what impact did guerrilla warfare have on the confederacy and the course of the civil war?

The guerrilla war, as waged by both Confederate guerrillas and Unionists in the South, gathered in intensity between 1861 and 1865 and had a profound impact on the outcome of the war. As soon as the Civil War broke out in April 1861, guerrilla warfare emerged as a popular alternative to enlistment in the Confederate army.

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How did guerrilla warfare affect the Civil War?

The guerrilla war, as waged by both Confederate guerrillas and Unionists in the South, gathered in intensity between 1861 and 1865 and had a profound impact on the outcome of the war. As soon as the Civil War broke out in April 1861, guerrilla warfare emerged as a popular alternative to enlistment in the Confederate army.

What was the Confederate guerilla war?

Oct 01, 2017 · Because guerrilla warfare turned the order of war on its head. Guerrillas destroyed property, stole goods for the hell of it, terrorized and killed civilians, and generally answered to no higher authority. They refused to be gentlemen.

How many Confederate guerrillas were in the Civil War?

Apr 29, 2020 · Some even did fight as pro-Union guerrillas, mostly in border states, often clashing with Confederate guerrillas. So, how did this all pan out for the South? Well, of course, they lost the war. And there’s an argument to be made that they lost partially because of the support of guerrilla forces rather than despite it. While forces like Mosby’s and McNeill’s made …

How did guerilla warfare work?

The emergence of large scale guerrilla warfare in the Ozarks was largely the result of a conventional military campaign in the early months of the Civil War. Defeat at the Battle of Pea Ridge in March 1862 led Confederate commanders to shift forces into Tennessee. General Thomas Hindman, lacking soldiers and military resources, was determined to oppose the …

How did guerrilla warfare impact the Civil War?

Was there guerrilla warfare in the Civil War?

What is the significance of guerrilla warfare?

How did guerrilla warfare help the colonists?

Why did Shivaji's army used guerrilla warfare?

Is guerrilla warfare effective?

When was guerrilla warfare used?

Why is guerrilla warfare called guerrilla warfare?

What was the Confederate Guerrilla War?

In other words, the Confederate guerrilla war, rather than being part of an integrated or coordinated military strategy, was simply a collection of local defensive stands against invading Union soldiers and dangerous neighbors.

What was the response of the Generals - first Confederate, then Unionist?

When Confederate officials finally tried to organize their guerrilla fighters into formal military units, called Partisan Rangers, and ordered them to follow army rules, regulations and directives, it was too late.

How did the Confederates lose?

It could be argued just as easily, as indeed my research has highlighted, that the Confederates lost through miscalculation, and that their gravest error was to wage not only a failed conventional war, but also a dysfunctional guerrilla campaign.

Why did the Confederacy not have enough soldiers?

Library of Congress. Not a few rebels also regarded guerrilla warfare as a necessity, and for two reasons. First, in the opening months of conflict, the Confederacy did not have enough conventional soldiers to confront the Federals everywhere necessary.

What did the Confederate say about the Devil?

A Confederate summed up the situation in early 1862 this way: “It is an old saying … that the Devil is fond of fishing in muddy waters, and as soon as war stirred up the mud of confusion you see devils turn out in droves like avenging Wolves.”.

What bands were fighting in the Dixie Boys?

In Northwest Virginia, for example, long-time political foes faced off in rival guerrilla bands, with the pro-Union Swamp Dragoons battling the Dixie Boys, and the rebel Moccasin Rangers sworn to destroy the Snake Hunters.

What was the purpose of the shadows of war?

The shadows of war provided an opportunity for aggrieved parties to seek revenge. In any event, the essence of these conflicts was defense of hearth and home. They were civil wars, social wars, wars for survival, but not conscious efforts to preserve the Union or win Confederate independence.

Why did the Confederacy conduct few deep cavalry raids in the latter years of the war?

The Confederacy conducted few deep cavalry raids in the latter years of the war, mostly because of the losses in experienced horsemen and the offensive operations of the Union Army. Federal cavalry conducted several successful raids during the war but in general used their cavalry forces in a more conventional role.

What were the three types of guerrilla warfare?

Structurally, they can be divided into three different types of operations: the so-called 'people's war', 'partisan warfare', and 'raiding warfare'. Each had distinct characteristics that were common practice ...

How did counterinsurgency work in Arkansas?

In Arkansas, Union forces used a wide variety of strategies to defeat irregulars. They included the use of Arkansas Unionist forces as anti-guerrilla troops , the use of riverine forces such as gunboats to control the waterways, and the provost marshal 's military law enforcement system to spy on suspected guerrillas and to imprison those who were captured. Against Confederate raiders, the Union army developed an effective cavalry itself and reinforced that system by numerous blockhouses and fortification to defend strategic targets.

What were the missions of the Confederate cavalry?

They were given specific missions to destroy logistical hubs, railroad bridges, and other strategic targets to support the greater mission of the Army of Tennessee. Morgan led raids into Kentucky as well. In his last raid, he violated orders by going across the Ohio River and raiding in Ohio and Indiana as well since he wanted to bring the war to the North. The long raid diverted thousands of Union troops. Morgan captured and paroled nearly 6,000 troops, destroyed bridges and fortifications, and ran off livestock. By mid-1863, Morgan's Raiders had been mostly destroyed in the late days of the Great Raid of 1863 .

What were the groups that terrorized pro-Union civilians and fought Federal troops in large areas of Missouri and Kansas

From the semiorganized guerrillas, several groups formed and were given some measure of legitimacy by their governments. Quantrill's Raiders, who terrorized pro-Union civilians and fought Federal troops in large areas of Missouri and Kansas, was one such unit.

What was the name of the war that was characterized by ambushes, surprise raids, and the destruction of the

Irregular warfare in the American Civil War. “The destruction of the city of Lawrence, Kansas, and the massacre of its inhabitants by the Rebel guerrillas,” illustration for Harper's Weekly, 1863. Guerrilla warfare during the American Civil War (1861–1865) was a form of warfare characterized by ambushes, surprise raids, ...

What were the names of the groups that were organized in the early American Civil War?

Groups such as Blazer's Scouts, White's Comanches, the Loudoun Rangers, McNeill's Rangers, and other similar forces at times served in the formal armies, but they often were loosely organized and operated more as partisans than as cavalry, especially early in the war.

Who wrote the Guerrilla shirt?

Joseph Beileiln, Jr., “The Guerrilla Shirt: A Labor of Love and the Style of Rebellion in Civil War Missouri,” Civil War History 58 (2012), 151-179.

How many people served in the Union Army?

Sarah: The armies were huge – the estimated number of men who served in the Union Army is something like 2.2 million – right now, just as a point of comparison, the estimated number of people in all American armed forces is 1.2 million, with a few hundred thousand more in reserve units. But almost all of those people served in pretty concentrated locations. The armies were largely divided between two geographic regions that we call “theaters,” the Eastern Theater and the Western Theater. The Eastern theater is the one most of us are most familiar with – the big battles like Gettysburg and Antietam took place there. It was largely located in Virginia, Maryland, the Carolinas, Georgia, and a teensy bit in Pennsylvania, and of course the troops stationed around Washington, DC. The Western Theater was further inland, in states like Georgia, Alabama, Louisiana, Tennessee, Mississippi, and Kentucky. The armies spent most of their time on campaigns – or a long-term, sort of plan for military action – in these areas. So what this meant was that large swathes of contested territory – like borderlands in states that had populations of people sympathetic to the Union and those sympathetic to the Confederate cause, such as Missouri or Kentucky – were left without real armies on the ground.

What are the elements of guerrilla warfare?

Guerrilla operations varied state to state and battle to battle, but usually combined elements of screening, spying, and sabotage.

Why did the Confederate people surrender?

In some cases, formerly pro-secession Confederate citizens welcomed their nation’s surrender simply because they wanted a return to normalcy.

Why did Union gangs fight locally?

Union gangs fighting locally would’ve only happened when Confederate troops crossed the border north, something that was fairly rare during the war.

What was the best contribution to the Civil War?

In the U.S. Civil War, people on both sides of the conflict decided that their best contribution would come in the form of “irregular resistance,” rather than uniformed fighting, but Southerners joined the bands in larger numbers and provided a more material contribution to the war effort.

How many people did the Germans lose in the Battle of Berlin?

In total, the Germans would lose 734,000 killed, wounded and missing, while the Russians lost 478,741 killed and missing and another 650,878 wounded or sick. 1. The Battle of Berlin, 1945. German troops teach Berliners to use an anti-tank grenade before the battle of Berlin.

When did the Confederate cavalry raid the Union?

Confederate cavalrymen raid union livestock in the west in 1864. Guerrilla forces could often conduct missions like this, but had to be sure and melt away before Union forces caught them.

Who was the first African American to command a ship?

For this action, General Quincy Adams Gilmore gave him the rank of captain, making him the first African American to command a U.S. ship. (After the war, the military contested the rank saying it wasn’t a true military rank. Smalls fought them on this, and eventually earned the pension of a Navy captain).

What is the essence of guerrilla warfare?

The essence of guerrilla warfare is to conduct consolidated assaults against opposing forces, followed by swift retreats ...

How effective were guerrillas?

Aside from the strategic military tactics of guerrilla warfare, there was another tactic that proved to be very effective for guerrillas. This tactic involved spreading “terror” among the civilians. Much like ghosts, guerrillas had a way of magically appearing out of the darkness or dense woods, usually late at night or in the wee hours of the morning when they were least expected, and they wasted no time in exhibiting their dominance, force, and power over their surprised and helpless victims. After brutalizing or killing the man of the house, the guerrillas would verbally threaten women and children with further acts of violence and destruction of property.

Why did the Union troops wear blue uniforms?

Union troops also changed their dress to fit their locale as well. They frequently wore civilian dress or butternut uniforms to blend in with the civilian population and obtain intelligence on bushwhackers or Confederate troop movement . Captain Milton Burch of the 8th Missouri State Militia wrote in an official report on October 4, 1863, “I sent Joel P. Hood, my Government scout, and one other man dressed in butternut, to ascertain where their pickets were stationed.” 2 While an effective military tactic, the different clothing created a serious and confusing dilemma for citizens who rarely knew for sure who they were dealing with. In addition to the other dangers they faced, Ozarkers knew all too well that a case of mistaken identity could be deadly.

What was the rate of guerrilla warfare in the Ozarks?

The rate of guerrilla warfare in the Ozarks indicates that it was a very lucrative business, with high payoffs and extreme danger. That type of adventure and life style appealed to some, and after the war men like Jesse James continued to fight their personal vendetta. For others it was more of a military tactic, the only way they saw to fight northern aggression in a war in which their forces were neither recognized nor supported by their chosen government. Regardless of their motives for the violence, the damage guerrillas caused and the terror they spread plagued the civilians of the Ozarks for over ten years. Not knowing whom to trust and literally living day-to-day, the people of the Ozarks persevered.

When did guerrilla warfare start in the Ozarks?

The roots of guerrilla warfare in the Ozarks can be traced to the 1850s. The passage of the Kansas-Nebraska Act in 1854 opened the territory of Kansas to settlement, and a popular vote on allowing slavery in the territory. Many Missouri residents believed they could influence the territorial elections in Kansas by crossing ...

Who was accused of burning the Confederate mill?

Many soldiers in both the Confederate and Union Armies condoned the looting and destruction of civilian property, but some stood up to their peers. Newton Gotcher, a Lieutenant in Joseph O. Shelby’s command, was accused of burning the property and mill of William, George and John Bowers. Gotcher testified that he was innocent. In fact, he was upset to learn that the mill had been destroyed, because his family, living in that immediate area, depended on the mill for food. Several of his men also testified Gotcher was innocent and noted that he frequently spoke out against his men for looting and destroying civilian property.

Why did hate grew along the Missouri/Kansas line?

Hatred grew along the Missouri/Kansas line as Free-Staters arrived from the North to battle the Missourians. Both sides crossed the border, often committing depredations on the civilian population, in the bloody struggle over the entry of Kansas into the Union.

How did the Confederate guerrillas help the Union?

Guerrillas helped check invading armies at every turn. They distracted the Federals from their primary objectives, caused them to alter strategies, injured the morale of Union troops, and forced the reassignment of men and resources to counter threats to railroads, river traffic, and foraging parties. They shielded communities, stymied Union efforts to occupy the South, and spread panic throughout the lower Midwest. The politicians and generals could not have hoped for more, and so they vacillated, never fully endorsing their guerrillas but uncertain how best and how long to use them. History had shown that guerrillas could not win wars on their own, but rebel leaders knew not how to make them part of some broader plan.

How did the guerrilla war affect the South?

However, this was only the military side of the story. An equally important dimension of the guerrilla war was its social impact. First, southerners who opposed the Confederacy, the so-called Unionists, formed their own guerrilla bands and clashed with rebel neighbors in violent contests for political and economic control of their communities. These local struggles often caused people to lose sight of the conflicting national goals, whether Union or Independence, that had inspired the war. The need to maintain law and order reigned supreme. In places where Unionists gained the upper hand, or where rebel guerrillas could not ward off occupation by Union armies, the Confederate war effort splintered. Rebel citizens blamed the government for failing to protect them; winning distant battles became less important than preserving homes. Then the guerrilla war bred cancerous mutations. Violent bands of deserters, draft dodgers, and genuine outlaws operated as guerrillas to prey on loyal Confederates and defend themselves against rebel authorities. This broadened the South's internal war, and where deserters and draft dodgers made common cause with armed Unionists and slaves, anarchy prevailed.

What did the Federals do to the guerrillas?

Seeing the dangers posed by guerrillas to their own military operations, the Federals retaliated. They treated rebel guerrillas as brigands, not soldiers, and they punished rebel civilians who supported or encouraged guerrilla warfare. That was not all.

What was the role of guerrillas in the Civil War?

The Role of Partisans and Guerrillas in the Civil War. Most Americans in 1861, certainly most political and military leaders, expected the Civil War to be fought along familiar lines. Large massed armies, it was assumed, would confront and maneuver against one another in the open field. The best commanded, most inspired armies would then win ...

What is the meaning of partisan guerrilla?

Definitions are also important for understanding the guerrilla conflict. The name guerrilla is generally used to identify the participants in this irregular war, but it was not the only one. To start with, rebel guerrillas frequently preferred the eighteenth-century name of partisan, and indeed, for at least the first year of the war, the two names were interchangeable. Then, in the spring of 1862, the Confederate government used the name partisan, or partisan ranger, to identify its “official,” government-sanctioned guerrillas. Unlike regular guerrillas, who decided for themselves where, when, how, and against whom to fight, partisans were expected to obey army regulations and coordinate their movements with local military commanders. Generally mounted and organized in company or battalion-sized units, they operated on “detached service” to provide reconnaissance, conduct raids, and attack small groups of enemy soldiers.

What happened in 1865?

By 1865, support for the Confederacy had eroded badly. People who had entered the war as loyal Confederates came to believe their government could not protect them. Surrounded by violence, all semblance of order–and with it civilization–seemed to collapse.

What were the main responsibilities of the guerrillas?

Second, their principal responsibility, their very reason for being in most cases, was local defense, protection of their families or communities against both internal and external foes. Guerrillas often stretched and tested the second of these conditions, especially the rebels, and especially early in the war, when men volunteered from everywhere to halt the invasion of the Upper South. Still, even then, they considered defense of the Confederacy’s borders as tantamount to sparing their own states the enemy’s presence. If this is a somewhat elusive, ungainly, and untidy definition, it only reflects the nature of the guerrilla war.

Who assumed the Confederates would win their independence by emulating the armies of George Washington?

The Times of London assumed the Confederates would win their independence by emulating the armies of George Washington:

What is the center of gravity of guerilla warfare?

Loyalty of slaves: The center of gravity in guerilla warfare is the native population. Bands of insurgent guerillas commit acts of terrorism and raids to delegitimize the host government. Because the insurgent enemy hides among the population— “the guerrilla must swim in the people as the fish swims in the sea,” as Mao Zedong wrote—both sides rely on the native population to provide intelligence, supplies, intelligence, and shelter. The population aids the side that is winning its hearts and minds—the heart being the metaphor for the preference, and mind a metaphor for being who they believe will win the battle. The Confederacy, presumably, could have relied on the support of the general white population. But it could never count on support of slaves—3.5 million out of a population of 9 million. For decades, planters lived in existential fear of slave revolts, of the South become Saint Marin writ large. The slaves were willing to sacrifice their lives for freedom. When General Sherman came marching thorough the South, slaves refused work and revolted. To allow federals into the country would have meant losing slaves and upending their society. Wrote Confederate Betty Herndon Maury: “We hear that our three are going soon. I am afraid of the lawless Yankee soldiers, but that is nothing to fear of the negroes if they should rise against us.”

Why did the Southern press clamor for an advance onto Washington?

And reason two was “the temperament of the southern people.” McPherson cites a Richmond Examiner editorial: “The idea of waiting for blows, instead of inflecting them, is altogether unsuited to the genius of our people.” In the same way the Northern public boomed, “On to Richmond,” so too did the Southern press clamor for an advance onto Washington. The Southerns believed their inferior Cavalier blood and stock meant one of their men was the equal to a trio of effeminate, pasty mechanics of the North.

What was the North fighting for in the Civil War?

The North was fighting for reunification, and the South for independence. But as the war progressed, the Civil War gradually turned into a social, economic and political revolution with unforeseen consequences. The Union war effort expanded to include not only reunification, but also the abolition of slavery.

What was the change in the Civil War?

The North was fighting for reunification, and the South for independence. But as the war progressed, the Civil War gradually turned into a social, economic and political revolution with unforeseen consequences.

How did the Union achieve emancipation?

To achieve emancipation, the Union had to invade the South, defeat the Confederate armies, and occupy the Southern territory. The Civil War began as a purely military effort with limited political objectives. The North was fighting for reunification, and the South for independence.

What was William Quantrill's role in the Civil War?

Shortly after war broke out, Quantrill assembled a ragtag band of guerillas and began harassing and killing Union forces and sympathizers along the Missouri- Kansas border. His exploits earned him the rank of captain from the Confederate Army, but he was also labeled an outlaw by the Union, which viewed his unconventional tactics as illegal and even murderous.

What were the activities of the partisan rangers during the Civil War?

During the American Civil War, groups of so-called “partisan rangers” engaged in bloody campaigns of guerilla attacks, raiding and psychological warfare against rival military units and civilians. These units had tenuous ties to the regular Confederate and Union Armies and were led by men who often operated outside the recognized rules of warfare.

What happened to Quantrill's raiders?

In the confusion that followed, Quantrill’s raiders disbanded and formed smaller guerilla units in Texas and Oklahoma. His forces now weakened, Quantrill continued to operate outside of the Confederate Army, which had withdrawn support following his attack on Lawrence.

What was the name of the man who was court martialed for robbery and gun down?

By 1862 Je nnison’s attacks had become increasingly indiscriminate—his men were known to rob and gun down Union as well as Confederate sympathizers—and martial law was declared in Kansas. Jennison briefly retired after this controversial period, but he would return to the war in 1863 following William Quantrill’s raid on Lawrence, Kansas. He served until the end of the conflict, at which point he was court-martialed for plundering and discharged from the army. He left military service with a polarizing reputation but went on to serve for several years in the Kansas state legislature.

What was the first black soldier to serve in combat during the Civil War?

Lane continued to play a vital role in the war effort, and later made history when he independently organized the 1st Kansas Volunteer Infantry , the first unit of black soldiers to serve in combat during the Civil War.

Who was the abolitionist who organized the Civil War?

At the outset of the Civil War, Jennison organized a small Union force and began waging war on Confederate bushwhackers in Missouri. As ruthless as he was principled, Jennison adopted a “scorched earth” policy of warfare that included razing and looting homesteads that appeared to support Confederate guerillas.

What was the name of the town that the Union burned?

Known as the “Grim Chieftain,” Lane was as calculating a military leader as he was a politician. In 1861 he orchestrated the sacking of Osceola, Missouri, in which the town was burned and nine residents were executed. The attack—which was not authorized by the Union—drew the ire of Confederate guerilla leaders like William Quantrill, who began to target Lane in raids on Union positions. Worried that Lane’s activities were only serving to galvanize the opposition, in 1862 the Union cancelled his command. Lane continued to play a vital role in the war effort, and later made history when he independently organized the 1st Kansas Volunteer Infantry, the first unit of black soldiers to serve in combat during the Civil War.

Why Be A Guerrilla?

Not Just About The Confederacy

The Response of The Generals - First Confederate, Then Unionist

• When Confederate officials finally tried to organize their guerrilla fighters into formal military units, called Partisan Rangers,and ordered them to follow army rules, regulations and directives, it was too late. Few independent guerrilla bands were willing to sacrifice their freedom of movement or leave their communities to the mercy of the enemy...

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Overview

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Aftermath

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Primary sources

Further reading

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