Leaders from the North
Abraham Lincoln:
Lincoln grew up the son of poor Midwestern farmers. He educated himself by reading everything he could find. He was a lawyer by trade. He was tall (6’4”) and thin. He was patient, thoughtful, and tolerant of others. He was married to Mary Todd Lincoln, a Southerner. Both had four sons. Two of them died young, one while he was in the White House. Lincoln proved to be a great leader to the Union. He never gave up his goal of preserving the Union.
Ulysses S. Grant: Grant was a West Point graduate, a Mexican War. Grant’s views on war were simple. Find your enemy, get your enemy, strike hard and as often as you can, and move on. Grant believed in total warfare –take the war to your enemy from all sides and break their will to fight and ability to support their troops. This meant destroy everything: burn homes, burn crops, kill animals, destroy railroads, and businesses.
Irvin McDowell: McDowell was a graduate of West Point, a veteran of the Mexican War, and a professor at West Point when the war ended. He lost his command because of his first major battle--Bull Run. He totally underestimated the Southern military's might and was forced to retreat back to Washington D.C. after telling President Lincoln the war would be won with this battle. Lincoln relieved McDowell from his command and chose General George B. McClellan as the new commander of the Union army.
George B. McClellan: was a West Point graduate, a Mexican War veteran, and an engineer by trade. He was superior as a troop trainer and supply technician, but he was not an aggressive fighter. At the Battle of Antietam, McClellan had General Robert E. Lee on the run but did not follow Lee and completely defeat the Confederate army. Lincoln was furious with McClellan and fired him. Later, McClellan ran against Lincoln in the election of 1864 and lost.
George C. Meade:
was appointed the new leader of the Union army. Meade was a West Point graduate, Mexican War veteran, and an Indian fighter. Meade proved himself at the Battle of Gettysburg, but the losses were so heavy at this battle Lincoln still searched for an adequate leader.
Ambrose Burnside:
was a West Point graduate, a Mexican War veteran, a tailor, and inventor by trade. He was appointed the new leader of the Union army after Meade. He did not want the command, but he did his best to serve. Burnside tried to live up to his responsibilities, but a horrible defeat at the battle of Fredericksburg doomed him. Relieved of his command by Lincoln, he left a legacy for future generations. Burnside had facial hair that went from his scalp just above his ears all the way to below his nose. People began to call this facial hair sideburns and the name stuck. Even today hair grown that way on the face is still called sideburns!
Joseph Hooker:
Lincoln appointed General Joseph Hooker as the next Union commander. Hooker was a West Point graduate, a Mexican War veteran, and a rancher. Hooker was a hero of the Mexican War and earned the nickname of “Fighting Joe.” This nickname followed him into the Civil War. Hooker was a man of culture and class. In spite of his love for finery Hooker was humiliated at the Battle of Chancellorsville and later relieved of his command.
William T. Sherman:
was a West Point graduate, a Mexican War veteran, a lawyer, and a banker. Grant ordered Shermanto inflict “all the damage you can against their war resources.” Shermanmarched through Georgia and the Carolinas destroying everything his troops found of value. Later Grant and Sherman met near Richmond, Virginia and forced Robert E. Lee to surrender.
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Leaders from the South
Jefferson Davis: Jefferson Davis was president of the Confederate States of America and led the South (Confederacy). He grew up on a small plantation in Mississippi, attended West Point, and later served in the Mexican War. Davis was tall (6’) and lean. He was a very intense person, hated politics, and did not really want to be president of the Confederacy. He was devoted to the secessionist cause and, therefore, agreed to serve the Confederacy in any capacity. But he was never able to form a strong, single nation out of the eleven strongly independent states of the Confederacy.
Robert E. Lee: came from one of the oldest, most distinguished Virginia families. Lee was a West Point graduate, a Mexican War veteran, and an engineer by trade. Lee captured John Brown at Harper’s Ferry, but he was opposed to slavery and to secession. He was asked by Lincoln to command the Union forces, but declined because he could not fight against his native Virginia. Instead he became the commander of the Confederate Army.
P.G.T Beauregard: was a West Point graduate, Mexican War veteran and an engineer by trade. While stationed in Charleston, South Carolina, he gave the order to fire on Fort Sumter, the first shot of the Civil War.
Albert S. Johnston: a Texan and v was a West Point graduate, a Mexican War veteran, and a farmer by trade, but he was not good at farming. He was the second highest-ranking Confederate officer. Lee gave him command of the western part of the Confederacy. His orders were to keep the Union from taking the Mississippi River. At the Battle of Shiloh, Johnston was shot in the leg. He kept on fighting later bleeding to death after being defeated by Grant. Lee said upon hearing of his death, “I have lost my left arm.” There was no way to replace this loss to the Confederacy, and as a result the Union was able to take away the Mississippi River from the South.
Thomas Stonewall Jackson: was a West Point graduate, a Mexican War veteran and an instructor at the Virginia Military Institute. Jackson was a commander at the first major battle of the war – Bull Run. At this battle it looked as though the Union would win until Jackson and his regiment of Virginians refused to give way. Confederate General Bee shouted to his men upon seeing Jackson,“Look, there is Jackson with his Virginians, standing like a stone wall.” The nickname “Stonewall” stuck and continued to characterize Jackson’s personality. He fought in many battles and was victorious. At the Battle of Chancellorsville his own men mortally wounded Jackson. Upon hearing about Jackson’s death, Lee commented, “I have lost my right arm.” Jackson’s death was a severe blow to the South and to Lee personally.
J.E.B Stuart:
was a West Point graduate, a Mexican War veteran, and a career military man. He was with Lee at Harper’s Ferry and helped capture John Brown. He led the Cavalry corps (horse soldiers) of Lee’s army. He was called the “eyes of the army” because of his extraordinary skills in intelligence (scouting and spying). During the Battles of the Wilderness he was mortally wounded. Not long after his death the South surrendered.
Nathan Bedford Forrest: was uneducated, but not illiterate. He was a farmer, horse and cattle trader, and a realtor by trade. He was considered one of America’s greatest tactical minds. He rose from private to general due to his military genius. He commanded and paid for one of the South’s best cavalry regiments. Forrest raided Union lines of communication and led surprise attacks on Union garrisons. Both Grant and Sherman feared him. Many military schools of today teach classes on Forrest’s tactical skills.
George Pickett: was a West Point graduate, a Mexican War veteran and an insurance salesman by trade. Pickett commanded an infantry (foot soldier) division for Lee. The division under Pickett’s charge was the “cream”of Lee’s army. On July 3, 1863, Lee ordered Pickett to take his infantry and charge across an open field at the Battle of Gettysburg. This was a disaster and one of Lee’s few military mistakes. He lost fifteen regimental commanders, two brigadier generals, and six colonels. What was left of Pickett’s infantry division retreated and upon their retreat, Lee was said to have uttered these words,“it’s all my fault, all my fault.” Pickett’s Charge and Lee’s defeat at Gettysburgtook one-third of Lee’s army. Supposedly General Pickett was so upset with Lee that he refused to ever talk to Lee again.
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Other Influential Leaders:
Shortly after Dr. Emerson died and his wife claimed that Dred Scott was her property. Dred Scott sued for his freedom since he had lived as a free man for four years and believed that his liberty could not be withdrawn. His case, Dred Scott v. Sandford, was decided by the U.S. Supreme Court where the final decision became known as the Dred Scott Decision.
- John Brown: led a small group of militant (warlike) abolitionists and killed five proslavery settlers in the violent vote over slavery known as “Bleeding Kansas”. Three years later in 1859, John Brown led another band of men to capture the federal arsenal at Harper’s Ferry, Virginia, in an attempt to steal weapons for slave uprisings throughout the South. However, Robert E. Lee commanded federal troops who surrounded Harper’s Ferry and forced Brown to surrender. Brown was tried, found guilty of treason and sentenced to hang. Brown’s story was told in newspapers, songs and plays, which further divided the nation. While Southerners were outraged at his actions, abolitionists in the North considered him a hero.
- Harriet Beecher Stowe: published a novel, Uncle Tom’s Cabin, which lit both sides of the nation on fire. For the first time, she exposed graphic details about slavery in the South in a shocking story about a slave named Uncle Tom who was beaten to death by his cruel master. Although a work of fiction, her book’s influence was so profound that its rumored President Lincoln greeted Harriet Beecher Stowe by saying, “So, you’re the little woman who started this big war.” Of course, this claim exaggerated the truth, but her novel did dramatically divide the nation by turning up the heat against slavery in the North and deeply angering the South.
Shortly after Dr. Emerson died and his wife claimed that Dred Scott was her property. Dred Scott sued for his freedom since he had lived as a free man for four years and believed that his liberty could not be withdrawn. His case, Dred Scott v. Sandford, was decided by the U.S. Supreme Court where the final decision became known as the Dred Scott Decision.
What do most of these leaders have in common?
All of them had motive to join the civil war. They are determined to stand up for which ever side they are on.
Which side seemed to have the more stable leadership?
The North seems to have the most stable leadership because the president joined the Union and the South wasn't really a "Government"-" Economy" type of region.
How is good leadership important in any conflict ?
With a good leader, there will always be an organized plan to follow which really helps when choosing a certain position. Plus a good leader knows how to work together as a group because being in a group means to acknowledge new ideas to solve the conflict.
Connect to Self
Pretend that you have been asked to write a speech about your favorite hero. Who would you choose? What makes that person a hero?
I would write a speech about Malala Yousafzai because she is the most bravest woman activist for women's education. About 2 years ago, her bus was riding to her school in Pakistan. Then, her bus got stopped by the Taliban and she was shot on her left side of her forehead. Fortunately, she survived with the motive to speak out for women's education.
I feel bad complaining going to school everyday, while these girls are fighting for their life to get an education and is forced to stay in their homes.
I feel bad complaining going to school everyday, while these girls are fighting for their life to get an education and is forced to stay in their homes.