in the course of the us civil war how did tactics change

In the course of the US Civil War, how did tactics change? A. Battles at sea were more decisive than those on land. Defensive trench warfare became more common. Massed groups of soldiers charged the enemy. More of the responsibility was borne by the cavalry.

Full Answer

How did the tactics of the Civil War change over time?

Honestly, not a whole lot changed on the fundamental, tactical level; it was their ability to execute the tactics that changed. The basic forces at play -infantry with muzzleloading blackpowder muskets and bayonets, direct firing field artillery, cavalry armed with carbines, pistols and sabres- were the same in 1865 as in 1709.

What was the North’s strategy in the Civil War?

Since strategy flows from policy, it is here where we must begin. The North’s initial political objective was clear: Restore the Union. Later, emancipation, or freeing the slaves, became another objective. The Confederacy wanted its independence.

Did the education of Civil War officers prepare them to think strategically?

Most military and civilian leaders of the time looked only at the prospective battle (tactical issues); the education of Civil War officers simply did not prepare them to think strategically. The diagram below shows these key levels of conflict:

What was the Union strategy to defeat the Confederacy?

Union Strategy: At a cabinet meeting on June 29, 1861, Lieutenant General Winfield Scott, general-in-chief of the U.S. army and a veteran of the Mexican war, proposed a military strategy to defeat the Confederacy.

What war tactics were used in the Civil War?

The main strategy was to advance at a quick trot until in range of the enemy. The men in the front fired, then wheeled away. In their second charge they advanced at full gallop using either a short sword or cutlass. In the Civil War, the opening of the battle usually involved groups of cavalry.

How did the North achieve victory in the Civil War?

Possible Contributors to the North's Victory: The North was more industrial and produced 94 percent of the USA's pig iron and 97 percent of its firearms. The North even had a richer, more varied agriculture than the South. The Union had a larger navy, blocking all efforts from the Confederacy to trade with Europe.

What happened during the Civil War?

After four bloody years of conflict, the United States defeated the Confederate States. In the end, the states that were in rebellion were readmitted to the United States, and the institution of slavery was abolished nation-wide. Fact #2: Abraham Lincoln was the President of the United States during the Civil War.

Why did the South have a lot of success in the East?

Why did the South have a lot of success in the East? They knew the land, could move troops quickly, and generals were inspirational. How was Stonewall Jackson's army able to surprise the Union army at Chancellorsville? They came in all different directions.

What tactics did grant use against Lee to change the course of the war?

Grant's army pursued Lee's 13,000 remaining troops,and blocked their escape. With Sherman's army added to his own, Grant hoped to surround Lee without spreading Union forces so thin that the Confederates could break through and escape.

What were the strategies of the North and the South at the start of the war?

the military strategy of the north was fourfold:to blockade southern ports to cut off supplies from Europe, to break the confederacy in two at the Mississippi River, to destroy the transportation and communication systems of the confederacy thus crippling morale and to attack the confederate capital at Richmond.

How did the strategies of the Union and Confederacy differ during the Civil War?

The Union originally wanted to reunite the country, but after the Emancipation Proclamation of 1863, the Union goal changed to include the abolition of slavery. The Confederacy had the same goal throughout the war: to incorporate all slave states and secede from the Union, survive, and defend its territory.

What are 5 facts about the Civil War?

10 Surprising Civil War FactsOne-third of the soldiers who fought for the Union Army were immigrants, and nearly one in 10 was African American. ... Black Union soldiers refused their salaries for 18 months to protest being paid lower wages than white soldiers. ... Harriet Tubman led a raid to free slaves during the Civil War.More items...•

Who really won the Civil War?

The UnionThe Union won the American Civil War. The war effectively ended in April 1865 when Confederate General Robert E. Lee surrendered his troops to Union General Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox Court House in Virginia.

What were the strategies of the North and the South at the start of the war quizlet?

The North's goal was to invade the South to try to subdue their desire to secede, while the South's strategy was to defend their territory until the North gave up.

Who had the advantage in the Civil War?

Despite the North's greater population, however, the South had an army almost equal in size during the first year of the war. The North had an enormous industrial advantage as well. At the beginning of the war, the Confederacy had only one-ninth the industrial capacity of the Union.

How did the Civil War effectively change the nation?

The Civil War confirmed the single political entity of the United States, led to freedom for more than four million enslaved Americans, established a more powerful and centralized federal government, and laid the foundation for America's emergence as a world power in the 20th century.

Why was Gettysburg considered a turning point in the Civil War?

Gettysburg is considered a major turning point in the Civil War because it caused such devastating losses for the Confederates that they were never able to fully recover. The battle marked the beginning of the end for the Confederates.

Why did Jefferson Davis avoid major battles with the Union army?

Due to the Confederate army’s small size, Confederate President Jefferson Davis planned to avoid major battles with the Union army to prevent annihilation of his army and instead planned to only participate in small, limited engagements when the odds were in their favor.

Why was the Anaconda Plan rejected?

The plan received a lot of criticism and was originally rejected because it was deemed too slow and cumbersome, according to the book Historical Dictionary of the U.S. Army:

What would happen if the Anaconda strategy didn't work?

Scott further proposed that if the strategy didn’t work, the Union could raise an army of 300,000 soldiers that could invade the South and win the war within two to three years. Scott’s great snake. Cartoon map illustrating Gen. Winfield Scott’s Anaconda plan, by J.B. Elliott, circa December 1861. The press dubbed the strategy ...

Why did the Confederates never lose a battle?

While the Confederates did suffer severe shortages by mid-war, they never lost a battle because of a lack of guns, ammunition or other supplies. They did lose battles because of a lack of men, and a broken-down railway system made it difficult to move troops and materials to critical points.

What happened to the Union forces in Appomattox County?

The war finally came to a close after General Lee and his Army of Northern Virginia became trapped by invading Union forces in Appomattox county , Va and were forced to surrender. This prompted similar surrenders by remaining Confederate troops across the South, which finally brought an end to the Civil War. Sources:

What was the idea behind the Confederacy's "Save More Lives"?

The idea was that it would put an economic stranglehold on the Confederacy, isolate it from all sources of supply and allow for growth of anti-secessionist sentiments which would eventually cause the South to surrender without the use of violence and would therefore save more lives.

What is strategy in the Civil War?

Strategy is sometimes defined as "the art of the general" while Webster defines it as "the science and and art of conducting a military campaign in its large-scale and long-term aspects.". It is distinguished from Tactics primarily in scope. However, both strategy and tactics are founded in ...

What is the Confederate strategy?

Confederate Strategy. A brief explanation of the strategy of the Confederate States to win the war. Influence of Napoleon on Civil War Tactics and Strategy. An interesting essay that examines how Napoleon fought his wars influenced this one. It might not surprise you to know that not everything worked.

What are the principles of war?

However, both strategy and tactics are founded in the "principles of war" which are the fundamental truths governing the prosecution of war. To better understand why some of the military leaders of the Civil War performed as they did, it necessary to look at the "strategy" and the "tactics" as they existed at the time.

What is a brief description of strategy?

A brief description of "strategy" as applied to the Civil War. A brief description of "tactics" as applied to the Civil War. A very interesting essay on some of the tactics used in the Civil War. A short article that shows what the Union strategy was to win the war.

What did the Union do to prevent Lee from crossing the Potomac?

Union cavalry destroyed the Confederate bridges over the Potomac and the high waters prevented Lee’s army from crossing. Lincoln prodded, cajoled, whipped, and begged, but Meade would not attack Lee’s mangled force. In the end Meade missed a chance to destroy Lee’s army, a clear element of Confederate strength.

What was the Confederacy's main goal?

Later, emancipation, or freeing the slaves, became another objective. The Confederacy wanted its independence . The Confederacy initially implemented a cordon strategy or cordon defense, meaning that it tried to defend the entire scope of the Confederacy, and soon had troops scattered from Virginia to Texas.

Why did the Confederates need a cordon defense?

The Confederates certainly needed to regain lost territory in the west for supply and recruiting reasons. And a cordon defense had not served the Confederates well, especially in the vast reaches of the Confederacy’s west, but offensive warfare, badly planned and badly executed, proved no better.

How many men did McClellan have in 1862?

This, though difficult, was not beyond Union means (McClellan had more than 200,000 in early 1862).

When did the Confederacy expand the cordon?

As the Union dithered, the Confederacy scrambled to gather its strength, both in the east and west. The cordon was expanded into Kentucky on September 3, 1861, when Confederate general Major General Leonidas K. Polk destroyed the state’s self-declared neutrality by authorizing its invasion.

What did Davis fear about the Confederacy?

Davis also feared that any Union penetrations into the Confederacy, even if the captured lands were recovered, would completely destroy the slave system in the area, making it irredeemable. Importantly, this was a de facto instead of a purposeful decision.

What are some examples of military strategy?

Some examples include implementing blockades, att rition, exhaustion, and applying simultaneous pressure at many points. Ideally, once strategy is determined, it is then executed. Operations (or campaigns) are what military forces mount in an effort to implement military strategy.