Overview
This lecture covers the final phase of the American Civil War (1864–1865), focusing on Union strategies to defeat the Confederacy, major campaigns, and the events leading to Confederate surrender.
Union Strategy in 1864
- Lincoln struggled to find a general who understood the need for constant pressure on all Confederate fronts.
- Ulysses S. Grant became Union general in 1864, aligning with Lincoln's vision.
- Grant and Lincoln planned coordinated attacks by all Union armies to prevent the Confederacy from reallocating forces.
- The goal was to grind down Confederate resources by engaging on every front, regardless of immediate victory or defeat.
The Overland Campaign
- Grant led the main Union army south from Washington D.C., aiming to destroy Lee’s army and capture Richmond.
- Multiple major battles (mostly Union defeats) occurred, but Union casualties were more easily replaced than Confederate losses.
- By summer 1864, Grant’s army laid siege to Richmond and Petersburg, marked by nearly a year of entrenched warfare.
- The siege aimed to turn Confederate flanks, forcing retreat or surrender.
Sherman’s Invasion of the Deep South
- General William T. Sherman led Union forces from Tennessee into Georgia, aiming to capture Atlanta.
- Despite resistance, Sherman’s forces took Atlanta in September 1864; the Confederates burned the city during retreat.
- The capture of Atlanta boosted Northern morale and ensured Lincoln's re-election in November 1864.
Sherman's March to the Sea and Beyond
- Sherman marched his army from Atlanta to Savannah, living off the land and destroying Confederate resources (“heavy hand of war”).
- His troops devastated infrastructure, notably railroads (“Sherman’s bow ties”), and demoralized the South.
- Sherman continued into South Carolina—burning Columbia—and North Carolina, further weakening Confederate resistance.
The Appomattox Campaign and the End of the War
- In April 1865, Union forces broke through at Petersburg, forcing Lee to retreat west.
- Lee aimed to join other Confederate forces but was relentlessly pursued and surrounded by Grant.
- Lee surrendered at Appomattox Court House on April 9, 1865, marking the practical end of the Civil War.
- Other Confederate armies surrendered by May 1865.
Key Terms & Definitions
- Overland Campaign — Grant’s series of battles in northern Virginia aimed at defeating Lee and capturing Richmond.
- Siege Warfare — Prolonged military blockade and attacks to force surrender (e.g., Richmond and Petersburg).
- Sherman's March to the Sea — Sherman’s destructive campaign from Atlanta to Savannah.
- Appomattox Campaign — The final series of battles leading to Lee’s surrender.
Action Items / Next Steps
- Review the significance and cost of the Civil War in Part 5.