Chapter 12

1. Chapter 12 The Balance Sheet of War

2. The Civil War • Known as the first “modern” war • First extensive railroad used • First combat with iron plated ships • Greater use of rifled field artillery • First combat use of a submarine

3. Confederate Conscription South was greatly outnumbered in able bodied men South became desperate for troops early Set up a draft which became very unpopular

4. Confederate Conscription South became even more desperate and the conscription law was strengthened Many rich southerners paid others to be substitutes Without the draft the South couldn’t have carried on the war past 1862

5. Confederate Advantages • South didn’t have to invade the North • Geography favored the South • Appalachian chain provided a barrier • Southern woods provided cover for armies on the defense • South had wretched roads making invasions difficult

6. Confederate Advantages • Union supply lines were extremely long compared to the Confederates • Confederates knew the land much better • South had “Interior lines” • Armies fighting within a defensive arc could move supplies and troops quicker

7. Confederate Guerrillas Objectives were to disrupt supply lines, disrupt communications, and keep invaders from accurate information Southern congress authorized official formation of partisan ranger companies to be enrolled in the army No more than 10,000 men functioned as guerrillas

8. Men and Arms • Cavalry • Confederates rode circles around the Union cavalry • Used horses more for transportation • Artillery • North had advantage in artillery because of it’s better industrial society • South stole most artillery guns until 1863 when it started producing more of their own • South also had a crude machine gun

9. Men and Arms • Infantry • Most important • 80% of Union army • 75% of Confederate army • Inflicted and suffered 80-90% of all casualties • The rifle was the main weapon of the infantry

10. Men and Arms • The rifle • Union had more rifles to start the war • Started with smoothbore muzzleloaders • Eventually some Union infantry got breech-loading repeaters • Union Chief James Ripley opposed breech-loaders and was eventually fired by Lincoln • Confederates had a shortage of rifles at the start • South imported rifles and stole even more in 1862 to better supply their army • Eventually stole some breech-loaders as well

11. Southern and Northern War Production and Supply • Confederates had some successes • The Ordnance Bureau created many factories and Confederates recycled anything and everything • Confederates also had marvelous mobility • Union had better success overall • Northern industry poured out uniforms, shoes, and food • Had an advantage because of greater resources and better productivity

12. Financing the War: The Confederacy • Economy was not ready for war • Forced to print paper money causing extreme inflation • In 1861 imposed a small direct property tax • Many Southern states also loaned money to the Southern lawmakers • Eventually more taxes were imposed due to inflation but they ultimately failed • Main failure was the unbalanced agricultural economy

13. Financing the War: The Union • Congress levied an income tax • Government also offered bonds directly to the public • Creation of Greenbacks • Provided government with money • Ended the banking crisis • Greenbacks did depreciate in relation to gold but it wasn’t a horrible inflation like the South • Taxes helped keep inflation at a minimum

14. Financing the War: The Union • War Bonds • “Five-twenty” bonds raised more than $600 million for the government • Jay Cooke helped promote war bonds again after Southern victories • National Banks • Helped create a market for war bonds • Created a more stable banknote currency • National Banks created a uniform national system instead of previous state systems