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The Confederacy and the United States in 1861

The Confederacy and the United States in 1861. John C. Calhoun. Nationalist in 1810s and 20s Champion of the South 1830s-50s “Father of Southern Nationalism” and Secessionism. Rise of Secessionism. 1832 Nullification Crisis 1850 Crisis Calhoun: Give South more Autonomy

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The Confederacy and the United States in 1861

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  1. The Confederacy and the United States in 1861

  2. John C. Calhoun • Nationalist in 1810s and 20s • Champion of the South 1830s-50s • “Father of Southern Nationalism” and Secessionism

  3. Rise of Secessionism • 1832 Nullification Crisis • 1850 Crisis • Calhoun: Give South more Autonomy • Nashville Convention – Discusses possible solutions; many are pro-secession • Fire-eaters (Every State for himself) vs. Cooperationists (only leave Union together!) • Radicals build networks in 1850s.

  4. The Confederate States of America

  5. The New Confederacy • 7 State Confederacy: • Georgia, Alabama, South Carolina, Mississippi, Texas, Louisiana and Florida • 4,969,141 total people • 2,312,352 slaves • 2,646,789 free.

  6. Confederate Constitutional Convention—Montgomery, Alabama, February-March 1861 • 50 delegates—49 owned slaves, 21 owned 20 or more. • The Radicals are sidelined. • February 18, 1861—Jefferson Davis is chosen as interim President for a one year term

  7. Confederate Constitutional Convention—Montgomery, Alabama, February-March 1861 • Opposed to party politics • Convention dominated by wealthy aristocrats and the Confederate Constitution protects their interests • Central goal of new Constitution: PROTECT SLAVERY

  8. The Confederate Constitution:Intro • CC = modified version of US Constitution • No Right of Secession Included!

  9. The Confederate Constitution: Slavery • You may take your slaves anywhere in Confederacy without losing them • Strong Fugitive Slave Law • Congress can't confiscate slaves • Slavery exists in all territories

  10. The Confederate Constitution: States Rights • States can impeach federals • States can tax ships • No suing states • No spending federal money on industry and other internal improvements • All laws must have a single subject

  11. The Confederate Constitution: The Presidency • 1 6 year term • President had a line-item veto • Cabinet members could sit in Congress • President could fire them at will • Otherwise, he could only fire for 'cause'

  12. Jefferson Davis, President of the Confederacy • Born in Kentucky

  13. Jefferson Davis, Confederate President • West Point (1824-8) • US Army (1828-35) • Fort Building • Black Hawk's War (1832) • Leaves to marry Sarah Knox Taylor, but she dies • Mississippi Planter and Politician (1835-46)

  14. Jefferson Davis, Confederate President • Mexican War service—Mississippi Rifles (1846-8) • Battle of Buena Vista • Southern Nationalist (1848-60) • Secretary of War (1853-7) • Senator from Mississippi (1857-61)

  15. Jefferson Davis as leader • A fierce, honest, honorable advocate for his beliefs • Stiff, stubborn, inflexible, poor at compromise • Very loyal • TOO LOYAL • But probably the best choice (the alternatives were worse)

  16. Upper vs. Lower South • 9,103,332 total residents (3,521,110 slaves and 5,582,222 free (almost all White) • Lower South: 4,969,141 total people (2,312,352 slaves and 2,646,789 free.), lots of cotton land • Upper South: 4,144,191 total people (1,208,758 slaves and 2,935,433 free men), almost all the industry • 1 million men between 14 and 45 (military age)

  17. Confederate Resources: Intro • North vs. South: • Wealth: 25% • Farmland: 25% • Railroad Mileage: 29% • Factory Production: 9% • Population: 29% • Northern Soldiers: 2.1 million (50% avail) • Southern Soldiers: 900,000 (90% avail)

  18. Other Confederate Resources • Cotton • Military Experience • State and Federal Armories • Slaves

  19. State and Federal Regulation of Economic Production • Confederate government controlled key resources—Iron, salt, copper, railroads • Food Production was a problem; masters tended keep growing cotton • Slave Labor could not be forced by central government; many slaves effectively wasted

  20. Civil Liberties and States’ Rights • Suspension of Habeas Corpus • The Draft (20% of soldiers) • Confederate/State relations • State Self-Defense • North Carolina and Georgia had obstructionist leaders—Vance and Brown

  21. Summation • Built for Peace; Doomed to War • Erosion of Ideals • Built on Slavery

  22. Basic Military Structure • ARMY- composed of several corps, commanded by a general • CORPS- composed of three divisions, commanded by a general • DIVISION- composed of three to four brigades, commanded by a general • BRIGADE- composed of four to six regiments, commanded by a general • REGIMENT- composed of ten companies, commanded by a colonel • COMPANY- 100 officers and men, commanded by a captain.

  23. Winfield Scott's Anaconda Strategy

  24. The Blockade

  25. Union Military Strategy • The Virginia Front • Protect Washington • Attack Richmond • Lack of Strategic Direction--The West • Every Commander on his own • Simultaneous Onslaught – Grant's Strategy • Coordinate multiple attacks at key points to overwhelm Confederate resources

  26. The Union Army • Command Issues • Political Officers vs. West Pointers • Volunteer Army • Ground Down By War • The Draft • $300 substitutes angered many • Bounty Jumping! • Democratic Spirit

  27. Confederate Strategy: Foreign Intervention • Hope that Europe needs cotton would = Europe comes to our aid! • Europeans did allow Confederates to build ships • Why no intervention? • British public hates slavery • French busy invading Mexico • Both wary of war with Union

  28. Conf. Strategy: Offensive-Defensive War • Interior Lines • Communications Problems • States’ Demands • Loss of Manpower

  29. The Confederate Army • Regulars • Volunteers • Draftees • Superior Cavalry • Restocking of Units • West Pointers vs. Amateur Officers • Bushwhackers and Irregulars

  30. Napoleonic Tactics • Limits of the Musket • Massed Fire • Short-Range • Line and Column • Converging Column • Cavalry Shock

  31. The Ascendency of Defense • Rifles and Repeating Rifles • Faster Rates of Fire • Longer Killing Range • Defense now stronger • But Cavalry also stronger • Excessive Offense

  32. Naval Innovations • Stephen Mallory and Confederate Innovation • The Ironclad • Steam-Driven Vessels • Commerce Raiding • Riverine Warfare

  33. The War Begins: 1861 • Both sides expect easy victory • Short-Term Volunteers • Armies volunteer for only 3 months!

  34. First Battle of Bull Run

  35. First Battle of Bull Run • Irwin McDowell (35,000) vs. Pierre Beauregard (20,000) • McDowell strikes first • Reinforcements from Johnson win the battle • Union forces crushed • But Confederates too messed up to follow up • Union: 2,896 Casualties (460 dead, 1124 wounded, 1312 captured/missing) • Confederate: 1,982 (387 dead, 1582 wounded, 13 missing)

  36. In for the long haul • Bull Run shows no easy victory to be expected • Winfield Scott resigns; George McClellan is now General-in-Chief

  37. Battle for the Border States • Kentucky: Attempted Neutrality Fails • Missouri: Descent into Chaos • Maryland: Pro-Union Triumph • Delaware: Not a Contender • West Virginia: Seceding From Secession • East Tennessee: Failure of Unionism

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