Military+Leaders-Union

==== In 1860, Abraham Lincoln won the election as President of the United States. Lincoln's platform was that slavery should be left undisturbed [but, that it should be excluded from the territories], they denounced John Brown's raid, called for a protective tariff, free homesteads for settlers, and federal funds for internal improvements. Especially on a platform calling western territories to forbid slavery, white citizens of the Deep South states --South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas-- not even waiting for Lincoln's inauguration, and announced themselves as no longer part of the Union. While President Buchanan did nothing, the seceding states established themselves into a government called the Confederate States of America. On March 4, 1861, before Lincoln could take the oath as president, they elected Jefferson Davis of Mississippi as their president and inaugurated him. ====

Lincoln did not approve of secession, although he was well aware that he had no constitutional authority to end slavery under any normal circumstances. He still believed it would die out if it was controlled. At Fort Sumter of Charleston, South Carolina, when Lincoln would not take his men out, the Confederates fired and the fort surrendered. The Civil War seemed to be a struggle on whether the United States would still be a nation. Even though the Union had many advantages, they had several generals that made mistakes, and for that reason many had to be replaced.

George B. McClellan (1826-1885) was not the first Union General; he had replaced formal General Ivrin McDowell. He was one of the most remembered and he was also called a “Young Napoleon” and seemed very hopeful for the Union. He had also fought in the Mexican was and earned himself two brevets for distinguished service. He was commanded general by President Lincoln, who was having trouble finding a proper man for the role as General. McClellan was very carefully planing his attacks and was so pensive before an attack he almost never made one. Despite the Presidents urging to move on and fight,McClellan fought him with every step. McClellan went as far as to "talk behind Lincolns back", about him and argue every time Lincoln suggested move forward. Tensions were rising, yet McClellan struck gold when one day on a Union Patrol officer found 3 cigars wrapped in a copy of Lee's battle plans, George used these plans to his advantage at the battle of Antietam. It was a very bloody day for both the Union and the Confederacy, yet it maintained a clear victory for the North. The South, shocked and fled at the lead of Robert E. Lee, George failed to restrain them. Frustrated Lincoln finally let go of the general, McClellan later lost an election to Lincoln for president. Ulysses Simpson Grant, born in April 27, 1822, was a Union general and lead the Northern armies to victory during the American Civil War. He was known as a hero to the Union and became the 18th president in his later years. As a general, he believed in destroying enemy armies rather than merely occupying enemy territories. Grant was overcoming the Confederaerates who had the advantage to fight a war on their territory. However, Grant lacked the political experience, had nation's postwar problems, and his presidency was marred by the scandals and economic depression. Grant in his early years was told by his father to go to the U.S Military Academy after he finished school. Even though he was not enthusiastic about a military career, Grant went to West Point. He was voted as a brigadier general and he was authorize to attack on Fort Henry on the Tennessee River and Fort Donelson on the Cumberland River in order to gain Union Control of those two rivers, which was the first Union victory. Grant concenterated 38,000 men at Pittsburgh, landing on the Tennessee River, preparing an offensive. In April 6, 1862, the Confederate attacked first at dawn; this war was the most bloodiest battle of the war. Grant was criticzed for carelessness, but Abraham Lincoln refused saying, "I can't spare this man--he fights." Grant set out and the Union took control of the Mississippi River by taking the rebels hold at Vicksburg.



William Tecumseh Sherman was born on February 8, 1820 and served as Union general in the civil war. Sherman, at 16, attended West Point and graduated sixth out of forty-three in his class. After marrying his foster sister, Ellen Ewing, and resigning from the army, after Louisiana seceded from the Union in January 1861 [where his current job was], he quit his job and joined the army again. In May 1861, Sherman was appointed colonel of the Union army's thirteenth infantry. Sherman fought in Bull Run and was promoted to brigadier general of volunteers. He soon enough was known for being unstable and manic depressive, but later on gained respect of his peers. He later took command of the Army of Tennessee and entire western theater. Of all the things he has done, he is best remembered for what he has done in 1864 across Georgia, where he was given the mission to capture Atlanta. media type="custom" key="5701251" As you can see Lincoln had a very hard time finding the right general, yet despite this the North won the war. This victory was mostly thanks to the fact that the North blocked off most resources for the South, the South also had a much smaller population, so even with all the victories the the south had lost. Even though many lives were lost, it shows what people will do for their country. media type="custom" key="5741797"

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Questions to think about:

If the generals in the beginning didn't make those mistakes, do you think the war would've ended sooner?

General Robert E. Lee was one of the biggest issues the Union had to face, if he was a general in the Union's army do you think it would have made a big difference?

Work Cited

ABC-CLIO. Untited States at War: Civil War, n.d. Web. 11 Mar. 2010. .

Benson, Sonia, Daniel E. Brannen, Jr., and Rebecca Valentine. “Sherman, William Tecumseh.” U*X*L Encyclopedia of U.S. History. Ed. Lawrence W. Baker and Sarah Hermsen. Vol. 7. Detroit: UXL, 2009. 1404-6. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 12 Mar. 2010.

“Ulysses Simpson Grant.” Encyclopedia of World Biography. 2nd ed. 17 vols. N.p.: Gale Research, 1998. N. pag. Rpt. in Biography Resource Center. Farmington Hills, Mich: Gale, 2010. N. pag. Biography Resource Center. Web. 12 Mar. 2010.