Georgia the Civil War and other Civil War

Georgia , the Civil War, and other Civil War Facts Georgia Studies

Question to ponder • Hot dog fold your paper • Please respond on your paper to the following: “If you had been living in Georgia between 1861 and 1865, what are some of the ways your life may have been impacted by the Civil War? ”

Georgians in the War • By October of 1861, more than 25, 000 Georgians had volunteered to fight • Arsenals (buildings used to store weapons & ammunition) were built in Augusta, Atlanta, Savannah, Macon, & Columbus • Georgia’s governor during the war, Joseph Brown, was an avid supporter of states’ rights, and was often seen as a thorn in the side of the Confederate government

Life in Georgia during the Civil War • By spring 1862, Union forces had captured all of Georgia’s coastal islands, making them a popular destination for escaped slaves • Georgia was an important supplier for the Confederacy • • More industry than other Southern states More than 1, 400 miles of railroad (Atlanta was hub) “Heart of the Confederacy” Destruction of resources would be fatal to Confederacy’s war effort

War Comes to Georgia • In November 1861, federal forces had occupied Tybee Island to give themselves control of the Savannah River entrance • Union forces used powerful artillery to destroy Fort Pulaski & force the surrender of its Confederate defenders • Union forces mainly limited their efforts to blockading Georgia’s coastal waters • Main goal was to blockade coastal waters and shut down supply lines

The Battle of Chickamauga • September 19 -20, 1863/Chickamauga Creek, GA • Union General Rosecrans led his troops against Confederate General Braxton Bragg • Bragg’s army defeated the Union forces and forced them back into Tennessee, but Bragg did not follow up on the retreat • By November 1863, General Ulysses Grant had arrived with more troops and recaptured Chattanooga forcing Bragg to retreat to Dalton

Sherman Invades Atlanta • Early in 1864, William T. Sherman pushed his troops south from Chattanooga toward Atlanta fighting in battles along the way • His Confederate counterpart, Joseph Johnston, had his troops dig into defensive trenches, then retreat South, following the W & A railroad line • Johnston would not allow Sherman to break up, or encircle, his army

Sherman Invades Atlanta, cont. • On June 27, at Kennesaw Mountain, Sherman recklessly attacked head on • Johnston taught him a lesson • 3, 000 Union troops were lost • Only 500 Confederate troops were lost • Johnston’s troops now fell back and dug their trenches to defend Atlanta • Unhappy with his retreat, the Confederate govt. replaced him with John B. Hood

Sherman Invades Atlanta, cont. • Hood attacked Sherman’s army, but was thrown back several times • For 40 days, Sherman’s artillery pounded Atlanta • Hood & his army evacuated the city on September 1 st to avoid being trapped • The next day, the mayor rode out under a white flag to surrender the city

Sherman Invades Atlanta, cont. • Sherman’s army occupied Atlanta until November, then following orders from Ulysses S. Grant, destroyed the city

Sherman’s March to the Sea • On November 16, Sherman began his “march to the sea” • Union forces were to live off the land destroy Georgia’s resources • Particularly railroads & supplies to shut down Confederate army • Sherman divided his troops into columns and marched South through Macon • Often the troops plundered private property, despite orders not to • The goal was to bring “the sad realities of war” to Georgia

Sherman’s March to the Sea, cont. • In December, 1864, Sherman’s army entered Savannah • Along the way, they were joined by 14, 000 African Americans • Sherman telegraphed Lincoln, “I beg to present you as a Christmas gift the city of Savannah, with 150 guns and plenty of ammunition, also about 25, 000 bales of cotton” • There were over 100 battles in Georgia, 92 of which happened during Sherman’s March to the Sea

Andersonville Prison • Approx. 10 miles from Americus, Georgia • One of the great tragedies of the war • Name became associated with horror & death • In November 1863, Confederacy needed a place to put Union prisoners, and the War Department picked SW Georgia • Its official name was Fort Sumter

Andersonville Prison, cont. • Originally built for 10, 000 prisoners • Prisoners were sent before the prison was completed (no barracks were built) • In less than 2 months, the prison population was 12, 000 • Eventually 33, 000 prisoners were housed there together

Andersonville Prison, cont. • • • Conditions were horrible & unsanitary Available water was polluted Food supply so inadequate that prisoners starved Clothing & medical supplies scarce The only shelters were crude tents (not enough for everyone) • During the summer of 1864, over 100 Union prisoners died each day (dysentery & disease)

Andersonville Prison, cont. • The commander faced an impossible situation • Prison was overloaded, but govt. sent more prisoners • As the war grew on, South could barely feed troops—let alone prisoners • Many of the staff were transferred North when Sherman advanced Atlanta to help protect Atlanta • In September 1864, many prisoners were transferred & conditions improved • Not before 45, 000 were housed, and 13, 000 died • Commander of prison was tried & hanged after the war for allowing excessive cruelty at the prison

Other Civil War facts • At the start of the war, men rushed out to volunteer, but the enthusiasm did not last • Soldiers lived in camps • Life was often dull, with a routine of drills, bad food, etc. • Sometimes they would play baseball or sing songs to pass the time

Other Civil War Facts • Both sides suffered terrible losses during the war because the new rifles were more accurate & more deadly • Medical supplies were scarce, and facilities were overwhelmed • Often wounded and dying men lay in fields for hours (up to 24) before being treated • There were many deserters • Trench warfare was used by both sides

Other Civil War Facts • Women took on new responsibilities as a result of the war • Some became teachers, nurses, salesclerks • Clara Barton got her start as a nurse during the Civil War. She later founded the American Red Cross. • Some women became spies (Harriet Tubman) while others disguised themselves as men & fought

The Economy During the War • Inflation occurred in the north • In the North, the economy boomed: • Need for supplies for troops helped farmers prosper • Railroad traffic increased • Coal, Iron, & clothing production increased

The Economy During the War • In the South, the economy was devastated: • Farmland was overrun & rail lines were torn up by fighting • Large portions of South lay in ruins • Many people were homeless • Many cities were burned • Essential goods were in shortage because of port blockades • Inflation was worse in South than North

The End of the War • ***ADDITIONAL NOTES: • March 1865 - Lee’s forces were ½ the size of Grant’s as they continued to fight. • Lee asked to meet with Grant about ending the war. President Lincoln would not allow the meeting unless the South surrendered. • Lee tried one final time to defeat Union troops in Virginia. He failed, and was eventually captured near Irwinville, Georgia. • Lee surrendered to Grant on April 9, 1865 at Appomattox Court House in Virginia