Chapter 13: The River War in 1862
Before Feb 1862, there wasn't much fighting on the rivers in Illinois. But this was a very strategic place for the free states as it grew into a large military and navy base. Forts were created by the Confederacy to defend against river invasions by the Union. Halleck and Buell, military administrators, were urged by Lincoln to work together to make an offensive against Johnston. Lincoln believed the North would only win by using its large numbers to attack everywhere at the same time to stop the Confederacy from moving troops quickly.
But competition between the two didn't allow them to cooperate and Lincoln urged Ulysses S. Grant to go ahead. He attacked at Fort Henry and used gunboats to capture and destroy Confederate vessels. Soon, Tennessee had a Union highway into the Deep South. In a war after this, Nathan Bedford Forrest soon became the South's most important commanders. In another war against Buckner, Grant forced the surrender of thirteen thousand men, and he was promoted to major general.
Grant's victories made the rebel morale go down, but just like the Northerners after Bull Run, southerners urged dedication to winning. But criticism of Sidney Johnston, a Southern commander, rose after he lost in Tennessee many times. Beauregard helped him in some wars, and planned an offensive to regain Tennessee. At the Battle of Shiloh, Confederate forces surprised Union troops and drove them across the Tennessee River. Although the Union did get backup and win the battle, it was one of the most bloody battles in the Civil War.
Shiloh completely pushed the country into a total war. Before Shiloh, Grant had believed that just one more Union victory would let them win completely, but now he believed the only way to save the Union was to completely invade the Confederate states and force them to give up their power.
Lincoln's wish to attack at different places at the same time and mobilize the large Northern population finally worked when Union forces captured New Orleans. They forced army divisions out of Louisiana as well as some gunboats. Although they won again at Drewry's Bluff, Southerners were starting to lose their morale. This lead to enacting martial law and conscription by the Confederates. Due to inflation, the Confederate dollar dropped. At the same time, the Union government released political prisoners, suspended conscription, and had enough money for the war to keep them afloat.
Key Terms:
Before Feb 1862, there wasn't much fighting on the rivers in Illinois. But this was a very strategic place for the free states as it grew into a large military and navy base. Forts were created by the Confederacy to defend against river invasions by the Union. Halleck and Buell, military administrators, were urged by Lincoln to work together to make an offensive against Johnston. Lincoln believed the North would only win by using its large numbers to attack everywhere at the same time to stop the Confederacy from moving troops quickly. But competition between the two didn't allow them to cooperate and Lincoln urged Ulysses S. Grant to go ahead. He attacked at Fort Henry and used gunboats to capture and destroy Confederate vessels. Soon, Tennessee had a Union highway into the Deep South. In a war after this, Nathan Bedford Forrest soon became the South's most important commanders. In another war against Buckner, Grant forced the surrender of thirteen thousand men, and he was promoted to major general.
Grant's victories made the rebel morale go down, but just like the Northerners after Bull Run, southerners urged dedication to winning. But criticism of Sidney Johnston, a Southern commander, rose after he lost in Tennessee many times. Beauregard helped him in some wars, and planned an offensive to regain Tennessee. At the Battle of Shiloh, Confederate forces surprised Union troops and drove them across the Tennessee River. Although the Union did get backup and win the battle, it was one of the most bloody battles in the Civil War.Shiloh completely pushed the country into a total war. Before Shiloh, Grant had believed that just one more Union victory would let them win completely, but now he believed the only way to save the Union was to completely invade the Confederate states and force them to give up their power.
Lincoln's wish to attack at different places at the same time and mobilize the large Northern population finally worked when Union forces captured New Orleans. They forced army divisions out of Louisiana as well as some gunboats. Although they won again at Drewry's Bluff, Southerners were starting to lose their morale. This lead to enacting martial law and conscription by the Confederates. Due to inflation, the Confederate dollar dropped. At the same time, the Union government released political prisoners, suspended conscription, and had enough money for the war to keep them afloat.
Key Terms:
- conscription (Conscription Act): a Confederate law that subjected all Southern men aged 18-35 (later changed to 17-50) to military service
- Legal Tender Act: (1862) authorized $150 million in greenbacks; Confederacy never made its paper money legal tender, so it responded by making more paper money, and inflation rose, leading to riots as people couldn't afford goods.
- Homestead Act: (1862) signed by Lincoln; gave 160 acres of public land to any settler who would farm the land for five years; settler only had to pay registration fee.
- Battle of Shiloh: Confederate forces surprised Union troops and drove them across the Tennessee River; although the Union did get backup and win the battle, one of the most bloody battles in the Civil War.
- Who started conscription first - the North or the South?
- Was it directly in response to the Battle of Shiloh, or was there a war that preceded Shiloh that caused conscription?
- Also, was conscription in the South due to the lack in morale and not many signing up to be in the army anymore? Or were just there so many deaths that they needed more people in the army?
- I thought the total war started a while back... When it says Shiloh turned the war into a total war, is that referring to the Confederacy?
- McPherson, James M. "13: The River War in 1862." In Battle Cry of Freedom, 392-427. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1988.
- Accessed March 11, 2015. http://www.sonofthesouth.net/leefoundation/civil-war/1862/may/battle-shiloh-cartoon.jpg.
- Accessed March 11, 2015. http://www.myneworleans.com/images/cache/cache_5/cache_9/cache_d/may.luckovich-c9eb1d95.jpeg?ver=1415295552&aspectratio=1.4492753623188.
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