The Civil War in North Carolina The Tarheel State Under Siege

First Battle The first battle of the Civil War occurred at Manassas, Virginia. Union forces invaded the south attempting to capture Richmond, Virginia the Confederate States’ capital. Confederate forces were able to counterattack and drive Union forces back to Washington in a state of confusion & disarray.

Strategies The north employed the Anaconda Plan as their strategy. Using their Navy, the coastal harbors of the south were blockaded & a drive to take control of the Mississippi River was started.

King Cotton Diplomacy The South relied on Europe’s dependency on American cotton to break the Union blockade. This strategy was doomed to fail as Europe acquired cotton from Egypt & India.

Advantages The North’s advantages included: – More shipyards, textile mills, iron works, metal factories – Larger population, more railroad lines, a navy, a functioning government – A stronger economy

Advantages The South had many advantages including: – It only had to defend itself – Familiar with territory battles to be fought on – Had a greater fighting spirit – More adapted to outdoor living – Had many experienced military leaders

Disadvantages Northern disadvantages included: – Had to attack the South – Less familiarity with battlegrounds – Fewer experienced military leaders – City bred northern men were unfamiliar with firearms & living off the land

Disadvantages Southern disadvantages included: – Fewer people to fill the army’s ranks – Fewer factories to make war supplies – Fewer miles of railroad to transport men & material to the front’ – Much of the land & resources were destroyed in the war – Most of the farmland produced cash crops instead of food crops

War on the Coast In August, 1861 the first Union attacks on NC’s coast captured forts at the mouth of Hatteras Inlet. By March of 1862, with the capture of New Bern by Ambrose Burnsides, all of eastern NC was in Union hands.

Loss of Confederate Territory by Year

Fort Fisher Fort Fisher was built of sand & timber, but protected the port of Wilmington throughout the war. It was also an important blockade running port & one of the last ports to fall to Union forces in the war.

Blockade Running The Confederacy built fast steam ships to sail through the Union blockade. Blockade runners sailed to Bermuda with cotton to trade with the British for war goods.

Ironclads Ironclads were ships with iron sides & invented during the war. The CSS Albermarle, an ironclad built in NC, was used to retake Plymouth, NC, but was later sunk by Union sailors in a daring attack.

Submarines The Confederate Navy built a submarine, the Hunley, in Charleston, SC. Her only mission sank the USS Housatonic in 1864, which also resulted in the Hunley sinking.

Wartime Governor Zebulon Vance was governor of NC from 1862 until the end of the war. Vance wanted the Confederate Army to push Union forces out of NC. Vance did not like the Conscription Act that drafted men into the Army. He was disappointed that fewer NC men were appointed as general officers in the Army.

Free at Last On January 1, 1863 President Lincoln issued his Emancipation Proclamation. All slaves held in Confederate held territories where declared free. It also allowed blacks to enlist in the Union Army.

Turning Point Two Union victories in 1863 swayed the tide of the war to the Northern side. Vicksburg, MS fell to Union forces led by General U.S. Grant in July & Union General Meade defeated Confederate General Lee at Gettysburg, PA. After Vicksburg & Gettysburg losses the Southern Army will be relegated to defensive strategies.

Gettysburg At Gettysburg, PA Confederate General Lee invaded the North. Over a pitched 3-day battle General Lee was decisively defeated by Union General Meade on July 3, 1863.

Vicksburg The last Confederate stronghold on the Mississippi River, Vicksburg, fell July 4, With the capture of Vicksburg the Union now had unfettered control of the Mississippi & effectively split the Confederacy in half. The North achieved a major strategic goal in its Anaconda Plan.

Peace Movement The Confederate losses at Gettysburg & Vicksburg started a peace movement in NC. With the hardships placed on the South, the rising casualty numbers, southerners wanted the war to stop. Men in the Confederate Army deserted & draft resisters hid out in the mountains of NC

Shelton Laurel Massacre In 1863 in the mountains of NC, 13 old men & boys were rounded up by Col. James Keith, C.S.A. Accused of being unionists & raiding Marshall for salt, food & clothes, they were executed on the spot. Col. Keith was eventually tried for the massacre, but escaped & was never heard from again

William Woods Holden William Holden became the face of the Peace Movement in NC. He encouraged soldiers to desert from the army & draftees to avoid service. Holden ran for governor against Zebulon Vance in 1864 & lost.

Heroes of America A Quaker affiliated group, the Heroes of America helped draft resisters & deserters evade authorities. This group also supported state politicians that criticized the conduct of the war.

War in the East Between March 1863 & April 1864 the Confederate Army launched 3 attempts to push Union forces from eastern NC. The most successful effort was led by Gen. Robert F. Hoke using the ironclad, CSS Albemarle. The Albemarle was rammed by a Union ship on her way to New Bern & the attempt to push Union forces from NC stalled.

Hangings in Kinston In the wee hours of Feb. 2, 1864, Confederate forces captured 53 men who had deserted the Stars and Bars and currently wore the uniform of those serving the Stars and Stripes. These deserters were called “buffaloes”. Between February 5th, 1864 and February 22nd, 1864, 22 of these men were hanged for desertion.

The Home Front With the men away fighting the war, women were called upon to run farms. The Anaconda Strategy created scarcity of foods & medicine. Southerners went hungry as the price of food rose to prices beyond the average person’s reach. People rioted to get bread.

Fall of Ft. Fisher After a fierce naval bombardment & an attack by 8000 soldiers & marines, Fort Fisher, fell to Union forces. The last blockade- running port in the south was captured. General Lee would get no more supplies from outside the Confederate States.

Sherman’s March Union General William Sherman invaded NC in March He met remnants of Confederate forces led by General Joseph Johnston at Bentonville & defeated them. This would be the last major battle of the Civil War.

Surrender Forced from his defense works at Petersburg, VA by Grant & with Sherman behind him, General Lee was forced to surrender April 9, 1865 at Appomattox, VA Johnston surrendered to Sherman April 26, 1865 at Bennett farmhouse in Durham, NC.