The Civil War - 186162 Eastern Theater

The Civil War - 1861- 62 Eastern Theater

Civil War Trivia - There are over 25 different names for the Civil War.

• The War of the North and South

• The War for Southern Independence

• Mr. Lincoln's War

• The Yankee Invasion

• The War to suppress Yankee Arrogance

The Strange Story of Wilmer McLean

The man who could say "the war began in my backyard and ended in my front parlor."

Multiple Select

Which southern state was the first to secede from the union?

• Virginia

• North Carolina

• South Carolina

• Texas

Multiple Choice

How many states eventually made up the Confederacy?

• 5

• 7

• 11

• 15

Multiple Choice

In his Inaugural Address March 1861, Lincoln demanded that the South give up slavery.

• TRUE

• FALSE

Multiple Choice

The Civil War began when Southerners opened fire on what fort in Charleston Bay, South Carolina?

• Fort Pickens

• Fort Sumter

• Fort McHenry

• Fort Meigs

Multiple Select

Which of the following states were border states (slavery was legal, but they remained in the union)

• Virginia

• Kentucky

• Maryland

• Ohio

• Missouri

Multiple Choice

What was the capital of the Confederate States of America?

• New Orleans, Louisiana

• Richmond, Virginia

• Charleston, South Carolina

• Miami, Florida

The First Major Battle July 1861

• The US began to organize volunteers into various armies, one of which defended the capital - DC

• Lincoln was anxious to win the war.

• He told Union commander Irvin McDowell to invade Virginia and capture Richmond

• This led to the first major land battle

• The Battle of Bull Run (Manassas)

The Aftermath

• Northerners determined to avenge their defeat

• Lincoln asked for an additional 250,000 volunteers to enlist for three years.

• Lincoln removed General McDowell

• He replaced him with George McClellan

George McClellan

No one would have more influence on the war than Mac would in 1861-62

McClellan takes charge

• Brilliant organizer

• Tireless work ethic

• Instilled discipline and order

• By September, DC was the most heavily defended city on earth.

• He then bestowed a name on the army defending the nation's capital.

The Army of the Potomac

• Union Army in D.C.

• best trained, best equipped army in the Americas

• numbered over 150,000 men

• given the task of invading Virginia and capturing Richmond.

So what's the catch? Mac's Negatives

• Enormous Ego

• Paranoid

• Afraid of failure

• Having built the best army in the Americas, Mac was afraid of sending into battle unless he was absolutely convinced he could not lose.

• No respect for President Lincoln

Lincoln urges Mac to attack September 1861

• Mac refused, claiming the Rebs had 100,000 soldiers across the Potomac River

• He also said the Rebs had 150 cannons

• Actual number - less than 5,000 Confederates

• the cannons were logs painted to look like cannons.

• This was not found out until October

The Delays continue

• Mac continued to make up excuses

• Congress was furious

• Lincoln was exasperated.

• "If you're not going to use the army, can I borrow it. After all, we are trying to win the war."

Poll

What would you have done if you were Lincoln?

• Fire Mac

• continue to urge him to attack

• Do nothing, he is a general, let him do his job

January, 1862

Lincoln pays Mac a visit

Mac writes his wife a letter describing Lincoln

"He is nothing but a well-meaning baboon, the original gorilla."

Poll

In February, Lincoln issued an order saying that if Mac did not attack in two weeks, he would be fired.

Then Mac got sick and was bedridden. What would you have done if you were Lincoln

• Fire him, I don't care if he is sick

• Let him get better, then reissue the order.

• Cancel the order and let him do his job.

Mac announces his plan

• Surprisingly, it was brilliant

• His plan was to fake an attack on Manassas Junction and then outflank the Rebs.

• This would be called The Peninsular Campaign

Multiple Select

Mac achieved complete surprise, tens of thousands of Union troops landed at Yorktown. Only 10,000 Conf soldiers stood between Mac's Army and defenseless Richmond.

All Mac had to do was give the order to attack. What did he do next?

• He ordered his men to attack

• He had his men DIG IN (create trenches to protect against an attack)

Multiple Select

Mac landed his army in April 1862, how long did he wait to finally attack.

• a week

• two weeks

• three weeks

• a month

Mac DIGS IN

Convinced he was outnumbered, Mac refused to attack until his entire army had landed, and he was reinforced. That was nearly a month later.

Mac finally attacks

• May 1862, Mac orders the Army of The Potomac to attack.

• The Union army pushes the Conf army back

• Two weeks later, the Union Army was just five miles from Richmond

• The Conf Congress fled Richmond

Multiple Select

What did Mac do next?

• He ordered an attack

• He DUG IN

Mac DIGS IN

• Convinced he was outnumbered 2 to 1, Mac orders the Union army to dig trenches to protect themselves

• Lincoln is furious and urges Mac to attack

• Mac asks Lincoln for 40,000 more soldiers

• Lincoln is afraid this will leave the capital undefended

Poll

If you were Lincoln, what would you do?

• Fire him

• give him 40,000 more soldiers

• give him half the soldiers