1861: The Country Goes to War

Lincoln Elected President November 6, 1860 Red – Lincoln Yellow – Bell Blue – Douglas Green – Breckinridge Purple – Non-Voting Territories

Lincoln Elected President In the 1860 presidential race, four men ran for president. Due to the choice of 4 candidates, Lincoln, carrying the votes of the populous North, won with 40% of the total vote. Southerners became very fearful that the anti-slavery Republicans would try to change their way of life.

Excerpt, First Inaugural Address Abraham Lincoln, President of the United States of America In your hands, my dissatisfied fellow-countrymen, and not in mine, is the momentous issue of civil war. The Government will not assail you. You can have no conflict without being yourselves the aggressors. You have no oath registered in heaven to destroy the Government, while I shall have the most solemn one to ‘preserve, protect, and defend it.’

Secession of South Carolina December 20, 1860 On December 20, 1860 South Carolina formally seceded from, or left the Union. South Carolina based this action on the basis of states’ rights, which they felt the new President, Abraham Lincoln, would violate. Within the next six weeks, six other states voted to secede. The Confederate States of America was established.

A President for the Confederacy February 9, 1861 Jefferson Davis is chosen as the President of the Confederate States of America. He will be elected that November.

The Union

Fort Sumter April 12, 1861 Located off the coast of South Carolina, the Confederacy claimed ownership. They fired on the fort, to force Union troops to leave. Union forces left the following day. The firing upon Fort Sumter was the opening engagement of the American Civil War.

Secession April & May, 1861

Anaconda Plan Lieutenant General Winfield Scott’s plan to defeat the Confederacy Strong defense of Washington, D.C. Blockade the Confederacy's Atlantic and Gulf coasts Land and naval attack along the Mississippi River aimed at cutting the Confederacy in two  Scott's Great Snake: Library of Congress Geography and Map Division

Robert E. Lee Lived in Arlington, Virginia Lincoln offered him the command of the Union Army on April 20, 1821 When Virginia seceded he accepted the command of the Confederate Army.

Fight for the Capitals Richmond and DC are only 100 miles apart. The North fought many battles with the idea of disabling the Confederate capital of Richmond, VA. The Confederacy never directly attacked DC, but several battles, such as First and Second Manassas and Fort Stevens were close.

First Manassas (Bull Run) July 21, 1861 The first major land battle of the American Civil War, The Battle of First Manassas, also known as Bull Run, was fought just outside of Washington D.C. After initial Union success, the Confederates counter-attacked and the disorganized Union troops withdrew to Washington D.C. In excitement to see a “real, live, battle” citizens in the area came to watch the fight unfold. None realized what a real battle might look like. On the army’s retreat to Washington the roads were full of carriages as the viewers retreated from the horror as well. The Battle of First Manassas made both sides realize that the war would be longer and bloodier than anticipated.

Battle of Antietam September 17, 1862 The bloodiest single day in American military history (almost 23,000 killed) Ended in a draw, but the Confederate retreat gave Abraham Lincoln the “victory” he desired before issuing the Emancipation Proclamation.

Emancipation Proclamation President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863 declared "that all persons held as slaves" within the rebellious states "are, and henceforward shall be free." applied only to states that had seceded from the Union, leaving slavery untouched in border states The freedom it promised depended upon Union military victory but it inspired free Blacks to join the Union army

Battle of Vicksburg June 28, 1862 Divided the South Gave the North control of the Mississippi River South could not get supplies

Battle of Gettysburg July 1-3, 1863 Turning point of the war Union had high ground and won General Lee tried to invade the North but Union Army fought back and pushed him out Over 50,000 killed or wounded Lee lost over 1/3 of his forces

Gettysburg Address November 19, 1863 Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation, conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal. Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation, so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this. But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate, we can not consecrate, we can not hallow this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us—that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion—that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain—that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom—and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.

Appomattox Court House April 9th, 1865 General Lee surrendered the Army of Northern Virginia to General Grant South gives up weapons and is allowed to return home Effectively ends the war Union is preserved

Results Friends/Family fought against each other South ran out of men, troops became younger, more poorly equipped/clothed South was devastated at tend of war (burned major cities: Richmond, Atlanta) Disease killed many people Foundation of Red Cross (Clara Barton) Women ran businesses and farms in North/plantations in South Confederacy ended, Confederate money became worthless