Part I The Start of the War & the Plans for Winning the War A Most Uncivil War! Part I The Start of the War & the Plans for Winning the War

It pitted brother against brother and killed more American soldiers than any other war in U. S. history. But from this terrible struggle emerged a country that had fought its toughest enemy – itself – and won.

The Union & the Confederacy

The Start of the Civil War

After declaring independence in December, 1861, South Carolina demanded that the federal government withdraw its troops from Fort Sumter, located in Charleston Harbor

President James Buchanan claimed that he had no authority to compel the states to remain in the Union, and he did nothing.

The southern states waited to see if the president-elect, Abraham Lincoln, would use force.

Meanwhile, John Crittenden of Kentucky made one last attempt to save the Union.

He proposed a constitutional amendment guaranteeing the existence of slavery south of the 36’30 parallel.

Lincoln and the Republicans believed it would allow slavery to spread to other territories, and they rejected it.

When Lincoln was inaugurated in March 1861, the question of what to do South Carolina’s secession was still unresolved.

Lincoln refused to withdraw troops from Fort Sumter and sent a ship to supply it.

On April 12, 1861, Confederate forces began shelling the fort, and the troops stationed there surrendered on April 14.

The fall of Fort Sumter led to the immediate secession of Arkansas, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia from the Union.

Robert E. Lee resigned from the Union Army and agreed to lead the Confederate Army.

Fighting the War

Both sides believed the war would end quickly.

The North had… 1) a large industrial economy (seven times as much manufacturing, which meant the Union Army was always better supplied, 2) a larger population … 22 million, compared to about 9 million in the South (of which 3.5 million were slaves). In addition, immigration during the war added thousands of new recruits for the Union Army 3) more resources (far better railroad system … 75% of all the track in America that greatly aided the transport of troops and supplies) 4) Control of the U. S. Navy and merchant fleet 5) a stronger central government headed by Lincoln, with his leadership skills and grim determination to preserve the Union.

The South had… 1) a defensive stance: The Confederacy did not have to conquer the North or even win a lot of big battles – it only had to fight long enough for the North to give up … a defensive war is much cheaper to fight, both in men and materials. It still had 200,000 men available to fight at the start of the war. 2) home-field advantage: Much of the fighting was on the South’s territory. They knew the lay of the land better, but they also had the incentive of defending their homes and farms. 3) Strong military leadership: the brilliant Virginian, Robert E. Lee and his right-hand man (a former military school instructor), Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson 4) the benefit of history: Secessionists had been successful in Latin America, the original 13 colonies, the Netherlands, and Greece (to name a few!)

The hope of a quick war ended in July 1861, at the First Battle of Bull Run, when Northern troops retreated in chaos.

The North realized that it needed to develop a long-term strategy.

General Winfield Scott proposed the Anaconda Plan General Winfield Scott proposed the Anaconda Plan. Scott was the ranking Northern general who was 75 years old and so fat he could not get on a horse.

Anaconda Plan Use the U. S. Navy to blockade all the Southern ports, cutting off essential supplies that the South needed Take control of the Mississippi River, dividing the South in half Chop it up by cutting across Georgia and then up through the Carolinas Finally, capture the Confederate capital, Richmond, VA

Many Northern newspapers sneered at Scott’s plan for being too timid.

Instead, newspapers called for the Union Army to march directly to Richmond and get the whole thing over with!

Lincoln recognized the worth of Scott’s approach Lincoln recognized the worth of Scott’s approach. He also recognized that the way to win wasn’t to conquer and hold Southern territory but to beat the South’s armies over and over again.

Confederate President Jefferson Davis favored a much simpler plan.

Make the Northern armies press the fight, whip them, and push them back North, thereby breaking the morale of the Northern people who supported the war.

General Lee concurred at first … but then realized that the South’s limited resources might be better used in a quick and decisive strike to take the heart out of the North. Twice he tried to take the fight to the Union; twice his limited resources forced him to go home.

Important Battle Sites