Assess the reasons why the Union failed to win the Civil War by 1863. and How successful were t - page 3
Keywords: The American Civil war – The war 1861-63
By ROYDS on 29/09/2008
Level: A Level (Year 12) / AS Level
Page Number: 3 of 8 pages: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
flip side this shows how it took 3 years for the Union to manage to penetrate key southern communication and supply lines, another reason for the failure to defeat the Confederacy by 1863. Despite the north’s advantages in its economy and men the south were recognisably a “military people” as Jefferson Davies put it. They had strong moral and belief and even many northerners recognised and sometimes feared the marshal state of the south. Key figures such as ‘stonewall’ Thomas Jackson, derived from his heroic leadership and bravery at first Manassas and Robert E. Lee, who McPherson said, “was the only one whose victories had some potential for winning the war,” were also a massive advantage to the South. Together they proved a constant resilient force against the Union generals and their troops, preventing a Union victory before 1863.
One quite significant factor that ensured limited Union success was early Confederate victories. These meant the Union were reluctant to underestimate the Confederacy so momentum and victories were gradual and slow. Perhaps if the early on victories during the war had gone to the Union the war may have been over much quicker, but as it happens it didn’t so the Union had not managed to overcome the Confederacy by 1863. In the first year of war 1861, Confederates had successes in the Eastern theatre, focused in Virginia and in the Western theatre. In August the Confederates won at Wilson’s Creek in the West and in October the Confederates experienced victories at balls’ Bluff in the East (Virginia). A very significant victory for the Confederacy was the first battle of Manassas or Bull Run as the Confederates name battles by nearest significant geographical feature (Bull Run River) in July 1861. Virginia was of high value to both the Confederacy and the Union because both their capitals Washington (N) and Richmond (S) were within 100miles of each other in Virginia, it was also their border and provided access to the sea, which was very important to the south (prevent being blockaded). McDowell out numbered the Confederacy, led by Beauregard, 22,000 to 30,000 who were near to defeat until general Joe Johnston who arrived by train to turn things around with 11,000 men. 440 Confederated died and over 600 Union soldiers died. This victory though may have spurred the north on even more so after an embarrassing defeat from then on united Confederates
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