Secession and War 18601865

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Secession and War 1860-1865

• Chapter 10 Notes
• Pages 191- 215

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Prelude to Secession- Causes of the War

• Main cause- slavery- failure of American society
  to eliminate it from the beginning- all men are
  created equal unless they are a slave
  
• Government failure to confront issue-
• 3/5 Compromise in Constitution
• Compromise of 1820
• Compromise of 1850
• Kansas-Nebraska Act
• Dred Scott Decision

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• States rights- South claimed that to control
  slavery was a violation of states rights
  
• Abolitionists making slavery an emotional issue-
  helped split the North and South
  
• Uncle Toms Cabin- painted a picture of
  mistreatment and abuse that alarmed the North
  
• Controversy over the spread of slavery to new
  territories in the West
  
• John Brown and his attempt to take over the
  armory at Harpers Ferry- incite slave to rebel
  
• Emotions entering into politics after 1856-
• Lincolns election in 1860 will prompt the South
  to leave

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II. Events in Texas

• After 1857, Tx. Democrats moved closer to other
  Southern states in their feeling on secession
  
• Houston was the leader against secession- wins
  governor in 1860 and tries to keep Texas from
  leaving Union
  
• Election of 1860 had 3 Democratic candidates that
  weakened their chance to win against Lincoln

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III. Secession of Texas

• Radical groups of Texans take control of
  situation- force vote in 1861
  
• State voted in favor of secession- 46,000 to
  15,000
  
• Houston removed from office
• U.S. troops in San Antonio forced out and all
  frontier forts evacuated
  
• April 12, 1861- War starts with the attack on
  Fort Sumter

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IV. At the Battlefront

• Texas vulnerable to attack from 3 directions
• Indian raids will be a problem as more men leave
  to go to fight in the East
  
• Texans attempt to invade New Mexico- 1862
  attempts to capture territory fails
  
• Defense of Texas coast successful
• After Galveston is lost in 1862, John B. Magruder
  recaptures city with Cotton Clads
  
• 1863- Battle of Sabine Pass halts a Union
  invasion of Texas- Dowling commander

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• Nov. 1863- Union moves against the Rio Grande-
  captures Brownsville, Corpus Christi
  
• 1864- Last Union Attempt to invade Texas fails at
  the battle of Mansfield (La.)
  
• Last Battle of war takes place at Palmitto Ranch
  near Brownsville- May 13, 1865

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V. Supplying Men

• Arsenal of the Confederacy- ample supply of men
  and material for the South
  
• Highest officers- Albert Sidney Johnston and John
  Bell Hood
  
• Texans fought in almost every major battle of
  war
  
• Exact number of Texas deaths is hard to estimate

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VI. Critics of the Confederacy

• Union sentiment strong in some areas
• Those who opposed secession, but supported the
  state- some served in state troops
  
• Those who remained neutral- Sam Houston, David G.
  Burnet, many Germans, many Tejanos
  
• Those who left the state or tried to-some went
  and fought in Union army
  
• Other Germans and Tejanos fought in war for
  Confederacy
  
• Peace Party in North Texas
• After 1863- many deserters from the army

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VII. Slaves and Slavery during the Civil War

• Slaves carefully supervised
• Work was normal
• Some slaves were used to help in building forts
  for the war
  
• Freedom mostly still a dream for the slaves
• Buying and selling of slaves too place into 1865

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VIII. Life at Home during the War

• Demand for cotton declines, food increases
• Shortage of medicine
• Salt very scarce
• Value of currency declines as war goes on
• Women helped war effort by raising money and
  caring for the wounded
  
• Gunrunners had success in escaping the blockade

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IX. The Final Days

• Texans still wanted to fight even after reports
  of defeat started coming in
  
• April 18, 1865- last major Confederate army
  surrenders
  
• June 2, Texas surrenders in Galveston
• Future of Texas is uncertain

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XI. Results of War

• 600,000 Americans killed- 350,000 North, 250,
  000
  
• Union is preserved, Federal government prevails
• South is in ruins
• End of slavery
• It will take 100 years to reconcile the nation to
  itself and its ideas of freedom and equality

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The Firsts of the Civil War

• 1st newspaper war- reporters in field, used
  telegraphs or carrier pigeons to send news
  
• 1st time railroad is used to move troops
• 1st to use observation balloons
• 1st to use ironclad vessels
• 1st war to be photographed
• 1st President assassinated- April 15, 1865
• 1st repeating rifles used- (not in any great
  number)