The Civil War – An Overview
The Confederacy President – Jefferson Davis Vice President – Alexander Stevens Capital – Richmond, Virginia
Jefferson Davis
Confederate Nicknames Confederates Rebels Secessionists Southerners Graycoats Johnny Rebs
Confederate Generals Robert E. Lee Pierre Beauregard J.E.B. Stuart George Pickett “Stonewall” Jackson Albert Sidney Johnston Gen. Longstreet John Bell Hood
Robert E. Lee
Pierre Gustave Toutant Beauregard
James Ewell Brown (J.E.B.) Stuart
George Pickett
Thomas Jonathan “Stonewall” Jackson
Albert Sidney Johnston
James Longstreet
John Bell Hood
Confederate Advantages Strong support of the white population Fighting on familiar territory Defending their land, homes, and way of life Superior military leadership
Confederate Disadvantages Smaller population Very few factories Few railroad tracks Belief in states’ rights Weak leadership of Jefferson Davis
Confederate Strategies Defend their home territory Trade cotton to Britain and France in exchange for war materials Try to make the North tired of fighting so they will grant Southern independence.
The United States President – Abraham Lincoln Capital – Washington, D.C. (100 miles from Richmond, Virginia)
Abraham Lincoln
Union Nicknames Union Federals Yankees Northerners Bluecoats Billy Yanks
Union Generals Ambrose Burnside Joseph Hooker George Meade William Tecumseh Sherman Ulysses S. Grant Irvin McDowell George McClellan Phillip Sheridan David Farragut John Pope
Ulysses S. Grant
George McClellan
Phillip Sheridan
David Farragut
Ambrose Burnside
Joseph “Fightin’ Joe” Hooker
George Meade
William Tecumseh Sherman
Union Advantages Larger population Lots of industry Better banking system Large navy Large, efficient railroad network Leadership of Abraham Lincoln
Union Disadvantages Had to invade the South Hostility of Southerners Fighting on unfamiliar territory Poor generals at beginning of the war
Union Strategy – The Anaconda Plan Naval blockade of Southern ports to prevent supplies from reaching the South Control the Mississippi River to prevent supplies from Texas and Mexico from entering the South Split the South in half; divide and conquer Capture Richmond, Virginia (Confederate capital) Total war