The Struggle Begins
Chapter 16, Section 2
Strategies for Victory
Fighting during the Civil war took place in three major areas, the East, the West and at Sea
Union Plans
Planned to blockade southern ports› To cut off the South’s supply of
manufactured goods by halting its trade with Europe
In the west the Union planned to seize control of the Mississippi River› Keep the South from using the river to
supply its troops Separate Arkansas, Texas, and Louisiana from
the rest of the Confederacy
Union Plans In the East Union generals wanted to
seize Richmond, Virginia and capture the confederate headquarters.
Confederate plans
The confederate army would stay at home and fight a defensive war› Northerners would tire of fighting› Lincoln would have to give up the effort
to bring the South back into the Union
Confederate plans Counted on European money and
supplies to help fight the war› Cotton was important to textile mills in
England and other countries Confederate thought European nations
would recognize the South as an independent nation and continue buying southern cotton
Forward to Richmond
A clash of untrained troops Responding to public pressure
Lincoln launched an attack on Richmond Virginia› Union troops clashed with the
Confederates near a small stream called Bull Run in Virginia
Forward to Richmond Hundreds of Washingtonians rode
out to watch the battle, many with picnic baskets› Spectators were disappointed to see
southern troops did not turn and run like expected
› General Thomas Jackson held his ground like a “stone wall” From then he was know as Stone Wall
Jackson
A Union Retreat
Confederates did not pursue the fleeing army› Stayed behind to gather the gear
thrown away by the Union troops Battle of Bull run showed both sides
that their soldiers needed training and the war would be long and bloody
“All quiet along the Potomac”
After the disaster at Bull Run President Lincoln appointed General George McClellan as commander of the Union army› In 6 months he transformed a mob of
raw recruits into an army of untrained soldiers
“All quiet along the Potomac
He was cautious› Delayed leading troops in to battle
So long so that the president snapped “ if McClellan is not using the army I should like to borrow it”
A Cautious Move on Richmond
Match 1862 McClellan and most of the Union army left Washington by steamboat and sailed down the Potomac River for Richmond› Inching their way toward the
Confederate capital
A Cautious Move on Richmond
Robert E. Lee launched a series of attacks › He sent Stone Wall Jackson north to
threaten Washington This prevented Lincoln from sending the rest
of the Union army to help McClellan McClellan decide to abandon the
attack and retreated
Naval Action
Union ships had blockaded southern ports› Blockade runners slipped through the
blockade bringing in everything from matches to guns
Naval Action The blockade became more effective
› Trade through ports dropped 90%› Merrimack: Union abandoned warship
that the South covered in iron plates 4 inches thick South used it in battle against the Union
navy› Monitor: Union’s own ironclads
Neither ship seriously damaged the other and both withdrew
Naval Action Ironclad ships changed naval
warfare› Both sides rushed to build more
South never mounted a serious attack against the Union navy
Antietam
September 1862 General Lee took the offensive and marched troops North into Maryland› Wanted to have a victory in northern
soil to hamper their morale› A Confederate messenger lost Lee’s
battle plans Two Union soldiers found them and turned
them over to McClellan
Antietam McClellan was slow to act
› Finally attacked Lee’s main force at Antietam In a day more than 23,000 Union and
Confederate soldiers were killed or wounded Lee withdrew troops and McClellan did not
pursue them
Antietam Neither side won a clear victory at
the battle of Antietam› Because Lee withdrew his troops, the
North claimed the victory
Winning the Mississippi
General Ulysses S. Grant began moving toward gaining control of the Mississippi
February 1862 Grant captured Fort Henry and Fort Donelson in Tennessee› Guarder two important tributaries of the
Mississippi
Shiloh
Battle of Shiloh: Grant pushed South to Shiloh located on top of the Tennessee River› Grant was surprised by Confederate
forces
Shiloh› One of the bloodiest battles of the Civil
War More Americans were killed or wounded then
in the American Revolution, the War of 1812, and the Mexican War combined
The fall of Vicksburg
April 1862 Union gunboats captured New Orleans and other boats seized Memphis, Tennessee› Union now controlled both ends of the
River South could no longer use the Mississippi
The fall of Vicksburg The North could not safely use the river
either› Confederates still held Vicksburg,
Mississippi Sat on a cliff high above the River
Canons could reach boats on the River
The fall of Vicksburg 1863 Grant’s forces tried and tried to
capture Vicksburg› After 6 weeks Vicksburg finally surrendered
The fall of Vicksburg Union had achieved two of its goals
› Naval blockades cut of the South’s trade with Europe
› Took control of the Mississippi River Splitting the Confederacy in two.