The Country Runs Blood Red

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The Country Runs Blood Red

• The Most Horrifying of Wars

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There were three KEY battles

• These Battles shaped not only the war, but also
  the course of the nation
• As is often the case in war, fortunes were made
  and lost due to brilliant leadership, daring
  tactics, lousy decisions, and pure dumb luck
• As it always turns out, history is written by the
  winners, and the good guys always win

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The Battle of Bull Run (July 21, 1861) Manassas
Junction to Southerners

• Union (the North) had a 30,000 to 20,000 edge in
  men
• Thinking it would be a nice day for a picnic,
  thousands of spectators came to watch the
  battle unfold
• The North expected a quick victory

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The rise of Stonewall Jackson

• A Virginian general who was standing like a
  stone wall
• Spurned the Virginians to defend their territory
• Started the blood-curdled scream The Rebel
  Yell

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War Always Brings Chaos

• The Union soldiers retreated into the picnic
  go-ers, starting a general panic
• The North was forced to see the reality that it
  could be a long war
• The South was electrified, thinking it could
  actually win, but were too exhausted and
  disorganized to attack Washington DC.
• Each side lost about 10 of their men

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The Battle of Antietam (Sharpsburg to
Southerners)

• Lee decided to invade the North
• The Confederacy had just come off a string of
  victories in the South
• A victory could force Lincoln to sue for peace
• It would give Virginians a rest from the Union
  army during the harvest season
• The troops were hungry
• The South was hungry
• They could also plunder Northern food
• With victory, the South could gain foreign
  recognition

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Americas Saddest Day

• The battle led to the bloodiest day in American
  history (General McClellen Northern General
  Lee Southern)
• Over 23,000 men were dead or wounded
• There was no progress on the battlefield
• Lee withdrew (not a retreat)
• Foreign nations (especially England and France)
  were now hesitant to recognize the Confederacy
• After the battle Lincoln announced his intention
  to free all slaves not practical.but very
  symbolic!
• Emancipation Proclamation was Jan. 1, 1863

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Battle of Gettysburg , July 1863(E. C. to anyone
who identifies the Southern name)

• Once again, Lee decided to attack the North
• Northerners were growing tired of the war
• Copperheads, Northern Democrats who wanted peace,
  were gaining in popularity
• Morale in the Union army was very high

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Shoe Shopping Anyone?

• The battle kind of happened when both sides
  literally ran into each other while the South
  sent troops to go shoe shopping
• They ran into Union cavalry (it didnt mean to
  happen!)
• Battle lasted for three days
• First two days both armies held their positions
  on opposite ridges

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ATTACK!!

• The Third day Lee ordered Picket to lead a charge
  of 15,000 men to assault the center of the Union
  line at Cemetery Ridge
• The troops had to cross a wide-open field to get
  there
• The union leveled half the charge in a half hour
• Lee retreated, and blamed the loss on himself
  Its all my fault

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But really, Science Rules!

• The real reason for the loss was the very recent
  advancement in rifles
• Rifles replaced smoothbore muskets
• Rifling A spiral groove was cut down the barrel
  of the gun
• This helped multiply the guns effective range and
  accuracy
• You could fire on an enemy formation from a
  half-mile away

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Playing Tag

• This was the last of the great battles
• The union then took Vicksburg and claimed the
  whole Mississippi River
• It was then a matter of time to chase Lees army
  through the South until they achieved victory at
  Appomattox Courthouse, VA
• The terms were generous to the Southern fighters
• Lincoln was assassinated less than a week later
  by a southern sympathizer

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The Cost of the War

• Over 620,000 men died
• 360,000 for the Union, 260,000 for the South
• The idea the nation was larger than any
  individual state
• From the United States are to the United States
  is
• A larger federal power arose in Washington, D.C.
• Stimulated growth in industrial America
  (North)while the South struggled economically.
• Both the last two were a bitter pill for
  Southerners

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The Cost of the War

• Q. Was it worth it?