Assess the reasons the Union won the Civil War?
RANKING It was super important for Union victory because … Its importance was LIMITED for Union victory because …
Grant • In charge of Vicksburg – route to victory as his tactics ALCOHOLIC
were super successful. Unprepared – surprised at Shiloh
Mississippi secured - western edge of encirclement High casualties labelled “Butcher”
complete Tactics only worked due to his resources - Wilderness deaths
splits confederacy in 2 - isolates Texas, Arkansas and show that
Louisiana Kinda rude
Unprepared - Only successful at Vicksburg because of
Confederate sickness and hunger, siege carried out by bigger
numbers and resources BUT THAT IS THE WHOLE POINT OF
• Also, in charge of Wilderness – the winning campaign → SEIGE WARFARE TACTICS!
focussed on destroying the Confederate army rather than
taking land and took over the capital – Richmond
• Knew his tactics were successful so was focused on
beating Confederates – SEIGE WARFARE so killing
necessary.
• Tactic was based on just waiting it out so resources
didn’t affect his victories much.
• Inspirational leader, kept up morale → wore normal
uniform to appear a man of the people
Lee’s weaknesses Lee’s tactics were costly: •Lee’s strengths
• Chancellorsville --> heavy casualties. Made it as difficult as possible for the Union to win –
• Bloody stalemate at Antietam forced Grant to fight in Wilderness, huge losses for the
• Lee incurred 209,000 casualties while inflicting Union.
240,000 • Defeated armies much bigger than his own – reputation
Poor management: of invincibility. Drove McClellan’s much larger force out of
• Antietam --> battle strategies fell into enemy hands Virginia in 1862.
• Gettysburg lacked focus --> thrown back after 2 days of • Lee greatly boosted southern morale – inspirational
fighting leader, offensive tactics led to Confederacy gaining large
• Gettysburg Pickett’s charge was unrealistic against well amounts of land – boosted S morale.
defended Union • Decreased Northern morale – Lincoln believed he would
Underestimated Union power: lose 1864 election due to low Northern morale.
• Grant’s relentless campaigns from 1864-65 --> • Lee’s offensive war rather than guerrilla war would
Petersburg + failed to save Richmond despite giving encourage Britain & France to recognise them – it would
Virgina Campaign priority show GB/ Fra they are a viable nation, rather than an
• Refused to resort to guerrilla tactics --> ‘thinking internal rebellion.
outside the box’ as Sherman did
• Stuck to the offensive
Focus on Virginia:
• Virginian himself and leader of Northern Virginian Army
• Did not focus on Atlanta during March to the Sea
Lincoln gained support for the Thirteenth amendment, • He had little experience of gov and was thought of as
ending slavery too inexperienced to rule by his own secretary of state
Strong sense of timing – using Antietam victory • Never fought in war
1862 to release EP to change meaning of the war • Failure to get grip on war for first 2 years
Won election 1864 • Over reliance on wrong generals like McLellan
Emancipation proclamation = stopped chances of • His Emancipation Proclamation was not popular in the
britain + france recognising the confederacy North and caused racial attacks in New York 1863 and
won election 1864 and maintained morale through abolitionists not happy with slow end to slavery
terrible losses- ensured right men were appointed • His support for Grant’s high casualties unpopular and
to lead army and spoke unrivalled eloquence almost lost him the 1964 election
about the issues of war • Faced criticisms throughout war
Managed the Union’s finances well Salmon P • His high taxation caused unrest
Chase and Welles in charge of the Navy for the • Doubtful whether France or Britain would give
naval blockade substantial aid to confederacy with or without the
Trent affair -> great Diplomat proclamation.
Took decisive actions to ensure border states
remain in union- north gain more support
Chase in charge of economy – North didn’t suffer
financial problems of Confederacy
Allowed african americans to join army- 179,000
served 1863
Gettysburg address- increase morale
By allowing slaves to be free = gave the South
more problems e.g effected economy, less
labourers, south scared of their own slave
, Davis’s weaknesses • He represented the South and they didn’t have - he managed to maintain supply of weapons and
international recognition as a sovereign state appointed gorges as the head of bureau of ordnance
Embargos?????? Done at beginning of war – King which was very effective
Cotton – will hold Europe to ransom or they will cut - if Davis erred putting too much focus on defence of
off cotton to Europe so they put an embargo on Richmond, the same could be said about the north and
Europe hoping to be recognised but this failed – Lincoln had his share of incompetent generals
pushes them to the Union side more, cotton (McClellan)
south’s main source of income cut off and it gave - given the belief in states rights’ Davis managed to
time for the naval blockade to be effective! This sustain a united war effort for a long time against heavy
leads to the 9,000% inflation because there is no odds. His formal authoritarian manner was appreciated
income coming in by some.
The embargo alienates Europe the only possible - greater military experience of military command both as
ally serving officer and secretary for war
• Harmed the Southern economy – embargo on cotton - imbalance of resources not necessarily reflective of poor
• Over 9000% inflation in the South over the course of leadership. Union victory wasn’t as definitive as it should
the war have been.
• Allowed Lee to take an offensive strategy instead a
defensive which was flawed – and disregarded the west!
• This resulted in the fall of Vicksburg in ‘63
• Flawed strategies – stuck in the previous ideas of a war
• Incapable of managing his cabinet – Secretary of War
resigned and never appointed another one!
• Administration unable to meet food shortages – reasons
for losses in battle ‘hunger and disease’
Resources Financial • Can’t just have resources – have to use them well.
- Also include the number of states 22 vs 11 (McClellan’s early campaigns → Virginia)
• The costs of physical destruction were $1487 million in • Union had more resources the whole time so why did
the South whereas they were limited in the North the war take so long?
• Most of the major battles were not fought there & didn’t Southern advantages:
suffer from any loss of slave property - managed to mobilise greater population, 600,000 of 5.5
• South lost at March to the Sea because they ran out of million at peak.
men 62,000 to only 13,000 for the Confederacy - similar weaponry
• Grant was able to execute more large-scale tactics as - excellent military leadership - Robert E. Lee
they had more expendable men, so losses weren't felt as - More rural society - more used horsemanship - superior
hard cavalry - living off land
360,222 union deaths vs 258,000 confederate deaths out - South has 3550 miles coastline - 189 harbours - hard to
of 2,128,948 union vs 1,082,119 confederate total blockade.
soldiers - Physical size of land would make it difficult to conquer
Inflation and hold.
• More developed financial system in the North - South didn’t need to go on offense
• In the South, there was a currency deflation -> at the - South produced 1,500,000 Springfield rifled muskets
end of the war, the Confederate dollar was virtually and imported 800,000 British Enfield rifles
worthless - Lincoln only elected by 40% of people if they had drawn
• South only met 11% of the costs of the war but the the war out he would have lost support
North met 25% - Not all of the north supported the war and even fewer
• Loss of trade after 1862-63 due to Union naval supported war over slavery
blockade and restrictions on vital coastal trade meant - cotton supremely important
that the South lost its ability to borrow
Population
• North could afford to lose more men and still continue
• Strain of heavy losses not only told on the South in
military terms but also affected its economic capacity to
sustain war
• Southern military leadership had to contend with being
outnumbered for much of the war
Transport
• South fell considerably behind the North in terms of
railway miles
• North could use its railways to bring in supplies and
reinforcements more effectively
Emancipation - ideological boost to the war effort - Emancipation proclamation didn’t free any slaves as
Proclamation and AA - South could no longer gain recognition from Great it freed ones not under Union control
role Britain and France - Border states refused EP as argued that if south
- Allowed union to take slaves and arm and train them to could return to Union with slavery.
fight for Confederate’s defeat - Caused no slave revolts
- Fed gov began accepting AA s into army before Lincoln - EP not popular in north; racial attacks in 1863
issued EP.
- 16 medal of honour earned by Black soldiers in the war
- 1 in every 8 soldiers black
- A lot of black soldiers used for guard and occupation
duty and logistical support which was critical to success
- nearly 180,000 blacks joined army, adding the
estimated 10,000 in the navy, close to 190,000
servicemen were black.
- More than 100,000 blacks were serving in the Union
army.
- More AAs in Union blue than either Grant commanded
outside Petersburg or Sherman directed around Atlanta
- There presence enabled Grant to embark on a course
that promised the greatest hope of federal victory.
- Nearly 180,000 served in the Union uniform.
- They grew cotton and foodstuff and aided in all sorts of
construction and logistical endeavours.
- Depended on them for food production and other
essentials.
- they filled jobs traditionally performed by soldiers which
enabled military authorities to place more troops in
RANKING It was super important for Union victory because … Its importance was LIMITED for Union victory because …
Grant • In charge of Vicksburg – route to victory as his tactics ALCOHOLIC
were super successful. Unprepared – surprised at Shiloh
Mississippi secured - western edge of encirclement High casualties labelled “Butcher”
complete Tactics only worked due to his resources - Wilderness deaths
splits confederacy in 2 - isolates Texas, Arkansas and show that
Louisiana Kinda rude
Unprepared - Only successful at Vicksburg because of
Confederate sickness and hunger, siege carried out by bigger
numbers and resources BUT THAT IS THE WHOLE POINT OF
• Also, in charge of Wilderness – the winning campaign → SEIGE WARFARE TACTICS!
focussed on destroying the Confederate army rather than
taking land and took over the capital – Richmond
• Knew his tactics were successful so was focused on
beating Confederates – SEIGE WARFARE so killing
necessary.
• Tactic was based on just waiting it out so resources
didn’t affect his victories much.
• Inspirational leader, kept up morale → wore normal
uniform to appear a man of the people
Lee’s weaknesses Lee’s tactics were costly: •Lee’s strengths
• Chancellorsville --> heavy casualties. Made it as difficult as possible for the Union to win –
• Bloody stalemate at Antietam forced Grant to fight in Wilderness, huge losses for the
• Lee incurred 209,000 casualties while inflicting Union.
240,000 • Defeated armies much bigger than his own – reputation
Poor management: of invincibility. Drove McClellan’s much larger force out of
• Antietam --> battle strategies fell into enemy hands Virginia in 1862.
• Gettysburg lacked focus --> thrown back after 2 days of • Lee greatly boosted southern morale – inspirational
fighting leader, offensive tactics led to Confederacy gaining large
• Gettysburg Pickett’s charge was unrealistic against well amounts of land – boosted S morale.
defended Union • Decreased Northern morale – Lincoln believed he would
Underestimated Union power: lose 1864 election due to low Northern morale.
• Grant’s relentless campaigns from 1864-65 --> • Lee’s offensive war rather than guerrilla war would
Petersburg + failed to save Richmond despite giving encourage Britain & France to recognise them – it would
Virgina Campaign priority show GB/ Fra they are a viable nation, rather than an
• Refused to resort to guerrilla tactics --> ‘thinking internal rebellion.
outside the box’ as Sherman did
• Stuck to the offensive
Focus on Virginia:
• Virginian himself and leader of Northern Virginian Army
• Did not focus on Atlanta during March to the Sea
Lincoln gained support for the Thirteenth amendment, • He had little experience of gov and was thought of as
ending slavery too inexperienced to rule by his own secretary of state
Strong sense of timing – using Antietam victory • Never fought in war
1862 to release EP to change meaning of the war • Failure to get grip on war for first 2 years
Won election 1864 • Over reliance on wrong generals like McLellan
Emancipation proclamation = stopped chances of • His Emancipation Proclamation was not popular in the
britain + france recognising the confederacy North and caused racial attacks in New York 1863 and
won election 1864 and maintained morale through abolitionists not happy with slow end to slavery
terrible losses- ensured right men were appointed • His support for Grant’s high casualties unpopular and
to lead army and spoke unrivalled eloquence almost lost him the 1964 election
about the issues of war • Faced criticisms throughout war
Managed the Union’s finances well Salmon P • His high taxation caused unrest
Chase and Welles in charge of the Navy for the • Doubtful whether France or Britain would give
naval blockade substantial aid to confederacy with or without the
Trent affair -> great Diplomat proclamation.
Took decisive actions to ensure border states
remain in union- north gain more support
Chase in charge of economy – North didn’t suffer
financial problems of Confederacy
Allowed african americans to join army- 179,000
served 1863
Gettysburg address- increase morale
By allowing slaves to be free = gave the South
more problems e.g effected economy, less
labourers, south scared of their own slave
, Davis’s weaknesses • He represented the South and they didn’t have - he managed to maintain supply of weapons and
international recognition as a sovereign state appointed gorges as the head of bureau of ordnance
Embargos?????? Done at beginning of war – King which was very effective
Cotton – will hold Europe to ransom or they will cut - if Davis erred putting too much focus on defence of
off cotton to Europe so they put an embargo on Richmond, the same could be said about the north and
Europe hoping to be recognised but this failed – Lincoln had his share of incompetent generals
pushes them to the Union side more, cotton (McClellan)
south’s main source of income cut off and it gave - given the belief in states rights’ Davis managed to
time for the naval blockade to be effective! This sustain a united war effort for a long time against heavy
leads to the 9,000% inflation because there is no odds. His formal authoritarian manner was appreciated
income coming in by some.
The embargo alienates Europe the only possible - greater military experience of military command both as
ally serving officer and secretary for war
• Harmed the Southern economy – embargo on cotton - imbalance of resources not necessarily reflective of poor
• Over 9000% inflation in the South over the course of leadership. Union victory wasn’t as definitive as it should
the war have been.
• Allowed Lee to take an offensive strategy instead a
defensive which was flawed – and disregarded the west!
• This resulted in the fall of Vicksburg in ‘63
• Flawed strategies – stuck in the previous ideas of a war
• Incapable of managing his cabinet – Secretary of War
resigned and never appointed another one!
• Administration unable to meet food shortages – reasons
for losses in battle ‘hunger and disease’
Resources Financial • Can’t just have resources – have to use them well.
- Also include the number of states 22 vs 11 (McClellan’s early campaigns → Virginia)
• The costs of physical destruction were $1487 million in • Union had more resources the whole time so why did
the South whereas they were limited in the North the war take so long?
• Most of the major battles were not fought there & didn’t Southern advantages:
suffer from any loss of slave property - managed to mobilise greater population, 600,000 of 5.5
• South lost at March to the Sea because they ran out of million at peak.
men 62,000 to only 13,000 for the Confederacy - similar weaponry
• Grant was able to execute more large-scale tactics as - excellent military leadership - Robert E. Lee
they had more expendable men, so losses weren't felt as - More rural society - more used horsemanship - superior
hard cavalry - living off land
360,222 union deaths vs 258,000 confederate deaths out - South has 3550 miles coastline - 189 harbours - hard to
of 2,128,948 union vs 1,082,119 confederate total blockade.
soldiers - Physical size of land would make it difficult to conquer
Inflation and hold.
• More developed financial system in the North - South didn’t need to go on offense
• In the South, there was a currency deflation -> at the - South produced 1,500,000 Springfield rifled muskets
end of the war, the Confederate dollar was virtually and imported 800,000 British Enfield rifles
worthless - Lincoln only elected by 40% of people if they had drawn
• South only met 11% of the costs of the war but the the war out he would have lost support
North met 25% - Not all of the north supported the war and even fewer
• Loss of trade after 1862-63 due to Union naval supported war over slavery
blockade and restrictions on vital coastal trade meant - cotton supremely important
that the South lost its ability to borrow
Population
• North could afford to lose more men and still continue
• Strain of heavy losses not only told on the South in
military terms but also affected its economic capacity to
sustain war
• Southern military leadership had to contend with being
outnumbered for much of the war
Transport
• South fell considerably behind the North in terms of
railway miles
• North could use its railways to bring in supplies and
reinforcements more effectively
Emancipation - ideological boost to the war effort - Emancipation proclamation didn’t free any slaves as
Proclamation and AA - South could no longer gain recognition from Great it freed ones not under Union control
role Britain and France - Border states refused EP as argued that if south
- Allowed union to take slaves and arm and train them to could return to Union with slavery.
fight for Confederate’s defeat - Caused no slave revolts
- Fed gov began accepting AA s into army before Lincoln - EP not popular in north; racial attacks in 1863
issued EP.
- 16 medal of honour earned by Black soldiers in the war
- 1 in every 8 soldiers black
- A lot of black soldiers used for guard and occupation
duty and logistical support which was critical to success
- nearly 180,000 blacks joined army, adding the
estimated 10,000 in the navy, close to 190,000
servicemen were black.
- More than 100,000 blacks were serving in the Union
army.
- More AAs in Union blue than either Grant commanded
outside Petersburg or Sherman directed around Atlanta
- There presence enabled Grant to embark on a course
that promised the greatest hope of federal victory.
- Nearly 180,000 served in the Union uniform.
- They grew cotton and foodstuff and aided in all sorts of
construction and logistical endeavours.
- Depended on them for food production and other
essentials.
- they filled jobs traditionally performed by soldiers which
enabled military authorities to place more troops in
