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The Trent Affair and Battles in the Civil War

This chapter discusses the Trent Affair, where a Union warship stopped a British mail steamer and released Confederate diplomats, and the battles in the Civil War, including the Battle of Antietam. It also explores the Emancipation Proclamation, its effects, and how Lincoln dealt with dissent and implemented conscription.

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The Trent Affair and Battles in the Civil War

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  1. Chapter 11.2 Notes

  2. The Trent Affair • South never abandoned its hope of foreign aid and Europe never really gave up plan to see a weakened US • Trent Affair: (late 1861) Union warship sailing seas north of Cuba stopped a British mail steamer, the Trent and forcibly removed to Confederate diplomats bound for Europe • GB and South furious, demand release of men • Lincoln has men released “one war at a time”, can’t fight them both

  3. Battles in the West • Lincoln was having terrible luck keeping a general, finally puts Gen Ulysses S. Grant • Grant was an okay student at West Point and had experienced an okay career • Was in the Mexican War but had a drinking “issue” and left the army rather than facing court martial, was working in his father’s leather store when civil war came • But came on the scene by achieving “unconditional surrender” in the western theater of the Civil War, capturing Fort Donelson on Tennessee and Cumberland Rivers (Feb 1862) • However he is defeated at the battle of Shiloh (April 6-7, 1862) in State of TN although did fight well

  4. Battle of Antietam • Aug 29-30, 1862, Battle of Second Bull Run • Lee vs Gen John Pope, Lee wins • At this point the South is clearly winning the war, BUT Lee makes his first mistake and decides to invade Maryland. • 1. to lure the Border states to the South • 2. draw the war out of VA during harvest season • 3. victory on Northern soil would boost Southern morale and maybe bring in foreign (GB aid) • A major battle takes place at Antietam Creek, MD • Prior to battle, Lincoln reinstates McClellan as head of Union troops • Just before fighting Lee’s battle plans were lost (dropped by a Confederate officer and found by Union troops, WHOOPS!) • South loses the battle Antietam Creek, Sept 17, 1862, • One of the largest battles of the war

  5. Why the Battle was Important IF south had won, they just might have won the entire war. North’s victory convinced Europe to stay out of war, so no aid to South which would have really changed things Considered by some the most decisive battle of Civil War Victory gives Lincoln the platform to announce the Emancipation Proclamation which serves to give the North a moral cause. No longer fighting to bring South back to the Union but fighting to END SLAVERY

  6. Emancipation Proclamation • January 1, 1863 • Declared forever free the slaves in the Confederate states sill in rebellion (about 800,000 people) • DID NOT FREE SLAVES IN BORDER STATES (remember Lincoln does not want to anger them and have them leave the Union)

  7. Effects of EP • South was a separate country from the US (or at least this was how they viewed it) so how can the president of a foreign nation pass any law that has an effect on them? • Did Lincoln have the authority to free the slaves in the CSA? Answer is NO. At the time even the US Constitution supported slavery and a president can not simply make a proclamation to change the Constitution, must have an amendment which has to be passed through the proper channels (13th amendment is passed after the war), If proclamation had legally freed the slaves there would have been no need for the 13th amendment • Emancipation Proclamation did have a MAJOR symbolic effect, do not underestimate it!

  8. Effects of EP • Thousands of slaves who learned of EP left the plantations and went up North • 1 in 7 slaves ran away to the Union army • Southerners accused Lincoln of starting a rebellion • Both sides now knew the war was going to be a hard fight to the finish • Public reactions to EP varied, abolitionists very excited, others not so much (many border state soldiers fighting for north left army)

  9. Dealing with Dissent • Several things AL did were clearly unconstitutional but felt they were allowed due to the “emergency” of the situation. Without Congress in session (no one to stop him): • Increased size of Army (per Const only Congress can do this, Congress later approves) • Sent $2 million to 3 private citizens for military purposes • Suspends writ of habeas corpus so arrests could be easily made • “Monitors” voting on Border States (made sure vote turned out his way) • Martial Law in Maryland

  10. Conscription (Draft) • First days of war LOTS of volunteers (even whole towns) • But as war drags on and on, enthusiasm goes down • Both North and South have to draft soldiers • Congress allows rich to buy their way out of draft for $300, means someone who can’t afford to pay the bill has to fight instead. Not very popular with poor • Union draft begins in 1863, and strongly protested. • NYC experiences draft riots • 90% of Union soldiers were volunteers. Signed up due to patriotism, pressure, and $ bonuses (scams abounded) • South starts draft in 1862, had less of population • Soldiers ranged from 17-50, sometimes younger, need all able bodied men and wont use slaves • Those with 20+ slaves were exempt from draft

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