The brutality of war has scarred and devastated the world since the beginning of time, and has drastically changed over the course of history. Many precious lives of loved ones have been lost to war and continue to as fighting rages on. Famous Revolutionary War hero, George Washington, stated “My first wish [as president] is to see this plague of mankind, war, banished from the earth” (George Washington Quotes). General Washington witnessed the terror of war while fighting for independence from Great Britain. Against his wishes, war and violence continued as history went on. Many years after the American Revolution, conflicts between two halfs of the United States resulted in 620,000 casualties, which was roughly 2% of the population at the time. “The Civil War was America’s bloodiest …show more content…
He himself said “War is cruelty. There is no use trying to reform it. The crueler it is, the sooner it will be over” (William Tecumseh Sherman). Unfortunately, Sherman was right. He had gained wisdom from fighting for the Union in past Civil War battles and knew what had to be done in order for the Union to be victorious. After continually losing to the rebel Confederates, Sherman learned that the only way to demolish the opponent was to target matters beyond the battlefield. This included resources keeping the rebels alive, the land they fought to protect, and the people they loved. These tactics of war and demolition were known as “extreme or modern warfare strategies” and had been used in wars before. Sherman openly conveyed his total warfare ideals to the public, and his concepts were turned down immediately. His fellow Union soldiers thought he was insane and put him on leave from the Union army. However, after some convincing, he returned to the battlefield in December of 1861 to serve for the Union where he carried out his first attempt of demolishing the
The Civil War. Louis P. Masur’s book, The civil War: a Concise History, Is a book that gives an overview of the civil war from 18 to 1800, Providing multiple causes an consequences that emerged from the war. The book begins by reviewing the origins of the war. Chapter one covers the issues between northern and southern states and the tension over right and slave possession. The tension created a conflict that raised a number of political, social, and military events that then proceeded into a battle to abolish slavery from the colonies.
Sherman and George Thomas were promoted to Brigadier General in August, 1861, and assigned to the Department of the Cumberland. He told Andrew Johnson, in which he was under the command of, that with 60,000 men Sherman could drive the enemy out of Kentucky. The newspapers claimed that Sherman must be “crazy” to demand such a force and the public accepted the insult because the writers have. always declared that he was crazy
In the end, we see that through Thomas’s leadership skills on the battlefield of Chickamauga and the determination to never give up would inspire the Union after their defeat. Thomas’s brilliant stand would allow the Union Army to escape and regroup in Chattanooga which would lead to a victory and the tare of the Confederacy’s communication lines dividing the South. This would give the Union the upper hand to successfully pursue the Confederacy and ultimately lead to the great defeat of the South. Thus General Thomas and Chickamauga would be a great catalyst to the Civil War that would be often overlooked by many historians of our time. Thomas would not stop here he would continue to be a great impact on the Union by having a hand in the victory
However, when Confederate troops attacked Fort Sumter in 1861, Captain Grant heard the need and decided to return to service. He was promoted to Brigadier General as the war began. He proved himself through many different battle and strategies, such as the battles of Fort Henry and Fort Donelson. Both of these victories were integral to the war effort and are considered the earliest significant
Now after, people began to see the United States as a united nation. Grant was aiming to take down Vicksburg as it was one of the last two strongholds left in the confederate states. However, he wanted this one more because it would grant him the ability to control all water traffic in that area with their weapons an control that land for a long time. William Tecumseh Sherman was able to change the course of the war in the way he was able to work and think with Grant. Both of the commander believed that if they could destroy the southern people’s will to continue to fight they would cause the Confederation to collapse.
Gen. Bedford Forrest, on the other hand, took a different approach. Mr. Forrest is famed for his quote “‘I finished the war one horse ahead’”. Forrest had no care as to what happened to the enemy, which is likewise to Sherman, yet he cared not for his own soldiers either. His only priority is that he walked off the battlefield with more numbers alive than the other. It is not the most humane, but certainly
Capture of Atlanta William Tecumseh Sherman was an educator, businessman, and an American soldier. He is the sole author of “Memoirs of General William T. Sherman”. Sherman served as a General in the Union Army during the American Civil War. He received criticism for the brutality of the “total war” policies, for which he enforced in administering his barbarism on the Confederate States.
Sherman had went to Ulysses S. Grant, his friend. After all this happened Sherman had got permission. Sherman had got all his 60,000 troops together and told them the rules of the march. He had separated the troops into like a pair of wings. There was a left and a right side.
The Atlanta Campaign is the name by historians to the military operations that took place in north Georgia during the Civil War. In the early May 1864, Federal forces under Maj. Gen William T. Sherman began battling the Confederate Army of Tennessee for possession of north Georgia. Sherman had 110,000 men and 254 cannon in three armies concentrated near Chattanooga.
Lincoln’s plan was to bring the nation together and stop the fighting. Along with Lincoln there were other great commanders by his side. General McDowell led the second battle of the Civil War making the North realize this wasn’t going to be an easy battle to win. General Grant led the Union to a victory and the capture of the first Confederate capital. General Sherman led the Union to another victory and ended the Confederacy control on the Mississippi Valley.
Abraham Lincoln caused the civil war. Abraham Lincoln was elected the 16th president on November 16, 1860. Abraham was the first republican president ever. He was born near Hodgenville, Kentucky on February 12, 1809. His family moved to Indiana when he was seven and he grew up on the frontier.
I don’t have a great understanding of this but it seemed like Grimsley looked at the Northern point of view. Sherman took the entire course of the war to change from being a commander who sought to exclude civilians from the conflict to becoming a leader who actively searched for ways to terrorize Southern civilians into giving up their cause (without injuring them). In the first three years of the war, Sherman went from rigorously protecting Southern civilians and their property to believing that these citizens were ultimately responsible for the war and had to be convinced to stop supporting it. He sought a way to end the war with as little bloodshed as possible. Sherman’s method of war became the Federal strategy for winning the war.
The Civil War The Civil War was the deadliest war in American history with over 600000 American deaths reported. This war was fought to keep the Confederate States from leaving the Union. The Union won because they had a telegraph system and had more resources. The effect of the Union victory has had a large impact on society.
Lee shows us that many different people have many different views of success and these views of this success shows them what they must do to achieve it. He also says “Gettysburg is of no importance” (Shaara 145). The Confederate States and the Union states both have the ultimate goal of defeating the other but in the armies of both sides separate officers want to achieve different things. On the subject of his opposing general in the Union forces Lt. General Armstrong of the Confederate states said “That man will fight us every day and every hour till the end of the war”(brotherswar.com). Grant was determined to defeat the Confederate forces completely and set his sights to take Richmond and end the war.
Causes of the Civil War “No, if destruction be our lot we must ourselves be its author and finisher. As a nation of free men we will live forever or die by suicide,” - Abraham Lincoln. The Civil War is known as one of the greatest tragedies in American history. With over 620,000 deaths, it is by far the most devastating war (“Civil War Facts”). When studying the Civil War, one must question why it even happened in the first place.