Lesson 4- Hardships of War Chapter 17 Lesson 4- Hardships of War

I. The Hard Life of Soldiers Most soldiers were under the age of 21. Quickly turned boys into men. Drilled and marched for hours. Slept on the ground even in rain or snow. Learned to stand firm in battle as cannon blasts exploded and bullets whizzed past their ears. C. As death toll rose, age restrictions relaxed. 1. South drafted boys of 17 and men of 50. D. New technology increased horrors of war. 1. New cone-shaped bullets made rifles twice as accurate. 2. Improved cannons hurled exploding shells several miles. 3. In most battles, ¼ or more of soldiers were killed or wounded.

E. Medical care on battlefield was crude. 1 E. Medical care on battlefield was crude. 1. Routinely amputated arms and legs. 2. Did not know how germs cause infection and disease. 3. Minor wounds often became infected. 4. Diseases spread rapidly in the poor sanitary conditions of army camps. 5. Pneumonia and malaria killed more soldiers than guns or cannons. F. Prisoners of war faced horrifying conditions. 1. Many died of starvation or disease. G. Difficult life caused many to desert. 1. One of seven Union soldiers and one of nine Confederate soldiers deserted.

II. Opposition to War in the North Some northerners opposed using force to keep the South in the Union. Supporters of the war called these people “Copperheads.” B. Other northerners supported the war, but not the way Lincoln was conducting it. C. Draft Law 1. Shortage of volunteers to serve in the Union army. 2. Congress passes a draft law in 1863. 3. Requires all able-bodied males between 20 and 45 to serve in the military if they are called. 4. Men could avoid the draft by paying $300 or hiring someone to serve in his place. 5. This angered many people who started to see the war as “a rich man’s war and a poor man’s fight.”

D. Riots in the Cities 1. Opposition to draft law caused riots in several northern cities. 2. Some white northerners, especially recent immigrants, believed they were being forced to fight to end slavery. 3. Worried they would have to compete with African Americans for jobs. 4. Worst riot took place in NYC during July 1863. a. For 4 days, white workers attacked free blacks. b. Also attacked rich New Yorkers who paid to avoid serving in the army. c. At least 74 people were killed.

5. President Lincoln moved to stop riots and other “disloyal practices 5. President Lincoln moved to stop riots and other “disloyal practices.” 6. Several times suspended habeas corpus. 7. Argued the Constitution allowed him to deny people their rights when the public safety requires it. 8. Those arrested could be tried under a stricter military court. 9. Eventually nearly 14,000 people were arrested. a. Most were never charged with a crime or brought to trial.

III. Problems in the South President Davis struggled to create a strong federal government for Confederacy. Many southerners believed in states’ rights and resisted paying taxes. Forced to pass a draft law to fill army. Men who owned 20+ slaves did not have to serve. Southern farmers who had few/no slaves resented law. Towards end of war, no longer had enough white men to fill the ranks. Robert E. Lee urged enslaved African Americans be allowed to serve. Congress finally agrees but war ends before enslaved people put on Confederate uniforms.

IV. The Northern Economy Civil war was very costly. Union looked for ways to make money. 1861- Congress established the first income tax on people’s earnings. Internal Revenue Bureau oversaw the collection process. Union also issued bonds worth millions of dollars. Still not enough money raised North printed $400 million in paper money. Increased money supply meant decrease in dollar’s worth and inflation. Prices for goods nearly doubled in the North during the war.

G. War helped the North’s economy. 1 G. War helped the North’s economy. 1. Greater need for machines by farmers who went off to war. 2. Farm production actually went up during the war. 3. Demand for clothing, guns, shoes & other goods helped North as well, and profiteers made large amounts of money off selling these goods to the government.

V. The Southern Economy War brought economic ruin. Cost of war, loss of cotton trade, and severe shortages by Union blockade. B. Confederacy imposed an income tax and a tax-in-kind. 1. Required farmers to turn over 1/10 of crops to government. 2. Gov’t accepted crops because they knew farmers had no money. C. South printed paper money as well. 1. By 1865, one Confederate dollar= .02 of gold. D. War damaged cotton trade. 1. Early in war, cotton shipments to Britain stopped in hopes they would side with Confederacy to resume trade. Did not work. E. Union blockades created severe shortages.

F. Government began building and running factories. 1 F. Government began building and running factories. 1. Private manufacturers offered draft exemptions for workers if they started making war goods.

VI. Women in the War Women played a vital role during the war. Took jobs in industry and on farms. Women’s societies helped troops by supplying bedding, food, clothing & medicine. Women on both sides worked as nurses. Doctors resisted at first, but then came to see women as a valuable asset and nursing became an acceptable occupation. War nurses such as Clara Barton later founded the Red Cross and Sally Thompkins set up a hospital in Richmond, VA.