37C
37c - state the importance of key events of the Civil War to include Antietam, Emancipation Proclamation, Gettysburg, Chickamauga, Union blockade of Georgia’s coast, Sherman’s Atlanta Campaign, Sherman’s March to the Sea, and Andersonville
Antietam
The Battle of Antietam was the bloodiest day in U.S. history, with over 26,000 casualties, more than all previous American war casualties combined. On September 17, 1862, Robert E. Lee's forces met up with George McClellan's Yankee forces. This was the first major battle on Northern soil at Antietam Creek in Sharpsburg, Maryland. This battle was part of the Maryland Campaign. A majority of the casualties were on the bloody lane that crossed the Antietam River. The South used rocks when it ran out of ammo and his battle was considered to be a major victory for the North. England and France decided not to help the South. This battle also gave Lincoln his awaited victory that led to his Emancipation Proclamation |
Emancipation Proclamation
5 days after the Battle of Antietam, on September 22, 1862, Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation. This affected 4 million slaves in the U.S. Lincoln wanted the war to end, along with 244 years of slavery. In this document, it states that unless the Confederate States of America surrendered by January 1, 1863, all slaves in the rebelling states would be freed. The Confederate leaders chose to fight. Since Lincoln didn't control the rebellious states, and because he was not the CSA's president, no slaves were actually freed. Also, since European countries had abolished slavery, the Emancipation Proclamation ensured that England and France would not help the South. |
Gettysburg
This battle took place from July 1-3. After the Battle of Vicskburg, General Lee wanted to take the war to the North and he figured that he would skirt around Washington D.C. and go up into Pennsylvania. This would be the farthest Southern advance into Northern territory. Lee wanted the peace agitators to start protesting to end the war. General Meade's troops ran into Lee's troops in Gettysburg by accident, thus starting the Battle of Gettysburg. The battle started with a Confederate bombardment, but the Union held firm for 3 days. On July 3rd, General Pickett led 15,000 Confederate troops across open fields while the Union soldiers mowed them down. All 15,000 Confederate men in Pickett's charge, were killed. Lee retreated into Virginia. Gettysburg was the largest battle in the Western hemisphere. Over 100,000 people died during this 3 day battle, and it was the last time that they South ever invaded the North. The Southern army never recovered from the defeat at Gettysburg. Gettysburg was considered to be one of the major turning points of the war. After the battle, Lincoln gave his Gettysburg address at the battle fields, which became a cemetery. |
Chickamauga
The North had wanted to infiltrate the South to get supplies from Georgia. In late 1863, 58,000 Union soldiers led by General Rosecrans's attacked General Braxton Bragg's army of 66,000 Confederates 7 miles south of Chattanooga at Chickamauga Creek. The battle lasted from September 19-20. Bragg's army defeated and forced the Union army into Chattanooga, Tennessee. However, Bragg didn't follow the Union retreat. By November of the same year, General Grant arrived with backup and recaptured Chattanooga, which forced Bragg to retreat south to Dalton. The Battle of Chickamauga was the biggest battle in Georgia and it was the 3rd bloodiest battle of the war. Only Gettysburg claimed more lives than the Battle of Chickamauga. |
Union blockade of Georgia's coast
The Union decided to obstruct, or blockade, the Confederate ports. The Union stationed 26 ships blocking all Southern Confederate ports. However, blockade runners would sometimes go past the blockade and get needed supplies. The Union invested millions of dollars into many ships, 74 of which were ironclads. Ironclads were also known as armored ships. There was also the "Anaconda Plan". The Union wanted to capture the Mississippi River and split the Confederacy in half, leaving Texas, Arkansas, and Louisiana stranded. If the plan was a success, it would "squeeze" the South to death just like a giant anaconda does to its prey. |
Sherman's Atlanta Campaign
General Joseph Johnston, who was located in Northwest Georgia, had to keep Sherman's forces from driving south and capturing Atlanta. After winter had passed, Sherman had been aiming at Atlanta. Sherman's army outnumber Johnston's army, and Johnston's best bet was to delay Sherman's troops. The Atlanta campaign started in the Spring of 1864.President Davis replaced Johnston with John B .Hood, who promised to go on the offense against Sherman's troops. When General Grant went to attack Lee in the east, he left 112,000 men in Chattanooga under William T. Sherman’s command. Sherman started his march towards Atlanta. They fought General Joseph E. Johnston’s 60,000 troops in spring and summer of 1864, at Dalton, Resaca, Allatoona, Kennesaw Mountain, and New Hope Church. Because of shortages of ammunition and men, Johnston was forced to retreat southward. But he burned bridges and blocked roads as he retreated and slowed Sherman’s advance to about two miles a day. Although Sherman lost the battle at Kennesaw Mountain, he still pushed towards Atlanta. Sherman’s and Hood’s armies fought for over a month in and around Atlanta before Hood finally evacuated the city. Jefferson Davis replaced Johnston with General John Bell Hood. In July, Hood led his troops in an attack on Sherman, losing over 11,000 men in two days. Both armies fought until Hood placed his troops in Atlanta. Hood wanted to ambush Sherman. They fought there on July 22 and continued for 2 months. On Sept. 1, Hood left Atlanta. Sherman wants to take the fight to the people of Georgia. He confiscates anything of military value, and burns the rest of the city to the ground. The Union took over Atlanta and on November 15, “Sherman’s March to the Sea” was underway. |
Sherman's March to the Sea
On November 16, Sherman and his army went across Central Georgia and destroyed everything they came across within a 30-60 mile radius, to crush Georgia's remaining fighting spirit. Sherman wanted to bring the fight to the people, so that they would stop supporting the Confederate troops. Sherman also wanted to destroy all the flow of supplies that supported the Confederate soldiers, such as houses, farms, supplies, etc. He presented Savannah as a Christmas gift to Lincoln, with all of its supplies. Sherman didn't burn Savannah because of its value. Sherman had divided the Confederacy and cut off the flow of supplies from General Lee. Georgia lay in ruins. The damage cause by Sherman estimated to be around hundreds of millions of dollars. Sherman's army also sacked the Georgia capital, Milledgeville. |
Andersonville
Andersonville was the most notorious prisoner of war camp during the Civil War. Even though it was supposed to hold 10,000 prisoners, at one point, it held 32,000 prisoners. The South was unable to supply the prison camps. Prisoners suffered from overcrowding, malnutrition, starvation, disease, as well as the lack of shelter. Of the 45,000 prisoners sent to Andersonville, 13,000 (over 1/4th) died in the prison. This prison had the highest death rate of any Civil War prison war camp on both sides of the conflict. On any given day, about 25 men would die because of malnutrition, or disease. Soldiers were buried shoulder to shoulder in deep trenches. Although the commander of the camp, Captain Henry Wirz begged for more supplies for the prisoners, at the end of the war, he was found guilty of war crimes, such as murder, and for allowing excessive cruelty at the prison camp. He was hung on Nov. 10, 1865. Andersonville Prison is located just outside of Americus, GA, in Andersonville, GA. |