OCR Specification focus:
‘the significance of major campaigns and battles including Antietam, Shiloh, Vicksburg, Gettysburg, the march through Georgia, Wilderness Campaign; naval blockade, international situation’
The Civil War was shaped decisively by campaigns, battles, and strategies that determined military momentum, influenced morale, and shaped the Union’s eventual victory over the Confederacy.
Antietam, 1862
The Battle of Antietam (also called Sharpsburg) was fought on 17 September 1862 and marked the bloodiest single day in American history, with around 22,000 casualties.
Military Significance
First major battle on Union soil, following Lee’s invasion of Maryland.
McClellan’s forces halted Lee, preventing Confederate momentum in the North.
Although tactically inconclusive, Antietam forced Lee’s retreat across the Potomac.
Political Significance
Provided President Lincoln with the opportunity to issue the Emancipation Proclamation, transforming the war from one of Union preservation into a struggle against slavery.
This move reduced the chances of European recognition of the Confederacy, as Britain and France were reluctant to support a slaveholding power.
Emancipation Proclamation: An executive order issued by Lincoln in January 1863, declaring slaves in rebelling states to be free, shifting the war’s moral purpose.
Shiloh, 1862
The Battle of Shiloh (April 1862) in Tennessee was an early Union victory under Ulysses S. Grant.
Military Significance
Showed the brutal scale of the war, with over 20,000 casualties, shattering illusions of a quick conflict.
Secured Union control of western Tennessee and paved the way for advances along the Mississippi River, a key strategic artery.
Wider Importance
Demonstrated the need for better organisation and discipline in Union forces.
Raised Grant’s reputation, though also criticisms of unpreparedness.
Vicksburg, 1863
The Siege of Vicksburg (May–July 1863) was a decisive Union campaign.
Strategic Importance
Vicksburg was known as the “Gibraltar of the Mississippi.” Its fall gave the Union complete control of the Mississippi River.
Outcome
Grant’s successful siege culminated in Confederate surrender on 4 July 1863.
Alongside Gettysburg, often seen as a turning point of the war.
Gettysburg, 1863
The Battle of Gettysburg (1–3 July 1863) in Pennsylvania was the largest battle ever fought in North America.
Military Consequences
Lee’s second invasion of the North ended in failure.
Massive casualties on both sides (over 50,000 combined).
The infamous Pickett’s Charge on the final day decimated Confederate forces.
Political and Psychological Impact
Boosted Northern morale, especially when combined with the fall of Vicksburg the next day.
Marked the beginning of Confederate decline, as Lee would never again mount a major offensive into Union territory.
The March through Georgia, 1864
Union General William Tecumseh Sherman led a campaign of “total war” across Georgia.
Features of the Campaign
Captured Atlanta in September 1864, a vital Confederate stronghold.
Launched a march from Atlanta to Savannah, destroying railways, crops, and infrastructure.
Based on U.S. National Park Service data, this SVG map shows Sherman’s March to the Sea from Atlanta to Savannah and subsequent movements into the Carolinas. Source
Significance
Weakened Confederate capacity to wage war by undermining its economy and morale.
Boosted Northern confidence, helping secure Lincoln’s re-election in 1864.
Total War: A strategy that targets not only enemy armies but also the economic and civilian resources sustaining them.
Wilderness Campaign, 1864
The Wilderness Campaign, led by Grant against Lee in Virginia (May–June 1864), was a gruelling series of battles.
Characteristics
Heavy casualties, fought in dense terrain that nullified Union numerical superiority.
Marked by relentless pressure: unlike previous commanders, Grant did not retreat after setbacks.
Long-Term Significance
Showed Union determination to exhaust Confederate manpower and supplies.
Foreshadowed the siege of Petersburg and eventual collapse of Richmond in 1865.
Naval Blockade
From 1861 onwards, the Union established the Anaconda Plan, a blockade of Southern ports.
Purpose
Prevent export of cotton, the Confederacy’s main source of foreign exchange.
Stop import of weapons and supplies.
Effectiveness
Initially leaky, but improved as the war progressed.
Strangled the Southern economy, leading to shortages, inflation, and weakening of Confederate resolve.
Anaconda Plan: The Union strategy to blockade Confederate ports and control the Mississippi River, effectively “squeezing” the South into submission.
International Situation
The Civil War occurred in a global context where European powers—particularly Britain and France—considered recognising the Confederacy.
Factors
Cotton shortages in Britain created pressure for intervention.
Antietam and the Emancipation Proclamation made open support for the Confederacy politically untenable.
The Union blockade discouraged recognition, as Europe feared conflict with the North.
Impact
The Confederacy’s failure to gain foreign recognition further isolated it and ensured it faced the Union alone.
FAQ
Antietam halted Lee’s advance into the North, giving Lincoln the confidence to announce the Emancipation Proclamation.
This shifted the war’s focus from preserving the Union to ending slavery. As a result:
Britain and France, both abolitionist powers, were discouraged from recognising or supporting the Confederacy.
It undermined Southern hopes of international intervention, keeping the conflict largely domestic.
Sherman’s troops targeted infrastructure and resources, a strategy designed to break Confederate morale.
Effects included:
Railways torn up, livestock seized, and crops burned.
Civilians faced shortages of food and goods, creating widespread hardship.
The psychological impact was profound, with many Southerners feeling the war was unwinnable.
The terrain around Vicksburg was swampy and heavily fortified, making direct assaults costly.
Union troops had to:
Conduct complex manoeuvres to encircle the city.
Use siege tactics, cutting off supplies to force Confederate surrender.
Operate in extreme heat and under constant fire, testing endurance and discipline.
Earlier commanders often withdrew after setbacks, allowing Lee to regroup.
Grant, however:
Continued pressing forward despite heavy casualties.
Maintained constant pressure, showing determination to exhaust Confederate resources.
Demonstrated a war of attrition, signalling the Union’s willingness to sustain losses for long-term victory.
The blockade not only cut off exports but also destabilised internal markets.
Consequences included:
Hyperinflation, as Confederate currency lost value.
Shortages of essentials like salt, clothing, and medicine.
A collapse in cotton prices, leaving Southern planters unable to generate income.
This economic strain weakened both civilian morale and Confederate military capacity.
Practice Questions
Question 2 (6 marks):
Explain how the Union naval blockade contributed to the eventual defeat of the Confederacy.
Mark scheme:
1–2 marks: General description, e.g. “The Union blockade stopped the South from trading cotton.” Limited detail or explanation.
3–4 marks: Some developed explanation, e.g. “The blockade reduced exports of cotton and limited imports of weapons, weakening the Confederate war effort.” Shows some understanding of impact.
5–6 marks: Clear and developed explanation with specific effects, e.g. “The blockade prevented the Confederacy from exporting cotton, depriving it of foreign income. It also limited supplies of weapons and essentials, leading to inflation, shortages, and declining morale. This weakened the South’s capacity to sustain the war and contributed significantly to Union victory.” Shows secure understanding of blockade’s strategic importance.
Question 1 (2 marks):
Name two major Union victories in 1863 that are often considered turning points in the Civil War.
Mark scheme:
1 mark for correctly identifying each Union victory.
Acceptable answers: Vicksburg (1 mark), Gettysburg (1 mark).
Maximum: 2 marks.
