2.2 The Border States and the War in the West

The Border States played a crucial role in the Civil War's early stages. Straddling North and South, these states held strategic importance for both sides. Their loyalty could tip the scales in terms of resources, manpower, and territorial control.

The Western Theater saw intense fighting and strategic maneuvering. Battles like Shiloh and the Vicksburg Campaign showcased the evolving nature of warfare. Control of the Mississippi River became a key objective, with far-reaching consequences for the war's outcome.

Border States: Strategic Importance

Geographic and Economic Significance

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• Delaware, Maryland, Kentucky, and Missouri comprised the border states between the North and South during the Civil War
• Strategic value stemmed from their location as potential invasion routes and buffer zones
• Possessed valuable industrial and agricultural resources to bolster either side's war effort
• Controlled key transportation networks crucial for troop movements and supply lines
  • Included major railroads (Baltimore and Ohio Railroad)
  • Encompassed vital waterways (Ohio River, Potomac River)
• Provided substantial pool of potential military recruits
  • Kentucky's population in 1860: ~1.2 million
  • Missouri's population in 1860: ~1.1 million

Political and Symbolic Importance

• Retaining border state loyalty essential for Union to maintain legitimacy
• Prevented further secession and potential domino effect
• Confederacy sought to expand territory and resources by gaining border states
• Symbolic value in demonstrating the strength of the Union cause
• Presence of slavery in these states complicated political allegiances
  • Maryland had ~87,000 enslaved people in 1860
  • Kentucky had ~225,000 enslaved people in 1860

Political and Military Struggles in Border States

Missouri's Internal Conflict

• Experienced "civil war within a civil war" with pro-Union and pro-Confederate factions
• Camp Jackson Affair in St. Louis (May 1861) heightened tensions
  • Union forces captured pro-Confederate militia, leading to riots
• Increased violence and guerrilla warfare throughout the state
  • Bushwhackers (pro-Confederate) and Jayhawkers (pro-Union) engaged in brutal tactics
• Formation of rival state governments
  • Pro-Union government led by Hamilton Gamble
  • Pro-Confederate government-in-exile led by Claiborne Fox Jackson
• Prominent figures complicated loyalties
  • Sterling Price, former governor, became a Confederate general
  • Frank Blair Jr., influential politician, supported the Union cause

Kentucky's Path to Union Allegiance

• Initially declared neutrality in the conflict
• Confederate invasion in September 1861 pushed Kentucky toward the Union
  • General Leonidas Polk occupied Columbus, violating neutrality
• Battle of Perryville (October 8, 1862) solidified Union control
  • Union forces under Don Carlos Buell defeated Confederates led by Braxton Bragg
  • Resulted in ~7,600 total casualties
• Rival governments formed
  • Legitimate Union-aligned government in Frankfort
  • Pro-Confederate shadow government established in Bowling Green
• Key figures influenced state's course
  • John C. Breckinridge, former Vice President, joined the Confederacy
  • John J. Crittenden, senator, advocated for compromise and neutrality

Early Campaigns in the Western Theater

Battle of Shiloh and Its Consequences

• Fought on April 6-7, 1862, near Pittsburg Landing, Tennessee
• Resulted in heavy casualties: ~23,000 total (13,000 Union, 10,000 Confederate)
• Demonstrated increasing scale and brutality of the war
• Marked emergence of Ulysses S. Grant as significant Union commander
  • Initially criticized for being caught unprepared by Confederate attack
  • Resilience and counterattack on second day proved his leadership
• Shattered illusions of a quick war
  • Shocked public with high casualty numbers
  • Highlighted need for improved medical care on battlefields

Vicksburg Campaign and Strategic Innovations

• Siege of Vicksburg (May 18 - July 4, 1863) combined naval and land operations
• Grant's innovative tactics showcased evolution of military strategy
  • Cut Confederate supply lines by severing railroad connections
  • Conducted diversionary raids (Grierson's Raid) to confuse enemy
  • Implemented "leap-frog" movements to outmaneuver Confederate forces
• Fall of Vicksburg, coupled with Gettysburg victory, marked war's turning point
  • Resulted in ~19,000 Confederate soldiers surrendering
  • Opened Mississippi River to Union control
• Other significant early Western campaigns
  • Capture of Forts Henry (February 6, 1862) and Donelson (February 11-16, 1862)
  • Opened Tennessee and Cumberland Rivers to Union naval operations

Impact of Mississippi River Control

Strategic and Economic Consequences

• Key component of Union's Anaconda Plan to economically strangle Confederacy
• Capture of New Orleans (April 1862) gave Union control of river's mouth
  • Severely limited Confederate naval operations
  • Restricted international trade and smuggling operations
• Effectively split Confederacy, isolating Trans-Mississippi region
  • Arkansas, Louisiana, and Texas cut off from eastern Confederate states
  • Disrupted communication and resource sharing between regions

Military and Logistical Advantages

• Enhanced Union's ability to transport troops and supplies
  • Facilitated movement of forces between Western and Eastern theaters
  • Improved supply lines for Union armies operating in the South
• Allowed Union to project power deep into Confederate heartland
  • Enabled further military operations in interior of the South
  • Provided staging areas for campaigns like Sherman's March to the Sea
• Dealt severe economic blow to Confederacy
  • Cut off major transportation artery for agricultural products
  • Undermined Southern economy by disrupting cotton exports
  • Prevented Trans-Mississippi food supplies from reaching eastern armies