Chapter 6: Civil War and

Reconstruction

Core Lesson 3: The War Ends

Union Victories• The Union tried to force the

South to surrender by destroying southerners’ resources.

• Ulysses S. Grant – Chosen by President Lincoln to be

commander of all Union armies– Proved his worth in the West– Planned to attack General Robert

E. Lee’s army at Richmond– Ordered General William

Tecumseh Sherman to led Union in Tennessee• planned to attack Atlanta, Georgia

Union Victories• Sherman’s March– Began attack on Atlanta in May

1864 and won in September 1864

– Sent telegraph message to Lincoln • Machine that sends electric signals

over wires• “Atlanta is ours, and fairly won.”

– Navy victory in Mobile Bay, Alabama

– Lincoln needed Atlanta and Mobile Bay victories to gain support for re-election

Union Victories• Sherman’s March– March to the Sea• Sherman’s army march from

Atlanta to Savannah• Used total war

– Strategy of destroying an enemy’s resources

– Stole food, killed animals, and wrecked factories and railroad tracks

– After Savannah, turned north and destroyed all in their path

Union Victories

Review: Why did Sherman decide to

use total war against the South?

Grant and Lee• Grant’s attacks in Virginia

wore down Lee’s army and forced it to surrender.– Grant was opposed by Lee’s

army in Virginia while Sherman marched into Georgia

– Union suffered terrible losses but kept attacking

– Wore down Confederate army in series of battles• Forced Lee south

Grant and Lee• Lee’s Surrender– Union resources help

Grant• Supplied food and

equipment• Sent 1,000s more soldiers

– Confederate army• Had no more

soldiers/supplies to send• Some soldiers chose to

desert – To leave the army without

permission

Grant and Lee• Lee’s Surrender– Early April 1865 Lee’s

army too weak to defend Richmond• Lost Richmond• Chased west• Near Appomattox Court

House Lee had to surrender as his starving army was surrounded

Grant and Lee• Lee’s Surrender– April 9, 1865 in a home in Appomattox

Court House Lee surrendered to Grant– Grant

• sent 25,000 meals to Confederate soldiers• Told his soldiers not to celebrate

– Lee• Days later marched his soldiers past

Union army to surrender (saluted by Union soldiers)

– News spread quickly• Celebration in Washington• Confederates surrendered to Sherman• Some fighting continued, but by late June

it was over

Grant and Lee

Review: Why did Lee have to

surrender?

Why It Matters…

The victory of the Union made certain that the United States would remain one nation.