1. The Furnace of Civil War
Chapter 21
Evan Mahoney

2. Bull Run Ends the “Ninety-Day War”
In summer of 1861 Lincoln concluded an attack on the Confederate at Bull Run would show Union superiority and possibly lead to the capture of Richmond
The Union and Confederate forces met July 21, 1861
Predicted to be Union victory, but Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson held his position until reinforcements arrived, leading Confederates to victory
Many of Union troops and spectators panicked and fled the battle

3. “Tardy George” McClellan and the Peninsula Campaign
In 1861, General George B. McClellan was given control of the Army of the Potomac
He started the Peninsula Campaign, in the spring of 1862, by capturing Yorktown
He and his troops came in sight of Richmond while launching attack of Stonewall Jackson
General Robert E. Lee then launched a counterattack against the Union Forces, starting the Seven Days’ Battles (June 26 – July 2, 1862) driving McClellan and his troops back towards the sea
Six Basic Points of Union Strategy
Slowly suffocate South by blockading ports
Liberate the slaves and undermine the economy of the South
Cut the Confederacy by controlling the Mississippi River
Disassemble the Confederacy by sending troops into Georgia and the Carolinas
Capture Richmond
Try to engage the main Confederate force whenever possible and grind it into submission

4. The War at Sea
Northern blockades were concentrated on the main Southern ports
Britain respected the blockade in order to keep out of future war with United States
In the early years of the war, blockade-runners smuggled mainly cotton through the blockades, until they were strengthened later in the war
In 1862, the Confederates created the Merrimack, an old wooden ship plated with metal. The Union then created the ironclad, the Monitor
The two ships fought on March 9, 1862 with the battle ending at a standstill

5. The Pivotal Point: Antietam
After defeating McClellan’s forces in Richmond, Lee moved north, later defeating General Pope at the Second Battle of Bull Run (August 29-30, 1862).
Lee then met McClellan’s forces for the Battle of Antietam (September 17, 1862). McClellan was able to stop Lee’s forces after discovering his battle plans
Antietam provided the military support for Lincoln to pass the preliminary Emancipation Proclamation on September 23, He issued a final proclamation on January 1, 1963
The Confiscation Act of 1862 declared slave property of war who, when captured, were to be freed

6. A Proclamation without Emancipation
The Emancipation Proclamation freed slaves in all Confederate territory, except in locations where the Union had regained control
The Proclamation also excluded the border states out of fear they might secede
The Proclamation removed any hope of negotiations between North and South and gave the North a stronger moral cause

7. Blacks Battle Bondage
After the Emancipation Proclamation and with low manpower, the Union began allowing blacks to enlist in the army
By end of war 180,000 blacks served in Union, 10% of total enlistments
Near the end of the war, the Confederacy allowed blacks to enlist

8. Lee’s Last Lunge at Gettysburg
After Antietam, McClellan was replaced by General A. E. Burnside as commander of the Army of the Potomac
After a massive defeat at Fredericksburg, Burnside was replaced by Joseph Hooker who was badly beat at Chancellorsville and replaced by General George G. Meade
Meade and Lee met in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania (July 1-3, 1863). Confederate General George Pickett launched a failed charge allowing the Union to win the battle.
Expecting a Confederate victory, Confederate President Jefferson Davis was prepared to send negotiators the Washington D.C.
Later in autumn of 1863, Lincoln delivered the Gettysburg Address (November 19, 1863), which was ridiculed at the time

9. The War in the West
Ulysses S. Grant was a colonel in the Union volunteer army. He had victories at Fort Henry and Fort Donelson (February 1862).
He planned to capture the main Confederate railroads until, he was defeated at the Battle of Shiloh (April 6-7, 1862).
Now as General Grant, he commanded the Union forces to victory at Vicksburg
With the back-to-back Union victories at Gettysburg and Vicksburg, Confederate hope for foreign help was lost

10. Sherman Scorches Georgia
Following a series of victories by Grant in November 1963, Tennessee was cleared of Confederates
General William Tecumseh Sherman was left with the task of invading Georgia. He captured Atlanta in September 1864 and burned it to the ground
He captured Savannah on December 22, 1864 then continued through South Carolina, capturing and burning Columbia (February 17, 1865)

11. The Politics of War
Lincoln held many critics in his own party, most of whom were led by the secretary of the Treasury Salmon Chase
The Congressional Committee on the Conduct of war was created and controlled by radical Republicans who pressed Lincoln to emancipate
After the death of Stephen Douglas, Democrats split into supporters of Lincoln (War Democrats) and critics (Peace Democrats)
Congressman Clement L. Vallandigham was a radical Peace Democrat in a group called the Copperheads

12. The Election of 1864
The Republicans and War Democrats joined together to form the Union Party
Lincoln ran under this party with Andrew Johnson
Democrats, including copperheads elected General McClellan
After Lincoln won the election, almost all hope for a Confederate victory was lost

13. Grant Outlasts Lee
General Grant was chosen to assault the Confederate capital, Richmond
Grant led his men in a series of battles in the wilderness of Virginia called the Wilderness Campaign
On June 3, 1864, Grant ordered a frontal assault on Cold Harbor, he knew he could lose 2 troops for every Confederate soldier killed
On April 9, 1865, after capture of Richmond, Lee was forces to surrender the Army of Northern Virginia at Appomattox Courthouse in Virginia, practically ending the Civil war

14. The Martyrdom of Lincoln
On April 4, 1865, Lincoln was attending a play at Ford’s Theater in Washington D.C. when he was shot and killed by John Wilkes Booth.
Andrew Johnson took over as president

15. The Aftermath of the Nightmare
Almost as many casualties as America’s past wars combined
600,000 died in action or of disease
Over 1,000,000 killed or seriously wounded
2% of the nations population died
Cost over $15 billion