Sherman's Atlanta Campaign and March to Sea

Sherman's Atlanta Campaign and March to Sea

                       General Sherman waited for approval to proceed with his march for two months in Atlanta. During the two months General Sherman ordered all of the Atlanta citizens to leave Atlanta so innocent citizens would not get killed and families would not get in his way. Lincoln was having issues with the election of 1864 and the Union needed to make some good progress so the Atlanta Campaign was put in to fix these problems. Lee ended up replacing Johnston because he was not aggressive enough and he was to calm about the war. After Atlanta's capture the Northern support of war increased and Lincoln's election was ensured.Sherman's march was very risky but he was very determined to tire out the Georgians and make them sick of war. His plan was meant to make the Georgians quit war. During Sherman's march many railroads were destroyed, the confederates were thrown off guard, and Lincoln strengthened his chance at the election.

http://www.ducksters.com/history/shermans_march_to_the_sea.php

Andersonville

Andersonville

                       Andersonville was a Prisoner of War camp located in Andersonville, Georgia. The prisoners who lived there didn't have essential items such as  food,water, clothing and a secure shelter. Most people built their own shelter, called a shebang, out of bricks, cloth, mud, and other items found in nature.  The life of these prisoners was very hard. They had to take the clothing off of  the dead bodies to stay warm. Food was very hard to find along with items such as soap, which the prisoners did not even have available to them. Many guards would torture the prisoners by placing food right outside the dead line to taunt them because these people were starving to death.  Andersonville was a very cruel place and it created a ton of controversy because of the cruel torture the people were put through.  

http://www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books/civil_war_series/5/images/fig65.jpg

Union Blockade of Georgia's Coast

Union Blockade of Georgia's Coast

                     

                                The Union used many clever tricks to win the Civil War. They thought of a plan to hurt the Confederate army. The Union blockaded Georgia's coast, cutting off supplies coming through Savannah, a major port for the south. Now the South was limited to supplies and they could not export cotton to any other countries. This gave the Union a huge advantage because now their army was stronger and they had a stronger economy. Having enough supplies and weapons is very necessary to winning a war.

http://civilwardailygazette.com/2013/01/31/breaking-the-union-blockade-in-charleston/

Gettysburg

Gettysburg 

                      In 1863 the Civil War had its turning point. The battles of Vicksburg and Gettysburg officially mark the turning point of the war. The Confederacy was having lots of issues such as loosing control of their slaves, running low on supplies and money for their army ,and their entire economy was begging to weaken. Lee had lots of hopes for Gettysburg. He wanted to gain the support of the other foreign countries. He also was trying to get the war out of Virginia. Lee ended up surrendering after three days and he retreated back to Virginia after loosing one third of his army in the battle of Gettysburg. Lee lost all of his hope for gaining foreign aid at this point. Washington captured Mississippi and was very pleased with the results of Gettysburg.

http://www.prx.org/pieces/98152-gettysburg

Chickamauga and Chattanooga

Chickamauga and Chattanooga

                      In 1863 the Civil War was brought to Georgia. Chickamauga was the first big battle to be fought in Georgia. Union General George H. Thomas got his nickname "The Rock of Chickamauga" during this battle by standing strong in the middle of all of the fighting. The union army came down to the south and went to Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park where they fought, then they went back to Chattanooga where they were trapped until Grant came to open a supply line.  The Union army was able to open a supply line and kept traveling south to Chickamauga.  The Union army had enough confidence from conquering Chattanooga that they decided to go down to Chickamauga where one of the first major battles in Georgia took place.  The Union army lost the battle and ended up retreating back up north towards Chattanooga.

http://www.mappery.com/Chickamauga-and-Chattanooga-National-Military-Park-Official-Map

Antietam

Antietam

                   The battle of Antietam(Sharpsburg) took place on September 17, 1862. General E. Lee thought that by invading the north he could get the foreign nations on the Confederacy's side. Lee was also very confident of winning this battle. Although the Confederacy had lots of confidence, the Union had a great advantage because they found a copy of Lee's battle plan. The battle of Antietam turned out to be the bloodiest single day of battle with 12,000 Union casualties and 10,000 Confederacy casualties. After the battle Lincoln removed General McClellan because he was to slow and did not pursue the army. Lincoln also considered Antietam as a Union victory even though it was actually a draw and he made plans to issue the Emancipation Proclamation.  

http://thelateunpleasantness.wordpress.com/2013/08/16/bloody-antietam-the-phantom-carolers-and-other-battlefield-haunts/

Secession in Georgia and Alexander Stephens' Role

Secession in Georgia and Alexander Stephens' Role

                     Alexander Stephens was chosen as the vice president of the confederacy in 1861.  At first he did not support secession, he believed that the Compromise of 1850 was acceptable as long as the Fugitive Slave Act was passed and in place. Alexander Stephens decided that because cotton was one of the main crops of the South that slaves were required for a strong economy in the south. Slavery was one of the main reasons that many states seceded from the Union. In 1861 Georgia held a non-unanimous vote on whether they would seceded from the union or not. Alexander Stephens made the final decision that Georgia would secede from the Union.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ordinance_of_Secession