The Civil War A nation goes to war against itself

The Civil War 1861-1865 A nation goes to war against itself

Southern Plantation Houses Clockwise from top left: Sotterley (Maryland); Doe Hill Plantation (Virginia); Redcliffe Plantation (South Carolina)

More Southern Plantations Clockwise from top left: Archibald Smith Plantation House aka Oak Grove (Georgia); Oak Alley (Louisiana); Greenwood Plantation (Louisiana)

More Southern Plantations Clockwise from top left: Moss Hill (Alabama); Nottoway Plantation (Louisiana); Stratford Hall, home of Robert E. Lee (Virginia)

Large Northern Farms Clockwise from top left: Wood frame farm, circa 1830 (photographed 1870s), upper Midwest; Greek revival style farmhouse, New England; Branford Farm, Greek revival farmhouse, circa 1860, Vermont

More Northern Farms Clockwise from lower left: Sod House, Sod house with chicken coop, log cabin, wood frame outbuildings, and cobblestone style (all from the Midwest and north)

More Northern Farms Clockwise from left: Log Cabin Midwest, 1850s; Italianate Midwest or MidAtlantic, 1860s; Greek Revival Michigan, 1840s; Italianate Midwest, 1850s

Election of 1860 South was threatening to secede from the Union if the Republicans won they didn t trust Lincoln Republicans (met in Chicago) Seward or Lincoln? Democrats (met in Charleston, April 1860) Stephen Douglas?

Democrats divided Forced to hold a 2 nd convention (at Baltimore, June 1860) which also failed to get a candidate from a unified Democratic Party Divided party nominates 2 candidates Democratic Party Stephen Douglas (IL) and Herschel Johnson (GA) Southern Democrats John C. Breckinridge (KY) and Joseph Lane (OR) Constitutional Union Party (met in May, 1860) Nominated John Bell (TN) and Edward Everett (MA)

Douglas felt only he could keep the Union together in the upcoming election Election was completely on sectional lines Lincoln 180 all Northern states, CA, OR Breckinridge 72 all the deep South plus MD & DE Bell 39 the border states of TN, VA, KY Douglas 12 MO and part of NJ

Secession Begins Lincoln was elected in November 1860 but would not take office until March 1861. Immediately after the election, South Carolina called for a special convention and voted for secession on December 20, 1860. At his inauguration, Lincoln announced that states could not secede and that he intended to hold the two forts that remained in the South - Fort Pickens (FL) and Fort Sumter (SC)

States Secede By February 1861 six more states had followed Mississippi January 9 Florida January 10 Alabama January 11 Georgia January 19 Louisiana January 26 Texas February 23

Creation of the Confederacy Met in Montgomery in February 1861 Elected Jefferson Davis (MS) and Alexander Stephens (GA) Created a Constitution very similar to U.S. Slavery recognized and protected No protective tariffs Six year term for President & VP (no re-election) President had power of Line Item Veto in appropriations bills State sovereignty is recognized

First capital is Montgomery (later moved to Richmond) Northern Reaction Mixed Let erring sisters go in peace Unconstitutional but No right to intervene Lincoln Inaugurated 3-4-1861 tried to reassure the South would keep federal forts and arsenals in the South

Fort Sumter Only 2 forts still controlled by Union forces in the South Fort Pickens (off Pensacola, FL) Fort Sumter (in Charleston Harbor) Sumter low on supplies Southerners demanded the fort On April 11, 1861, Confederate General P.G.T. Beauregard (on orders from President Davis) demanded the surrender of the fort Major Robert Anderson (left) defended Fort Sumter and Pierre Gustave Toutant Beauregard

Knowing supplies were on the way, at 4:30 AM on April 12, Beauregard opened fire on Fort Sumter Lacking sufficient supplies, Anderson surrendered on April 13 and evacuated the fort on the 14 th Lincoln and the States React The day following the surrender, Lincoln put out a call for troops 75,000 volunteers to serve for 3 months to put down the rebellion

In Response, more southern states voted for secession VA April 17 AR May 6 NC May 20 TN June 8 DE, KY, MO and MD wavered to varying degrees but stayed with the Union DE had few slaves; WV eventually seceded from VA KY declared itself neutral then sided with the North when the South failed to respect the neutrality MO and MD held in Union by martial law

The Middle Ground According to Lincoln, the coming war was NOT over slavery but was instead about the unconstitutionality of secession HOWEVER, slaveholders and slaves too didn t believe him many slave owners sent their slaves further south to protect them Lincoln was in a tough situation Washington, DC was surrounded by slave territory (MD and VA) and VA was increasingly looking like secession was inevitable

The first regiment called up by Lincoln was attacked by a prosouthern mob in Baltimore, MD on April 16, 1861. A dozen civilians and four soldiers were killed. This is one of the reasons why Lincoln declared martial law in MD and forced them to stay in the Union. Baltimore Riots

In April 1861, Lincoln declared martial law in MD and sent federal troops through MD to prevent them from voting for secession Slaves met along the way begged to be taken along To prevent problems with slavery supporters, soldiers were forbidden to harbor fugitives but many ignored the order Soldiers were also required to help recover any runaways but many refused

Comparisons The North versus The South

The North 23 states incl. CA, OR, MO, KY, MD & 7 territories Population 22 million (4 million men of combat age) Economy 100,000 factories 1.1 million workers 20,000 miles of RR (70% of US total; 96% of all RR equipment) $189 million in bank deposits (81% of total) $56 million in gold specie

The South 11 states (not all of the slave states in the Union) Population 9 million (3.8 million slaves; 1.2 million men of combat age) Economy 20,000 factories 101,000 workers 9,000 miles of RR (30% of US total; 4% of all RR equipment) $47 million in bank deposits (19% of total) $27 million in gold specie

Other Comparisons North vastly out-produced the South in agricultural products The North had more livestock holdings (except donkeys and mules) The only commodity the South produced in greater quantity than the North was cotton which would have to be sold overseas. The North had the means to increase wartime supplies and ship them efficiently by rail. The South would have to purchase weapons, ships, & arms from foreign sources which meant it was vulnerable to a Union naval blockade Southern advantage was the US Army was comprised and led by mostly Southerners who immediately defected to the South s cause

Soldiers Southern soldiers were generally better riders, more at home with weaponry, many possessed their own rifles, and showed greater martial spirit than their Northern counterparts Northern armies were mostly made up of conscripts from urban areas, many of them immigrants who spoke little or no English, led by political appointees

Southern Advantage War was also to be fought primarily in the South giving the Southern troops the advantage of knowing the terrain, local support and supply, and the action of defending the homeland (think American Revolution) For a short war, the South had a tremendous advantage. For a long term war, the North would be able to gain the upper hand

The Military: Leaders and Men North and South

The Northern Commanders General Winfield Scott (seated) was the General- In-Charge of the Union Army when war broke out. He resigned in October 1861 when it became apparent that the vast age difference between him and his commanders interfered with operations.

Northern Commanders After Scott resigned, the Union Army was divided in two. The Army of the Potomac was commanded by Major General Irvin McDowell. But after his disastrous loss at the First Battle at Bull Run, the Army of the Potomac was turned over to General George B. McClellan (pictured).

The Northern Commanders Though he was not the overall Union commander until later in the war, Ulysses S. Grant did serve as Commander of the Army in the West early in the war.

The Southern Commanders General Joseph E. Johnston had been the Quartermaster of the U.S. Army but had defected to the Confederate Army when VA seceded. He was instrumental in the Southern victory at the first battle of Bull Run.

The Southern Commanders Thomas J. Jackson is credited with turning the tide of battle at the first battle of Bull Run, he and his men made a stand that allowed reinforcements to arrive in time. Supposedly other generals rallied their troops by saying, There stands Jackson like a stone wall. Regardless of how it started, Stonewall stuck and he became Lee s right hand man until his death at Chancellorsville, VA in 1863.

The Southern Commanders General Robert E. Lee had put down John Brown s revolt at Harper s Ferry but when his beloved Virginia seceded, he joined the Confederate Army as commander of the Army of Virginia and was named commander of the entire army late in the war.

Typical Northern Soldiers Despite their lack of effective command, Union soldiers had the vast resources of the U.S. Government and were very well equipped.

Typical Southern Soldiers Even though they tended to have more military experience, the Confederate Government had much more limited resources. This meant that troops often lacked proper equipment and uniforms.

The Battles Begin 1861

Bull Run The first major clash between armies came on July 21, 1861 just 20 miles outside of Washington, DC. Civilians turned out to watch with picnic baskets in hand. When Federal forces began to retreat, a Confederate shell hit a Union supply wagon as it was crossing a bridge. The orderly retreat turned into chaos but instead of pursuing the fleeing Union army, many Confederates began to rejoice on the battlefield. The Union had originally thought this would be a short, 90-day war but after the defeat at Bull Run (VA), they realized this was not the case.

A War over Slavery? At Wilson s Creek, Missouri, Union forces are defeated (August 10-30, 1861) and one of the Union s best commanders, John C. Fremont, is forced to surrender much of Missouri to the Confederates. To reverse his military losses, he declares martial law and announced that all slaves were free. Lincoln requested this order be withdrawn but Fremont refused and Lincoln removed him from command.

Incompetent Command? Lincoln continued to replace commanders at a rapid rate. General Winfield Scott, the Union Commander at the beginning of the war, was an entire generation older than his officers and men. He resigned after only a few months. But Lincoln s best officers had all been from the South and had resigned their commissions when the states succeeded. Eventually, he appointed George McClellan but he was too cautious for Lincoln (he actually refused to send men out to fight - a direct order) and was replaced. However, since McClellan was very competent, Lincoln reinstated (and removed) him from command several more times.

In April 6-7, 1862, Confederate forces surprised Union troops camped around Shiloh Church along the Tennessee River. A few of the Union troops managed to hold their ground but it wasn t until Union reinforcements arrived that the Confederate advance was stopped. Losses were staggering - 13,000 Union and 11,000 Confederate in 2 days of fighting. Shiloh That s more than the total American casualties in the Revolution, War of 1812 and Mexican War combined.

Second Battle of Bull Run August 30, 1862 Another Confederate victory Lee, Jackson and James Longstreet combine to defeat the Union under John Pope Union troops (2 armies, twice the size of the Confederate army) forced all the way back to Washington, DC in less than 1 month Pope is fired, McClellan is reinstated

September 17, 1862, Sharpsburg, Maryland. As Pope retreated, Lee took the offensive to capture Washington. McClellan discovered a copy of Lee s plan for invasion so he could easily anticipate Lee s strategy. He met Lee s advance and forced him to retreat but didn t pursue him. It was the single bloodiest day of the entire Civil War - 12,500 Union and 13,000 Confederate killed or wounded - 1 of 4 men Antietam

Emancipation Proclamation Announced on September 22, 1862 after the Union victory at Antietam Would go into effect on January 1, 1863 Would free slaves in the rebelling territory (South only - not the 4 slave states in the Union - areas Lincoln did not control) Led to a decrease in enlistments so Lincoln had to resort to conscription (a draft) England and France also decided not to ally with the Confederacy (couldn t endorse slavery)

Changes for the Union Army General Burnside is relieved of command and General Joseph Hooker is appointed to lead the Army of the Potomac (Jan 1863) Secretary of War authorizes the recruitment of African American troops for the U.S. Army - the 54th Massachusetts Volunteers Eventually 185,000 will fight in 166 regiments (70,000 from Southern states)

Chancellorsville May 2-4, 1863 in Chancellorsville, VA Supply crisis was finally starting to devastate the South Lee used unexpected tactics against Hooker (and Hooker could not divide the Confederate Army as planned) Lee s 60,000 held off Hooker s 130,000 A charge by Jackson stunned the Union and they retreated but it cost the South - Jackson was mortally wounded by his own men (he died May 10)

Gettysburg Lee took an opportunity to invade the North The Confederate Army met Union forces commanded by George G. Meade (another new commander) On July 1, 1863, Confederates ran into Union forces but were able to hold them off and take the high ground south of the town and claim victory. Overnight, Union forces streamed in and on the 2nd day, Lee could only pick away at Meade s lines They took the Peach Orchard and Wheat field but fell short at Devil s Den (leaving the Round Top s in Union hands)

Gettysburg

Day 3 - most of the day was spent assembling troops By 1:00pm, the firing of 330 cannon began By late afternoon, Confederate Gen. Pickett led a charge at Union lines (15,000 men) Only a few hundred broke through Union lines - less than 1/2 returned Hope was finished for the Confederacy Nearly 50,000 fell in Gettysburg - 25,000 Union and 21,000 Confederate

Gettysburg

A Change in Fortunes Until the Battle of Gettysburg, the South had dominated the battles Most of the battles had been fought in the South (except the disasters at Gettysburg and Antietam Creek) The fortunes of the South were forever changed after Gettysburg and the began to lose, the effects of the long war finally catching up to them

1863 The Turning Point As Lee began to march toward Gettysburg, PA with the assistance of J.E.B. Stuart another Union Army was in the South itself General Grant and General William T. Sherman begin a siege of Vicksburg (MS) the key control point of the Mississippi River on May 22, 1863

Vicksburg, Mississippi 77,000 Union and 33,000 Confederates took part 10,100 Union casualties 9,100 Confederate casualties Southern General Pemberton was finally forced to surrender Vicksburg on July 4,1863 By July 8, the entire length of the River was under the control of the Union Southern commanders continued to retreat across the South THE SIEGE OF VICKSBURG APPROACH OF McPHERSON'S SAPS TO THE REBEL WORKS. FROM A SKETCH BY MR. THEODORE R. DAVIS

A New Northern Commander In October 1863, Ulysses S. Grant is appointed overall commander of the Union Army of the Ohio, Cumberland and the Tennessee Rivers William T. Sherman is given the command of the Army of the Tennessee They continue to have success pushing confederate forces further south In March 1864, Grant is appointed head of all of the Union forces

Grant s Drive - Virginia 100,000 men begin an attack of the Confederate Army Battle of the Wilderness (VA) May 5-6, 1864 Inconclusive but many died on both sides because of fires ignited by the gunfire Battle of Spotsylvania (VA) May 8-12, 1864 Again, inconclusive but the plan became clear Grant would wear down Lee and force his surrender Battle of Cold Harbor (VA) June 3, 1864 Grant continues to attack Lee despite heavy losses to this point he has lost 60,000 men in this campaign (equal to Lee s entire army) but even though this is a victory for Lee, it will be his last major victory against the Union army Grant s strategy is working

Gen. William T. Sherman s Drive - 110,000 man army faces Gen. Johnston May 13-15, 1864 Johnston is defeated but manages to preserve the smaller Confederate army with a skillful retreat Jefferson Davis loses his patience with Johnston and replaces him with Gen. John B. Hood Atlanta

Sherman s Drive - Atlanta July 22, 1864 Hood s first attack on Sherman of three major battles All three battles inconclusive (2 nd was 6 days later) Gen. William T. Sherman begins a siege of Atlanta during the month of August 1864

Siege of Atlanta Sherman noted that if the railroad lines supplying Atlanta were cut, then Hood would have to abandon the city His military focus was then to cut off supplies

Confederates abandoned the city on Sept 1, 1864 Union soldiers marched in the next day so Atlanta fell Sept 2, 1864 Damage was extensive Retreating Confederates may have destroyed the city to prevent Union from gaining supplies Fall of Atlanta

Burning of Atlanta

Election of 1864 South was hoping that northern weariness with the war would lead to Lincoln s defeat Lincoln ran on the ticket of the National Union Party (essentially the Republican Party and loyal or War Democrats). Andrew Johnson a loyal Democrat from Tennessee was his VP candidate John C. Fremont was nominated by the Radical Republican Party Said he d step aside if Lincoln not re-nominated Shows division in Rep. Party Democratic Party nominated a reluctant George B. McClellan platform called the war a failure and called for peace even if it meant giving the South their freedom George Pendleton (OH) was his VP candidate Lincoln thought he would be defeated but in Sept 1864, word came that Sherman had taken Atlanta and the north was rejuvenated along with the other victories The Fall of Atlanta cemented his 212 to 21 win

Sherman s March to the Sea Nov 16, 1864 the March to the Sea begins from Atlanta Confederate Army tries to stop him by destroying supply lines Failed and this effectively destroyed the Confederate army under Hood 3 days before Christmas, Sherman marched into Savannah unchallenged

March to the Sea Along the way, Sherman ordered his men to destroy as much as possible Crops Warehouses Railroads 3 days before Christmas, Sherman marched into Savannah unchallenged

Sherman s March to the Sea

Sherman s Message to Lincoln Sherman telegraphed to President Lincoln, "I beg to present you as a Christmas gift the City of Savannah, with one hundred and fifty guns and plenty of ammunition, also about twenty-five thousand bales of cotton." On December 26, the president replied in a letter: Many, many thanks for your Christmas gift the capture of Savannah. When you were leaving Atlanta for the Atlantic coast, I was anxious, if not fearful; but feeling that you were the better judge, and remembering that 'nothing risked, nothing gained' I did not interfere. Now, the undertaking being a success, the honour is all yours; for I believe none of us went farther than to acquiesce

Sherman s Destruction

March Northward After reaching Savannah, Sherman planned to turn North and meet up with Grant in VA before meeting Lee March northward is as destructive as the march to the sea Feb 4, 1865 Lee is named commander-in-chief of the entire Confederate Army took up the challenge even though the hopelessness of the cause was becoming obvious Feb 17 Columbia, SC is burned Feb 18, Charlestown is occupied Feb 22, Wilmington, NC the last open southern port falls March 4, Lincoln inaugurated for his 2 nd term April 3 Lee abandons Richmond

Further Destruction Ruins of Charleston, SC Following more than a year of bombardment, Charleston fell to the Union. Ruins of Columbia, SC Eighty four of Columbia's 124 developed city blocks were destroyed.

Further Destruction Destruction on Broad St. in Charleston, SC

Further Destruction Ruins of Fort Sumter, Charleston, SC Though it never surrendered, Fort Sumter was destroyed during the siege of Charleston. In July 1863, Union forces began attacking to deny the port to Confederate blockade runners. By the time Charleston fell in February 1865, Sumter more closely resembled a rock pile than a fort. These photos give some idea of the ineffectiveness of masonry defenses against rifled weapons.

The Final Campaign April 3 Lee abandons Richmond Images show ruins of the Confederate capitol.

The Final Campaign April 9 forced to surrender by Grant at the McLean house at Appomattox, VA The Confederate soldiers were allowed to keep their horses and mules to work their farms. Four days later, the actual surrender took place as 26,000 Confederates laid down their weapons and were paroled.

Lincoln s Assassination Lincoln knew the war was over but had not yet received confirmation that the surrender of arms had taken place when he took his wife to the theatre on Good Friday, April 14, 1865. They were to see the play Our American Cousin They arrived late at the theatre and sat in a private box

Lincoln s Assassination A prominent actor, John Wilkes Booth snuck into the theatre and fired a shot into the back of Lincoln s head He had previously tried to arrange a kidnapping of the president

Lincoln s Assassination Booth was pursued into MD and VA and was cornered 13 days later He died of a gunshot wound through the neck & spinal cord Several of his co-conspirators were also caught, tried, & convicted. Some were executed, some jailed Plan was not only to assassinate Lincoln but V.P. Johnson, Sec of State Seward and U.S. Grant Seward was severely attacked but survived Grant was heading to NJ Johnson was not attacked

Lincoln s Assassination

Cost of War North lost almost 365,000 men; South lost 260,000 (1 out of 4 Southern men had died) Families left destitute by loss of breadwinner Another 277,000 Northerners and 195,000 Southerners were wounded (estimated) Southern economy had collapsed wealth gone Southern cities and railroads were in ruins Salt had often been sown in farm fields ruining it Farm values fell by 50-90% Northern economy began to boom 2 nd Industrial Revolution

Political Reconstruction of the Former Confederacy RECONSTRUCTION

Political Reconstruction Four Stages Presidential Reconstruction under Lincoln (to April 14, 1865) Presidential Reconstruction under Johnson 1865-1866 Congressional Reconstruction 1866-1868 Period after 1868 when southern opposition gradually negated the Congressional measures

Lincoln s Reconstruction Reconstruction had begun well before the end of the fighting as areas To assist recently freed slaves, in 1865, Congress created the Freedman s Bureau to provide food, clothing and education Unions forces had begun to control large areas of the south beginning in 1863 Lincoln wanted these areas back in the Union as quickly as possible

Lincoln s 10 Percent Plan Oath promising future loyalty to the union Acceptance of the end of slavery When the number of those who had taken the oath within any one state reached 10% of the number who had been registered to vote in 1860, a loyal state government could be formed. TN, AR, and LA met the requirements before the war ended but Congress refused to recognize those governments as it was dominated by Radical Republicans (such as Thaddeus Stevens) It did not adequately punish the South, restructure Southern society and boost the political prospects of the Republican Party. Radicals responded with the Wade-Davis Bill

Wade-Davis Bill Radical Republican attempt to control Reconstruction Congress (not the President) would administer the Reconstruction program A majority of the population* must swear an oath of allegiance (not 10%) (*based on 1860 census) High confederate officials and military leaders were disenfranchised Slavery is abolished Confederate debt must be repudiated Lincoln gave this bill a pocket-veto Compromise may have been possible until Lincoln s assassination ended that possibility

Johnson s Plan Based largely on Lincoln s policies General amnesty for all Southerners except Confederate leaders and those whose wealth exceeded $20,000 Recognized governments in VA, TN, AR, and LA as constituted under Lincoln s plan Remaining States could re-enter the Union when they: Repudiated their war debts Abolished slavery Disavowed their ordinances of secession Ratified the 13 th Amendment

13 th Amendment Many southern states reluctant on certain points ratifying the 13 th Amendment (which officially abolished slavery) or repudiating Confederate debts Despite their objections, there were enough votes to ratify the 13 th Amendment in December 1865 The House of Representatives as it voted for the 13 th Amendment in January of 1865 It was later approved by the Senate, sent to the states and ratified by ¾ of the states on December 18, 1865

13 th Amendment & Black Codes Southern states were also encouraged to extend the vote for former slaves (but it was not in the 13 th Amendment) None did(of course, no northern state did either) Instead imposed Black Codes which placed various restrictions on the freedom of former slaves. Meant to continue to provide unpaid labor to wealthy Vagrancy; restrictions on travel; own land; make contracts Children could be taken from families that were deemed unsuitable and apprenticed to work

Battle for Control of Reconstruction By December 4, 1865 when Congress resumed, all the states except Texas had met these requirements and were ready to be readmitted but Congress refused to seat the representatives of those states and proposed its own plan Congress argued that states that had seceded had reverted to territorial status and were now under complete Congressional jurisdiction A Committee of Fifteen, made up of members of both houses and dominated by Radical Republican Thaddeus Stevens, met to formulate its own policy Freedman s Bureau the wartime agency was extended (Feb 1866). Vetoed by Johnson but later overridden Civil Rights Act April 1866 forbade states from discriminating against blacks and guaranteed them equal protection of the laws. Passed over Johnson s veto.

14 th Amendment Congress was afraid the Civil Rights Act would be declared unconstitutional by the courts so they created a Constitutional Amendment to guarantee legality: All persons born or naturalized in the US were citizens Southern states must grant blacks the right to vote of lose a portion of their Congressional representation Former confederates could not hold office until pardoned by Congress Confederate war debt was repudiated Measure was to be enforced by Congress and not the President or the Courts

Congressional Elections of 1866 Essentially gave the people a choice between President and Congressional reconstruction policies In most districts, the people had a choice of a Radical Republican or a Copperhead Democrat ( Peace Democrats who opposed Union war policies kind of a let the South go attitude) forcing many moderate Republicans to choose a Radical Republican President Johnson did not provide full and active support to the candidates he supported lending strength to the radicals

Congressional Elections of 1866 Other factors influencing the election: A race riot in New Orleans (July 1866) convinced many northerners that former slaves must be protected Black Codes in the south reducing blacks to a status suspiciously resembling slavery For example: vagrants could be fined $50 and if unable to pay, apprenticed for 6 months of labor Southern states continued to elect former Confederates to office Radical Republicans were swept to victory and took this as a mandate for their plan

Radical Congressional Reconstruction Adopted In March 1867 (after the elections) Said no lawful governments existed in any of the southern states except TN The remainder of the South was divided into 5 military districts Decreed that no state could return to civilian rule until its voters, both black and white, framed a constitution that guaranteed black suffrage and was acceptable to both Congress and the people. States must also accept the 14 th Amendment

14 th Amendment denies Supreme Court Authority Part of the reason for the 14 th Amendment was to prevent the Reconstruction policies already passed by Congress from being overturned. Felt necessary because: Ex Parte Milligan 1866 ruled that military trials were illegal in areas where civil courts were functioning Ex Parte McCardle 1868 accepted jurisdiction in the case of a Mississippi editor who had been convicted by a military tribunal Passed an Act March 7, 1868 that denied the Supreme Court jurisdiction over the Reconstruction acts (14 th Amendment ratified later that year) Ultimately, it didn t matter because the Supreme Court was now headed by Samuel P. Chase who decline to overturn any reconstruction policies

Denial of Presidential Authority Two acts of March 2, 1867 removed the administration of the Reconstruction acts from the president: Army Appropriations Act decreed that military orders could only be issued by the general of the army Tenure of Office Act prohibited President from removing any federal officials from office without Senate consent These acts gave control of the military districts to Edwin Stanton (Secretary of War) a Radical Republican and prevented Johnson from dismissing him (**remember, Johnson was a loyal Democrat from TN who ran with Lincoln on the Republican ticket in 1864**)

Impeachment of Johnson Johnson felt the challenges to his authority were unconstitutional Radical Republicans were looking for something to impeach him on) Johnson dismissed Stanton on Feb 21, 1868 Three days later the House voted to impeach Johnson for violating the Tenure of Office Act and for other high crimes and misdemeanors He was tried before the Senate but was not convicted on each of three counts

Election of 1868 The National Union Republican Party (Radical Republicans) nominated Ulysses S Grant for president The Democratic Party nominated NY Governor Horatio Seymour Grant was victorious 218 to 80 but his popular margin was only 300,000 votes. Opponents noted that this was not a mandate for radical policy because there were 700,000 blacks voting for Grant which was why he won the election.

Failure of Congressional Reconstruction Johnson had followed Congressional Policy (unwillingly) and by spring 1868 all state but Texas and Virginia had created constitutions. Mississippi s was rejected by the voters so when Grant took office, only those 3 remained under military rule. Radicals in congress then decided that those states should not be readmitted until the 15 th Amendment had been ratified All 3 did by 1870

Failure of Congressional Reconstruction Between 1870 and 1877 the southern opposition to Reconstruction grew and 2 factions sought to control the southern states Democrats seeking to re-establish white supremacy Radical Republicans determined to secure equal rights for blacks Included Blacks, carpetbaggers (who came south to lead the freedmen) and southern scalawags (whites who had deserted to the Republican camp) Backed by radicals in congress who were ready to pass laws for the support of reconstruction

Failure of Congressional Reconstruction Democrats eventually successful because Reconstruction measures were very costly taxes increased from 4-fold to 14-fold Many carpetbaggers and scalawags were corrupt Traditions of white rule and local rule in the south were too strong to be easily broken A rising conservative class (landowners and businessmen) were becoming powerful enough to attack radical policies wanted to keep blacks as a cheap labor supply

Southern Opposition In some states (TN and NC) Democrats regained control of state governments by legal means In others (where federal troops remained to enforce racial equality), extralegal devices were used Ku Klux Klan and Knights of the White Camellia to intimidate blacks and keep Republicans from voting This let Democrats regain control of the legislatures Radicals tried to suppress these societies by passing the Force Act (1870) and the Ku Klux Klan Act (1871) which gave the president the power to Suspend the writ of habeas corpus Supervise congressional elections Employ troops to assure blacks civil and political rights Their enforcement led to the suppression of these societies by the end of 1872

End of Reconstruction By the election of 1872, the Republicans had divided into two factions over reconstruction policies with one faction advocating the end of reconstruction in the South Radicals re-elected Grant but by a very slim majority so they realized that had to change their program In 1872, the vote was restored to almost all former confederates with the Amnesty Act As a result, democrats gradually regained control of the southern states

Election of 1876 Democrats nominated Samuel Tilden (NY) Republicans nominated Rutherford Hayes (OH) SC & LA problems (OR too) Tilden won 184 electoral votes to Hayes 165 but needed 185 to win BUT votes were disputed for SC and LA and FL where Republican election boards refused to accept Democratic majorities 20 votes were in dispute two sets from each state one going each way

Election of 1876 Dispute Resolved A special election commission was created of 15 members (5 House, 5 Senate and 5 Supreme court also 7 Rep, 7 Dem, and 1 nonpartisan) At the last minute, the nonpartisan judge was appointed to the Senate (by Democrats hoping to sway his vote but he resigned from the Commission) A Republican judge was appointed in his place (had to have another judge and all were Republican) By a vote of 8 to 7, all 20 disputed votes were given to Hayes Corruption? Tilden did have a popular majority of 250,000 but many blacks in the South who likely would have voted for Hayes were kept from the polls (& SC had a 101% voter turnout!)

Compromise of 1877 Democrats began a filibuster of the Commissions vote (Senate would have to approve it) Compromise agreed on that would end filibuster & elect Hayes Hayes would become president He would withdraw all federal troops from the remaining unredeemed states (did by April 1777) Democratic governments in those states would be recognized as the official governments