The American Civil War

Mr. Contipodero

The Succession of Robert E. Lee:

42,000 men engaged on each side5,000 Union / 6,000 Confederate casualties

Battle had no strategic consequencesCommanders were impacted

McClellan’s affection for soldiers made him weak

Johnston wounded on 1st dayGeneral Robert E. Lee took over

The Battle of Seven Pines

McClellan moved most of army south of Chickahominy RiverLeft Fitz-John Porter’s corps of 30,000 in northLee attacked the corpsJackson’s troops from the valley joined with

LeeWhat was McClellan doing?

Waiting for better weatherAsking Lincoln for more troops

Seven Days Battles

McClellan had 120,000 men by late June, 1862His intel predicted over 200,000 Confederates

They were only 90,000 strong

Jackson didn’t get to Mechanicsville on June 26th for assaultWhy?

Struggles for Both Sides

June 26-27Lee launched attack on Porter’s 34,000 troopsPorter withdrew across the Chickahominy

River on the 27th What were the troops south of the river doing

while the fighting occurred in the north?

Battles

John Magruder strikes again!Maneuvered and acted as if attacking

McClellanMcClellan thought wrong

Thinking his was against superior numbersTransferred his base across peninsula to James

River

Deception

“I have lost this battle because my force was too small…The government must not and cannot hold me responsible for the result…I have seen too many dead and wounded comrades to feel otherwise than this Government has not sustained this army…If I save this army now, I tell you plainly that I owe no thanks to you or to any persons in Washington. You have done your best to sacrifice this army.”

McClellan’s dispatch to Stanton

Last battle of the Seven DaysLee wanted to advance

Confederates were cut to pieces by Union cannon firing

Northern artillery superiorityCounted for more at Malvern Hill than in any

other battle of the ACW“was not war—it was murder”

Confederate General Daniel H. Hill

Malvern Hill

Lee’s first month in command was excellentDisappointed that McClellan escaped without

damageVery upset with commanding generalsChanged and transferred officers

Union Army only lost 1 battleGaines’ Mill16,500 casualties

Confederates suffered 20,000 casualties

The Result

Discussion QuestionsIf you were

President Abraham Lincoln, would you applaud or criticize the Union military tactics used during the Seven Days Battles?

Are you please or disgruntled about the outcomes?

General Hallack became general in chief of all armies

McClellan was furious and many soldiers lost morale

http://www.history.com/topics/george-b-mcclellan/interactives/civil-war-150#/wiki?topic=319

Second Battle of Bull Run