The War for Southern Independence?

So after I took a look back at some of my old history text books, I decided to begin with a posting on the Civil War.  What ultimately made my decision was this:  One chapter of 23 pages was dedicated to a conflict that lasted 5 years.  Wow, it's amazing I learned anything at all.  The question I ask, what was the Civil War about?

We begin in the summer of 1860.  State governments are much more powerful than they are today.  Each state had more pull with their citizens, almost as though each were a sovereign nation.  With the abolitionist movement gaining strength throughout the North, it slowly began making it's way into Congress and the Senate.  As the representatives of the northern states began pressuring the South to abolish slavery, many of the southern states began to resent the Federal Government.  Finally, it came to a boiling point in December of 1860.

On the 20th of December, 1860, South Carolina became the first state to secede from the Union.  They would not be the last.  As the Southern states began to secede, it threatened to destabilize the entire country.  The War Department began to raise an army to quell the "Rebel" threat.  Just days before the secession of the State of Virginia, Colonel Robert E. Lee of the Union Army was offered command of the entire Union Army.  Col. Lee stated he could not raise his sword against his home.  He then left the meeting, and the day that Virginia seceded from the Union,  Lee took control of the Army of Northern Virginia.  (There's more to this story, and I'll hit that in a later post spotlighting Lee). 

Why did South Carolina secede?  They, like many other southerners felt they were being oppressed by the northern government.  An analogy that General George Pickett liked to use was: "Let's say we were all members of a Gentleman's club.  And after some time, other members begain to intrude in our private lives.  Wouldn't we have a right to resign?  I mean, just resign?"  I think that's really how they felt.  They wanted the freedom to live their lives the way they wanted to.  Now I would never presume to think their reasons were anything less than genuine, but, how could they want freedom from what they considered a tyrannical power, when they would deny the slaves that same freedom? 

This War began as a war of secession, preservation of the Union, but became a war about slavery too.  The common misconception of this war was simply that it began because of the Emancipation Proclimation.  Well, that's not accurate.  The Emancipation Proclimation was delivered in 2 parts.  The first, Sept. 22, 1862, and the second naming 10 specific Confederate staes was delivered on Jan. 1, 1863.  (I'll cover this in more detail later).  The Attack on Fort Sumter (The "official" beginning of the war) was April 10, 1861.  The War would last another 4 years before attrition would end the South's fight for freedom.  Slavery, however, wasn't made illegal until December of 1865. 

Now, this posting was about how the war started, and what it was about.  Clearly there is much more to this war.  I will be getting better at this blogging thing, and if you feel I left something out, (Which I did in this...cause let's be serious, its a 5 year conflict...) please let me know.  I'll be spotlighting major players in the war, battles, and other topics.  If there is something specific you'd like me to discuss, please let me know. 
Blue Skies!