THE SECESSION CRISIS
LINCOLN’S ELECTION LEADS SO. CAROLINA TO SECEDE
DEC. 20TH 1860 QUESTION: WOULD OTHER
STATES FOLLOW?
THE CRITTENDEN COMPROMISE DEC.
1860 JOHN CRITTENDEN (KY)
PROPOSES A COMPROMISE A SERIES OF CONSTITUTIONAL
AMENDMENTS. HOPES TO CONVINCE SOUTH
NOT TO LEAVE.
THE TERMS OF THE COMPROMISE
RESTORE THE MISSOURI COMPROMISE LINE 36,30
UNAMENDABLE AMENDMENT TO GUARANTEE SLAVERY WHERE IT EXISTS.
A SPECIAL COMMITTEE FORMED TO WORK OUT THE DEAL.
REPUBLICANS & LINCOLN REJECT THE
COMPROMISE. IT WOULD VIOLATE THE
REPUBLICAN PLATFORM. COMPROMISE IS DEFEATED IN
COMMITTEE LAST HOPE OF AVOIDING WAR
IS GONE.
SIX MORE STATES SECEDE
MS, FL, AL, GA, LA, TX BEFORE LINCOLN IS INAUGURATED. FEB. 18TH, 1861 THE CONFEDERATE
STATES OF AMERICA JEFFERSON DAVIS ELECTED
PRESIDENT.
LINCOLN IS INAUGURATED MARCH 1861
INAUGURAL ADDRESS TRIES TO REASSURE THE SOUTH.
“I HAVE NO POWER OR DESIRE TO END SLAVERY WHERE IT EXISTS”
LAYS RESPONSIBILITY FOR STARTING WAR W/ SOUTH
FORT SUMTER CHARLESTON, SO CAROLINA
MAJOR ANDERSON IN COMMAND OF THE FORT.
LINCOLN TRIES TO SEND SUPPLIES.
4:30 AM APRIL 12, 1861 GEN. BEAUREGARD OPENS FIRE.
NO ONE KILLED.
LINCOLN CALLS FOR 75,000 VOLUNTEERS.
VA, AR., TN, N.C. JOIN THE CONFEDERACY
THE BORDER STATES (DE, MD, KY, & MO) REMAIN IN UNION–VITAL TO UNION SUCCESS
MORE… LINCOLN: “I HOPE GOD IS ON OUR
SIDE, BUT I MUST HAVE KENTUCKY.” LINCOLN MOVES TO HOLD
MARYLAND - SUSPENDS HABEAS CORPUS
KENTUCKY REMAINS LOYAL–AS DO THE REST OF THE BORDER STATES
The Southern Position
CONFIDENT OF VICTORY FIGHTING FOR INDEPENDENCE,
NOT SLAVERY. FIGHTING FROM DEFENSIVE
POSITION - ALWAYS DESIREABLE BELIEVED YANKS WERE WEAK &
WOULD QUIT
THE NORTHERN POSITION
CONFIDENT OF VICTORY NORTH HAD POPULATION AND
MATERIAL ADVANTAGE FIGHTING TO PRESERVE THE
UNION - THE NOBLE CAUSE THOUGHT SECESSIONISTS
WERE TREASONOUS REBELS
THE MILITARY BALANCE SHEET.
SOUTHERN MILITARY TRADITION
SOUTHERNERS HIGHLY MOTIVATED
HAD BEST OFFICERS AT START OF THE WAR.
FIGHTING ON HOME GROUND.
MORE… THE NORTH LARGER POPULATION
–4X AS MANY TROOPS MORE FACTORIES & SUPPLIES MOST RAILROADS IN THE NORTH A NAVY TO BLOCKADE THE SOUTH
– SCOTT’S ANACONDA PLAN CALLED FOR CONSTRICTING THE CONFEDERACY TO DEATH
CIVIL LEADERS: PRESIDENT LINCOLN
LINCOLN HAD NO SIGNIFICANT MILITARY EXPERIENCE
NOT RESPECTED BY MANY CLEVER & WISE POLITICIAN
Politics & Leadership Government
Union President Abraham Lincoln
Vice President Andrew Johnson
Confederate President Jefferson Davis
Vice President Alexander Stephens
VS
JEFFERSON DAVIS POLITICAL EXPERIENCE WEST POINT GRAD, VETERAN OF
MEXICAN WAR. SEC OF WAR DAVIS WAS A WEAK LEADER
– FURTHER WEAKENED BY GENERAL FEAR OF CENTRALIZED POWER IN SOUTH
Politics & Leadership Key Military Figures
Confederate leader of all armies
General Robert E. Lee
Union leader of all armies Lt. General Ulysses S. Grant
VS
MOBILIZING FOR WAR BOTH SIDES RELY ON VOLUNTEERS UNION PAYS BOUNTIES “BOUNTY JUMPING” A PROBLEM 1863 CONGRESS PASSES A DRAFT
–MEN 20 TO 45
MORE… DRAFT WAS UNFAIR. $300 COULD BUY EXEMPTION YOU COULD HIRE A SUBSTITUTE. SOUTH PASSED DRAFT IN 1862
–18 TO 45 YEARS OLD. LARGE SLAVE OWNERS EXEMPT.
FUNDING THE WAR SOUTH SOLD BONDS
–40% OF WAR COSTS REST PAID BY PRINTING MONEY CAUSED RUNAWAY INFLATION. NORTH PASSED INCOME TAX TAXED MANUFACTURED GOODS
AND SOLD BONDS.
MORE… BY 1862, DAILY COST OF WAR WAS
$1.75 MILLION PER DAY NORTH PASSED THE LEGAL TENDER
ACT(1862)– ISSUES PAPER MONEY CALLED “GREENBACKS”
NATIONAL BANKING ACT 1863- BANKS MUST BUY FEDERAL BONDS.
MobilizationTechnology
• Technology same for both sides– More accurate rifles with longer range– Deadly advances in artillery pieces– First crude submarines (South)– Beginning of trench warfare– Cavalry and Bayonets become secondary and
eventually obsolete
• The element of surprise is the greatest advantage
Military StrategySuppression vs. Attrition
• North– Suppress a rebellion
and restore a Union
– Compel the South into ceasing their attempts
– Completely crush the war-waging capacity of the South
• South– Fight a war of attrition
– Prolong the war to the point where it becomes a waste of time and money to continue
– Win independence by default if North does not continue