Module 18

The Civil War

Essential Question
How did the Civil War transform the nation?

About the Photo: Among those who In this module, you will learn how the resources of the North enabled it
marched off to war were these drummer to defeat the South in the Civil War.
boys of the Union army.
What You Will Learn …
Lesson 1: The War Begins. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 570
The Big Idea Civil war broke out between the North and the
Explore ONLINE! South in 1861.
VIDEOS, including... Lesson 2: The War in the East. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 577
• Emancipation Proclamation The Big Idea Confederate and Union forces faced off in Virginia
and at sea.
• Battle of Antietam
Lesson 3: The War in the West . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 583
• 54th Regiment The Big Idea Fighting in the Civil War spread to the western
• The Civil War: Gettysburg United States.
• Sherman’s March to the Sea Lesson 4: Daily Life during the War. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 590
The Big Idea The lives of many Americans were affected by the
Civil War.
Lesson 5: The Tide of War Turns. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 598
Document-Based Investigations The Big Idea Union victories in 1863, 1864, and 1865 ended the
Civil War.
Graphic Organizers
Interactive Games
Animation: Ironclad Technology
Image with Hotspots: Copperhead
Political Cartoon
Image Carousel: Civil War Families

566 Module 18
Timeline of Events 1860–1866 Explore ONLINE!

United States World

1860

1861 Confederate guns open 1861 1861 Great Britain and France
fire on Fort Sumter on April 12. decide to buy cotton from Egypt
Confederates win the first battle instead of from the Confederacy.
of the Civil War on July 21
at Bull Run in Virginia.

1862 The Monitor fights 1862 1862 An imperial decree expels

the Virginia on March 9. foreigners from Japan.

1863 The Emancipation Proclamation 1863

is issued on January 1.

1864 With the support

of French troops,
Archduke Maximilian
of Austria becomes
1864 emperor of Mexico.

1864 The Taiping

Rebellion in China ends
after the capture of
1865 General Robert E. Lee surrenders
Nanjing in July.
to General Ulysses S. Grant on April 9.

1865

1866

The Civil War 567

Reading Social Studies
THEME FOCUS:
Politics, Society and Culture
As you read this module about the Civil War, you will see that this was a time in
our history dominated by two major concerns: politics and society and culture.
You will not only read about the political decisions made during this war, but also
you will see how the war affected all of American society. You will read about the
causes and the key events during the war and the many consequences of this war.
This module tells of one of the most important events in our history.

READING FOCUS:
Supporting Facts and Details
Main ideas and big ideas are just that, ideas. How do we know what those ideas
really mean?
Understand Ideas and Their Support A main idea or big idea may be a kind of
summary statement or it may be a statement of the author’s opinion. Either way,
a good reader looks to see what support—facts and various kinds of details—the
writer provides. If the writer doesn’t provide good support, the ideas may not be
trustworthy.
Notice how the passage below uses facts and details to support the main idea.

Civil War armies fought in the The main idea

ancient battlefield formation Writers support
is stated first. propositions with . . .
that produced massive casual-
ties. Endless rows of troops 1. Facts and statistics—
fired directly at one another, statements that can
with cannonballs landing be proved; facts in
These sentences number form
amid them. When the order
provide details
was given, soldiers would 2. Examples—specific
about the
attach bayonets to their guns instances that illustrate
challenges
and rush toward their enemy. the facts
soldiers faced.
Men died to gain every inch of 3. Anecdotes—brief stories
ground . . . that help explain the facts
Despite the huge battle- 4. Definitions—explanation
field losses, the biggest killer of unusual terms or words
in the Civil War was not the 5. Comments from the
fighting. It was diseases such experts or eyewitnesses—
as typhoid, pneumonia, and statements from reliable
The writer
tuberculosis. Nearly twice as sources
concludes with
many soldiers died of ill-
some facts as
nesses and disease as died in
support.
combat.

568 Module 18
You Try It! Key Terms and People
Lesson 1
Fort Sumter
The following passage is from the module you are about to border states
read. As you read it, look for the writer’s main idea and support. Winfield Scott
cotton diplomacy
Lesson 2
In February 1862, Grant led an assault force Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson
into Tennessee. With help from navy gunboats, First Battle of Bull Run
Grant’s Army of the Tennessee took two outposts George B. McClellan
Robert E. Lee
on key rivers in the West. On February 6, he cap-
Seven Days’ Battles
tured Fort Henry on the Tennessee River. Several Second Battle of Bull Run
days later he took Fort Donelson on the Cumber- Battle of Antietam
land River. ironclads
Fort Donelson’s commander asked for the Lesson 3
terms of surrender. Grant replied, “No terms Ulysses S. Grant
Battle of Shiloh
except an unconditional and immediate sur- David Farragut
render can be accepted.” The fort surrendered. Siege of Vicksburg
The North gave a new name to Grant’s initials: Lesson 4
“Unconditional ­Surrender” Grant. emancipation
Emancipation Proclamation
contrabands
After you read the passage, answer the following questions. 54th Massachusetts Infantry
Copperheads
1. Which sentence best states the writer’s main idea? habeas corpus
a. The fort surrendered. Clara Barton
Lesson 5
b. In February 1862, Grant led an assault force into Battle of Gettysburg
Tennessee. George Pickett
c. Fort Donelson’s commander asked for the terms of Pickett’s Charge
Gettysburg Address
surrender. Wilderness Campaign
2. Which method of support is not used to support the William Tecumseh Sherman
main idea? total war
Appomattox Courthouse
a. facts
b. comments from experts or eyewitnesses
c. anecdotes
3. Which sentence in this passage provides a comment
from an expert or eyewitness?

As you read Module 18, pay attention to the details that the
writers have chosen to support their main ideas.

The Civil War 569

 Lesson 1

The War Begins

If YOU were there . . .

The Big Idea You are a college student in Charleston in early 1861.
Civil war broke out between the
Seven southern states have left the Union and formed
North and the South in 1861. their own government. All-out war seems unavoidable.
Your friends have begun to volunteer for either the
Main Ideas Union or the Confederate forces. You are torn between
■ Following the outbreak of loyalty to your home state and to the United States.
war at Fort Sumter, Americans
chose sides. Would you join the Union or
the Confederate army?
■ The Union and the
Confederacy prepared
for war.
Americans Choose Sides
Key Terms and People Furious at Lincoln’s election and fearing a federal invasion,
Fort Sumter seven southern states had seceded. The new Commander in
border states Chief tried desperately to save the Union.
Winfield Scott
In his inaugural address, Lincoln promised not to end slav-
cotton diplomacy
ery where it existed. The federal government “will not assail
[attack] you. You can have no conflict without being yourselves
the aggressors,” he said, trying to calm southerners’ fears.
However, Lincoln also stated his intention to preserve the
Union. He believed that saving the Union would help to save
democracy. If the Union and its government failed, then mon-
archs could say that people were unable to rule themselves. As
a result, Lincoln refused to recognize secession, declaring the
Union to be “unbroken.”
In fact, after decades of painful compromises, the Union was
badly broken. From the Lower South, a battle cry was arising,
born out of fear, rage—and excitement. Confederate officials
began seizing branches of the federal mint, arsenals, and
military outposts. In a last-ditch effort to avoid war between
the states, Secretary of State Seward suggested a united effort
of threatening war against Spain and France for interfering in
Mexico and the Caribbean. In the highly charged atmosphere,
it would take only a spark to unleash the heat of war.
In 1861, that spark occurred at Fort Sumter,
Sumter a federal
outpost in Charleston, South Carolina, that was attacked by

570 Module 18
 In Charleston, all activity
Charleston came to a complete stop.
Citizens crowded rooftops
to watch the battle.

Castle Pinckney

Shots fired at
eston
The first shot fired on Charl or the ironclad
Fort Sumter was fired Ha b
r battery did
from Fort Johnson. little damage.

Fort
Johnson

Fort
Sumter

Fort Sumter Fort

was strategically placed Moultrie
Cummings to control Charleston
Point Harbor.

n
tic Ocea
Atlan
Fort
Charleston
Sumter ATLANTIC
OCEAN
The first shots
of the Civil War Interpret Maps
were fired at Fort 1. Human-Environment Interaction Why would
Sumter, South Carolina. the Union army need to resupply Fort Sumter?
Although no one was HMH— Middle School U.S. History—2016
2. Place What advantages would a floating
MS_SNLESE454149_556M
killed there, the bloodiest First proof 03/23/16

war in the country’s history battery have?

had begun.

Confederate troops, beginning the Civil War. Determined to seize the ­

fortress—which controlled the entrance to Charleston Harbor—the
­Confederates ringed the harbor with heavy guns. Instead of surrendering
the fort, Lincoln decided to send in ships to provide badly needed supplies
to defend the fort. Confederate officials demanded that the federal troops
evacuate. The fort’s commander, Major Robert Anderson, refused.
Now, it was Jefferson Davis who faced a dilemma. If he did nothing, he
would damage the image of the Confederacy as a sovereign, independent
nation. On the other hand, if Davis ordered an attack on Fort Sumter, he
would turn peaceful secession into war. Davis chose war. Before sunrise
on April 12, 1861, Confederate guns opened fire on Fort Sumter. A wit-
ness wrote that the first shots brought “every soldier in the harbor to his
feet, and every man, woman, and child in the city of Charleston from their
beds.” The Civil War had begun.

The Civil War 571

 The fort, although massive, stood little chance. Its heavy guns faced
the Atlantic Ocean, not the shore. After 34 hours of cannon blasts, Fort
­Sumter surrendered. “The last ray of hope for preserving the Union has
expired at the assault upon Fort Sumter . . .” Lincoln wrote.
Reaction to Lincoln’s Call The fall of Fort Sumter stunned the North.
Lincoln declared the South to be in a state of rebellion and asked state
governors for 75,000 militiamen to put down the rebellion. States now had
to choose: Would they secede, or would they stay in the Union? Democratic
senator Stephen Douglas, speaking in support of Lincoln’s call for troops,
declared, “There can be no neutrals in this war, only patriots—or traitors.”
Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and the states north of them rallied
to the president’s call. The crucial slave states of the Upper South—
North C­ arolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and Arkansas—seceded and
joined the ­Confederate States of Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Ala-
bama, Georgia, Florida, and South Carolina. The slave states of the
Upper South provided soldiers and supplies to the rest of the South.
The western territories were disputed between the Union and the
Confederacy. Mary Boykin Chesnut, whose husband became a Con-
federate congressman, wrote in her diary:

“I did not know that one could live in such days of excitement. .
. . Everybody tells you half of something, and then rushes off . . .
to hear the last news.”
—Mary Boykin Chesnut, quoted in Mary Chesnut’s Civil War,
edited by C. Vann Woodward

Recruitment posters like Wedged between the North and the South were the key border states of
this one made use of Delaware, Kentucky, Maryland, and Missouri—slave states that did not join
eye-catching symbols
and colors to entice the Confederacy. Kentucky and Missouri controlled parts of important rivers.
Pennsylvanians to fight Maryland separated the Union capital, Washington, DC, from the North.
for the Union.
People in the border states were deeply divided on the war. The presi-
dent’s own wife, Mary Todd Lincoln, had four brothers from Kentucky who
fought for the Confederacy. Lincoln sent federal troops into the border
states to help keep them in the Union. He also sent soldiers into western
Virginia, where Union loyalties were strong. West Virginia set up its own
state government in 1863.
Northern Resources Numbers tell an important story about the Civil
War. Consider the North’s advantages. It could draw soldiers and workers
from a population of 22 million. The South had only 5.5 million people to
draw from. One of the greatest advantages in the North was the region’s
network of roads, canals, and railroads. Some 22,000 miles of railroad
track could move soldiers and supplies throughout the North. The South
had only about 9,000 miles of track.
In the North, the Civil War stimulated economic growth. To supply the
military, the production of coal, iron, wheat, and wool increased. Also,
the export of corn, wheat, beef, and pork to Europe doubled. In the South,
the export of resources decreased because of the Union blockade.

572 Module 18
 Explore ONLINE!
North Versus South

NH
WASHINGTON VT ME
TERRITORY
DAKOTA MA
TERRITORY MN
OR NY
WI RI
MI CT
PA NJ
NEBRASKA TERR. IA Washington, DC
NEVADA OH
TERR. IN DE
UTAH IL MD
WV
TERR. COLORADO VA Richmond
CA TERR. KS MO KY
NC
TN
INDIAN SC
NEW MEXICO TERR. AR Fort Sumter
TERRITORY
AL GA
Disputed MS

LA
TX
FL
Union states
Confederate states
Border states
(Part of the Union)
Territories
West Virginia Interpret Maps
(Separated from
Virginia in 1861 Place Where were the four border
and joined the
Union in 1863) states located in relation to the
Union and Confederate states?
HRW National American History
ah07bs_c15map004aa.ai

TheHRW National
Union American History
and Confederacy in 1861 Finally, the Union had money. It had a more developed economy, bank-
ah07bs_c15leg004aa.ai ing system, and a currency called greenbacks. The South had to start print-
1st The
proof dateand
Union - 2/21/05
Confederacy in 1861
Final-02/24/05
ing its own Confederate dollars. Some states printed their own money, too.
1st proof date - 2/21/05 This led to financial chaos.
final- 02/24/05 Taking advantage of the Union’s strengths, General Winfield Scott
developed a two-part strategy: (1) destroy the South’s economy with a
naval blockade of southern ports; (2) gain control of the Mississippi River
to divide the South. Other leaders urged an attack on Richmond, Virginia,
the Confederate capital.
Southern Resources The Confederacy had advantages as well. With its
strong military tradition, the South put many brilliant officers into battle.
Southern farms provided food for its armies. The South’s best advantage,
however, was strategic. It needed only to defend itself until the North grew
tired of fighting.
The North had to invade and control the South. To accomplish this, the
Union army had to travel huge distances. For example, the distance from
northern Virginia to central Georgia is about the length of Scotland and
England combined. Because of distances such as this, the North had to
maintain long supply lines.

The Civil War 573

5

Explore ONLINE!
Quick Facts

Resources of the North and South

Population

Railroad miles

Industrial
establishments

Cotton bales

Exports*

0 25 50 75 100
Percentage
North South

*Southern exports do not include Tennessee, Arkansas, and Mississippi.

Analyze Visuals
1. Do you think the North or the South could maintain better supply lines for
their troops? Explain.
2. Do you think the North or the South could provide more weapons for
their troops? Explain.

In addition, wilderness covered much of the South. Armies found this

land difficult to cross. Also, in Virginia many of the rivers ran from east to
west. Because of this, they formed a natural defense against an army that
attacked from the north to the south. As a result, northern generals were
often forced to attack Confederate troops from the side rather than from
the front. Furthermore, because southerners fought mostly on their home
soil, they were often familiar with the area.
The South hoped to wear down the North and to capture Washington,
DC. Confederate president Jefferson Davis also tried to win foreign allies
Reading Check through cotton diplomacy.
diplomacy This was the idea that Great Britain would
Compare What support the Confederacy because it needed the South’s raw cotton to sup-
advantages did ply its booming textile industry. Cotton diplomacy did not work as the
the North and
South have leading up South had hoped. Britain had large supplies of cotton, and it got more
to the war? from India and Egypt.

574 Module 18
Union and Confederate Soldiers Preparing for War
Early in the war, uniforms differed greatly, especially in the The North and the South now rushed to war.
Confederate army. Uniforms became simpler and more
­standard as the war dragged on.
Neither side was prepared for the tragedy to
come.
The soldiers carried food,
extra ammunition, and other Volunteer Armies Volunteer militias had
items in their haversacks. sparked the revolution that created the
United States. Now, they would battle for
its future. At the start of the war, the Union
army had only 16,000 soldiers. Within
months that number had swelled to a half
million soldiers. Southern men rose up to
defend their land and their ways of life. Vir-
ginian Thomas Webber came to fight “against
the invading foe [enemy] who now pollute the
sacred soil of my beloved native state.” When
Union soldiers asked one captured rebel why
he was fighting, he replied, “I’m fighting
because you’re down here.”
Helping the Troops Civilians on both sides
helped those in uniform. They raised money,
Each soldier was armed provided aid for soldiers and their families, and
with a bayonet, a knife ran emergency hospitals. Dr. Elizabeth
that can be attached to
Blackwell, the first woman to receive a license
the barrel of a rifle. The
bayonets were stored to practice medicine, organized a group that
in scabbards on their pressured ­President L­ incoln to form the U.S.
belts. Sanitary C ­ ommission in June 1861. The Sani-
tary, as it was called, was run by clergyman
Henry Bellows. Tens of thousands of volunteers
worked with the U.S. Sanitary C ­ ommission to
send bandages, medicines, and food to Union
army camps and hospitals. Some 3,000 women
Confederate Soldier
served as nurses in the Union army.
Training the Soldiers Both the Union and
Both soldiers were also armed with
Confederate armies faced shortages of cloth-
single-shot, muzzle-loading rifles.
ing, food, and even rifles. While the U.S. Army
Union Soldier troops had standard issue uniforms, volunteer
militias frequently had their own uniforms
Analyze Visuals and individual volunteers often simply wore
How are the Union and Confederate uniforms their own clothes. Eventually, each side chose a
and equipment similar and different?
color for their uniforms. The Union chose blue.
The Confederates wore gray.
The problem with volunteers was that many of them had no idea how
to fight. Schoolteachers, farmers, and laborers all had to learn the combat
basics of marching, shooting, and using bayonets.

The Civil War 575

 Days in camp were long and boring. They typically began at 5 a.m. in
summer and 6 a.m. in winter. After breakfast, the men took part in up to
five daily drills. During these two-hour sessions they learned and prac-
ticed battlefield maneuvers. Between drills, the troops cleaned the camp,
gathered firewood, wrote letters home, and played games. With visions of
glory and action, many young soldiers were eager to fight. They would not
have to wait long.
Discipline and drill were used to turn raw volunteers into an efficient
fighting machine. During a battle, the success or failure of a regiment
often depended on its discipline—how well it responded to orders.
Volunteers also learned how to use rifles. Eventually, soldiers were
expected to be able to load, aim, and fire their rifles three times in one
minute. The quality of the weapons provided varied greatly. Most soldiers
favored the Springfield and Enfield rifles for their accuracy. On the other
hand, soldiers often complained about their Austrian and Belgian rifles.
A soldier remarked, “I don’t believe one could hit the broadside of a barn
with them.”
On average, soldiers spent about 75 percent of their time in camp. In wet
weather, camps were a sea of mud. In dry weather, they were filled with
Reading Check clouds of dust. The Union army provided the infantry with two-person
Summarize tents. However, soldiers often discarded these tents in favor of more porta-
How did soldiers
and civilians prepare ble ones. The Confederate army did not usually issue tents. Instead, Confed-
for war? erates often used tents that were captured from the Union army.
Summary and Preview As citizens chose sides in the Civil War, civilians
and soldiers alike became involved in the war effort. In the next lesson,
you will learn about some early battles in the war, both on land and at sea.

Lesson 1 Assessment
Review Ideas, Terms, and People Critical Thinking
1. a. Identify What event triggered the war between the 3. Compare and Contrast In this lesson you learned
Union and the Confederacy? about the preparations for war by the North and the
b. Contrast How did the Union’s strategy differ from South. Create a chart ­similar to the one below and use
that of the Confederacy? it to show the strengths and weaknesses of each side
c. Evaluate Which side do you believe was better in the war.
prepared for war? Explain your answer.
Union Confederacy
2. a. Describe How did women take part in the war?
Strengths
b. Summarize In what ways were the armies of the
North and South unprepared for war? Weaknesses

c. Elaborate Why did men volunteer to fight in

the war?

576 Module 18
 Lesson 2

The War in the East

If YOU were there . . .

The Big Idea You live in Washington, DC, in July 1861. You and your
Confederate and Union forces
friends are on your way to Manassas, near Washington,
faced off in Virginia and at sea. to watch the battle there. Everyone expects a quick
Union victory. Your wagon is loaded with food for a
Main Ideas picnic, and people are in a holiday mood. You see some
■ Union and Confederate forces members of Congress riding toward Manassas, too.
fought for control of the war in
Maybe this battle will end the war!
Virginia.
Why would you want
■ The Battle of Antietam gave
the North a slight advantage.
to watch this battle?
■ The Confederacy attempted
to break the Union naval War in Virginia
blockade.
The troops that met in the first major battle of the Civil War
Key Terms and People found that it was no picnic. In July 1861, Lincoln ordered
Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson General Irvin McDowell to lead his 35,000-man army from the
First Battle of Bull Run Union capital, Washington, to the Confederate capital, Rich-
George B. McClellan mond. The soldiers were barely trained. McDowell complained
Robert E. Lee that they “stopped every moment to pick black­berries or get
Seven Days’ Battles water; they would not keep in the ranks.” The first day’s march
Second Battle of Bull Run
covered only five miles.
Battle of Antietam
ironclads Bull Run/Manassas McDowell’s army
was headed to Manassas, Virginia, an
important railroad junction. If McDowell
could seize Manassas, he would control
the best route to the Confederate capital.
Some 22,000 C ­ onfederate troops under
the command of General Pierre G. T.
Beauregard were waiting for McDowell
and his troops along a creek called Bull
In this painting of the
Run. For two days Union troops tried First Battle of Bull Run,
to find a way around the Confederates. Confederate general
During that time, Beauregard requested Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson
looks over the battlefield.
assistance, and General Joseph E. John-
ston headed toward Manassas with another 10,000 Confederate
troops. By July 21, 1861, they had all arrived.
That morning, Union troops managed to cross the creek and
drive back the left side of the Confederate line. Yet one unit
held firmly in place.

The Civil War 577

 “There is Jackson standing like a stone wall!” cried one southern officer.
“Rally behind the Virginians!” At that moment General Thomas “Stone-
wall” Jackson earned his famous nickname.
A steady stream of Virginia volunteers arrived to counter the attack.
The Confederates surged forward. One eyewitness described the scene.

“There is smoke, dust, wild talking, shouting; hissings, howlings,

explosions. It is a new, strange, unanticipated experience to the soldiers
of both armies, far different from what they thought it would be.”
—Charles Coffin, quoted in Voices of the Civil War by Richard Wheeler

The battle raged through the day, with rebel soldiers still arriving.
Finally, the weary Union troops gave out. They tried to make an orderly
retreat back across the creek, but the roads were clogged with the fancy
carriages of panicked spectators. The Union army scattered in the chaos.
The Confederates lacked the strength to push north and capture Wash-
ington, DC. But clearly, the rebels had won the day. The First Battle of
Bull Run was the first major battle of the Civil War and the Confederates’
victory. The battle is also known as the First Battle of Manassas. It shat-
tered the North’s hopes of winning the war quickly.
More Battles in Virginia The shock at Bull Run persuaded Lincoln of
the need for a better-trained army. He put his hopes in General George
B. McClellan.
McClellan The general assembled a highly disciplined force of 100,000
soldiers called the Army of the Potomac. The careful McClellan spent

Explore ONLINE!
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578 Module 18
 BIOGRAPHY

Robert E. Lee 1807–1870 Uncle Robert—almost worshiped

him because he insisted on sharing
Robert E. Lee was born into a wealthy their hardships. After the war ended,
Virginia family and graduated second Lee became president of Washington
in his class from West Point, the U.S. College in Virginia, now known as
military academy. He fought in the Washington and Lee University.
Mexican-American War of 1846, Lee swore renewed allegiance to
helping to capture Veracruz. When the United States, but Congress
the Civil War began, President Lincoln accidentally neglected to restore his
asked Lee to lead the Union army. citizenship. Still, Lee never spoke
Although Lee opposed secession, he bitterly of northerners or the Union,
declined Lincoln’s offer and resigned and many southerners saw Lee as a
from the U.S. Army to become a war hero.
general in the Confederate army.
As a general, Lee was brilliant, Draw Conclusions
but a lack of supplies from civilian How did Lee’s choice reflect the
division of the states?
leaders weakened his position. His
soldiers—some of whom called him

months training. However, because he overestimated the size of the

Confederate army, McClellan hesitated to attack. Lincoln grew impatient.
Finally, in the spring of 1862, McClellan launched an effort to capture
Richmond, called the “Peninsular Campaign.” Instead of marching south
for a direct assault, McClellan slowly brought his force through the penin-
sula between the James and York rivers. More time slipped away.
The South feared that McClellan would receive reinforcements from
Washington. To prevent this, Stonewall Jackson launched an attack
toward Washington. Although the attack was pushed back, it prevented
the Union from sending reinforcements to McClellan.
In June 1862, with McClellan’s force poised outside Richmond, the
­Confederate army in Virginia came under the command of General
­Robert E. Lee.
Robert Lee A graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point,
Lee had served in the Mexican War and had led federal troops at ­Harpers
Ferry. Lee was willing to take risks and make unpredictable moves to
throw Union forces off balance.
During the summer of 1862, Lee strengthened his positions. On June 26,
he launched a series of clashes known as the Seven Days’ Battles that
forced the Union army to retreat from near Richmond. C ­ onfederate general
D. H. Hill described one failed attack. “It was not war—it was murder,”
he said. Lee saved Richmond and forced McClellan to retreat. A frustrated
Lincoln ordered General John Pope to march directly on Richmond.
Jackson wanted to defeat Pope’s army before it could join up with
McClellan’s larger Army of the Potomac. Jackson’s troops met Pope’s
Union forces on the battlefield in August 1862. The three-day battle
became known as the Second Battle of Bull Run, Run or the Second Battle
of Manassas.

The Civil War 579

 The first day’s fighting was savage. Captain George Fairfield of the 7th
Wisconsin regiment later recalled, “What a slaughter! No one appeared
to know the object of the fight, and there we stood for one hour, the men
­falling all around.” The fighting ended in a stalemate.
On the second day, Pope found Jackson’s troops along an unfinished
railroad grade. Pope hurled his men against the Confederates. But the
Reading Check attacks were pushed back with heavy casualties on both sides.
Sequence List in On the third day, the Confederates crushed the Union army’s assault and
order the events that
forced Union troops forced it to retreat in defeat. The Confederates had won a major ­victory, and
out of Virginia. General Robert E. Lee decided it was time to take the war to the North.

Battle of Antietam
Confederate leaders hoped to follow up Lee’s successes in Virginia with
a major victory on northern soil. On September 4, 1862, some 40,000
Confederate soldiers began crossing into Maryland. General Robert E. Lee
decided to divide his army. He sent about half of his troops, under the
command of Stonewall Jackson, to Harpers Ferry. There they defeated a
Union force and captured the town. Meanwhile, Lee arrived in the town
of Frederick and issued a Proclamation to the People of Maryland, urging
them to join the Confederates. However, his words would not be enough
to convince Marylanders to abandon the Union. Union soldiers, however,
found a copy of Lee’s battle plan, which had been left at an abandoned
Confederate camp. General McClellan learned that Lee had divided his
army in order to attack Harpers Ferry. However, McClellan hesitated to
attack. As a result, the Confederates had time to reunite.
The two armies met along Antietam Creek in Maryland on September 17,
1862. The battle lasted for hours. By the end of the day, the Union had

Eyewitness at Antietam
James Hope was a professional artist who joined the Union army. Too sick to fight
at Antietam, Hope was reassigned to work as a scout and a mapmaker. He sketched
scenes from the battle as it happened and later used his sketches to make paintings
like this one. This scene is of early morning on the battlefield. This painting doesn’t
represent a particular moment, but is meant to show a series of events.

Analyze Visuals
How is this painting different from modern war reporting?

580 Module 18
 suffered more than 12,000 casualties. The Confederates endured more
than 13,000 casualties. Union officer A. H. Nickerson later recalled, “It
seemed that everybody near me was killed.” The Battle of Antietam,
Antietam also
known as the Battle of Sharpsburg, was the bloodiest single-day battle of
the Civil War—and of U.S. history. More soldiers were killed and wounded
at the Battle of Antietam than the deaths of all Americans in the American
Revolution, War of 1812, and Mexican-American War combined.
During the battle, McClellan kept four divisions of soldiers in reserve
and refused to use them to attack Lee’s devastated army. McClellan was
Reading Check convinced that Lee was massing reserves for a counterattack. Those
Analyze Why was
the Battle of Antietam reserves did not exist. Despite this blunder, Antietam was an important
significant? victory. Lee’s northward advance had been stopped.

Breaking the Union’s Blockade

While the two armies fought for control of the land, the Union navy
controlled the sea. The North had most of the U.S. Navy’s small fleet, and
many experienced naval officers had remained loyal to the Union. The
North also had enough industry to build more ships. The Confederacy
turned to British companies for new ships.
The Union’s Naval Strategy The Union navy quickly mobilized to set up a
blockade of southern ports. The blockade largely prevented the South from
selling or receiving goods, and it seriously damaged the southern economy.
The blockade was hard to maintain because the Union navy had to
patrol thousands of miles of coastline from Virginia to Texas. The South
used small, fast ships to outrun the larger Union warships. Most of these
blockade runners traveled to the Bahamas or Nassau to buy supplies for
the Confederacy. These ships, however, could not make up for the South’s

Historical Source

Anaconda Plan
This cartoon shows visually the
North’s plan to cut off supplies to the
South through naval blockades, a
strategy called the Anaconda Plan.

Why is the snake’s head

red, white, and blue?

How does the cartoonist show

what the snake represents?

Analyze Historical Sources

Why do you think the plan was
called the Anaconda Plan?

The Civil War 581

 loss of trade. The Union blockade reduced the number of ships entering
southern ports from 6,000 to 800 per year.
Clash of the Ironclads Hoping to take away the Union’s advantage at sea,
ironclads, or ships
the Confederacy turned to a new type of warship—ironclads
heavily armored with iron. The British government neglected to stop these
ships from being delivered, in violation of its pledge of neutrality. The
Confederates had captured a Union steamship, the Merrimack, and turned
it into an ironclad, renamed the Virginia. One Union sailor described the
Academic innovation as “a huge half-submerged crocodile.” In early March 1862,
Vocabulary the ironclad sailed into Hampton Roads, Virginia, an important waterway
innovation a new
idea or way of doing
guarded by Union ships. Before nightfall, the Virginia easily sank two of
something the Union’s wooden warships, while it received minor damage.
The Union navy had already built its own ironclad, the Monitor, designed
by Swedish-born engineer John Ericsson. Ericsson’s ship had unusual new
features, such as a revolving gun tower. One Confederate soldier called the
Monitor “a tin can on a shingle!” Although small, the Monitor carried pow-
erful guns and had thick plating.
When the Virginia returned to Hampton Roads later that month, the
Monitor was waiting. After several hours of fighting, neither ship was
seriously damaged, but the Monitor forced the Virginia to withdraw. This
success saved the Union fleet and continued the blockade. The clash of the
ironclads also signaled a revolution in naval warfare. The days of wooden
warships powered by wind and sails were drawing to a close.
Reading Check
Evaluate How
The Monitor sank in North Carolina in the winter of 1862. Scientists
e­ ffective was the located the shipwreck in 1973, and remains of the ship are part of the
Union blockade? exhibit at the USS Monitor Center, which opened in 2007.
Summary and Preview The early battles of the Civil War were centered in
the East. In the next lesson, you will read about battles in the West.

Lesson 2 Assessment
Review Ideas, Terms, and People 3. a. Describe What was the Union’s strategy in the war
at sea?
1. a. Identify List the early battles in the East and the
outcome of each battle. b. Draw Conclusions Why were ironclads more
successful than older, wooden ships?
b. Elaborate Why do you think the Union lost the First
Battle of Bull Run? Critical Thinking
2. a. Describe What costly mistake did the Confederacy
make before the Battle of Antietam? 4. Support a Point of View In this lesson you learned
about the Civil War battles in the East and at sea. Cre-
b. Analyze What was the outcome of the Battle of
ate a chart similar to the one below and use it to show
Antietam, and what effect did it have on both the
which three conflicts you think were the most signifi-
North and the South?
cant and why.
c. Elaborate Why do you think General George B.
McClellan did not finish off General Robert E. Lee’s Most Significant Why
troops when he had the chance?

582 Module 18
 Lesson 3

The War in the West

If YOU were there . . .

The Big Idea You live in the city of Vicksburg, set on high bluffs above
Fighting in the Civil War spread
the Mississippi River. Vicksburg is vital to the control of
to the western United States. the river, and Confederate defenses are strong. But the
Union general is determined to take the town. For weeks,
Main Ideas you have been surrounded and besieged. Cannon shells
■ Union strategy in the West burst overhead, day and night. Some have fallen on
centered on control of the
nearby homes. Supplies of food are running low.
Mississippi River.
How would you survive this siege?
■ Confederate and Union troops
struggled for dominance in the
Far West.
Union Strategy in the West
Key Terms and People While Lincoln fumed over the cautious, hesitant General
Ulysses S. Grant McClellan, he had no such problems with Ulysses S. Grant.
Grant
Battle of Shiloh Bold and restless, Grant grew impatient when he was asked
David Farragut to lead defensive military maneuvers. He wanted to be on the
Siege of Vicksburg
attack. As a commander of forces in the Union’s western cam-
paign, he would get his wish.
The western campaign focused on taking control of the Mis-
sissippi River. This strategy would cut off the eastern part of
the Confederacy from sources of food production in Arkansas,
Louisiana, and Texas. From bases on the Mississippi, the Union
army could attack southern communication and transportation
networks.
In February 1862, Grant led an assault force into Tennessee.
With help from navy gunboats, Grant’s Army of the Tennessee
took two outposts on key rivers in the West. On February 6, he
captured Fort Henry on the Tennessee River. Several days later
he took Fort Donelson on the Cumberland River.
Fort Donelson’s commander asked for the terms of sur-
render. Grant replied, “No terms except an unconditional and
immediate surrender can be accepted.” The fort surrendered.
The North gave a new name to Grant’s initials: “Unconditional
Surrender” Grant.

The Civil War 583

 Explore ONLINE!
The War in the West

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Union forces April 1862 80°W
FA
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UNION BLOCKAD
Confederate forces
Confederate victory Gulf of Mexico
0 100 200 Miles 90°W
Interpret Maps
0 100 200 Kilometers
1. Location What river did Union forces fight to
control?
2. Human-Environment Interaction Why do you
HRW Middle School American History
ah07bs_c15leg012aa.ai think so many battles took place along rivers?
War in the West, 1862–63
Map Area: 49p6 wide x 29p9 high

1st proof date - 2/21/05

HMH—Middle School U.S. History—2016
Final-02/24/05
MS_SNLESE454149_568M.ai Advancing south in Tennessee, General Grant paused near Shiloh
War in the West, 1862–63 Church to await the arrival of the Army of the Ohio. Grant knew that the
Map area: 49p6 wide x 29p9 high
2nd proof 03/04/16 large rebel army of General A. S. Johnston was nearby in Corinth, Missis-
sippi, but he did not expect an attack. Instead of setting up defenses, he
worked on drilling his new recruits.
In the early morning of April 6, 1862, the rebels sprang on Grant’s
sleepy camp. This began the Battle of Shiloh,
Shiloh in which the Union army
gained greater control of the Mississippi River valley.
During the bloody two-day battle, each side gained and lost ground.
Johnston was killed on the first day. The arrival of the Ohio force helped
Grant regain territory and push the enemy back into Mississippi. The
armies finally gave out, each with about 10,000 casualties. Both sides
claimed victory, but, in fact, the victor was Grant.
The Fall of New Orleans As Grant battled his way down the Mississippi,
the Union navy prepared to blast its way upriver to meet him. The first
obstacle was the port of New Orleans, the largest city in the Confederacy
and the gateway to the Mississippi River.

584 Module 18
 BIOGRAPHY

David Farragut 1801–1870 North by leading key attacks

on the southern ports of
David Farragut was born in Tennessee to a Vicksburg and New Orleans.
Spanish father and an American mother. At
age seven, Farragut was adopted by a family Draw Inferences
friend who agreed to train the young boy How did Farragut help the
war effort of the North?
for the navy. Farragut received his first navy
position—midshipman at large—at age nine and
commanded his first vessel at 12. He spent the
rest of his life in the U.S. Navy. Farragut
helped the war effort of the

With 18 ships and 700 men, Admiral David Farragut approached the
two forts that guarded the entrance to New Orleans from the Gulf of
Mexico. Unable to destroy the forts, Farragut decided to race past them.
The risky operation would take place at night. Farragut had his wooden
ships wrapped in heavy chains to protect them like ironclads. Sailors
slapped Mississippi mud on the ships’ hulls to make them hard to see.
Trees were tied to the masts to make the ships look like the forested shore.
Before dawn on April 24, 1862, the warships made their daring dash.
The Confederates fired at Farragut’s ships from the shore and from gun-
boats. They launched burning rafts, one of which scorched Farragut’s own
ship. But his fleet slipped by the twin forts and made it to New Orleans.
The city fell on April 29.
Farragut sailed up the Mississippi River, taking Baton Rouge, Louisi-
ana, and Natchez, Mississippi. He then approached the city of Vicksburg,
Mississippi.
The Siege of Vicksburg Vicksburg’s geography made invasion all but
impossible. Perched on 200-foot-high cliffs above the Mississippi River,
the city could rain down firepower on enemy ships or on soldiers trying
to scale the cliffs. Deep gorges surrounded the city, turning back land
assaults. Nevertheless, Farragut ordered Vicksburg to surrender.

“Mississippians don’t know, and refuse to learn, how to surrender . . .

If Commodore Farragut . . . can teach them, let [him] come and try.”
—Colonel James L. Autry, military commander of Vicksburg

Farragut’s guns had trouble reaching the city above. It was up to General
Grant. His solution was to starve the city into surrender.
General Grant’s troops began the Siege of Vicksburg in mid-May 1863,
cutting off the city and shelling it repeatedly. As food ran out, residents
and soldiers survived by eating horses, dogs, and rats. “We are utterly
cut off from the world, surrounded by a circle of fire,” wrote one woman.
“People do nothing but eat what they can get, sleep when they can, and
dodge the shells.”

The Civil War 585

 The Confederate soldiers were also sick and hungry. In late June, a
group of soldiers sent their commander a warning.

“If you can’t feed us, you had better surrender us, horrible as the idea is. .
. . This army is now ripe for mutiny [rebellion], unless it can be fed.”
—Confederate soldiers at Vicksburg to General John C. Pemberton, 1863
Reading Check
Summarize On July 4, Pemberton surrendered. Grant immediately sent food to the
How did the Union
gain control of the soldiers and civilians. He later claimed that “the fate of the Confederacy
Mississippi River? was sealed when Vicksburg fell.”

Struggle for the Far West

Early on in the war, the Union halted several attempts by Confederate
armies to control lands west of the Mississippi. In August 1861, a Union
detachment from Colorado turned back a Confederate force at Glorieta
Pass. Union volunteers also defeated rebel forces at Arizona’s Pichaco Pass.
Confederate attempts to take the border state of Missouri also col-
lapsed. Failing to seize the federal arsenal at St. Louis in mid-1861, the
rebels fell back to Pea Ridge in northwest Arkansas. There, in March 1862,
they attacked again, aided by some 800 Cherokee. The Union defense of
Missouri held.
The Union navy played an important part in the
Civil War. Besides blockading and raiding southern
ports, the navy joined battles along the Mississippi
DOCUMENT-BASED INVESTIGATION River, as in this painting of Vicksburg.
Historical Source

Response to Farragut
The mayor of New Orleans considered the
surrender of the city to the Union navy:

“We yield to physical force alone and

maintain allegiance to the Confederate
States; beyond this, a due respect for our
dignity, our rights and the flag of our
country does not, I think, permit us to go.”
—Mayor John T. Monroe quoted in
Confederate Military History, Vol. 10

Analyze Historical Sources

How does Monroe’s statement reveal his
attitude about surrender?

586 Module 18
 Although the Union army won the battle, Indian troops commanded
by Cherokee leader Stand Watie fought bravely. Watie was later promoted
to general, the only Native American on either side to hold this rank in
the war.
More than 10,000 Native Americans took part in the Civil War. Many
Cherokee fought for the Confederacy, but the war bitterly divided the
Cherokee—and other nations as well—over issues of loyalty and slavery.
Some nations saw the transfer of soldiers from western forts to eastern
battlefields as a chance to take back land they had lost. The Indians also
hoped the Confederates would give them greater freedom. In addition,
slavery was legal in Indian Territory, and some Native Americans who were
Reading Check slaveholders supported the Confederacy. Pro-Confederate forces remained
Analyze What was active in the region throughout the war. They attacked Union forts and
the importance
of the fighting in raided towns in Missouri and Kansas, forcing Union commanders to keep
the Far West? valuable troops stationed in the area.
Summary and Preview The North and the South continued their struggle
with battles in the West. A number of key battles took place in the Western
theater, and several important Union leaders emerged from these battles.
One, Ulysses S. Grant, would soon become even more important to the
Union army. In the next lesson, you will learn about the lives of civilians,
enslaved African Americans, and soldiers during the war.

Lesson 3 Assessment
Review Ideas, Terms, and People Critical Thinking
1. a. Identify What role did Ulysses S. Grant play in the 3. Identify Cause and Effect In this lesson you learned
war in the West? about the Union’s military strategy in the West. Create
b. Explain Why was the Battle of Shiloh important? a graphic organizer similar to the one below and use it
c. Elaborate Do you think President Lincoln would to show the causes and effects of each battle.
have approved of Grant’s actions in the West? Why or
Cause Battles Effects
why not?
2. a. Describe How did the Union take New Orleans, and
why was it an important victory?
b. Draw Conclusions How were civilians affected by
the Siege of Vicksburg?
c. Predict What might be some possible results of the
Union victory at Vicksburg?

The Civil War 587

History and Geography
The Vicksburg Strategy
“Vicksburg is the key!”
President Abraham Lincoln declared. “The war can
never be brought to a close until that key is in our
pocket.” Vicksburg was so important because of its
location on the Mississippi River, a vital trade route
and supply line. Union ships couldn’t get past the
Confederate guns mounted on the high bluffs of ➎
The Siege of Vicksburg Grant
Vicksburg. Capturing Vicksburg would give the Union
now had 30,000 Confederate
control of the Mississippi, stealing a vital supply line troops trapped in Vicksburg.
and splitting the Confederacy in two. The task fell to After two assaults on the city
General Ulysses S. Grant. failed, Grant was forced to
lay siege. After six weeks of
bombardment, the Confederate
➊ surrendered on July 4, 1863.
Grant Crosses into Louisiana General
Grant’s bold campaign had
Grant planned to attack Vicksburg from
given the Union control of the
the north, but the swampy land made
Mississippi River.
attack from that direction difficult. So,
Grant crossed the Mississippi River into
Louisiana and marched south.
Vicksburg

Port Gibson

➋
Grant Moves East Grant’s
troops met up with
their supply boats here
and crossed back into
Mississippi. In a daring
gamble, Grant decided to ➌
move without a supply line, Port Gibson A skirmish
allowing the army to move at Port Gibson proved that
quickly. the Confederates could not
defend the Mississippi line.

588 Module 18
 R.
Ohio
Kentucky Virginia
Missouri
Nor th
Carolina
Arkansas Tennessee

South
r
Rive

Carolina
p pi
M i s s i s si

Alabama Georgia

VICKSBURG

Mississippi UNION
CONTROL
Louisiana Florida
CONFEDERATE
GULF OF MEXICO CONTROL

Jackson

Ironclads Union ironclads were

vital to the Vicksburg campaign.
➍ These gunboats protected Grant’s
The Battle of Jackson Grant
defeated a Confederate army troops when they crossed the
at Jackson and then moved on Mississippi. Later, they bombarded
to Vicksburg. This prevented Vicksburg during the siege of the
Confederate forces from city.
reinforcing Vicksburg.

BIOGRAPHY

Ulysses S. Grant 1822–1885

Ulysses S. Grant was born in April 1822
in Ohio. Grant attended West Point in
New York and fought in the Mexican-
American War. He resigned in 1854
and worked at various jobs in farming,
real estate, and retail. When the Civil
War started, he joined the Union army
and was quickly promoted to general.
After the Civil War, Grant rode a wave
of popularity to become president of
the United States.

Interpret Maps
1. Location Why was Vicksburg’s location so important?
2. Place What natural features made Vicksburg difficult to attack?

The Civil War 589

 Lesson 4

Daily Life during the War

If YOU were there . . .

The Big Idea You live in Maryland in 1864. Your father and brothers
The lives of many Americans
are in the Union army, and you want to do your part in
were affected by the Civil War. the war. You hear that a woman in Washington, DC, is
supplying medicines and caring for wounded soldiers on
Main Ideas the battlefield. She is looking for volunteers. You know
■ The Emancipation the work will be dangerous, for you’ll be in the line of
Proclamation freed slaves
fire. You might be shot or even killed.
in Confederate states.
Would you join the nurses
■ African Americans
participated in the war
on the battlefield?
in a variety of ways.
■ President Lincoln faced
opposition to the war.
Emancipation Proclamation
At the heart of the nation’s bloody struggle were millions of
■ Life was difficult for soldiers
and civilians alike.
enslaved African Americans. Abolitionists urged President
Lincoln to free them.
Key Terms and People In an 1858 speech, Lincoln declared, “There is no reason in
emancipation the world why the negro is not entitled to all the natural rights
Emancipation Proclamation numerated in the Declaration of Independence—the right to
contrabands
life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” Yet as president, Lin-
54th Massachusetts Infantry
Copperheads
coln found emancipation
emancipation, or the freeing of slaves, to be a dif-
habeas corpus ficult issue. He did not believe he had the constitutional power.
Clara Barton He also worried about the effects of emancipation.

Lincoln Issues the Proclamation Northerners had a range of

opinions about abolishing slavery.
• The Democratic Party, which included many ­laborers,
opposed emancipation. Laborers feared that freed slaves
would come north and take their jobs at lower wages.
• Abolitionists argued that the war was pointless if it did
not win freedom for African Americans. They warned that
the Union would remain divided until the problem was
resolved.

590 Module 18
 • Lincoln worried about losing support for the war. Previous wartime
Confiscation Acts that had attempted to free the slaves had been
unpopular in the border states.
• Others, including Secretary of War Edwin Stanton, agreed with Lin-
coln that the use of slave labor was helping the Confederacy make
war. Therefore, as commander in chief, the president could free the
slaves in all rebellious states. Freed African Americans could then be
recruited into the Union army.
For several weeks in 1862, Lincoln worked intensely, thinking, writ-
ing, and rewriting. He finally wrote the Emancipation Proclamation,
Proclamation the
order to free the Confederate slaves. The proclamation declared that:

“. . . all persons held as slaves within any State or designated part

of a State the people whereof shall then be in rebellion against the
United States shall be then, thenceforward, and forever free.”
—Emancipation Proclamation, 1862

Confederates reacted to the Proclamation with outrage. Jefferson Davis

called it the “most execrable [hateful] measure recorded in the history
of guilty man.” As some northern Democrats had predicted, the Procla-
mation had made the Confederacy more determined than ever to fight to
preserve its way of life.
The Emancipation Proclamation was a military order that freed slaves
only in areas controlled by the Confederacy. In fact, the proclamation had
little immediate effect. It was impossible for the federal government to
enforce the proclamation in the areas where it actually applied—the states
in rebellion that were not under federal control. The proclamation did not

Explore ONLINE!
Emancipation Proclamation

VT ME
WASHINGTON
TERR.
DAKOTA NH
OR TERR. MN
WI NY MA
MI
PA CT RI
NEBRASKA TERR. IA NJ
NEVADA OH
IL IN DE
TERR. UTAH WV
CA TERR. COLORADO VA MD
TERR. KS MO KY
NC
TN
INDIAN SC
NEW MEXICO TERR. AR
TERR. GA
MS AL

TX LA
FL

Union state Area of legal slaveholding

Interpret Maps
Place In which places was
Confederate state Area in which slavery was
abolished by the slavery still legal after the Eman-
Border state Emancipation Proclamation cipation Proclamation?
HRW National American History
ah07bs_c15map013ba.ai The Civil War 591
Emancipation Proclamation 1863
 stop slavery in the border states, where the federal government would have
had the power to enforce it. The words written in the Emancipation
Proclamation were powerful, but the impact of the document was more
symbolic than real. It defined what the Union was fighting against and
discouraged Britain from aiding the Confederacy.
Lincoln wanted to be in a strong position in the war before announcing
his plan. The Battle of Antietam gave him the victory he needed. He issued
the Emancipation Proclamation on September 22, 1862. The proclamation
went into effect on January 1, 1863. As one of the first civil rights
documents in United States history, the Emancipation Proclamation
continues to impact Americans today as a symbol of equal rights for all
Americans. The historic document paved the way for future civil rights
legislation, which gave minorities and women more equal rights.
Reaction to the Proclamation New Year’s Eve, December 31, 1862: In
“night watch” meetings at many African American churches, worshippers
prayed, sang, and gave thanks. When the clocks struck midnight,
millions were free. Abolitionists rejoiced. Frederick Douglass called
January 1, 1863, “the great day which is to determine the destiny not only
of the American Republic, but that of the American Continent.”
William Lloyd Garrison was quick to note, however, that “slavery, as
a system” continued to exist in the loyal slave states. Yet where slavery

BIOGRAPHY

Abraham Lincoln 1809–1865 to preserve a unified nation. In 1863, he issued

the Emancipation Proclamation. His address
Abraham Lincoln is one of the great symbols to commemorate the bloody battlefield at
of American democracy. He was born in a log Gettysburg is considered to be one of the best
cabin to a poor family in Kentucky and grew-up political speeches in American
in Kentucky and Illinois. Lincoln went to school history. Only days after the
for less than a year, but taught himself law and Civil War ended, John Wilkes
settled in Springfield, where he practiced law and Booth assassinated Lincoln
politics. The issue of slavery defined Lincoln’s on April 14, 1865.
entire political career. He was not an abolitionist,
but he strongly opposed extending slavery into Summarize
the territories. In a series of famous political Why is Lincoln such an
important figure in
debates against Senator Stephen Douglas of
American history?
Illinois, Lincoln championed his views on slavery
and made a brilliant defense of democracy and
the Union. “A house divided against itself cannot
stand,” he declared in a debate with Douglas.
Elected president in 1860, Lincoln led the nation
through the Civil War and worked constantly

592 Module 18
 remained, the proclamation encouraged many enslaved African Americans
to escape when the Union troops came near. They flocked to the Union
camps and followed them for protection. The loss of slaves crippled the
Reading Check South’s ability to wage war.
Find Main Ideas
How did northerners
view the Emancipation
African Americans Participate in the War
Proclamation? As the war casualties climbed, the Union needed even more troops. Afri-
can Americans were ready to volunteer. Not all white northerners were
ready to accept them, but eventually they had to. Frederick Douglass
believed that military service would help African Americans gain rights.

“Once let the black man get upon his person the brass letters,
U.S.; . . . and a musket on his shoulder and bullets in his pocket,
and there is no power on earth which can deny that he has earned
the right to citizenship.”
—Frederick Douglass, quoted in The Life and Writings of
Frederick Douglass, Vol. 3

Congress began allowing the army to sign up African American

volunteers as laborers in July 1862. The War Department also gave
contrabands, or escaped slaves, the right to join the Union army in South
contrabands
Carolina. Free African Americans in Louisiana and Kansas also formed
their own units in the Union army. By the spring of 1863, African
American army units were proving themselves in combat. They took part
in a Union attack on Port Hudson, Louisiana, in May.
One unit stood out above the others. The 54th Massachusetts Infantry
consisted mostly of free African Americans. In July 1863, this regiment
led a heroic charge on South Carolina’s Fort Wagner. The 54th took heavy
fire and suffered huge casualties in the failed operation. About half
the regiment was killed, wounded, or captured. Edward L. Pierce, a

DOCUMENT-BASED INVESTIGATION Historical Source

Letter from a Union Soldier

“We are now determined to hold every step that has
On June 23, 1863, Joseph
been offered to us as citizens of the United States for
E. Williams, an African American
our elevation [benefit], which represent justice, the
soldier and recruiter from
Pennsylvania, wrote this letter purity, the truth, the aspiration [hope] of heaven. We
describing why African Americans must learn deeply to realize the duty, the moral and
fought for the Union. practical necessity for the benefit of our race . . . Every
consideration of honor, of interest, and of duty to God
and man, requires that we should be true to our trust.”
—quoted in A Grand Army of Black Men,
Analyze Historical Sources edited by Edwin S. Redkey
Why did Williams think being
soldiers was so important for
African Americans?

The Civil War 593

New Soldiers
African American soldiers, such as the 54th Massachusetts Infantry and
Company E of the 4th U.S. Colored Infantry, shown here, fought proudly
and bravely in the Civil War. At right is a flyer used to recruit African
American soldiers.

correspondent for the New York Tribune, wrote, “The Fifty-fourth did well
and nobly . . . They moved up as gallantly as any troops could, and with
their enthusiasm they deserved a better fate.” The bravery of the 54th
regiment made it the most celebrated African American unit of the war.
About 180,000 African Americans served with the Union army. They
initially received $10 a month, while white soldiers got $13. In June 1864,
Congress passed a bill granting African American soldiers equal pay.
Reading Check African Americans faced special horrors on the battlefield. Confeder-
Analyze ates often killed their black captives or sold them into slavery. In the 1864
Information How
did African Americans election, Lincoln suggested rewarding African American soldiers by giving
support the Union? them the right to vote.

Growing Opposition
The deepening shadows in Lincoln’s face reflected the huge responsibilities
he carried. Besides running the war, he had to deal with growing tensions
in the North.
Copperheads As the months rolled on and the number of dead continued
to increase, a group of northern Democrats began speaking out against

594 Module 18
 the war. Led by U.S. representative Clement L. Vallandigham of
Ohio, they called themselves Peace Democrats. Their enemies called
them Copperheads, comparing them to a poisonous snake. The
name stuck.
Many Copperheads were midwesterners who sympathized with
the South and opposed abolition. They believed the war was not
necessary and called for its end. Vallandigham asked what the
war had gained and then said, “Let the dead at Fredericksburg and
Vicksburg answer.”
The Copperheads Lincoln saw the Copperheads as a threat to support of the war
This political cartoon pokes fun at
Copperhead northerners who want peace.
effort. To silence them, he suspended the right of habeas corpus.
The cartoon implies that the Copperheads’ Habeas corpus is a constitutional protection against unlawful
plan is to bore the Confederate states into imprisonment. Ignoring this protection, Union officials jailed their
rejoining the Union.
enemies, including some Copperheads, without evidence or trial.
Lincoln’s action greatly angered Democrats and some Republicans.
Northern Draft In March 1863, war critics erupted again when Congress
approved a draft, or forced military service. For $300, men were allowed
to buy their way out of military service. For an unskilled laborer, however,
that was nearly a year’s wages. Critics of the draft called the Civil War a
“rich man’s war and a poor man’s fight.”
In July 1863, riots broke out when African Americans were brought
into New York City to replace striking Irish dockworkers. The city
happened to be holding a war draft at the same time. The two events
enraged rioters, who attacked African Americans and draft offices. More
than 100 people died.
Reading Check In this tense situation, the northern Democrats nominated former
Identify Cause and ­general George McClellan for president in 1864. They called for an imme-
Effect Who opposed diate end to the war. Lincoln defeated McClellan in the popular vote,
the war, and how did
Lincoln respond to the ­w inning by about 400,000 votes out of 4 million cast. The electoral vote
conflict? was not even close. Lincoln won 212 to 21.

Life for Soldiers and Civilians

Young, fresh recruits in both armies were generally eager to fight. Experi-
enced troops, however, knew better.
On the Battlefield Civil War armies fought in the ancient battlefield
formation that produced massive casualties. Endless rows of troops fired
directly at one another, with cannonballs landing amid them. When the
order was given, soldiers would attach bayonets to their guns and rush
toward their enemy. Men died to gain every inch of ground.
Doctors and nurses in the field saved many lives. Yet they had no medi-
cines to stop infections that developed after soldiers were wounded. Many
soldiers endured the horror of having infected legs and arms amputated
without painkillers. Infections from minor injuries caused many deaths.
Despite the huge battlefield losses, the biggest killer in the Civil War
was not the fighting. It was diseases such as typhoid, pneumonia, and
tuberculosis. Nearly twice as many soldiers died of illnesses and disease as
died in combat.

The Civil War 595

 Infantry Family
While wealthy civilians could avoid military
service, poorer men were drafted to serve
in the Union army. This member of the
31st Pennsylvania Infantry brought his
family along with him. His wife probably
helped the soldier with many of the daily
chores such as cooking and laundry.

Why would soldiers bring their families to live

with them in camp?

Prisoners of War As hard as army life was, conditions for prisoners of war
were much worse. At first, neither North nor South kept large numbers
of captured soldiers. Many prisoners were released if they promised to go
home instead of back to their army. Others were exchanged for prisoners
held by the other side. Military prisoners on both sides lived in unimagi-
nable misery. In prison camps, such as Andersonville, Georgia, and Elmira,
New York, soldiers were packed into camps designed to hold only a fraction
of their number. Soldiers had little shelter, food, or clothing. Starvation
and disease killed thousands of prisoners.
Life as a Civilian The war effort involved all levels of society. Women as
well as people too young or too old for military service worked in factories
and on farms. Economy in the North boomed as production and prices
soared. The lack of workers caused wages to rise by 43 percent between
1860 and 1865.
Women were the backbone of civilian life and took over farms, planta-
tions, stores, and other businesses while their fathers, husbands, and sons
served in armies. On the farms, women and children performed the daily
chores usually done by men. One visitor to Iowa in 1862 reported that he
“met more women . . . at work in the fields than men.” Southern women
also managed farms and plantations.
The need for clothes, shoes, and other supplies created about 100,000
jobs for women in northern factories. Women also worked in the South’s
few factories, and women on both sides performed dangerous work mak-
ing ammunition for the troops.
Many women found new occupations. Hundreds were hired by the
Union government as clerks. They became the first women to hold federal

596 Module 18
 government jobs. Women also staffed government offices in the South.
Like clerical work, nursing was a man’s job before the war. During the war,
however, about 3,000 women served the Union army as paid nurses.
One woman brought strength and
comfort to countless wounded Union sol-
diers. Volunteer Clara Barton organized
the collection of medicine and supplies for
delivery to the battlefield. At the field
hospitals, the “angel of the battlefield”
soothed the wounded and dying and
assisted doctors as bullets flew around
her. Barton’s work formed the basis for the
future American Red Cross.
In the South, Sally Louisa Tompkins
established a small hospital in Richmond,
Clara Barton founded the American
Virginia. By the end of the war, it had Red Cross.
Reading Check grown into a major army hospital. Jefferson
Analyze How did
women help the war Davis recognized her value to the war effort by making her a captain in the
effort on both sides? Confederate army.
Summary and Preview Many lives were changed by the war. In the next
lesson, you will learn about the end of the war.

Lesson 4 Assessment
Review Ideas, Terms, and People 4. a. Describe What were conditions like in military
camps?
1. a. Recall Why did some Americans want to end
slavery? b. Draw Conclusions How did the war change life on
the home front?
b. Contrast How did reactions to the Emancipation
Proclamation differ? Critical Thinking
c. Elaborate How and why does the Emancipation
Proclamation continue to impact American life? 5. Identify Effects In this lesson you learned about the
Explain your answer. Emancipation Proclamation. Create a chart similar to
the one below and use it to summarize the reasons for
2. a. Recall Why did some northerners want to recruit
the Emancipation Proclamation, its main points, and
African Americans into the Union army?
its effects on different people.
b. Contrast In what ways did African American
soldiers face more difficulties than white soldiers did? Reasons for the Emancipation Proclamation
3. a. Identify Who were Copperheads, and why did they
oppose the war? Main Points of the Proclamation
b. Evaluate Should President Lincoln have suspended
the right to habeas corpus? Why? Effect on People’s Lives

The Civil War 597

 Lesson 5

The Tide of War Turns

If YOU were there . . .

The Big Idea You live in southern Pennsylvania in 1863, near a battle-
Union victories in 1863, 1864,
field where thousands died. Now, people have come
and 1865 ended the Civil War. from miles around to dedicate a cemetery here. You are
near the front of the crowd. The first speaker impresses
Main Ideas everyone with two hours of dramatic words and ges-
■ The Union tried to divide tures. Then, President Lincoln speaks—just a few min-
the Confederate army at
utes of simple words. Many people are disappointed.
­Fredericksburg, but the
attempt failed. Why do you think the president’s
■ The Battle of Gettysburg in
speech was so short?
1863 was a major turning point
in the war.
Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville
■ During 1864, Union cam-
Frustrated by McClellan’s lack of aggression, Lincoln replaced
paigns in the East and South
dealt crippling blows to the him with General Ambrose E. Burnside as leader of the Army
Confederacy. of the Potomac. Burnside favored a swift, decisive attack on
Richmond by way of Fredericksburg. In November 1862, he set
■ Union troops forced the South
to surrender in 1865, ending
out with 120,000 troops.
the Civil War. Burnside’s tactics surprised General Lee. The Confederate
commander had divided his force of 78,000 men. Neither sec-
Key Terms and People
tion of the Confederate army was in a good position to defend
Battle of Gettysburg Fredericksburg. However, Burnside’s army experienced delays
George Pickett
in crossing the Rappahannock River. These delays allowed Lee’s
Pickett’s Charge
Gettysburg Address
army to reunite and entrench themselves around Fredericks-
Wilderness Campaign burg. Finally, the Union army crossed the Rappahannock and
William Tecumseh Sherman launched a series of charges. These attacks had heavy casual-
total war ties and failed to break the Confederate line. Eventually, after
Appomattox Courthouse suffering about 12,600 casualties, Burnside ordered a retreat.
The Confederates had about 5,300 casualties.
Soon Burnside stepped down from his position. Lincoln
made General Joseph Hooker the commander of the Army of
the Potomac. At the end of April 1863, Hooker and his army
of about 138,000 men launched a frontal attack on Freder-
icksburg. Then, Hooker ordered about 115,000 of his troops
to split off and approach the Confederate’s flank, or side.
Hooker’s strategy seemed about to work. But for some reason

598 Module 18
 he hesitated and had his flanking troops take a defensive position at
­Chancellorsville. This town was located a few miles west of Fredericksburg.
The following day, Lee used most of his army (about 60,000 men) to
attack Hooker’s troops at Chancellorsville. Stonewall Jackson led an attack
on Hooker’s flank while Lee commanded an assault on the Union front.
The Union army was almost cut in two. They managed to form a defensive
Reading Check line, which they held for three days. Then, Hooker ordered a retreat.
Compare What did Lee’s army won a major victory. But this victory had severe casualties.
generals McClellan,
Burnside, and Hooker During the battle, Lee’s trusted general, Stonewall Jackson, was acciden-
have in common? tally shot by his own troops. He died a few days later.

Battle of Gettysburg
General Lee launched more attacks within Union territory. As before, his
goal was to break the North’s will to fight. He also hoped that a victory
would convince other nations to recognize the Confederacy. The three-day
battle at Gettysburg was the largest and bloodiest battle of the Civil War.
In three days, more than 51,000 soldiers were killed, wounded, captured,
or went missing. It was an important victory for the Union, and it stopped
Lee’s plan of invading the North.
First Day In early June 1863, Lee cut across northern Maryland into
southern Pennsylvania. His forces gathered west of a small town called
Gettysburg. Lee was unaware that Union soldiers were encamped closer to
town. He had been suffering from a lack of enemy information for three
days because his cavalry chief “Jeb” Stuart was not performing his duties.
Stuart and his cavalry had gone off on their own raiding party, disobeying
Lee’s orders.
Day One:
July 1, 1863
Artillery played
a key role in the
­Battle of ­Gettysburg
on July 1, 1863.

The Civil War 599

 Another Confederate raiding party went to Gettysburg for boots and
other supplies. There, Lee’s troops ran right into Union general George
G. Meade’s cavalry, triggering the Battle of Gettysburg,
Gettysburg a key battle that
finally turned the tide against the Confederates. The battle began on
July 1, 1863, when the Confederate raiding party and the Union forces
began exchanging fire. The larger Confederate forces began to push the
Union troops back through Gettysburg.
The Union soldiers regrouped along the high ground of Cemetery Ridge
and Culp’s Hill. General Lee wanted to prevent the Union forces from
entrenching themselves. He therefore ordered General Ewell to attack
immediately. However, Ewell hesitated and thereby gave the Federals time
to establish an excellent defensive position.
In fact, Confederate general James Longstreet thought that the Union
position was almost impossible to overrun. Instead of attacking, he felt
that the Confederate army should move east, take a strong defensive posi-
tion, and wait for the Union forces to attack them. ­However, General Lee
was not convinced. He believed that his troops were invincible.
The Confederates camped at Seminary Ridge, which ran parallel to the
Union forces. Both camps called for their main forces to reinforce them
and prepare for combat the next day.
Second Day On July 2, Lee ordered an attack on the left side of the Union
line. Lee knew that he could win the battle if his troops captured Little
Round Top from the Union forces. From this hill, Lee’s troops could easily
fire down on the line of Union forces. Union forces and Confederate troops
fought viciously for control of Little Round Top. The fighting was par-
ticularly fierce on the south side of the hill. There, the 20th Maine led by
Colonel Joshua Chamberlain battled the 15th Alabama led by Colonel

Day Two: July 2, 1863,

10 a.m.
Union soldiers desperately
defended Little Round Top
from a fierce Confederate
charge.

600 Module 18
 William Oates. Later, when describing the conflict, Oates said, “The blood
stood in puddles in some places in the rocks.” Eventually, the Union sol-
diers forced the Confederates to pull back from Little Round Top.
Then, the Confederates attacked Cemetery Hill and Culp’s Hill. The
fighting lasted until nightfall. The assault on Cemetery Hill was unsuc-
cessful. The Confederates did manage to take a few trenches on Culp’s
Hill. Even so, the Union forces still held a strong defensive position by the
day’s end.
Pickett’s Charge On the third day of battle, Longstreet again tried to
convince Lee not to attack. But Lee thought that the Union forces were
severely battered and ready to break. Because of this, he planned to attack
the center of the Union line on Cemetery Ridge. Such a tactic, he felt,
would not be expected. Indeed, General Meade left only about 5,750 troops
to defend the center.
For over an hour, the Confederates shelled Cemetery Ridge with cannon
fire. For a while, the Union cannons fired back. Then they slacked off. The
Confederates assumed that they had seriously damaged the Union artil-
lery. In reality, the Confederate barrage did little damage.
The task of charging the Union center fell to three divisions of Confed-
erate soldiers. General George Pickett commanded the largest unit. In late
afternoon nearly 15,000 men took part in Pickett’s Charge.
Charge For one mile
the Confederates marched slowly up toward Cemetery Ridge.

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The Civil War 601

 Showered with cannon and rifle fire, they suffered severe losses. But
eventually, some of them almost reached their destination. Then Union
reinforcements added to the barrage on the rebels. Soon, the Confederates
retreated, leaving about 7,500 casualties on the field of battle. Distressed
by this defeat, General Lee rode among the survivors and told them, “It is
all my fault.”
On the fourth day, Lee began to retreat to Virginia. In all, nearly 75,000
Confederate soldiers and 90,000 Union troops had fought during the
Battle of Gettysburg.
General Meade decided not to follow Lee’s army. This decision angered
Lincoln. He felt that Meade had missed an opportunity to crush the
­Confederates and possibly end the war.
Aftermath of Gettysburg Gettysburg was a turning point in the war.
Lee’s troops would never again launch an attack in the North. The Union
victory at Gettysburg took place on the day before Grant’s capture of
­Vicksburg, Mississippi. These victories made northerners believe that the
war could be won.
In addition, the Union win at Gettysburg helped to end the South’s
search for foreign influence in the war. After Gettysburg, Great Britain
and France refused to provide aid to the Confederacy. The South’s attempt
at cotton diplomacy failed.
The Gettysburg Address On November 19, 1863, at the dedicating
ceremony of the Gettysburg battlefield cemetery, President Lincoln gave
a speech called the Gettysburg Address,
Address in which he praised the brav-
ery of Union soldiers and renewed his commitment to winning the Civil
War. This short but moving speech is one of the most famous in Ameri-
can history. In one of its frequently quoted lines, Lincoln referenced
the Declaration of Independence and its ideals of liberty, equality, and

Lincoln’s address
at the dedication
of the Gettysburg
National Cemetery

602 Module 18
 democracy—ideals that still impact Americans today. He reminded listen-
Reading Check ers that the war was being fought for those reasons.
Analyze Why was
Gettysburg a turning Lincoln rededicated himself to winning the war and preserving the
point? Union. A difficult road still lay ahead.

Union Campaigns Cripple the Confederacy

Lincoln had been impressed with General Grant’s successes in capturing
Vicksburg. He transferred Grant to the East and gave him command of the
Union army. In early 1864, Grant forced Lee to fight a series of battles in
Virginia that stretched Confederate soldiers and supplies to their limits.
Wilderness Campaign in the East From May through June, the armies
fought in northern and central Virginia. Union troops launched the
­Wilderness Campaign—a
Wilderness Campaign series of battles designed to capture the Con-
federate capital at Richmond, Virginia. The first battle took place in early
May, in woods about 50 miles outside of Richmond. Grant then ordered
General Meade to Spotsylvania, where the fighting raged for five days.
Over the next month Union soldiers moved the Confederate troops back
toward Richmond. However, Grant experienced his worst defeat at the
Battle of Cold Harbor in early June, just 10 miles northeast of ­R ichmond.
In only a few hours the Union army suffered 7,000 casualties. The battle
delayed Grant’s plans to take the Confederate capital.
Union forces had suffered twice as many casualties as the Confederates
had, yet Grant continued his strategy. He knew he would be getting addi-
tional soldiers, and Lee could not. Grant slowly but surely advanced his
troops through Virginia. He told another officer, “I propose to fight it out
on this line if it takes all summer.”
After Cold Harbor, General Grant moved south of Richmond. He had
hoped to take control of the key railroad junction at Petersburg, Vir-
ginia. Lee’s army, however, formed a solid defense, and Grant could not
Academic execute his attack. Grant was winning the war, but he still had not cap-
Vocabulary tured R­ ichmond. Facing re-election, Lincoln was especially discouraged by
execute to perform,
carry out
this failure.
Sherman Strikes the South Lincoln needed a victory for the Union army
to help him win re-election in 1864. The bold campaign of General
William Tecumseh Sherman provided this key victory. Sherman carried
out the Union plan to destroy southern railroads and industries.
In the spring of 1864 Sherman marched south from Tennessee with
100,000 troops. His goal was to take Atlanta, Georgia, and knock out
an important railroad link. From May through August, Sherman’s army
moved steadily through the Appalachians toward Atlanta. Several times,
Sherman avoided defenses set up by Confederate general Joseph Johnston.
In July, Sherman was within sight of Atlanta. Confederate president
Jefferson Davis gave General John Hood command of Confederate forces
in the region. Hood repeatedly attacked Sherman in a final attempt to save
Atlanta, but the Union troops proved stronger. The Confederate troops
retreated as Sherman held Atlanta under siege.

The Civil War 603

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Atlanta fell to Sherman’s troops on September 2, 1864. Much of the city

was destroyed by artillery and fire. Sherman ordered the residents who
still remained to leave. Responding to his critics, Sherman later wrote,
HRW National American History
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Civil War 1863–65
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Map Area: 42p9 wide X 30p9 Many
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HRW National
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Civil War 1863–65
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elect Lincoln in a landslide.
First proof 03/3/16
Sherman did not wait long to begin his next campaign. His goal was
the port city of Savannah, Georgia. In mid-November 1864, Sherman left
Atlanta with a force of about 60,000 men. He said he would “make Georgia
howl!”
During his March to the Sea, Sherman practiced total war—destroying
war
civilian and economic resources. Sherman believed that total war would
ruin the South’s economy and its ability to fight. He ordered his troops
to destroy railways, bridges, crops, livestock, and other resources. They
burned plantations and freed slaves.

604 Module 18
 Sherman’s army reached Savannah on December 10, 1864. They left
Reading Check behind a path of destruction 60 miles wide. Sherman believed that this
Draw Conclusions march would speed the end of the war. He wanted to break the South’s will
How did Sherman
to fight by marching Union troops through the heart of the Confederacy.
hope to help the
Union with his total- In the end Sherman’s destruction of the South led to anger and resentment
war strategy? toward the people of the North that would last for generations.

The South Surrenders

In early April, Sherman closed in on the last Confederate defenders in
North Carolina. At the same time, Grant finally broke through the Con-
federate defenses at Petersburg. On April 2, Lee was forced to retreat from
Richmond.
Fighting Ends By the second week of April 1865, Grant had surrounded
Lee’s army and demanded the soldiers’ surrender. Lee hoped to join
other Confederates in fighting in North Carolina, but Grant cut off his
escape just west of Richmond. Lee tried some last-minute attacks but
could not break the Union line. Lee’s forces were running low on supplies.
­General James Longstreet told about the condition of Confederate troops.
“Many weary soldiers were picked up . . . some with, many without, arms
­[weapons],—all asking for food.”
Trapped by the Union army, Lee recognized that the situation was hope-
less. “There is nothing left for me to do but go and see General Grant,” Lee
said, “and I would rather die a thousand deaths.”
On April 9, 1865, the Union and Confederate leaders met at a home in
the small town of Appomattox Courthouse where Lee surrendered to
Grant, thus ending the Civil War.
During the meeting, Grant assured Lee that his troops would be fed and
allowed to keep their horses, and they would not be tried for treason. Then,

Surrender at Appomattox
Union general Grant rose to shake
hands with Confederate general
Lee after the surrender. Grant
allowed Lee to keep his sword and
Lee’s men to keep their horses.

Was it important for Grant and Lee

to shake hands? Why or why not?

The Civil War 605

Quick Facts Lee signed the surrender documents. The long,
bloody war had finally ended. Grant later wrote
Causes and Effects that he found the scene at Appomattox Court-
of the Civil War house more tragic than joyful.

Causes “I felt . . . sad and depressed at the downfall

of a foe [enemy] who had fought so long and
• Disagreement over the institution valiantly [bravely], and had suffered so much
of slavery
for a cause, though that cause was, I believe,
• Economic differences one of the worst for which a people ever
• Political differences fought.”
—Ulysses S. Grant, Battle Cry of Freedom

Effects As General Lee returned to his troops, General

• Slavery ends Grant stopped Union forces from cheering their
• 620,000 Americans killed victory. “The war is over,” Grant said with relief.
• Military districts created “The rebels are our countrymen again.”
• Southern economy in ruins The Civil War had deep and long-lasting
effects. Almost 620,000 ­A mericans lost their
Interpret Charts lives during the four years of fighting.
How important was slavery to the Civil War?
The defeat of the South ended slavery there.
The majority of former slaves, however, had no
Reading Check homes or jobs. The southern economy was in ruins.
Predict What A tremendous amount of hostility remained, even after the fighting
problems might the
Union face following had ceased. The war was over, but the question remained: How could the
the Civil War? United States be united once more?
Summary and Preview After four long years of battles, the Civil War
ended with General Lee’s surrender at Appomattox Courthouse. In the
next module, you will read about the consequences of the war in the South.

Lesson 5 Assessment
Review Ideas, Terms, and People 4. a. Identify What events led to Lee’s surrender at
Appomattox Courthouse?
1. a. Identify What Confederate general died from his
wounds at Chancellorsville? b. Summarize How did the military conflict of the Civil
War impact the United States?
b. Draw Conclusions Why was the Union army
defeated at Chancellorsville? Critical Thinking
2. a. Identify What was the Gettysburg Address?
5. Support a Point of View In this lesson you learned
b. Analyze Why was geography important to the
about the end of the Civil War. Create a similar triangle
outcome of the Battle of Gettysburg?
to the one below and use it to show the three events
3. a. Recall What was the purpose of the Wilderness in this lesson that you think contributed most to the
Campaign? end of the Civil War and explain why.
b. Draw Conclusions In what way was the capture of
Atlanta an important victory for President Lincoln?
1

606 Module 18
Social Studies Skills
Interpret Political Cartoons
Define the Skill
Political cartoons are drawings that express
views on important issues. They have been used
throughout history to influence public opinion.
The ability to interpret political cartoons will
help you understand issues and people’s
attitudes about them.

Learn the Skill

Political cartoons use both words and images
to convey their message. They often contain
caricatures or symbolism. A caricature is a
drawing that exaggerates the features of a Practice the Skill
person or object. Symbolism is the use of one Apply the guidelines to interpret the cartoon
thing to represent something else. Cartoonists below and answer the questions that follow.
use these techniques to help make their point
1. What do the two men on either side of
clear. They also use titles, labels, and captions to
Lincoln represent?
get their message across.
2. What message do you think the artist was
Use these steps to interpret political cartoons.
trying to convey?
1. Read any title, labels, and caption to identify
the cartoon’s general topic.
2. Identify the people and objects. Determine if
they are exaggerated and, if so, why. Identify
any symbols and analyze their meaning.
3. Draw conclusions about the message the
cartoonist is trying to convey.
The following cartoon was published in the
North in 1863. The cartoonist has used symbols
to make his point. Lady Liberty, representing
the Union, is being threatened by the
Copperheads. The cartoonist has expressed his
opinion of these people by drawing them as the
poisonous snake for which they were named.
This cartoon clearly supports the Union’s
continuing to fight the war.

The Civil War 607

Module 18 Assessment
Review Vocabulary, Terms, and People
Match the numbered definitions with the correct terms from the list below.
a. contrabands 1. Attack by Union general Ulysses S. Grant that gave the North
b. cotton diplomacy control of the Mississippi River
c. Second Battle of Bull Run 2. Confederate general who held off Union attacks and helped the
d. Siege of Vicksburg South win the First Battle of Bull Run
e. Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson 3. Important Confederate victory in which General Robert E. Lee
defeated Union troops and pushed into Union territory for the
first time
4. Southern strategy of using cotton exports to gain Britain’s
­support in the Civil War
5. Term given to escaped slaves from the South

Comprehension and Critical Thinking

Lesson 1 Lesson 4
6. a. Identify When and where did fighting in 9. a. Describe What responsibilities did
the U.S. Civil War begin? women take on during the war?
b. Analyze How did civilians help the war b. Analyze What opposition to the war did
effort in both the North and the South? President Lincoln face, and how did he
c. Elaborate Why do you think the bor- deal with that opposition?
der states chose to remain in the Union c. Predict What might be some possible
despite their support of slavery? problems that the newly freed slaves in
Lesson 2 the South might face?
7. a. Identify What was the first major battle Lesson 5
of the war? What was the outcome of the 10. a. Recall When and where did the war
battle? finally end?
b. Analyze What was the Union army hop- b. Compare and Contrast How were the
ing to accomplish when it marched into efforts of generals Grant and Sherman at
Virginia at the start of the war? the end of the war similar and different?
c. Evaluate Was the Union’s naval blockade c. Elaborate What do you think led to the
of the South successful? Why or why not? South’s defeat in the Civil War? Explain.
Lesson 3
8. a. Identify Which side did the Cherokee
support in the fighting at Pea Ridge?
Why?
b. Draw Conclusions What progress did
Union leaders make in the war in the
West?
c. Evaluate Which victory in the West was
most valuable to the Union? Why?

608 Module 18
Module 18 Assessment, continued
Social Studies Skills 12. W
 hat is the main idea of the reading
Interpret Political Cartoons Use the Social selection?
Studies Skills taught in this module to answer the a. “Jeb” Stuart was not performing his
question about the political cartoon below. duties.
b. Stuart and his cavalry had gone off on
their own.
c. Stuart and his cavalry disobeyed Lee’s
orders.
d. Lee was suffering from a lack of enemy
information.

Review Themes
13. Society and Culture What effects did the
Civil War have on American society?
14. Politics What political difficulties did the
Emancipation Proclamation cause for Presi-
dent Lincoln?
11. W
 hat do you think the artist is saying
about politicians with this cartoon? Focus on Writing
15. W
 rite a Newspaper Article Consider all the
Reading Skills Civil War events discussed in this ­module.
Supporting Facts and Details Use the Reading Then choose one of those events to write
Skills taught in this module to answer the question about in a newspaper article. Write an
about the reading selection below. attention-grabbing headline. Then write
the news article, describing the event and
Lee was unaware that Union soldiers were giving as many facts as possible about
encamped closer to town. He had been suffering the event. Be sure to use proper grammar,
from a lack of enemy i­nformation for three days punctuation, spelling, and capitalization.
because his cavalry chief “Jeb” Stuart was not
performing his duties. Stuart and his cavalry had
gone off on their own raiding party, disobeying
Lee’s orders.

The Civil War 609

 MULTIMEDIA CONNECTIONS

DAYS OF DARKNESS:
THE GETTYSBURG CIVILIANS

Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, was a sleepy agricultural shuttered houses. Even after the battle finally ended, the
town of about 2,400 residents when the Civil War horrors continued, as the Gettysburg civilians emerged to
arrived on its doorstep in the early summer of 1863. find a scene of unimaginable death and destruction.
Many of the town’s men were elsewhere, either fighting in Explore some of the personal stories and recollections
the war or guarding their livestock in the countryside. This of the Gettysburg civilians online. You can find a wealth
left mostly women and children to endure the battle. For of information, video clips, primary sources, activities, and
three terrifying days, they hid in basements or in tightly more through your online textbook.

609 MC1 MULTIMEDIA CONNECTIONS

 Go online to view these and
other HISTORY® resources.
“I had scarcely reached the front door, when, on looking
up the street, I saw some of the men on horseback. . . .
What a horrible sight! . . .
I was fully persuaded that the Rebels had actually
come at last. What they would do with us was a fearful
question to my young mind. . . .”
—Tillie Pierce, age 15

A Young Woman’s Account

A Citizen-Soldier
Read the document to witness the arrival of Confederate
Watch the video to meet John Burns, the man
troops through the eyes of a Gettysburg teenager.
who would come to be called the “Citizen Hero of
Gettysburg.”

A Family’s Story
Watch the video to discover the story of courage
and commitment exhibited by one Gettysburg
family.

The National Cemetery

Watch the video to learn about the Soldiers’
National Cemetery and the speech President
Lincoln gave there.

THE GETTYSBURG CIVILIANS 609 MC2

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