Chapter 17, Section 5: The War Ends Mr. Davis

Background: As we have learned the Confederates won major battles at Fredericksburg in December 1862 and at Chancellorsville in May 1863. The North was not doing well. However, in July 1863 the tides of war changed and the North gained more control: In the West, the Union extended its control of the Mississippi River and cut the South in two.

At the Battle of Gettysburg both sides lost tremendous loses, but Jefferson Davis stated: “Their [forces] could be repaired, ours could not.” In the following year, Lincoln would appoint General Ulysses S. Grant to command the forces and lead them to victory

The Fall of Vicksburg: Once the Union captured New Orleans and Memphis, the Union controlled the Mississippi River. They could not use the river safely yet however because the South still had Vicksburg. Cannons from here could shell boats traveling between New Orleans and Memphis.

Grant had a difficult time gaining control of Vicksburg Grant had a difficult time gaining control of Vicksburg. In 1863 he launched his final attack on the Confederates forces there. He marched his troops inland on Jackson, Mississippi. He then turned west and attacked Vicksburg from the rear.

For over six weeks, Grant’s forces lay siege to Vicksburg. Day after day the Union troops would slowly move closer and closer to town. Union artillery and gunboats on the river bombarded the soldiers. Because the town was under siege the Confederate troops had no food or supplies and began to eat mules and rats.

Finally, on July 9 Union forces captured Port Hudson, Louisiana. The Mississippi River was now under Union control, cutting the confederacy into two. Arkansas, Louisiana and Texas were now split from the rest of the Confederacy.

Union Victory at Gettysburg: In the East, General Lee was moving his army north into Pennsylvania and hopefully Washington. Lee was trying to take the Yankees by surprise and if we was successful in capturing Pennsylvania he would swing back and capture Washington D.C.

On June 30th, the Union forces under General Meade, met Lee and his troops. Both sides quickly began to call in reinforcements hoping that they would win. At the start of the battle, the Confederacy was driving Union troops out of Gettysburg. On July 2 the Confederate attack failed and the Union was able to push back.

The next move was the bloodiest and devastating loses for the South: Lee ordered General Pickett to lead 15,000 men up a steep slope and charge the union forces. Union guns opened fire (being on higher ground) and row after row, confederate troops were gunned down. Lee admitted that this attack and devastation was all his fault

With this loss, the Confederate army would never again try to invade the North. Both Gettysburg and Vicksburg marked the turning point of the Civil War.

The Gettysburg Address The Battle of Gettysburg left more than 40,000 dead or wounded. During the ceremony on November 19, 1863 Lincoln attended but was not a main speaker. During this time Lincolns popularity was very low.

When the main speaker, a soldier, stopped speaking Lincoln took the stage. He only spoke for about three minutes. In his speech he stated that the Civil War was a test to see if a democratic nation could survive. When looking out at the graves Lincoln stated:

“We are here highly resolved that these dead shall now have died in vain-this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom-and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish on this earth.” His address did not make any headlines until later in history.

Sherman’s march to the sea: Grant ordered General William Sherman to capture Atlanta, Georgia and then march to the Atlantic Ocean. He was ordered to destroy ANYTHING in his path. Sherman’s troops captured Atlanta on September 1864. Sherman and his troops ripped up railroads, built bonfires of ties, then heated and twisted the rails. They burnt homes, barns and factories.

Lincoln is Reelected: Lincoln was not very popular at his time of reelection and he stated that his defeat was “extremely probable”. Democrats nominated General George McClellan to oppose Lincoln. McClellan was more willing to compromise with the South than Lincoln was.

However, when Sherman and his men took Atlanta, Lincoln’s popularity began to make a comeback. In November, the votes came in, it was a close run, but Lincoln remained President.

The War Ends: Grant began to make his way to Richmond (the Confederate Capital) in May 1864. He and Lee fought many battles throughout that summer. In the North, many people read about Grant losing 60,000 troops and were horrified. Grant knew that men and supplies could be replaced, but not in the South.

For nine months at Petersburg, Grant put Lee under siege. Finally, with a new shipment of troops and supplies, on April 2, 1865, Grant took Petersburg. The same day Richmond fell. Lee and his troops withdrew to a small Virginia town called Appomattox Courthouse. There, a week later, they were trapped by union troops.

Lee knew that his men would be slaughtered if they fought, and on April 9, 1865, Lee surrendered. Grant stated: “The war is over. The rebels are our countrymen again.”

Effects of the War: More than 360,000 Union soldiers and 250,000 Confederate soldiers were lost. Southerners had resented the North. They lost their independence. Their way of life was instantly changed. Union troops had destroyed much of their land where plantations once were.

However, because of these events and the long drawn out war that was only supposed to last 90 days, the federal government had grown. As well as freeing millions of African Americans. However, a long difficult struggle awaited the United States.