Chapter 21 The Furnace of the Civil War
- Lincoln call for war 1861 thought it would last 90 days.
o He declared “no purpose, directly or indirectly, to interfere w/ slavery in the States where it exists”.
o HV was not immediate, and slavery would be ended forever.
Bull Run Ends the “Ninety-Day War”
- Press shared spirit and clamored for action
o Army unprepared, but Lincoln concluded that attack on small Confed force at Bull Run (Manassas Junction) worth a try.
- Victory would mean superiority of Union arms, and probably capture of Confed capital.
- Yankees okay at first, but “Stonewall Jackson” (E. Lee’s RH man) Confed reinforcements and Yankees dispersed.
o Was a “loss” for the South
- Inflated confidence
- Southern soldiers believed war was over, left, enlistments fell.
o Forced North to go to task at hand.
“Tardy George” McClellan and the Peninsula Campaign
- General McClellan drilled army a lot.
- Peninsula Campaign
o Union bloody loss, forced McClellan back at sea.
o If McClellan won Richmond and ended war there, Union would have not stopped peculiar institution.
o By winning, Lee ensured South to be completely destroyed.
§ Lincoln now declared rebels cannot experiment for 10 years trying to destroy the gov if they fail to still come back to Union unhurt.
§ Began to draft emancipation proclamation.
- Anaconda Plan 6 components
o Suffocate South by blockade
o Liberate slaves and therefore undermine econ foundation
o Cut Confed in half by seizing control of Mississippi
o Send troops through GA and Carolinas to cut them up
o Capture capital at Richmond and
o Attack from everywhere, the enemy’s main strength.
The War at Sea
- Blockade leaky, but concentrated on principal ports.
o Normally foreigners would defy it, but London didn’t want to increase standards as it wasn’t bad.
o Had some smuggling, but would eventually disappear as Union would eventually pinch off leading Southern ports, from New Orleans to Charleston.
- Blockade enforced w/ high-handed practices.
o London disagreed w/ doctrine of “ultimate destination”, but thought they’d do that in future war (they did).
o Most alarming threat Merrimack/Virginia (renamed) threatened Union ships, to be destroyed by Monitor build soon after.
The Pivotal Point: Antietam
- After E.Lee victory at Second Battle of Bull Run, went into Maryland.
o Hoped to win foreign intervention and win Border States.
- 1862 McClellan restored as general due to popular pressure, and found Lee’s battle plans.
o Succeeded in holding back Lee, Lee retired across Potomac.
o More or less a draw.
- Marked the turning point.
o Prevented Britain and France from entering. But it
- The victory that Lincoln needed to release Emancipation Proclamation.
o Previously Wendell Phillips clamoring for action.
o 1862 Border States already secured.
o Issued it after victory b/c if it was after a loss, would seem like desperation.
- From Emancipation Proclamation Civil War to become more of moral crusade, a “remorseless revolutionary struggle”.
A Proclamation Without Emancipation
- Declared slaves “forever free” in CONFED states.
o Not affected in conquered areas of south or Border States.
§ If he released slaves in Border States, = disunion
§ Where he could he would not, where he would he could not.
o AR many slaves went to Union armies.
- Purpose to liberate slaves and strengthen moral cause of Union in world > success
o Foreshadowed ending of slavery, by 13th amendment after Civil War ended.
- Also removed any chance of negotiated settlement.
- Mixed reactions
o Horace Greeley “God Bless Abraham Lincoln” in antislavery New York Tribune
o Abolitionists complained Lincoln not far enough.
o Many Northerners felt he had gone too far.
§ Ex-pres Pierce and others felt emancipation should not be “inflicted” on the slaves
· “Boys in Blue fought for Union, not slavery”
· Desertations ^ sharply
§ Old World aristocrats saw that proclamation only applied to rebel slaveholders and sympathized w/ South
§ Old World working classes more determined to oppose intervention.
Blacks Battle Bondage
- Lincoln took steps to enlist blacks in army.
o War Dep refused to accept free Northern blacks who tried to volunteer (Union army enrolled many)
§ HV due to low numbers enlisted blacks (over protests from North + South)
· Most from slave states, but also many from North.
· 10% of enlistments.
§ After proclamation emancipation, many received honors, but if they lost to South, would face heavy consequences.
o Due to reasons of pride, Confed would not enlist blacks until month before war ended, and by then was too late.
§ MW many blacks forced into supplying armies, building forts.
§ Kept the farms going while white men fought.
- HV many Southern slaves did not held Northern liberators, white or black
o Many due to fear, loyalty, or strict policing, did not attempt to escape.
o 25,000 would join Sherman’s march through Georgia 1864.
Lee’s Last Lunge at Gettysburg
- After Antietam, General Burnside comes on, fails in lack of strategy.
- “Fighting Joe” Hooker comes on, defeated by Lee and “Stonewall” Jackson.
o HV Jackson accidentally shot by own men and died few days later.
- Then Meade to come on, and managed to fend off Confederates
o Would break their heart of their cause.
o Pickett’s charge was the “high tide of the Confederacy”.
o As Gettysburg Battle rage, Confed peace delegation moving towards Union lines.
§ Hoped the peace delegation would arrive when Lee wins Gettysburg.
- HV Victory belonged to Lincoln.
The War in the West
- Grant catches attention, triumphed in Tennessee, secured Border State Kentucky, and opened gateway to strategically important region of Tennessee and Georgia, heart of Dixie.
o Soon wins control of the Mississippi.
o Victory at Vicksburg day after Gettysburg, monumental.
- Reopening of Mississippi now stopped Confed control of region’s usual trade routes.
o AR Britain stopped delivery of Laird rams and France stopped deal of six naval vessels to Richmond.
o AR by end of 1863, all hopes for foreign help lost.
Sherman Scorches Georgia
- Had a 60 mile swath of destruction through Georgia
o Tore up railroads, burned everything
o Pioneer practitioner of “total war”
- AR Increased numbers of Confed desertations.
o Soon to go into SC where destruction even worse.
The Politics of War
- Election of 1864 straight into war.
o Divisions within North and factions within own party.
o Secretary of Treasury Salmon Chase led group of his critics.
§ Creation of the Congressional Committee on the Conduct of War 1861 dominated by “radical” Republicans who resented expansion of presidential power, and pressed Lincoln on emancipation.
o Most dangerous to Union cause was Northern Democrats.
§ Douglas, Unionist, died.
§ Lacking a leader, Democrats divided into “War Democrats” and “Peace Democrats”
· War Demos supported Lincoln admin while Peace Democrats did not
§ Extreme were Copperheads who openly obstructed war through attacks, esp after 1863, against Lincoln, the draft, emancipation.
- Most dangerous of Copperheads Clement Vallandigham
o Demanded end to “wicked and cruel war”
o HV convicted by military tribunal, banished to Confed lines.
§ HV soon ran for governorship of Ohio on foreign soil and polled substantial but insufficient vote.
o Would return to own state before war ended, and though he defied “King Lincoln”, was no further prosecuted.
§ Case inspired Edward Everett Hale to write fictional story of Philip Nolan, The Man Without a Countryi
· Popular in North, stimulated devotion to Union.
· Nolan was young army officer found guilty in Aaron Burr plot of 1806
The Election of 1864
- Lincoln reelection depended on Republican support and defending v. Peace Democrats and Copperheads.
- Fear defeat, Republicans joined w/ War Democrats and proclaimed itself to be Union Party.
o TF Republican Party passed temporarily out of existence.
- At first renomination had surprisingly stron gopposition.
o Secretary Chase was opponent
o HV “ditch Lincoln” movement collapsed and nominated by Union party.
- Running mate Andrew Johnson (loyal War Demo from Tennessee), to attract War Democrats and voters from Border States
- MW regular democrats and Copperheads (as part of the Democrats), nominated General McClellan.
o Attempted platform – denounced prosecution of war as failure, HV McClellan denounced this.
- “Don’t swap horses in the middle of the river” most effective Lincoln slogan.
- MW Anti-Lincoln Repubs started new movement to “dump” Lincoln and reelection did not seem plausible at first, but due to Northern victories, Lincoln pulled through.
o Many Northern soldiers went home to vote for Lincoln
o Much of McClellan support from Old Northwest, in NY, PA, Kentuckky, Delaware, NJ.
- Northern Democrats defeat in 1864 one of worst losses for South.
o When Lincoln reelected, more deserting in South.
Grant Outlasts Lee
- Grant heads towards Richmond.
o Wilderness Campaign, Grant lost 50,000, as much as Lee had in start, yet Lee suffered just as much in proportion.
o In midst was a Confed rep to discuss peace terms
§ HV Lincoln would not accept anything short of Union and emancipation, and Southerners could accept nothing short of independence.
§ TF continued.
- HV soon Union captured Lee at Appomattox Courhouse.
o Grant had generous surrender terms.
o Confeds allowed to keep their own horses.
- Lincoln to sit in Jefferson’ Davis’ chair 40 hours after it
- Greeted by freed slaves and crowds to touch “Father Abraham”
The Martyrdom of Lincoln
- April 14, 1865 (Good Friday), 5 days after Lee’s surrender, fanatic pro-Southerner John Wilkes Booth would shoot Lincoln.
- Great Emancipator died )=. Once-critical Stanton: “now he belongs to the ages”
- HV death was at a “good timing”
o Many countrymen did not know of his greatness, many doubted his ability.
o Helped erase shortcomings and make his noble qualities stand out.
o Impact of death not apparent to South.
§ Ex-Confeds cheered, some Southerners and Northern Copperheads.
o HV soon realized his moderation were good to them.
§ Assassination only increased bitterness in the North, partly due to rumor that Jefferson Davis part of it.
- Historians argue that if Lincoln was not assassinated, would have suffered Johnson’s fate of being impeached by embittered members of own party who demanded harshness (not forbearance or delay in toleration) toward the South
o Crucifixion thesis somewhat valid as Lincoln would have clashed with Congress.
§ Legislative branch usually struggles to win back power that has been given to executive in time of crisis.
§ Though would not have suffered as much as Johnson.
The Aftermath of the Nightmare
- 600,000 men killed or of disease.
- Nation lost its young manhood and potential leadership.
- $15 bil in war cost, excluding continuing costs.
- Greatest constitutional decision in a sense, in Appomattox Courhouse, where Lee surrendered.
o Extreme states’ righters crushed.
- Where national gov tested and unbroken.
o Nullification and secession laid to rest.
- But did endure the tests which asked whether the nation “can long endure” in the Gettysburg Address.
- Victory for Union inspired champions of democracy and liberalism
o English Reform Bill 1867 > Britain became true democracy 2 years after war ended.
- Country united politically, but divided spiritually by passions of war.
o Prevented dangerous conquering of Panama to Hudson Bay, to Caribbean neighbors.
2 comments:
And this is where we are (Chapter 21 /41) of The American Pageant by the end of semester 1.
For the self-studiers out there, it's a good pace-check.
this is so beautiful i almost cried. thank you.
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