The Overall Strategic Setting

Agenda Road to War Objectives Strategies Political leaders

Jefferson Davis Davis’ excellent performance at Buena Vista will catapult him to national attention and he will become a capable Secretary of War under Franklin Pierce However, he will also develop a confidence in his own military abilities that will not serve him well as President of the Confederacy

Civil War: Causes Slavery States rights vs centralized government Agrarian vs industrialized way of life Cultural differences (Doughty, 102)

Road to War Nullification Crisis (1832) -- Responding to a high cotton tariff, South Carolina declares a state can void any act of Congress it feels is unconstitutional Mexican War ( ) -- viewed by some as a Southern attempt to expand slavery –Wilmot Proviso (1846) fails. Would have formally renounced any intention to introduce slavery into lands seized from Mexico John Calhoun argued that each state was sovereign and the Constitution was a compact among sovereign states.

Road to War (cont) Missouri Compromise (1820) -- Maine admitted as a free state and Missouri as a slave, but no other slave states from the Louisiana Purchase territory would be allowed north of Missouri’s southern boundary Compromise of California admitted as a free state; slavery in New Mexico and Utah territories to be determined by popular sovereignty; the prohibition of the slave trade prohibited in the District of Columbia; a more stringent fugitive slave law

Road to War (cont) Kansas-Nebraska Act (1854) -- popular sovereignty; effectively overturns Missouri Compromise Harper’s Ferry and John Brown (1859) Lincoln elected (Nov 6, 1860) South Carolina votes to secede (Dec 20, 1860) –Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana, Georgia, Florida, and Texas follow

Road to War (cont) Lincoln takes office (March 4, 1861) Fort Sumter (April 12, 1861) Lincoln requests 75,000 three-month volunteers (April 15, 1862) –Virginia, Arkansas, North Carolina, Tennessee secede

States in the Civil War

Objectives North –Restore Union Therefore couldn’t completely alienate or destroy the South or the Southern people South –Hold on to de facto independence –Continue the struggle long enough for the North to tire of it Similar to American colonists

Strategy North –Secure border states Still need to go on offensive to win –Anaconda Plan Blockade Secure the Mississippi River and cut the South in two Wait –Capture Richmond Anaconda Plan would take too long In June 1861, Lincoln orders an advance on Richmond South –Defend at the border Political pressure to defend all territory Maintain legitimacy through territorial integrity Protect slavery –Offensive-defensive Allow Northern thrust to develop Determine the main axis Concentrate and counterattack at an advantageous time

Scott’s Anaconda Plan Blockade the Southern ports and stop all imports and exports. –The blockade would stop the sale of agriculture goods drying up the money supply and the blockade would stop the receiving of war martial from foreign nations. Recapture the Mississippi River. –By recapturing the Mississippi River the South would be cut in half making communications difficult between the two sections.

Scott’s Anaconda Plan After the wearing down of the peoples’ resolve to make and sustain a war march to and capture the Confederate capital. Although initially rejected, Scott’s plan became the de facto Federal strategy in execution

Blockade Running

Comparison North –20 million people –110,000 manufacturing establishments –22,000 miles of railroad –75% of nation’s total wealth –16,000 man Army and 90 ship Navy South –9 million people (5.5 million whites) –18,000 manufacturing establishments –8,500 miles of railroad –Wealth lay in land and slaves (non-liquid) –No existing military (Doughty, )

Comparison North –Had to project forces across large and hostile territory –Requirement for offense –Had to maintain supply lines –Fighting to regain preexisting status quo South –Could take advantage of interior lines –Could win by only succeeding on the defense –Friendly territory and population –Fighting for homeland and independence (Doughty, 108)

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