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The 21st Michigan Infantry, a company of Sherman's veterans.
The 21st Michigan Infantry, a company of Sherman's veterans.

The Union Army was the army that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. During the American Civil War, the Union was a name used to refer to the federal government of the United States, which was supported by the twenty-three Causes of the war See also Origins of the American Civil War, Timeline of events leading to the American Civil War The coexistence of a slave-owning South It was also known as the Federal Army, the U. S. Army, the Northern Army, or the National Army. [1] It consisted of the small United States Army (the regular army), augmented by massive numbers of units supplied by the Northern states, composed of volunteers as well as draftees. The United States Army is a military organization whose primary mission is to "provide necessary forces and capabilities. Please see Regular Army (disambiguation for countries other than the United States that use this term The United States Regular Army Conscription (also known as the draft, the call-up or national service) is a general term for involuntary labor demanded by some established authority The Union Army fought and defeated the Confederate States Army during the war, from 1861 to 1865. The War Department was established by the Confederate Congress in an act on February 21, 1861. Of the 2. 5 million men who served in the Union Army during the war, approximately 9. 5% were African American, about 360,000 died—in combat, from injuries sustained in combat, disease, or other causes—and 280,000 were wounded. African Americans or Black Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have origins in any of the black populations of Africa

Contents

History

Formation

When the Civil War began in April 1861, there were only about 16,000 men in the U. S. Army, and many Southern soldiers and officers were already resigning and joining the new Confederate States Army. The Southern United States &mdashcommonly referred to as the American South, Dixie, or simply the South &mdashconstitutes a large distinctive The War Department was established by the Confederate Congress in an act on February 21, 1861. The army consisted of ten regiments of infantry, four of artillery, two of cavalry, two of dragoons, and one of mounted infantry. A regiment is a Military unit, composed of a variable number of Battalions – commanded by a Colonel. The Infantry is the oldest and most numerous of the Combat Arms in the Armed forces, and consists Artillery (from French artillerie) is a military Combat Arm which employs any apparātus machine The Cavalry (from French cavalerie) is the second oldest of the Combat Arms, and as Soldiers or Warriors who fought mounted on A dragoon is a soldier intended primarily to fight on foot but trained also in Horse riding and cavalry combat especially Mounted infantry were Soldiers who rode Horses instead of marching but actually fought on foot in the modern era with Muskets or Rifles but before These regiments were scattered widely. Of the 197 companies in the army, 179 occupied 79 isolated posts in the West and the remaining 18 manned garrisons east of the Mississippi River, mostly along the Canadian border and on the Atlantic coast. The Western United States &mdashcommonly referred to as the American West or simply the West &mdashtraditionally refers to the region comprising the westernmost The Mississippi River is the second longest River in the United States, with a length of from its source in Lake Itasca in Minnesota to Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page

With the secession of the Southern states, and with this drastic shortage of men in the army, President Abraham Lincoln called on the states to raise a force of 75,000 men for three months to put down the insurrection in the South. Secession (derived from the Latin term secessio is the act of withdrawing from an organization union or especially a political entity The Confederate States of America (also called the Confederacy, the Confederate States, and CSA) formed as the government set up from 1861 The President of the United States is the Head of state and Head of government of the United States and is the highest political official in United States by Abraham Lincoln (February 12 1809 &ndash April 15 1865 the sixteenth President of the United States, successfully led his country through its greatest internal The first to offer a regiment was Minnesota's Governor, Alexander Ramsey. It was this callup of Federal troops that incited four more states of the South to secede, making the Confederacy eleven states strong. The war proved to be longer and larger than anyone had expected, and on July 22, 1861, Congress authorized a volunteer army of 500,000 men. Events 1099 - First Crusade: Godfrey of Bouillon is elected the first Defender of the Holy Sepulchre of The Kingdom of Year 1861 ( MDCCCLXI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common The United States Congress is the bicameral Legislature of the federal government of the United States of America, consisting of two houses

At first, the call for volunteers was easily met by patriotic Northerners, abolitionists, and even immigrants who enlisted with the hope of a steady paycheck and food rations. Abolitionism was a political movement of the 18th and 19th century which sought to make Slavery illegal particularly in the United States and British West Indies Over 10,000 Germans in New York and Pennsylvania immediately responded to Lincoln's call for volunteers, and the French were also among those quick to volunteer. Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. New York ( is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States and is the nation's third most populous The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania ( often colloquially referred to as PA (its abbreviation by natives and Northeasterners is a state located in the Northeastern This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. As more men were needed, the number of willing volunteers fell, but nevertheless, between April 1861 and April 1865, at least two and a half million men served in the Union Army, most of whom were volunteers.

It is a widely held misconception that the South held the advantage of a large percentage of professional military who resigned to join the Confederate States Army. The War Department was established by the Confederate Congress in an act on February 21, 1861. At the start of the war, there were 824 graduates of the U.S. Military Academy on the active list; of these, 296 resigned or were dismissed and 184 of those became Confederate officers. "USMA" redirects here For other uses see USMA (disambiguation The United States Military Academy (also known as USMA, Of the approximately 900 West Point graduates who were then civilians, 114 returned to the Union Army and 99 to the Confederate. "USMA" redirects here For other uses see USMA (disambiguation The United States Military Academy (also known as USMA, Therefore, the ratio of Union to Confederate professional officers was 642 to 283. [2] (One of the resigning officers was Robert E. Lee, who had initially been offered the assignment as commander of a field army to suppress the rebellion; Lee refused to bear arms against his native state, Virginia, and resigned to accept the position as commander of Virginia forces instead. Robert Edward Lee (January 19 1807 &ndash October 12 1870 was a career United States Army officer, an Engineer, and among the most celebrated The Commonwealth of Virginia ( is an American state He eventually became the commander of the Confederate States Army. ) The South did have the advantage of other military colleges, such as The Citadel and Virginia Military Institute, but they produced fewer officers. History On December 20, 1842, the South Carolina Legislature passed an act establishing the South Carolina Military Academy with the original mission The Virginia Military Institute ( VMI) located in Lexington Virginia, is the oldest state-supported military college and one of six senior Only 26 enlisted men and noncommissioned officers left the United States Army to join the Confederate Army. [3]

Major organizations

Noncommissioned officers of the 93rd New York Infantry.
Noncommissioned officers of the 93rd New York Infantry.

The Union Army was composed of numerous organizations, which were generally organized geographically.

Department
An organization that covered a defined region, including responsibilities for the Federal installations therein and for the field armies within their borders. Those named for states usually referred to Southern states that had been occupied. It was more common to name departments for rivers (such as Department of the Tennessee, Department of the Cumberland) or regions (Department of the Pacific, Department of New England, Department of the East, Department of the West, Middle Department). For the United States Marine Corps' Department of the Pacific refer to the article Department of the Pacific (USMC. For the Confederate organization with a similar name see Army of the West The Department of the West, later known as the Western Department
District
A subdivision of a Department (e. g. , District of Cairo, District of East Tennessee). There were also Subdistricts for smaller regions.
Military Division
A collection of Departments reporting to one commander (e. g. , Military Division of the Mississippi, Military Division of the Gulf). The Military Division of the Mississippi was an administrative division of the United States Army during the American Civil War that controlled all military operations Military Divisions were similar to the regions described by the more modern term, Theater. In Warfare a theater or theatre is defined as a specific geographical area of conduct of armed conflict bordered by areas where no combat is taking place
Army
The fighting force that was usually, but not always, assigned to a District or Department but could operate over wider areas. Some of the most prominent armies were:
  • Army of the Cumberland, the army operating primarily in Tennessee, and later Georgia, commanded by William S. Rosecrans and George Henry Thomas. The Army of the Cumberland was one of the principal Union armies in the Western Theater during the American Civil War. Tennessee ( is a state located in the Southern United States. The State of Georgia ( is a state in the United States and was one of the original Thirteen Colonies that revolted against British rule William Starke Rosecrans ( September 6, 1819 &ndash March 11, 1898) was an inventor coal-oil company executive diplomat politician and George Henry Thomas ( July 31, 1816 &ndash March 28, 1870) was a career United States Army officer and a Union
  • Army of Georgia, operated in the March to the Sea and the Carolinas commanded by Henry W. Slocum. The Army of Georgia was a Union army that constituted the Left Wing of Major General William T For the American tennis player see Henry Slocum (tennis Henry Warner Slocum ( September 24 1827 &ndash April 14
  • Army of the Gulf, the army operating in the region bordering the Gulf of Mexico, commanded by Benjamin Butler, Nathaniel P. Banks, and Edward Canby. The Army of the Gulf was a Union army that served in the general area of the Gulf states controlled by Union forces The Gulf of Mexico ( Spanish: Golfo de México) is the ninth largest Body of water in the world Benjamin Franklin Butler (November 5 1818 January 11 1893 was an American Lawyer and Politician who represented Massachusetts in the United States Nathaniel Prentice (or Prentiss Banks ( January 30, 1816 September 1, 1894) was an American Politician and Soldier Edward Richard Sprigg Canby (November 9 1817 &ndash April 11 1873 was a career United States Army officer and a Union General in the American Civil
  • Army of the James, the army operating on the Virginia Peninsula, 1864–65, commanded by Benjamin Butler and Edward Ord. The Army of the James was a Union Army that was composed of units from the Department of Virginia and North Carolina and served along the James River during the final The Virginia Peninsula is a Peninsula in southeast Virginia, bounded by the York River, James River, Hampton Roads and Chesapeake Edward Otho Cresap Ord (October 18 1818 &ndash July 22 1883 was the designer of Fort Sam Houston, and a United States Army officer who saw action in the Seminole
  • Army of the Mississippi, a briefly existing army operating on the Mississippi River, in two incarnations—under John Pope and William S. Rosecrans in 1862; under John A. McClernand in 1863. Army of the Mississippi was the name given to two Union armies that operated around the Mississippi River, both with short existences during the American Civil John Pope ( March 16, 1822 &ndash September 23, 1892) was a career United States Army officer and Union general in William Starke Rosecrans ( September 6, 1819 &ndash March 11, 1898) was an inventor coal-oil company executive diplomat politician and John Alexander McClernand ( May 30 1812 &ndash September 20 1900) was an American lawyer and politician and a Union general
  • Army of the Ohio, the army operating primarily in Kentucky and later Tennessee and Georgia, commanded by Don Carlos Buell, Ambrose E. Burnside, and John M. Schofield. The Army of the Ohio was the name of two Union armies in the American Civil War. The Commonwealth of Kentucky ( is a state located in the East Central United States of America. Don Carlos Buell (March 23 1818 &ndash November 19 1898 was a career United States Army officer who fought in the Seminole War, the Mexican-American War Ambrose Everett Burnside (May 23 1824 September 13 1881 was an American soldier railroad executive inventor industrialist and politician from Rhode Island, John McAllister Schofield (September 29 1831 &ndash March 4 1906 was an American soldier who held major commands during the American Civil War.
  • Army of the Potomac, the principal army in the Eastern Theater, commanded by George B. McClellan, Ambrose E. The Army of the Potomac was the major Union Army in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War. This article presents an overview of major military and naval operations in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War. George Brinton McClellan ( December 3 1826 October 29 1885) was a major general during the American Civil War. Burnside, Joseph Hooker, and George G. Meade. Joseph Hooker ( November 13, 1814 &ndash October 31, 1879) was a career United States Army officer fought in the Mexican-American George Gordon Meade ( December 31, 1815 &ndash November 6, 1872) was a career United States Army officer and civil engineer involved
  • Army of the Shenandoah, the army operating in the Shenandoah Valley, under David Hunter, Philip Sheridan, and Horatio G. Wright. The Army of the Shenandoah was a Union army during the American Civil War. The Shenandoah Valley region of western Virginia and West Virginia is bounded by the Blue Ridge Mountains to the east and the Appalachian David Hunter (July 21 1802 &ndash February 2 1886 was a Union general in the American Civil War. Philip Henry Sheridan (March 6 1831 &ndash August 5 1888 was a career United States Army officer and a Union general in the American Civil War Horatio Gouverneur Wright ( March 6, 1820 &ndash July 2, 1899) was an engineer and general in the Union Army during the American
  • Army of the Tennessee, the most famous army in the Western Theater, operating through Kentucky, Tennessee, Mississippi, Georgia, and the Carolinas; commanded by Ulysses S. Grant, William T. Sherman, James B. McPherson, and Oliver O. Howard. The Army of the Tennessee was a Union army in the Western Theater of the American Civil War, named for the Tennessee River. This article presents an overview of major military and naval operations in the Western Theater of the American Civil War. The Carolinas is a term used in the United States to refer collectively to the states of North and South Carolina. Ulysses S Grant, born Hiram Ulysses Grant (April 27 1822 &ndash July 23 1885 was an American general and the eighteenth President of the United States James Birdseye McPherson ( November 14, 1828 &ndash July 22, 1864) was a career United States Army officer who served as a General Oliver Otis Howard ( November 8, 1830 &ndash October 26, 1909) was a career United States Army officer and a Union
  • Army of Virginia, the army assembled under John Pope for the Northern Virginia Campaign. The Army of Virginia was organized as a major unit of the Union Army and operated briefly and unsuccessfully in 1862 in the American Civil War. John Pope ( March 16, 1822 &ndash September 23, 1892) was a career United States Army officer and Union general in Background and opposing forces After the collapse of McClellan's Peninsula Campaign in the Seven Days Battles of June 1862 President Abraham Lincoln appointed

Each of these armies was usually commanded by a major general. Major General or Major-General is a Military rank used in many countries Typically, the Department or District commander also had field command of the army of the same name, but some conflicts within the ranks occurred when this was not true, particularly when an army crossed a geographic boundary.

The regular army, a term used to describe the permanent United States Army, was intermixed into various units and formations of the Union Army, forming a cadre of experienced and skilled troops. Please see Regular Army (disambiguation for countries other than the United States that use this term The United States Regular Army This force was quite small compared to the massive state-raised volunteer forces that comprised the bulk of the Union Army.

Theaters

Operations in the Civil War were distinctly divided within broad geographic regions known as theaters. In Warfare a theater or theatre is defined as a specific geographical area of conduct of armed conflict bordered by areas where no combat is taking place For overviews of general army operations and strategies, see articles on the main theaters, including the Western Theater, and Eastern Theater. This article presents an overview of major military and naval operations in the Western Theater of the American Civil War. This article presents an overview of major military and naval operations in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War.

Organization of personnel

Soldiers were organized by military specialty. The combat arms included infantry, cavalry and artillery. The Infantry in the American Civil War comprised foot-soldiers who fought primarily with Small arms, and they carried the brunt of the fighting on battlefields across Cavalry in the American Civil War was a branch of army service in a process of transition Field artillery in the American Civil War refers to the important Artillery weapons equipment and practices used by the Artillery branch to support the Infantry The Signal Corps was created and deployed for the first time, through the leadership of Albert J. Myer. Albert James Myer (September 20 1828 &ndash August 24 1880 was a surgeon and United States Army officer

Below major units like armies, soldiers were organized mainly into regiments, the main fighting unit with which a soldier would march and be deployed with. A regiment is a Military unit, composed of a variable number of Battalions – commanded by a Colonel. Within each regiment were several companies, each commanded by a captain. Regiments were almost always raised within a single state, and were generally referred by number and state, e. g. 54th Massachusetts, 20th Maine, etc. The 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry Regiment, an Infantry Regiment that fought in the American Civil War, was one of the first official black The 20th Maine Volunteer Infantry Regiment was a combat unit of the United States Army during the American Civil War, most famous for its defense of

Regiments were usually grouped into brigades. A brigade is a Military unit Echelon: is However, brigades were changed easily as the situation demanded. The regiment was the main form of permanent grouping. brigades were usually formed once regiments reached the battlefield, according to where the regiment might be deployed, and alongside which other regiments.

Leaders

Several men served as generals-in-chief of the Union Army throughout its existence:

The gap from March 11 to July 23, 1862, was filled with direct control of the army by President Lincoln and United States Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton, with the help of an unofficial "War Board" that was established on March 17, 1862. Winfield Scott ( June 13, 1786 &ndash May 29, 1866) was a United States Army general Diplomat, and presidential candidate Events 1295 - Scotland and France form an alliance the beginnings of the Auld Alliance, against England. For the game see 1841 (board game. Year 1841 ( MDCCCXLI) was a Common year starting on Friday (link Events 996 - Emperor Otto III issues a deed to Gottschalk Bishop of Freising which is the oldest known document using the name Ostarrîchi Year 1861 ( MDCCCLXI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common George Brinton McClellan ( December 3 1826 October 29 1885) was a major general during the American Civil War. Events 996 - Emperor Otto III issues a deed to Gottschalk Bishop of Freising which is the oldest known document using the name Ostarrîchi Year 1861 ( MDCCCLXI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Events 1425 BC - Thutmose III, Pharaoh of Egypt, dies (according to the Low Chronology of the 18th Dynasty Year 1862 was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year starting on Monday Henry Wager Halleck ( January 16, 1815 &ndash January 9, 1872) was a United States Army officer scholar and lawyer Events 1632 - Three hundred colonists bound for New France depart from Dieppe France. Year 1862 was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year starting on Monday Events 590 - Bahram Chobin is crowned as king Barham VI of Persia. Year 1864 ( MDCCCLXIV) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Leap year Ulysses S Grant, born Hiram Ulysses Grant (April 27 1822 &ndash July 23 1885 was an American general and the eighteenth President of the United States Events 590 - Bahram Chobin is crowned as king Barham VI of Persia. Year 1864 ( MDCCCLXIV) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Leap year Events 51 - Nero, later to become Roman Emperor, is given the title Princeps iuventutis (head of the youth Year 1869 ( MDCCCLXIX) is a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year Events 1425 BC - Thutmose III, Pharaoh of Egypt, dies (according to the Low Chronology of the 18th Dynasty Events 1632 - Three hundred colonists bound for New France depart from Dieppe France. Year 1862 was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year starting on Monday The Secretary of War was a member of the United States President's Cabinet, beginning with George Washington 's administration Edwin McMasters Stanton ( December 19, 1814 &ndash December 24, 1869) was an American lawyer politician United States Events 45 BC - In his last victory Julius Caesar defeats the Pompeian forces of Titus Labienus and Pompey the Younger Year 1862 was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year starting on Monday The board consisted of Ethan A. Hitchcock, the chairman, with Department of War bureau chiefs Lorenzo Thomas, Montgomery C. Meigs, Joseph G. Totten, James W. Ripley, and Joseph P. Ethan Allen Hitchcock ( May 18, 1798 &ndash August 5, 1870) was a career United States Army officer and author who had War Department Lorenzo Thomas ( October 26, 1804 &ndash March 2, 1875) was a career United States Army officer who was Adjutant General Montgomery Cunningham Meigs (ˈmɛɡz ( May 3, 1816 &ndash January 2, 1892) was a career United States Army officer civil engineer Joseph Gilbert Totten ( August 23, 1788 &ndash April 22, 1864) fought in the War of 1812, served as Chief Engineer James Wolfe Ripley ( December 10, 1794 &ndash March 16, 1870) was an American soldier serving as a brigadier general in Taylor. [4]

Scott was an elderly veteran of the War of 1812 and the Mexican-American War and could not perform his duties effectively. The War of 1812 was fought between the United States of America and the British Empire, particularly Great Britain and her North American colonies His successor, Maj. Gen. McClellan, built and trained the massive Union Army of the Potomac, the primary fighting force in the Eastern Theater. Major General or Major-General is a Military rank used in many countries The Army of the Potomac was the major Union Army in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War. Although he was popular among the soldiers, McClellan was relieved from his position as general in chief because of his overly cautious strategy and his contentious relationship with his commander in chief, President Lincoln. A commander-in-chief is the Commander of a nation's Military forces or significant element of those forces (He remained commander of the Army of the Potomac through the Peninsula Campaign and the Battle of Antietam. The Peninsula Campaign (also known as the Peninsular Campaign) of the American Civil War was a major Union operation launched in southeastern ) His replacement, Maj. Gen. Henry W. Halleck, had a successful record in the Western Theater, but was more of an administrator than a strategic planner and commander. Henry Wager Halleck ( January 16, 1815 &ndash January 9, 1872) was a United States Army officer scholar and lawyer

Ulysses S. Grant was the final commander of the Union Army. He was famous for his victories in the West when he was appointed lieutenant general and general-in-chief of the Union Army in March 1864. This article is about a United States military rank For other countries that use a similar rank see Lieutenant General. Grant supervised the Army of the Potomac (which was formally led by his subordinate, Maj. Gen. George G. Meade) in delivering the final blows to the Confederacy by engaging Confederate forces in many fierce battles in Virginia, the Overland Campaign, conducting a war of attrition that the larger Union Army was able to survive better than its opponent. George Gordon Meade ( December 31, 1815 &ndash November 6, 1872) was a career United States Army officer and civil engineer involved The Overland Campaign, also known as Grant's Overland Campaign and the Wilderness Campaign, was a series of battles fought in Virginia during May and Grant laid siege to Lee's army at Petersburg, Virginia, and eventually captured Richmond, the capital of the Confederacy. The Richmond-Petersburg Campaign was a series of battles around Petersburg Virginia, fought from June 9, 1864, to March 25, 1865 Petersburg is an Independent city in Virginia, United States located on the Appomattox River. This article is about the city of Richmond the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia. He developed the strategy of coordinated simultaneous thrusts against wide portions of the Confederacy, most importantly the Georgia and Carolinas Campaigns of William Tecumseh Sherman and the Shenandoah Valley campaign of Philip Sheridan. Sherman's March to the Sea is the name commonly given to the Savannah Campaign conducted in late 1864 by Maj The Carolinas Campaign was the final campaign in the Western Theater of the American Civil War. The Shenandoah Valley region of western Virginia and West Virginia is bounded by the Blue Ridge Mountains to the east and the Appalachian Philip Henry Sheridan (March 6 1831 &ndash August 5 1888 was a career United States Army officer and a Union general in the American Civil War These campaigns were characterized by another strategic notion of Grant's—deny the enemy the supplies needed to continue the war by widespread destruction of its factories and farms along the paths of the invading Union armies.

Grant had critics who complained about the high numbers of casualties that the Union Army suffered while he was in charge, but Lincoln would not replace Grant, because, in Lincoln's words: "I cannot spare this man. He fights. "

Among field leaders of the army was Ivan Turchaninov and William Tecumseh Sherman. Ivan Vasilyevich Turchaninov, Russian Иван Васильевич Турчанинов ( December 24, 1821 &ndash June 18, 1901

Union victory

The decisive victories by Grant and Sherman resulted in the surrender of the major Confederate armies. The first and most significant was on April 9, 1865, when Robert E. Lee surrendered the Army of Northern Virginia to Grant at Appomattox Court House. Events 193 - Septimius Severus is proclaimed Roman Emperor by the army in Illyricum (in the Balkans) Year 1865 ( MDCCCLXV) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year Robert Edward Lee (January 19 1807 &ndash October 12 1870 was a career United States Army officer, an Engineer, and among the most celebrated The Army of Northern Virginia was the primary military force of the Confederate States of America in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War. Appomattox Court House is a village located three miles (5 km east of Appomattox, Virginia, USA (25 miles east of Lynchburg Virginia, in the Although there were other Confederate armies that would surrender in the following weeks, such as Joseph E. Johnston's in North Carolina, this date was nevertheless symbolic of the end of the bloodiest war in American history, the end of the Confederate States of America, and the beginning of the slow process of Reconstruction. Joseph Eggleston Johnston (February 3 1807 &ndash March 21 1891 was a career U North Carolina ( is a state located on the Atlantic Seaboard in the southeastern United States

Casualties

Of the 2. 5 million men who served in the Union Army during the Civil War, about 390,000 died in combat, or from injuries sustained in combat, disease, or other causes, and 280,000 were wounded. More than 1 out of every 4 Union soldiers was killed or wounded during the war; casualties in the Confederate Army were even worse—1 in 3 Southern soldiers were killed or wounded. Though it should be noted that the Confederates suffered a considerably lower amount of overall casualties then the Union, at roughly 260,000 total casualties to the Union's 670,000. This is by far the highest casualty ratio of any war in which America has been involved. By comparison, 1 out of every 16 American soldiers was killed or wounded in World War II, and 1 out of every 22 during the Vietnam War. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including The Vietnam War, also known as the Second Indochina War, or the Vietnam Conflict, occurred in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia

In total, 680,000 men died during the Civil War. There were 34 million Americans at that time, so 4% of the American male population died in the war. In today's terms, this would be the equivalent of 5. 9 million American men being killed in a war.

Ethnic groups

The 26th U.S. Colored Volunteer Infantry on parade, Camp William Penn, Pennsylvania, 1865.
The 26th U. S. Colored Volunteer Infantry on parade, Camp William Penn, Pennsylvania, 1865. Camp William Penn was a Union Army training camp located in Cheltenham Pennsylvania from 1863 to 1865 notable for being the first training grounds dedicated to The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania ( often colloquially referred to as PA (its abbreviation by natives and Northeasterners is a state located in the Northeastern

The Union Army was composed of many different ethnic groups, including large numbers of immigrants. About 25% of the white people who served in the Union Army were foreign-born. White People is the second album by Handsome Boy Modeling School. [5]

Breakdown of the approximately 2. 2 million Union soldiers:

Many immigrant soldiers formed their own regiments, such as the Irish Brigade (69th New York, 63rd New York, 88th New York, 28th Massachusetts, 116th Pennsylvania); the Swiss Rifles (15th Missouri); the Gardes Lafayette (55th New York); the Garibaldi Guard (39th New York); the Martinez Militia (1st New Mexico); the Polish Legion (58th New York); the German Rangers (52nd New York); the Highlander Regiment (79th New York); and the Scandinavian Regiment (15th Wisconsin). A regiment is a Military unit, composed of a variable number of Battalions – commanded by a Colonel. This article is about the unit of the United States Army during the Civil War } The 69th Infantry Regiment is a military unit from New York City, part of the New York Army National Guard. But for the most part, the foreign-born soldiers were scattered as individuals throughout units.

For comparison, the Confederate Army was not very diverse: 91% of Confederate soldiers were native born and only 9% were foreign-born, Irish being the largest group with others including Germans, French, Mexicans, and British. Some Southern propaganda compared foreign-born soldiers in the Union Army to the hated Hessians of the American Revolution. Propaganda is a concerted set of messages aimed at influencing the opinions or behaviors of large numbers of people In this article the inhabitants of the thirteen colonies that supported the American Revolution are primarily referred to as "Americans" with occasional references to "Patriots"

Army administration and issues

Various organizational and administrative issues arose during the war, which had a major effect on subsequent military procedures.

Blacks in the army

The inclusion of blacks as combat soldiers became a major issue. Eventually, it was realized, especially after the valiant effort of the 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry in the Battle of Fort Wagner, that blacks were fully able to serve as competent and reliable soldiers. The 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry Regiment, an Infantry Regiment that fought in the American Civil War, was one of the first official black This was partly due to the efforts of Robert Smalls, who, while still a slave, won fame by defecting from the Confederacy, and bringing a Confederate transport ship which he was piloting. Robert Smalls ( April 5 1839 - February 23 1915) was a Multiracial slave who became a national hero when he freed himself He later met with Edwin Stanton, Secretary of War, to argue for including blacks in combat units. Edwin McMasters Stanton ( December 19, 1814 &ndash December 24, 1869) was an American lawyer politician United States This led to the formation of the first combat unit for black soldiers, the 1st South Carolina Volunteers. The First South Carolina Volunteers was a Union Army Regiment during the American Civil War. Regiments for black soldiers were eventually referred to as United States Colored Troops. The United States Colored Troops ( USCT) were regiments of the United States Army during the American Civil War that were composed of African-American

Unit supplies

Battlefield supplies were a major problem. They were greatly improved by new techniques in preserving food and other perishables, and in transport by railroad. General Montgomery C. Meigs was one of the most important Union Army leaders in this field. Montgomery Cunningham Meigs (ˈmɛɡz ( May 3, 1816 &ndash January 2, 1892) was a career United States Army officer civil engineer

Combat medicine

Medical care was, at first, extremely disorganized and substandard. Gradually, medical experts began calling for higher standards, and created an agency known as the United States Sanitary Commission. The United States Sanitary Commission was an official agency of the United States government created by legislation signed by President of the United States This created professional standards, and led to some of the first advances in battlefield medicine as a separate specialty. Battlefield medicine, also called field surgery and more recently combat casualty care, is the treatment of wounded Soldiers in or near an area of combat General William Alexander Hammond of the Medical Corps did some major work and provided some important leadership in this area. William Alexander Hammond MD ( August 28 1828 &ndash January 5 1900) was an American neurologist and

Additionally, care of the wounded was greatly improved by medical pioneers such as Clara Barton, who often worked alone to provide supplies and care, and brought a new level of dedication to caring for the wounded. Clarissa Harlowe Barton (December 25 1821 &ndash April 12 1912 was a pioneer American Teacher, Nurse, and Humanitarian.

Military strategy

The Civil War drove many innovations in military strategy. It brought the first mass movement of troops by railroad. There were many other innovations brought by necessity. It also forced generals to reexamine the Napoleonic infantry tactics of maneuvering large groups of soldiers towards the enemy by walking as a single mass. The improvement of the rifle made this tactic almost obsolete, as defenders could cause more damage at a long range. A rifle is a Firearm designed to be fired from the shoulder with a barrel that has a helical groove or pattern of grooves ("rifling" cut into the barrel walls Thus the Civil War saw the beginning of modern tactics of mobility.

Desertions and draft riots

Desertion was a major problem for both sides. In Military terminology desertion is the Abandonment of a " Duty " or post without permission from one's Government or superior The daily hardships of war, forced marches, thirst, suffocating heat, disease, delay in pay, solicitude for family, impatience at the monotony and futility of inactive service, panic on the eve of battle, the sense of war weariness, the lack of confidence in commanders, and the discouragement of defeat (especially early on for the Union Army), all tended to lower the morale of the Union Army and to increase desertion.

In 1861 and 1862, the war was going badly for the Union Army and there were, by some counts, 180,000 desertions. In 1863 and 1864, the bitterest two years of the war, the Union Army suffered over 200 desertions every day, for a total of 150,000 desertions during those two years. This puts the total number of desertions from the Union Army during the four years of the war at nearly 350,000. Using these numbers, 15% of Union soldiers deserted during the war. Official numbers put the number of deserters from the Union Army at 200,000 for the entire war, or about 8% of Union Army soldiers. It is estimated that 1 out of 3 deserters returned to their regiments, either voluntarily or after being arrested and being sent back.

Many of the desertions were by "professional" bounty men, men who would enlist to collect the often large cash bonuses and then desert at the earliest opportunity to do the same elsewhere. If not caught, it could prove a very lucrative criminal enterprise.

The Irish were also the main participants in the famous "New York Draft Riots" of 1863 (as dramatized in the film Gangs of New York). The New York Draft Riots (July 11 to July 16 1863 known at the time as Draft Week) were violent disturbances in New York City that were the culmination Gangs of New York is a 2002 Bildungsroman film set in the mid-19th century in the Five Points district of New York City. The Irish had shown the strongest support for Southern aims prior to the start of the war and had long had an enmity with black populations in several Northern cities dating back to nativist attacks on Irish immigrants in the 1840s, when it was observed that blacks, who rivaled the Irish at the bottom of the economic ladder, were frequently reported encouraging on nativist mobs. With the view that the war was an upper class abolitionist war led in large part by former nativists to free a large black population, which might move north and compete for jobs and housing with the poor Irish and others, it could hardly be expected that the poorer classes would welcome the draft that a richer man could buy his way out of. As a result of the Enrollment Act, rioting began in several Northern cities, the most heavily hit being New York City. The Enrollment Act of March 3 1863, was legislation passed by the United States Congress during the American Civil War to provide fresh manpower for the Union The City of New York A mob reported as consisting principally of Irish immigrants rioted in the summer of 1863, with the worst violence occurring in July during the Battle of Gettysburg. Background and movement to battle See also [[Gettysburg Campaign]] [[Gettysburg Battlefield]] [[Gettysburg Confederate order of battle]] [[Confederate order of battle]] The mob set fire to everything from African American churches and an orphanage to the office of the New York Tribune. The New York Tribune was an American newspaper first established by Horace Greeley in 1841 which was long considered one of the leading Newspapers in the The principal victims of the rioting were African Americans and activists in the anti-slavery movement. Not until victory was achieved at Gettysburg could the Union Army be sent in; some units had to open fire to quell the violence and stop the rioters. By the time the rioting was over, perhaps up to 1,000 people had been killed or wounded (estimates varied widely, then and now).

See also

References

Notes

  1. ^ See, for example, usage in Grant, Preface p. 3.
  2. ^ Hattaway & Jones, pp. 9-10.
  3. ^ Hattaway & Jones, p. 10.
  4. ^ Eicher, pp. 37-38.
  5. ^ McPherson, pp. 36-37.
  6. ^ Laurence Otis Graham notes that there were as many as 345,000 blacks in the Union Army and Navy in his book on the career of Blanche Kelso Bruce, The Senator and the Socialite (2006). Blanche Kelso Bruce ( March 1, 1841 &ndash March 17, 1898) was an American politician.

External links


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