Civil War 101- The Textvook

Portrait of the man who (probably) fired the first shot in the Civil War . Virulently pro-South. Then the author talks about the debate over the actual cause or causes of the war. Slavery? Economic differences between North and South? States rights? The book examines what various Southern states considered their reason for withdrawing from the Union. Their reasons almost always revolve one way or another around the issue of slavery.

Then the author goes into specific battles. The First Battle of Bull Run showed that a long war was very likely, and that it would be quite bloody. The revolving-door Union generals program began. Then it talks about Stonewall Jackson.

One of the major turning points of the war was when Lee's battle plans were found and taken to Union forces. If that had not happened, the course of the entire war could have been changed, since a solid, early Lee victory could have convinced some foreign powers to support the Confederacy.

1863 saw the Union split the Confederacy in half with their capture of Vicksburg and thus control of the mouth of the Mississippi River. The Battle of Gettysburg was pretty much the high point for the South and the beginning of the end for the South. Jeb Stuart's absence from the early part of the fight hurt the Southerners, and the failure of Lee's men to take Little Round Top also dealt the Southern attack a major blow. If Lee's forces could have taken Little Round Top with sufficient force, they could have attacked the entire Union line from it's own left (according to the way it was positioned), and just maybe that would have been enough to allow Pickett's forces to succeed in breaking the Union line in two.

A lot of maybes, though.

In 1864, Grant got command of the Union armies in the East, and Sherman got command of the Union armies in the west. Although Grant had a problem with severe migraines and drinking, he still won battles which was more than the other Union generals had managed. With Sherman's March to the Sea the 'scorched earth' concept of war reared its head in this country as a major war strategy.

The book then examines the burning of Atlanta and Columbia, and notes that actions by both sides contributed to the fires. Then it talks about the end of the war and the capture of Jefferson Davis.

(One thing the book does not discuss, though, was the consideration being given to letting the Southern armies dissolve, go into the mountains in groups, and wage a form of guerrilla warfare. If that had been done, the South would have become Lincoln's Vietnam.)

Reconstruction is then discussed and how it relates to the Civil Rights movement. Then it talks about Civil War battle reenactments.

This is a good condensed summary of the Civil War.

Main Index Page

Civil War 101- The Textvook

Then the author goes into specific battles. The First Battle of Bull Run showed that a long war was very likely, and that it would be quite bloody. The revolving-door Union generals program began. Then it talks about Stonewall Jackson.

One of the major turning points of the war was when Lee's battle plans were found and taken to Union forces. If that had not happened, the course of the entire war could have been changed, since a solid, early Lee victory could have convinced some foreign powers to support the Confederacy.

A lot of maybes, though.

The book then examines the burning of Atlanta and Columbia, and notes that actions by both sides contributed to the fires. Then it talks about the end of the war and the capture of Jefferson Davis.

(One thing the book does not discuss, though, was the consideration being given to letting the Southern armies dissolve, go into the mountains in groups, and wage a form of guerrilla warfare. If that had been done, the South would have become Lincoln's Vietnam.)

Reconstruction is then discussed and how it relates to the Civil Rights movement. Then it talks about Civil War battle reenactments.

This is a good condensed summary of the Civil War. Main Index Page

This is a good condensed summary of the Civil War.

Main Index Page