The Civil War By #1

Introduction The Civil War was between the North and the South. The North wanted to end slavery, but the South didn’t. The South depended on slavery to work on their plantation crops to make money. Soldiers were very lucky if they survived.

The Union and the Confederate Armies Most men on both sides fought for glory, money, or adventure. In the North, soldiers wore dark blue jackets, a blue cap, light blue pants, and black shoes. Southern soldiers wore long gray shirts, light blue pants, and gray jackets. Soldiers on both sides thought little blood would be shed, they were very wrong.

The Battle of Gettysburg July 1, a group of Confederate soldiers came to Gettysburg to look for shoes, but Union soldiers were in town also. Fighting started and Pickett’s men attacked the middle of Meade’s defensive line. Pickett’s men soon died and the Union won! All of the fighting from now on would be in the South.

Military Tactics and Technology Earlier during the Civil War, generals tried to kill their enemies head-on, but later they attacked their enemies on higher ground. Many soldiers used rifles instead of muskets. Union soldiers rode on railroads to get to places faster and the Confederates communicated over long distances with the telegraph.

Combat Conditions When first fighting an enemy usually started with a lot of bombing, that caused lots of black smoke, and deafening noises. If soldiers ran out of bullets or lost their rifles they fought their enemies with their fists, stones, or fence posts. At the end of a battle many soldiers died and many lay wounded.

Medical Care Many men died from diseases or wounds from other wounded men that were around them. Men who got hurt on the battlefield didn’t receive medical attention right away, they were lucky if they even survived. In the South, doctors had to use knowledge around them, but doctors in the North got supplies from the factories.

Food and Drink Food in the North and the South was horrible! In the North, soldiers ate hard biscuits that were made of flour and water, this was called “hardtack”. Southern soldiers boiled a root called “chicory” to make a coffee like drink.

Conditions on the Home Front Many people were angry with the draft that one day an angry mob destroyed the draft offices in New York. People in the South lost their homes since all of the fighting took place in the South. With the war there were more jobs for women like being schoolteachers, working in factories, nurses, or secretaries.

From Gettysburg to Appomattox President Lincoln told General Ulysses S. Grant to take over command of the entire Union army. Grant planned to end the war by attacking the Confederate soldiers in two directions. His planned worked and on April 9, Lee surrendered at the Appomattox Court House in Virginia.

General Ulysses S. Grant Grant had a good tactic to end the war. His tactic was to end the war by attacking the South from two directions. Grant’s idea worked and the Confederate soon surrendered. Without a general like Grant the Union might have lost.

Conclusion As you can see, the Civil War was a very hard war. The Civil War made all slaves free! The Union and the Confederate finally joined together as one big powerful country. The Civil War was a very important war in America.