Chapter 17 The Civil War (1861-1865)

Lesson 4 The Strain of War

Battle of Fredericksburg

• Lee retreated to Virginia
• General Burnside, marched to Richmond
• Lee moved to a hill and then had trenches built so they could fire down on the enemy
• Lee easily wins
• Burnside resigned and was replaced by General Joseph Hooker

After Fredericksburg

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• Some Confederate troops stayed to defend Fredericksburg
• Some confronted the main Union forces at Chancellorsville
• A third group, under Stonewall Jackson, caught the Union by surprise

Battle of Chancellorsville

• Jackson attacks from rear and Lee from front
• The Union was sandwiched
• Hooker withdraws
• One of the Confederate companies fired on Stonewall Jackson’s company by mistake
• Jackson’s arm had to be amputated, and he died a week later

Weak Union Generals

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• McClellan didn’t follow the retreating Confederate troops (Antietam) into Virginia
• After McClellan was Burnside
• Then Lincoln appointed Joseph Hooker
• Hooker resigned within 2 months
• Major General George Meade took command

African Americans in the War

• At first, neither side allowed African Americans to fight
• The North soon relaxed its rules
• Confederate leaders feared African Americans with guns

In the North

• Lincoln allowed African Americans to serve
• Congress allowed all-African American regiments
• Southern troops focused fiercest gunfire on African American regiments
• 10% of the Union army
• Amazing fighters

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The 54^th Massachusetts

• Best known African American regiment
• Front lines in the siege of Fort Wagner in South Carolina
• On the front lines
• Had nearly 300 casualties
• 54^th became famous for the courage and sacrifice

Going to the North

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• Robert E. Lee decided to take the war to the North to impress Britain and France
• France and Britain missed the goods the South provided (Mainly cotton)
• If the South could win here, these nations might help

Battle of Gettysburg

• Confederates entered Gettysburg, Pennsylvania looking for supplies
• General Lee hoped to avoid fighting
• After 4 days, the Confederates had 25,000 casualties and the Union had 23,000

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Battle of Gettysburg Continued

• Union troops retreated to Cemetery Ridge
• Reinforcements for both sides arrived
• Southern generals tried to remove Union forces from Round Top and Little Round Top
• General Meade held their positions
• The next day Lee order an attack

Results of Gettysburg

• General George Pickett & 1000s of Confederates attacked the Union’s center position
• They advanced across open land
• It seemed Pickett’s Charge might work
• 75% of those that charged were dead or wounded
• Gettysburg put an end to hopes that Britain and France would help

The Vicksburg Siege

• Lee retreats from Gettysburg
• Grant began Siege of Vicksburg
• Blockading it to prevent food and supplies from entering
• Union gunships on the river supported Grants 77,000 troops by firing 1000s of mortar shells into the city

Battle of Vicksburg

• 47 days
• 9,000 Confederate/10,000 Union deaths
• The South lost Port Hudson in Louisiana- The last stronghold on the Mississippi
• The Anaconda Plan had worked

Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address

• National Cemetery was dedicated at Gettysburg
• Former Mass. Governor Edward Everett delivered a two-hour speech
• Then it was Lincoln’s turn
• Lincoln spoke for about 2 minute (272 words)
• Lincoln was able to honor the soldiers and the cause, as well as state his vision for the country
• “These dead shall not have died in vain”
• Government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth”