Virginia Ironclad Warship Used by the Confederates to Break the Union Blockade

US History Fort Burrows 17.2 -- No Easy Victory

Despite hopes for a quick victory, both northerners and southerners soon learned that they were in for a long, difficult struggle.

Battle of Bull Run – first major battle of the Civil War, fought in Virginia in 1861 Virginia – ironclad warship used by the Confederates to break the Union blockade Monitor – ironclad Union warships Battle of Antietam – 1862, battle in Maryland; day-long battle, more than 23,000 soldiers killed or wounded Battle of Fredericksburg – an 1862 Civil War battle in Virginia; one of the Union’s worst defeats Battle of Chancellorsville – an 1863 Civil War battle in Virginia; important victory for the Confederacy Battle of Shiloh – 1862, battle in Tennessee, Union victory, also the bloodiest battle of the Civil War Gen – Army General blockade – to have a port obstructed by hostile ships preventing entrance or exit defensive resisting attack offensive – the attacking force rally – to come together for an effort or purpose retreat – to stop fighting and withdraw to safety

At first the armies of the North and the South marched proudly off to war. Each side expected a quick and painless victory. The reality of war soon shattered this expectation. Over and over, soldiers wrote home describing the awful face of battle:

“I never saw so many broken down and exhausted men in all my life. I was sick as a horse, and as wet with blood and sweat as I could be…. Our tongues were parched and cracked for water, and our faces blackened with powder and smoke.” quoted by Shelby Foote in The Civil War: A Narrative

It soon became clear that there would be no quick end to the struggle. Both sides began to dig in for a long, difficult war.

Strategies for Victory

 The Union planned an aggressive campaign; attack and move in -- OFFENSIVE  The South planned to hold tight until the North lost the will to fight: protect what you already have -- DEFENSIVE

 Union Plans ② Blockade Southern ports; cut off the South’s supply of manufactured goods from Europe ② In the East, seize Richmond, Virginia the Confederate capital; quickly capture the Confederate government ② In the West, seize control of the Mississippi River; prevent the South from using the river to supply its troops ② This maneuver would also separate Arkansas, Texas, and Louisiana from the rest of the Confederacy

1 of 17.2 Printer Copy MAR 2017 BE MORE ‘BIG’ DOG. It’s an Attitude to Adjust to!!! Leon US History Fort Burrows  Confederate Plans ② Fight a strictly defensive war until the Northerners tired of fighting ② When the war became unpopular in the North, Lincoln would stop the fighting and recognize the South’s independence ② The Confederacy counted on aid from Europe ② Cotton was grown in the South; European textile mills needed their cotton ② Europe, in need of this Southern cotton, would recognize the Confederacy as an independent nation ② Thus, continue to buy the South’s primary resource -- COTTON

Early Encounters  Forward to Richmond! Forward to Richmond!  Every day for more than a month, the New York Tribune published this on the front-page of their newspaper  Giving into popular public pressure, Lincoln ordered an ATTACK!!!  Battle of Bull Run ② July 21, 1861, Union troops left Washington, D.C. ② They headed toward Richmond, Virginia, 100 miles away  Washingtonians, civilians from Washington, D.C., rode along with the troops to watch the battle ② The two armies met up near a small stream in Virginia know as Bull Run ② The Union began breaking through the Confederate battle lines ② The Yankees yelled, “The war is OVER!” ② Confederate General Thomas Jackson began gathering the Virginian troops  A Confederate soldier said, “Look! There is Jackson standing like a stone wall! Rally behind the Virginians!” ② This was how Gen Jackson got his nickname, ‘Stonewall’ Jackson ② The Union troops panicked and retreated back toward Washington, D.C. ② The Battle of Bull Run showed both armies that their men needed training; also, it would be a long and bloody war!

¿¿ What was the significance of the Battle of Bull Run ? ______.

 Caution, Delay, and Retreat ② After the Bull Run disaster, Lincoln appointed General George McClellan as Commander of the Union Army of the East ② This group was known as the Army of the Potomac  McClellan transformed the inexperienced Union recruits into a trained group of soldiers – Ready for Battle!  He was a cautious leader; newspapers made fun AT him: ‘All quiet along the Potomac’  President Lincoln lost his patience; “If Gen McClellan does not want to use the army, I would like to borrow it.”  McClellan got the point; in March he sailed with some of his troops down the Potomac; landing South of Richmond, heading toward the Confederate capital  Gen Lee began counterattacks; Gen Jackson headed North to threaten Washington

2 of 17.2 Printer Copy MAR 2017 BE MORE ‘BIG’ DOG. It’s an Attitude to Adjust to!!! Leon US History Fort Burrows ② As a result Lincoln was prevented from sending the remainder of troops; they stayed to protect Washington ② Still cautious, McClellan abandoned the attack and began retreating

 Naval Action ② Union ships blockaded southern ports ② Small fast ships, ‘blockade runners’ slipped through the Union blockade  These ‘blockade runners’ delivered matches, guns, and other needed supplies  The North tightened-up the blockade delivery rate to 1 out of 10 ships; cutting supplies by 90%  The Confederates took an abandoned Union warship, covered it with iron plates and named it the CSS Virginia  On the Virginia’s maiden voyage, she destroyed two Union ships and ran three aground ② Union cannonballs bounced harmlessly off the Virginia’s metal skin ② The Union countered with its own ironclad ship the USS Monitor ② The two ships clashed near Hampton Roads, VA; after an exhausting battle neither vessel was seriously damaged

② Fear of losing the Virginia, Confederates sank the ship after losing Norfolk ② The Union built 50 more ironclads ② The South did not have the materials or resources to build ironclad ships ② The Union dominated the seas and tightened the blockade ② Stopped ALL cargo from reaching the Confederate Army

¿¿ How did the battle between the Virginia and the Monitor change warfare at sea ?

1.______2.______3.______4.______.

 Antietam ② September 1862, Lee takes offensive and marched his troops North into Maryland ② A Union officer found a copy of Lee’s battle plan; wrapped around three cigars, which was carelessly left behind by one of Lee’s officers ② McClellan boasted, “If I cannot whip ‘Bobbie Lee’, I will be willing to go home” ② McClellan attacked Lee’s main force at Antietam (an TEE tuhm), Sept 17 ② After a day long battle, 23,000 Union and Confederate soldiers were dead or wounded ② At night fall, Lee retreated back to Virginia ② Neither side was a clear winner of the Battle of Antietam even though the North claimed a victory due to the retreat; a huge morale boost for the Yankees ② Lincoln was disappointed that McClellan did not follow the retreating Confederate Army to insure a Northern victory ② Lincoln replaced McClellan with General Ambrose Burnside ② Burnside was now the Commander of the Army of the Potomac

Confederate Victories in the East  Two stunning victories for the Confederates 3 of 17.2 Printer Copy MAR 2017 BE MORE ‘BIG’ DOG. It’s an Attitude to Adjust to!!! Leon US History Fort Burrows  1st – the Battle of Fredericksburg; one of the Union’s worst defeats  Confederate guns mowed down wave after wave of Union soldiers  Burnside’s Union Army lost 13,000 men compared to 5,000 men for the South  2nd – the Battle of Chancellorsville  Lee combined troops with Stonewall; three days of fighting produced another Southern victory  This victory came at a high price  Confederate sentries fired at what they thought was Union soldiers  The mistaken Union soldiers was actually Stonewall Jackson and his men  Gen Stonewall Jackson was wounded and died several days later  This mistake was a huge blow against the Confederate Army

Union Victories in the West  Union strategy for the West was to capture and control the Mississippi River  General Ulysses S Grant was in charge for the Union  February 1862, Grant attacked and captured Forts Henry and Donelson in Tennessee  These Confederate forts guarded important tributaries of the Mississippi River  Grant showed his toughness and determination by winning a 3rd battle, the Battle of Shiloh; one of the bloodiest battles of the Civil War  The Union Navy captured New Orleans and Memphis, Tennessee  By capturing these two ‘port’ cities, the Union controlled both end of the Mississippi River; Ole Man River became a Yankee  The South could no longer use the river as a supply line

1. What strategies did each side adopt to win the war ? ______

2. How did early encounters dispel hopes for a quick end to the war ? ______

3. What victories did the Confederate achieve ?

1.______2.______3.______

4. What victories did the Union achieve ? 1.______2.______3.______

4 of 17.2 Printer Copy MAR 2017 BE MORE ‘BIG’ DOG. It’s an Attitude to Adjust to!!! Leon