Chapter 5 Secession and Civil War

1. Chapter 5Secession and Civil War • Time period-1860\1865 • Arkansas was a state divided leading up to the election of 1860. • People in SE felt differently than those in the NW regarding slavery, secession, and how they might react if the northerners candidate won the election. • AR was unstable due to the differences in attitude between slave and non-slave areas of the county. • Other situations added to the instability • Politically, the Whig Party had broken apart over slavery and no longer existed. • The Family, once the most powerful party politically in the state, was at it’s weakest point in years.

2. The Election of 1860 • When two parties become 3 parties • To start there were two parties: • Republicans: Candidate was little known Abraham Lincoln. Party formed out of smaller political groups in 1850’s. They backed many policies that southerners did not like. (federal funds to build railroads and free land to settlers-The Homestead Law) • Not all Republicans backed abolition (the idea of immediately ending slavery in the south) but the party did support not extending slavery into the western U.S. • Democrats: The party split into two groups in early 1860 and each nominated a candidate for president. • Regular democrats nominated Stephan A. Douglas of Illinois-moderate in area of slavery. • State’s Rights Democrats-nominate John C. Breckinridge of Kentucky. Supported that it was time for states to assert their rights against northern antislavery ideas and the growing power of the Republican Party.

3. Election notes: • Lincoln did not campaign in the south, expected to win based on the northern (and more populous) vote. • Lincoln was not even on the ballot in south. • There was a fourth candidate put on ballot by some former whigs. • In the south, people voted for Breckinridge, Douglas, or the former whig Bell. • All the splitting did disservice to their parties, Lincoln wins based on the northern votes and is elected president.

4. State’s Rights, Succession, or wait and see. • After Lincoln’s election, slave states had to decide whether to leave the union (secede) immediately or to wait and see if the new president would do something to offend southerners. • No one argued in the south over the “right” to secede. It had long been held that any state had the right to leave the union if it felt it was the right thing to do. • In Arkansas, reactions were mixed with some calling for immediate secession and most wanting to wait and see what would happen.

5. The Breaking Point • Not waiting for the other states, South Carolina secedes in December 1860, to be followed by Mississippi, Florida, and Alabama in January 1861. • Arkansas remains in the union but our state General Assembly calls for a statewide vote on January 15, 1861 that would be held on 18 February. • The election would be held to decide if we should have a secession convention and to elect delegates if we did. • During this wait, Georgia, Louisiana, and Texas left the union as well.

6. The Confederate States of America • These seven states that had left, met in Montgomery, Alabama to form a new government and named Jefferson Davis of Mississippi as president. • Believing they were superior in most militaristic senses (tactics, leadership, fighting will, etc) the southern leaders believed the fight would be one major battle in a short war that would assert their individual state’s rights. • In actuality, while there were many fine generals in the ranks of the new confederacy, it was also true that the Confederate armies were not as well trained, equipped, or prepared as the troops from the union. The south had much fewer railroads and factories for producing munitions.

7. Meanwhile in Arkansas • While there were some who wanted immediate secession, most had adopted the mentality of the “Cooperationalists or Conditionalists” where they wanted to wait and see how things would go in the near future. • On the same day that Lincoln was sworn in, Arkansas held it’s secession convention. • It was controlled by moderates who elected Judge David Walker to preside. They argued for two weeks before finally deciding by vote against leaving the union. • A date was also set to have a vote of the people directly on the idea of secession in August of 1861…that vote would not happen.

8. It’s WAR! • In South Carolina, shots are fired at a U.S. warship attempting to re-supply Ft. Sumter, who the people of South Carolina had demanded be surrendered. • These first shots of the Civil War meant that now any state that had not chosen a side must do so. • On May 6, 1861, the Arkansas delegation meets again with only one individual voting to keep Arkansas in the union. His name was Issac Murphy.*

9. A Call to War! • When the decision had been made, southern men scrambled to get into the action as they feared the fighting would all be over before they could get there. (most volunteers signed up for only 3 months as they thought this would be all it took to win) • Military companies formed in Arkansas towns, elected leaders, gathered rifles, muskets, shotguns, and Bowie knives. Many gave themselves nicknames like “The Polk County Invincibles” or “Camden Knights”. • Some Arkansans volunteered to fight in the ranks of other states armies and before the end, some 60,000 Arkansans would fight for the Confederacy. • As the war continued, the draft was used to recruit new soldiers. Some, such as the overseers and sons of planters were exempted from the draft so long as there were 20 or more slaves being worked.

10. Arkansans and the Union army • In keeping with ,the prewar issues within the state. Some 9,000 citizens fought for the Union army, one of which was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor. • There were also some 5,500 black Arkansans who joined the ranks of the Union army.

11. Battles in and around Arkansas • The Battle of Wilson’s Creek August 10, 1861 • Some 40 miles N of the Arkansas border into Missouri, 3 forces led by men named Pearce, McCullough, and Price. • Some 12,000 men (2,200 from Arkansas) • Confederate forces were poorly equipped, poorly trained, and disorganized. Their 3 leaders argued over how to proceed. • Very bloody, with over 2,500 killed, wounded, or missing out of a force of some 17,000. Makes it one of the bloodiest days of the war. • Fought to an indecisive outcome where both armies just moved away from in each other back in the direction they came from.

12. Battle of Pea Ridge • Union general Samuel Curtis had pushed Missouri’s Confederate commander Sterling Price and his troops out of Missouri and into northern Arkansas where they teamed up with General Ben McCulloch’s troops. • The two of course argued what to do being trailed by Union forces. • A new Confederate general names Van Dorn was sent to stop the arguing and put the troops to work.

13. Pea Ridge cont • Location- just inside the Arkansas Border along a road near a tavern called Elk Horn Tavern.* • Union Troops=10,500 • Confederate Troops=15,000 • Confederates also had two regiments of Cherokee Indians who had been convinced to fight for the south and were commanded by General Albert Pike. • On the night before the battle, the Confederates moved out to sneak around the Union forces and attack from the rear. • The move only partially worked as half the army made it to the rear and the other half made it to the west of the Federalists.

14. Pea Ridge cont • The date was March 8, 1862 • The Confederates attack in the morning from their positions behind and west of the Union army. • The attack in the west fails when General McCulloch is killed. • The rest of the Confederate forces attacked all day with little success. • One last horror was added to the battle when the Cherokee soldiers scalped eight Federal soldiers and killed many who were lying wounded on the battle field. • Both armies camped around Elk Horn Tavern, then the Federals attacked the next day, driving the Confederates away.

15. Pea Ridge Fallout • Confederate losses of about 2,000 men • Union losses of around 1,385 men • Largest battle fought west of Mississippi R. (and therefore in Arkansas)* • Left Arkansas open now to Union attack and meant no way to win Missouri back. *

16. Other Smaller Battles • Cache River-Federal troops easily defeat small Confederate group. • Prairie Grove-Confederate forces led by Thomas Hindman(notes) marched out to meet federalist troops and, though a hard fought battle, lost and retreated back to Little Rock. • Arkansas Post-a group of some 33,000 federal troops overcame a small garrison of 4,500 troops. This opened LR to threat of capture. • July 4, 1863\a battle to retake Helena, AR by Confederates fails miserably and Vicksburg, MS falls on the same day. Vicksburg had been the last Confederate stronghold on the Mississippi River.

17. Fleeing the Capital City • When word reaches the Confederate government, they pack up and flee to Washington, AR in the SW part of the state. • General Steele leads troops into LR in Sept of 1863. Ft. Smith also falls the same month and the Union troops now control the AR river valley.

18. General Steele’s Southern CampaignSpring of 1864 • Called the Red River Campaign and was meant to take Shreveport, LA for the Union. • One Union army was marching up from southern Louisiana and Steele (stationed in LR) was to make his way south to help take Shreveport. • He takes over Camden, AR and stops to find supplies for his troops. Not knowing that the main force had been turned back in Louisiana. • He sends out a group of some 500 soldiers (including black troops) who are met at Poison Springs and wiped out by Confederate forces. The Confederates were accused of shooting wounded black soldiers. • Steele is forced to return to LR and this would end the fighting in Arkansas.

19. Life in Wartime • Different impacts on northern and southern culture. • In the north, where industry was much stronger, the war served to streamline manufacturing processes leaving northern states in a ready to compete economically around the world type of level. • In the south, there wasn’t much industry to start, we were agrarian in our nature (farmers). We survived by capturing federal supplies or taking what was needed from individual homes. • Southern women did much of the “manufacturing”. Sewing, weaving, turning out blankets and uniforms, as well as taking on men’s roles around the farm and in business. They also cared for the sick and wounded, raised their kids and banded together for safety. • In the south there were tremendous shortages of food, salt, and coffee as well as medicines. • Disease (malaria, dysentery, measles, mumps, smallpox, flu) killed many more southern soldiers than the Yankees did.

20. Government in War Time • Arkansas had written a new constitution when we entered the Confederacy. • It called for the election of a new governor in 1862. The current governor, Henry Rector, wanted to complete his term but was overruled by the state Supreme Court. • Rector was blamed for the state not being ready to go to war and lost the reelection. • New governor was a man named Harris Flanigan who was serving the Confederate army in Tennessee. • Flanigan would, in less than a years time, have to move the state’s government from LR to Washington, AR when LR fell to Union troops. The Confederate government of AR would be located there for the remainder of the war.

21. Government in War Time cont • In 1863, Lincoln issues a statement (Proclamation) of amnesty and reconstruction. • It asks for a commitment of loyalty in the future from voters in each state and in return allowed them to elect a Union-friendly state government. • When this is done in AR in 1864, the person elected as governor was Issac Murphy. (Remember him?) • So now AR has two governors and is split between the Union in certain areas and the Confederacy in the southern half of the state. • But actually…

22. The Truth • Was that the only areas of the state controlled by the Union forces were where their troops were at the moment and, • The Confederates only controlled south AR, • The rest of the state was a no-man’s-land that was controlled by groups “gangs” of deserters from the army, outlaws, and guerilla fighters known as “bushwhackers or jayhawkers”. • Other famous outlaws made their way here surrounding states including the James brothers, Younger brothers, and the Dalton gang; all of whom would continue to terrorize northern part of Arkansas long after the war ended. • There were also raids between families depending on their loyalties. These feuds sometimes caused those loyal unionist families to flee the state.

23. End of Slavery and the Freedmen’s Bureau • As Union troops move and advance in the state. Slaves begin to get first taste of freedom. It would be harsh. • Many died of starvation, disease, and exposure. • Union troops had a rough enough time finding supplies for the army and were unprepared for the numbers of ex-slaves looking to them for protection. • Many were displaced either by being sold out of state during the war or being resettled by the federal government after the war. • Freedman’s Bureau was established by the government to assist by building schools and providing refugee camps in several AR towns.

24. End of the War • In spring of 1865, the war ends with Lee’s surrender at the courthouse in Appomattox. It was April. • Within 2 months the rest of the Confederate armies would give up and the war was over. • Over 600,000 Americans were dead. • Another 400,000 had been wounded, losing arms and legs in the process.

25. Issues settled in the Civil War • First-The United States of America was a nation that could not be divided and… • that slavery would not exist in that nation. • The Civil War is a central experience to being an American citizen…the effects are still felt even today.