President's advisors? What impact did it have on the North? What was the North's policy of "containment"?

Southerners saw it as an incitement to slave rebellion. Some of the president's advisors thought the proclamation inexpedient, and others considered it illegal. The Emanicipation Proclamtion had an immediate effect on the north was that it aggravated racial prejudices. Millions of whites disapproved of slavery yet abhorred the idea of equality of blacks. The North's policy of containment was to keep blacks in the South.

How did Southerners and Northerners identify battles differently?

Southerners tended to identify battles by nearby towns, northerners by bodies of water. Thus Manassas and Bull Run, Sharpsburg and Antietam

Discuss the Southerners views on self-determination. How did Lincoln view this argument of democracy? Why doesn't Lincoln argue slavery as the real justification for this division? What is Lincoln's main goal in this conflict between the North and South?

Southerners were seeking to exercise what a later generation would call self-determination. How, they asked, could the North square its professed belief in democracy with its refusal to permit the southern states to leave the Union when a majority of their citizens wanted to do so? Lincoln took to the point of view that secession was a form of the rejection of democracy. Lincoln did not wage war to destroy slavery, but for nationalistic causes; his goal was to preserve the Union.

What was the Anaconda Plan? Who created it?

The Anaconda Plan was a 3-part plan devised by Lincoln. The plan included: a naval blockade of Southern ports, operations in the West to gain control of the Mississippi, and a plan to capture the Confederate capital.

Discuss the Battle of Bull Run. Who were the leaders on each side? What was the outcome?

The Battle of Bull Run occurred on July 21st, at the Manassas Junction, Virginia, on a branch of the Potomac called Bull Run. 30,000 Union soldiers under General Irvin McDowell attacked a roughly equal number of Confederates under General Pierre G.T. Beauregard. Union victory turned to defeat with the arrival of Thomas (Stonewall) Jackson and a Virginia brigade that came by rail from the Shenandoah Valley. When Southerners counterattacked, Union men fled back to Washington, abandoning supplies and trampling sightseers. Southern troops failed to follow up victory, and the only real effect was on morale.

What issues did the confederacy struggle with in attempting to govern and fight the war? What didn't change? Discuss the South's attempts to build a military.

The Confederacy had to create an entire administration under pressure of war and handicapped by states' rights philosophy. However, they continued to use precedents and administrative machinery left over from the United States. By July 1861, there were 112,000 men under arms.

Why did foreign policy loom large in Confederates' minds? Why were Southern expectations realized? What was the relationship like between the South and England?

The Confederacy hoped to use King Cotton to compel Britain to come to their aid, but the British had a surplus of cotton when the war began and they found alternative sources of the fiber in India and Egypt. In addition, crop failures forced Britain to import northern wheat, thus tying their economy more closely to the North than to the South

What financial issues did the Confederacy have? Why was outfitting the military straining their resources?

The Confederacy was facing inflation, and also, their constant mass-production of cotton had created a surplus in other countries. This meant that no other countries needed to buy the South's cotton anymore.

Who did the Indians side with during the war?

The Indians were fighting on both sides depending on the tribe. Some tribes thought it would be beneficial to their tribe to join the Union, others, the confederacy. They also fought their own battle out west over territory.

What was the Morrill Land Grant Act ( 1862)?

The Morrill Land Grant Act of 1862 provided states with 30,000 acres of public land for each member of congress with the purpose of supporting higher education.

Who made up the northern army? How were units in the Civil War different than units that fought in later wars?

The regular Union army consisted of only 13,000 officers and enlisted men, too few to absorb the 450,000 who had volunteered by end of year. Recruiting was left to the states and there was very little central organization. Units were recruited locally.

What was the U.S. Sanitary Commission?

The U.S. Sanitary Commission was dedicated to improving sanitary conditions in army camps, supplying hospitals with volunteer nurses and raising money for medical supplies

What was the Homestead Act ( 1862)?

The homestead act of 1862 gave 160 acres to any settler who would farm the land for 5 years.

Who were the most well known Radical Republicans? What did they stand for? What did moderate Republicans stand for?

The most well known Radical Republicans were Charles Sumner and Thaddeus Stevens. They insisted on political and civil rights for blacks. Moderate Republicans wanted a peace treaty.

What was the National Banking Act ( 1863)?

The national banking act of 1863 provided uniform currency

What was the Pacific Railway Act ( 1862)?

The pacific railway act of 1862 authorized subsidies in land and money for construction of transcontinental railroad.

How did American civilians contribute to the war effort?

They bought products imported from England. They participated in scrap metal drives. They stopped buying products made in Germany. They paid a special ten-cent tax on gasoline.

Why did Confederates say, " Rich man's war, poor man's fight." ?

This is a Southern quote because slave owners were exempt from military service because they had to control the slaves, so the poor non-slave owners were drafted into the army to do the actual fighting and dying.

What were some of the financial issues that came about when attempting to fight this war?

To pay for the war, Congress passed an income tax law in August 1861 (3 percent on incomes over $800), assessed direct tax on states, and authorized loans of $140 million. As the war continued, they moved to excise taxes on almost everything. In 1863, the banking system was overhauled.

Why did Lincoln feel it was the appropriate time to issue the Emancipation Proclamation?

While Lincoln dismissed idea that abolition as a war aim would cause slaves to revolt, it was true that slaves flocked to Union army wherever it appeared

When was the Emancipation Proclamation issued? What did it say? What were the results of it? Who didn't it apply to?

Victory at Antietam gave Lincoln opportunity to announce Emancipation Proclamation on September 22, 1862 (to go into effect on January 1, 1863) Emancipation Proclamation freed all slaves in areas in rebellion against the U.S. (in other words, freed slaves in areas the U.S. did not control)

What political party dominated Congress during the war? Over what issues did the sharpest conflicts come in Congress? What was each side's stance on these issues?

When southern Democrats seceded, Republicans dominated Congress. That party's Radical faction grew stronger under the leadership of Charles Sumner and Thaddeus Stevens, both of whom insisted on abolition and political and civil rights for blacks. Northern Peace Democrats led by Charles Vallandigham demanded a negotiated peace.

Discuss the draft riots of New York City—who was involved? What were the issues? What caused them? What impact did the riots have on the rest of America?

Workers unhappy with cost of substitutes (equal to a year's wages) and at having to fight to free blacks who might then compete for jobs with them.July 13: mainly poor Irish Catholic laborers attacked conscription office. Riots continued for four days and increasingly became assault on blacks and well-to-do.Riots ended by federal troops and temporary suspension of draft in city. More than 100 people lost their lives. Riots were a response to perceived change and caused change themselves.

What impact did the Civil War have on the American economy? How did it effect economic growth? How did effect wages? What issues does this cause?

economically: Lincoln did not have the funds to act on such a war so be created "greenbacks" or new currency to fund his war. the new money added to the money supply after the war. as far the north and south were involved: imports and export from many states were halted since materials were used for the war and they were fighting each other.