by Rosie Court
Guest Writer
The American Civil War from 1861-65 was a defining event in the history of our country, a conflict that nearly crushed the spirit of the American people.
The War of Succession wanted to preserve different social and economic lifestyles in the North and South. Our nation was in turmoil, bitterly divided over slavery and states’ rights. Twenty-three Northern states opposed slavery. Eleven Southern states felt forced labor was essential to the South’s economy.
Abolitionists strongly opposed slavery, feeling it was morally wrong. They voiced their concerns with public actions and by publishing anti-slavery articles. The book Uncle Tom’s Cabin helped to fuel the anti-slavery issue. Also the Kansas-Nebraska Act and Dred Scott decision further created tension between the states.
The Civil War tested the strength of our nation because it divided America. Yankee troops of the North and Rebel troops of the South took up arms against each other. It was a period of immense human suffering, sacrifice with tremendous courage and much bloodshed. More than 360,000 Union and 260,000 Confederate soldiers lost their lives in nearly 400 battles and hundreds of skirmishes on American soil. As battles raged back and forth some were decisive victories while others gained nothing.
War-related costs were high. The Union spent $15 billion while the Confederacy spent $4 billion. Congress imposed a federal income tax for the first time to fund the war. Initially the Confederacy sold war bonds to be redeemed at war’s end.
Abraham Lincoln, the 16th president, was the first Republican to be elected. The South was unhappy with election results due to Lincoln’s views on slavery. Lincoln was resolute in keeping the Union together, vowing to preserve and protect it at all costs. He felt “A house divided against itself cannot stand.”
In December 1860, South Carolina seceded from the Union, followed by Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Texas, Virginia, Arkansas, North Carolina and Tennessee. To preserve slavery, protect their states’ rights and fight for freedom from a controlling government, they instituted their own government, “The Confederate States of America,” electing Jefferson Davis as president. Four states remained neutral –Maryland, Kentucky, Missouri and Delaware.
On April 12, 1861, Confederates bombarded Fort Sumter, S.C. After the siege, dark clouds of war were looming over our nation. On April 15, Lincoln issued a call for 75,000 volunteers to serve for three months to subdue the rebellion. He was raising an army to invade his own country. Thus began the start of the Civil War between the states.
Minnesota Gov. Alexander Ramsey was in Washington, D.C. when the news broke out about Fort Sumter. Ramsey offered 10,000 men from Minnesota for the war effort to defend the Union.
On April 29, 10 companies of volunteers between the ages of 18 and 31 were “mustered in” at Fort Snelling. “The First Minnesota Regiment” served under Colonel Willis A. Gorman. Volunteering for a cause, fathers and sons, brothers and friends enlisted in the same companies. Leaving their homes, families, farms and jobs, they had no idea of the hardships of army life they would endure fighting for the future of America. A “Band of Brothers” was formed during camp life or on the battlefields. On May 10, the First Minnesota was re-mustered for three years of service.
Each regiment carried proudly the national flag along with its state’s flag. Flag bearers were often the targets of enemy fire. Capturing a regimental flag was regarded as a highly valued prize.
In 1863. when the enlistment terms of 130 regiments were due to expire, the North instituted a national draft for men ages 20-45. Privates earned $13 a month while a general’s salary was $315 per month. Young boys ran away from home to become drummer boys on the battlefield.
General Robert E. Lee commanded the main Army of the Confederacy, called the “Army of Northern Virginia.” He had strong leadership skills, making him well respected among his troops. Lee had the ability to maneuver, and beat larger and more prepared Union forces. Although he was a great strategist, his tactics often brought victory at a high cost in dead and wounded men.
Lee’s best general and right-hand man was a calvary officer, Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson. During the Shenandoah Valley campaign of 1862, Jackson marched his force of 16,000 men more than 600 miles in 35 days. He was considered a master of military strategy and feared by Yankee soldiers. In the Battle of Chancellorsville, Jackson was accidentally shot by his own troops. After amputating his arm, he died eight days later from pneumonia. The ‘Stonewall Brigade” was widely known for its speed and endurance. Well-known Confederate generals were Jeb Stewart, an experienced calvary officer; A.P. Hill; James Longstreet; Jubal Early; Richard Ewell; Daniel Sickles; and Pierre Beauregard.
Union strategy was to block southern seaports, capture Richmond (the Confederacy capital) and take control of the Mississippi River and March from Georgia to the sea. Gen. Winfield Scott was the first Union commander of “The Army of the Potomac,” formed near Washington D.C. Generals transformed draftees into well-disciplined, organized men. The North had more troops, a supply of reinforcements, greater resources, newer weapons and artillery and supplies. It was also more industrialized.
Other generals serving the Union were George McClellan and George E. Custer who at 23 was the youngest general in the army. He was known as a dynamic calvary man. On March 17, 1864, Lincoln named Ulysses S. Grant as commander of all the Union armies.
Most officers were graduates of West Point who previously served in combat. It was an enormous task to maneuver volunteer armies of 30,000-40,000 men in 60 major battles. Logistical difficulties had to be overcome. Heavy artillery was hauled over varied terrain under inclement weather. Generals who had been classmates and friends led opposing armies.
Both armies had high expectations, expecting a quick victory. For the first two years, Rebels won battle after battle, keeping the hope of their countrymen alive. In a significant battle on July 21, 1861, they met near the town of Manassas /Bull Run (small creek) in Virginia. Battles were referred to by more than one name. Union commanders named conflicts after a nearest river or stream. Confederates named them after the nearest town.
The 1st Minnesota Regiment was tested in battle for the first time. It was the site of one of the Civil War’s bloodiest battles. Hundreds of prominent residents came in carriages from Washington, D.C. to watch the battle. Both armies felt the rebellion would end there. The South won a resounding victory. There was mass confusion by both armies due to their inexperience. After the humiliating defeat, Union troops scattered, fleeing toward Washington. A total of 1,025 men were killed and 2,550 wounded. Confederates captured 1,200 Union solders.
On May 7, 1862, the bloody Battle of Shiloh in Tennessee was a truly horrifying large-scale battle. The Rebels moved quietly through the “Wilderness.” They burst through the woods with a surprise attack on the Yankees. One battle line was called the “Hornet’s Nest” due to all the bullets buzzing by the Union. Nearly 24,000 men were killed or missing in battle. The first battery of the Minnesota Light Artillery helped hold the line of battle on the first day to prevent a win for the Rebels. Both sides claimed victory.
At the second battle of Manassas on Aug. 28, 1862, the Union suffered another crushing defeat. As the fierce battle raged on the first day, one-third of the men became casualties. Stonewall Jackson had marched his troops 54 miles in 36 hours. After that victory, it was a spiral downward for the Confederate Army.
The Battle of Antietam (Sharpsburg) produced the bloodiest battle in a single day. On Sept. 17, 1862 more than 100,000 men fought each other. Cries of wounded could be heard as they fell. By nighttime bodies lay scattered on the battlefield with more than 23,000 soldiers either dead or suffering in makeshift field hospitals. It was a pivotal battle for the North, stopping a Southern invasion. Gen. Lee had hoped to destroy railroads and find much-needed food and clothing for his troops. One-third of his troops marched barefoot wearing ill-fitting heavy woolen uniforms. The Minnesota Regiment was the last to retire from the field, suffering some of the worst casualties.
In field hospitals, amputations were the most common surgery. Doctors had minimal training. Medical knowledge was still in its infancy. Ether, chloroform or alcohol when available sedated the men. Amputees endured traumatic ordeals from disease or infection. Some went through surgery fully conscious. Not only did wounds from the bullet or bayonet slashes kill the troops, but also germs. Germ-killing antiseptics were unknown.
The U.S. Ambulance Corps removed wounded soldiers. Women were involved in the war in every aspect. Clara Barton, founder of the American Red Cross, led an effort for women to care for the Union soldiers. More than 21,000 women volunteered their services. On the home front, women raised money for the war, sewed uniforms, flags; and women even served as spies. At home they had to work, manage the farms, plantations and businesses. Some women disguised as men served in battle.
After the victory on Jan. 1, 1863, President Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, freeing slaves of the Confederate states still in rebellion. In the border states of Delaware, Kentucky, Maryland and Missouri slaves were exempt.
In 1863, African-Americans were allowed to enlist in segregated units. The United States Colored Troops Regiments of the Union consisted of black soldiers with white officers. The 54th Massachusetts Regiment proved its spirit and bravery fighting equally with any men on the battlefield.
For every man killed on the battlefield, two died in camp. Morale in camps was a problem; scant rations were always an issue. A staple food, hardtack (a form of cracker) was often filled with weevils. Food became rancid, barely adequate for the soldiers. Lack of fruit or vegetables caused malnutrition.
Overcrowded, poorly equipped tented encampments created unsanitary conditions. Thousands died from rampant widespread diseases including malaria and typhoid fever. Lice and flea infestations were common. Often dysentery set in, costing them their lives.
Activities broke the boredom of camp life. Often they engaged in chess, pitching quoits, playing baseball of cards, or whittling. Letters were written, musical instruments played, songs sung or stories told. Sundays allowed for religious services. Days were spent on drills, bayonet practice, shooting weapons or guard duty.
Small arms used were musket, carbine and repeating rifles. The calvary used mainly revolvers. The most widely used weapon, the Springfield rifle, fired “Minnie balls,” which were the main cause of wounds, often shattering bones and leading to the amputation of limbs. Sharpshooters were skilled marksmen. Placed in front of the column to engage the enemy, they suffered high casualty rates.
Technology changed with tremendous advances. Field artillery was used extensively, playing a critical role in the war. Six canons formed a battery supporting the infantry.
Navies of both armies played a part in the strategies of the battle. The South built the first ironclad ship, “The CSS Virginia.”
“Signal Corps” organized relaying news. Towers and telegraphs communicated military intelligence over long distances. Hot-air balloons made observations reporting enemy positions and strengths. The calvary scouted out positions and movements of the armies.