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Girding For War: North & South . 1861-1865. Lincoln’s inauguration. Mar 4, 61- Lincoln came to DC incognito To thwart assassins Promised no conflict unless we are provoked European nations pleased by split of only Democracy Might weaken Monroe Doctrine, too?. Fort Sumter.
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Girding For War: North & South 1861-1865
Lincoln’s inauguration • Mar 4, 61- Lincoln came to DC incognito • To thwart assassins • Promised no conflict unless we are provoked • European nations pleased by split of only Democracy • Might weaken Monroe Doctrine, too?
Fort Sumter • Most forts surrendered. • Last two forts needed to be resupplied. • Lincoln notified SC Gov of intention to send ship of provisions only. • To South: same as reinforcing fort • 34 hour siege w/ cannons. • Fort surrendered. • Northerners saw that as an attack on them; 75,000 volunteered; more than could be used. • April: Lincoln also called for a blockade. • South felt N was waging war. • Joined by 4 of the border states: VA, AR, TN, NC • Confederate capital moved from Montgomery to Richmond
Border States • Crucial to both sides • Would double manufacturing capacity of S • Wd increase supply of horses, mules by half • Must retain them for N! • Lincoln used: Moral persuasion • Some methods of dubious legality • Martial law decl’d in MD to prevent enclosing D.C. completely by Confederacy • Union troops sent to VA, MO
Border States (2) • Lincoln said repeatedly war was to save Union, not to free slaves. • If seen as war to free slaves; we would have lost border states • Most of 5 civilized tribes sided w/ S • Though parts of Cherokee, most Plains Inds pro No. • W. VA split off, joined Union; sent 50k troops to join union.
Border States (3) • Slave holding region • DE: fiercely loyal • KY divided • MD divided • At Baltimore crowds threw rocks at Union troop transports • Martial law: Fed troops occupied Balt. • Frederick (NW) strongly Union- MD legislature there: loyal • Mountains of NC, TN, WVA ^^ Union support • Few slaves
MO • Badly divided: its own civil war • Unionist vets of KS struggle: Jay Hawkers • Cpt Francis P Blair, Nathaniel Lyon • German immigrants • Lyon killed @ Wilson’s Bridge, Aug 61 • Large pt MO in CSA control • Attacked CSA supporters on farms • Rebel bands retaliate • Gov Claiborne Jackson tried to seize arsenal St Louis; • Unionist troops arrested his militia • People pelted arresting soldiers w/ rocks; shooting starts • JC Fremont led union forces: Aug 30 ‘61: ‘Martial Law’ • Ordered Reb property confiscated; freed slaves! • MO whites strongly against! • Lincoln revoked proclamation- removed Fremont
Balance of Forces • South’s advantages at war’s start: • Only had to fight to a draw to win • Keep N. from invading and conquering • Had most talented officers • Officer corps: W. Pointers • Rbt E. Lee • Stonewall Jackson • Most Southerners taught to fight since children • Most Northerners had no military exp. • Home Ct adv • Defending way of life • Tredigar Iron Works
South’s handicaps: • Shortage of factories, manufacturing plants • Developed some in wartime • South suffered constant shortages of shoes, uniforms, blankets, food • Affected troops • Strategy: get European allies by defeating invaders at Bull Run • Org’d army: Gen Beauregard • Gen Joseph E. Johnston: commander Army of VA • Albert Sidney Johnston- army of W • Threatened S IL, KY & Fed held part of MO
Northern strategy • Anaconda plan: • Contain South in series of blockades • Divide it at MS River • George B. McClellan (W Pt) new commander to train troops • Wins loyalty • Winfield Scott retired to W. Pt • Gen Henry Halleck takes command @ St Louis • Fremont removed
Most of fighting 1861 • West • 2 struggles: • For Captial cities • For enemy armies & country sides • Black Civilians • Fall ‘61: Port Royal (sea island, SC/GA) • Taken by US Navy • Planters fled; slaves fearful- cd be sold to Cuba • Abolitionists train them for freedom • Schools, social workers • US Gen: Rufus Saxton has freedmen work their own land on farm sized plots post war title controversy • Existing policy: return runaways • To keep from losing border states; or having riots in N. Cities • Gen Butler (MA) declared escaped slaves = contraband of war • Intermediate status: between slave & free
Strengths of North • Huge economy • Much more men • Controlled sea • Superior transportation (RR) • Troop movements, supplies • Better resources: food, coal, iron
Dethroning King Cotton • South depended upon foreign intervention to win • Didn’t get it • Euro nations wanted a split Union • But people were pro North, anti-slavery • Would not help a nation that legitimized slavery • Before war, England, France had huge surplus of cotton • As North won S territory; it sent cotton, food to Europe • India, Egypt upped cotton production • King Wheat, King Corn (N) beat King Cotton; Europe needed food more.
Decisiveness of Diplomacy • S. almost got foreign help in a few occasions • Late 1861: union warship stopped Br mail steamer TRENT & removed 2 Confed diplomats (headed for Europe) • Brits outraged • Lincoln released prisoners (“One war at a time.”) • 1862: ALABAMA escaped to Portuguese Azores, took on weapons, crew from Brits.. Stopped from reaching Confed base. • Chas. F. Adams persuaded Brits not to build any more ships for Confed; might one day be used against England
Trent Affair • Jeff Davis named John Slidell & James Mason (VA) commissioners to London, Paris • Escaped Charleston blockade Havana • Boarded British ship: Trent • US captain Wilkes intercepted Trent, took Slidell & Mason off • Brits furious might wage war w/ US; sent troops to CA • Lord Palmerstone sent letter requesting apology, suggests Wilkes acted w/o authority • Lincoln ordered S & M freed. They go to Europe
Foreign flare ups • Brits had 2 Laird rams (Confed warships that could destroy wooden Union ships) • US threatened war; Brits kept ships for royal navy • Near Canada, Confed agents plotted to burn US cities • Several mini-armies raised by Brit hating Irish, sent to CA • Napoleon III (Fr) set up puppet gov in MX city: • Austrian Archduke Maximilian: emperor of MX • After war, US threatened violence • MX captured & executed Max
Jeff Davis vs Abe Lincoln • S states had ability to secede in future • Getting S states to send troops to help other states: difficult • Davis: never popular • Davis: overworked • Lincoln led an established govt • Squabbling cabinet still cooperated
Limits on Wartime liberties • Lincoln’s blockade: illegal • Proclaimed acts w/o Congress’ consent • Sent troops to Border states • Always said acts were temporary; to preserve Union • Advanced $2mill to 3 private citizens for war purposes • Suspended Habeas Corpus to arrest anti-Unionists
Volunteers & Draftees • Many to start- less later • Congress passed conscription law • Angered poor; rich cd hire substitute instead of joined up for $300 • Many riots broke out; one in NYC 1863: 3 days • Volunteers= more than 90% of Union army • Became scarce; money offered to lure them into service • Still many deserters • So had to resort to a draft by 1862 • Also had privileges for rich • Those w/ 20+ slaves: exempt
Manpower • N: total #s: 2 million fought (less than half available) • S: #s- 600,000 to 1 million (90% S whites of fighting age) • Both sides paid bounties to volunteers • Attracted poor, unemployed (still from depression) • chance for excitement, adventure • 1stConfed draft: white men 18-35; later: 17-50
Economic stress • N. passed Morril Tariff Act • Increased tariff rates 5-10% • War drove rates higher • Washington treasury issued green backed paper money • $450 million • Unstable; sank to 39 cents per gold dollar • Fed Treasury sold $2.61 trillion in bonds • National banking system: landmark of war • To est standard bank note currency • Banks who joined NBS cd buy gov bonds, issue sound paper $$ • First step twd unified banking network S. 1836 when BUS killed by Jackson
Economy (2) • South: runaway inflation.. Up to 9000% • North: 80% • North: Economic boom • N. emerged from war more prosperous • New factories, first millionaire class • Many Union suppliers used shoddy equip in supplies • Ie: cardboard soles of shoes • Sizes for clothing invented
Women • New advances: taking jobs of men who soldier • Some women posed as men; joined husbands in battle • Clara Burton, Dorothea Dix transformed nursing • Bcm respected profession (from low service) • South: Sally Tompkins ran Richmond infirmary for wounded Confed soldiers: • Awarded rank of Captain by Jeff Davis • Dr. Eliz Blackwell- 1st woman doctor: est’d program to train women recruits • Helped org US Sanitary Commission • Cared for wounded • Amer. Freedman’s Aid Commission helped black refugees from slavery; sent teachers to union held territory
Crushed Cotton Kingdom • Transportation collapsed • Supplies of everything: scarce • South ruined • By war’s end: 12% of national wealth down from 30% • Per capita income: 2/5 if N’s, down from 2/3