1860: The Cause Of The Civil War

Today we have mind blowing news with the Confederate General P. G. T. Beauregard began bombarding Fort Sumter at exactly 4:30 AM on April 12, 1861. Heavy Confederate guns, rang around Charleston Harbor, shattered Fort Sumter with bullets for approximately 34 hours, before Major Robert Anderson of the Union, the commander of Sumter, surrendered the fort to the Confederates.This will brand the beginning of a civil war that will divide the nation, between the Union (North) and Confederate (South). President Abraham Lincoln is now calling for 75,000 militiamen from Union states to put down the Southern rebellion, anybody who is willing to fight and die for their cause must report to the nearby post office.

Tensions between the North and South were already beginning about 50 years ago, however they have really catapulted, creating a war. Some things that caused this were the Election of 1860, the Compromise of 1850, and the secession of southern states. The election of Abraham Lincoln as the Union’s new president in 1860 caused much fury in the South. Many southern states believed they were losing political power, so, beginning with South Carolina, 11 total states have now

seceded. In Lincoln’s inaugural address, he stressed that he was not trying to start a war with the southern states, but that secession is illegal and not allowed. Confederate troops have been taking forts that lie within their states, however, Fort Sumter was one fort in Southern territory that refused to be given up without a fight. The South was desperate to seize Fort Sumter because it controls the entrance to Charleston Harbor, so they ordered an evacuation of the fort and threatened to bomb it if it was not surrendered. Of course, the Confederates had to take the fort by force, and wouldn’t give it up without a fight either.

Now that a war has begun, we must discuss who has the advantages here, and predict a total outcome. The North has more than twice the population of the South, with about 22 million people total, so they have the potential for more soldiers. The North also has a greater transportation system, with a large network of roads, railroads, and canals to transport things such as soldiers, supplies, and weapons. They have about 22,000 miles of railroad track, whereas the South has only 9,000 miles. The North also has a stronger government, with Abraham Lincoln as our current president, and we also have better finances, meaning that we have more money in general. The Union also has a large amount of factories, as well as iron and steel production, so we can quickly produce tons of rifles and other supplies. We also have a stronger navy, for we have many more warships and other vessels to block off the South’s trade. Although we in the North have plenty of advantages, we also have some issues too. The South does have more heart to fight, as they are trying to preserve their way of life, while the North just wants to preserve the Union. The Confederacy also has a stronger military, with some of the best officers and soldiers currently in their army. Many skilled generals from the North actually joined the South, and many Southerners are more skilled with guns and know how to fight. Also, the South does have more farmland to provide food for their armies, while the North has to deal with the hassle of shipping in food for their military. The last big advantage of the South is that they have the home soil. Many of the beginning battles have been fought on Southern territory, and while the North has to move in and occupy areas of enemy territory, the South just has to defend itself until the North is tired of fighting. Obviously the South knows all the “ins and outs” of their land, while the North needs to figure it all out.

Overall, I am not sure who will win this brutal and corrupt civil war. The North has many more advantages, however, the South has plenty of important ones too. In the end, I suspect the Union will win, because our army has not lost to any other army yet so far, but it may be a long and hard fought war between the states.

For the past few weeks we have interviewed 27 year old Sergeant Edmund Davidson to find out more about what life is like on the battlefield of the Civil War.

He lives in Concord, Massachusetts, and has recently joined the Massachusetts 3rd Regiment. In order to become a soldier, he had to leave behind his wife, Margaret, who he found out is now pregnant.

Q: Why did you decide to become a soldier in the Civil War?

A: As a Northerner, I feel that the South committed a terrible sin by leaving the Union. I feel justified in fighting the South to preserve the Union and Abraham Lincoln’s wishes. Although I also signed up to have a bit of an adventure, I am disappointed to now realize that life as a soldier is very different from what I had imagined.

Q: What exactly is camp life

like?
A: Well, there are many long hours of drill, strict discipline, and practice marching and loading muskets continuously. Some of us drill on horse, on foot, some even have cannons. Camp is set up when the weather is nice, and two-man tents are set up too. We say that the tents are pup tents because only a dog can stay dry under it, it is so small. In fact, some soldiers keep pets, like dogs or cats, even though it is against orders. In the winter though, we build log huts to stay warmer and drier. Sometimes we even name them after restaurants and hotels at home. But our quiet camp life is interrupted when we battle the South. But we all look forward to the mail; maybe it’s one of the better parts to this life. With spending so many months away from home, we can get homesick, so we sometimes can spend up to a whole afternoon writing home to our families. I actually keep a diary as well. I love getting mail from my wife and parents, even if delivery can be slow sometimes.

Q: What is the food like at camp?
A: A common food ration we have here is hardtack, which is a thin flour biscuit. However, we have given it many names, due to its unpleasantness, such as “tooth-dullers”, “worm castles”, and “sheet iron crachers”. But there are other things we eat too, such as pork, beef, and bread. We even have rice, peas, beans, dried fruit, potatoes, and salt sometimes. But coffee and sugar are the most prized products, when we can get them. However, sometimes supply trains can be delayed and food can arrive spoiled. Then we live off of wild animals and berries.

Q: What battles have you fought in?
A: I have been involved in many battles actually, including the Battle of Sewell's Point, Battle of Aquia Creek, Battle of Philippi, and the First Battle of Bull Run was the last battle I fought in. I am stationed to fight in the next battle though.

Q: What are the battles like? What feelings did you experience in battle?
A: Honestly, life as a soldier is much different from what I had imagined it would be. The sights I see on the battlefield, of men lying dead or dying, horrify me, and is like nothing I have ever seen before. Many soldiers are instantly killed with the impact of the deadly minie ball, and others who are injured are close to death. When many of my fellow soldiers and comrades have fallen too, I am terrified that I will be next. Blood is everywhere, covering both the ground, and the soldiers on it. When the fighting is done, the ground reeks of blood, sweat, feces, barf, and death. After a battle, I feel like I have been to hell and back, witnessing so many terrible atrocities.

Q: What kind of care do the wounded get?
A: Many camp doctors and nurses are kept busy with us soldiers who are either sick or wounded. To be honest, there is plenty of sickness and disease going around the Union army right now. Some of the common diseases that I have heard of people getting are smallpox, diphtheria, dysentery, measles, yellow fever, and malaria. Actually, twice as many men have died of disease, sickness, or injury than on the battlefield. Hopefully I am not next on the death list, as I desperately wish to go home to my wife and possibly new child.