Unit 3: Abolition and the Civil War Suggested Activities Union Generals William T. Sherman and Philip H. Sheridan Era 5: Civil War and Reconstruction William T. Sherman was one of several Union generals who, under the leadership of Ulysses S. Grant, helped achieve a Union victory in the Civil War. Who were other important military leaders for the Union? For the Confederacy? Compare the armies, supplies, strategic positions, and overall goals of both the Union and the Confederacy at the outset of the war. Considering the strengths and weaknesses of each side, do you think a Union victory was assured? Why or why not?
The important military leaders for the Confederacy included: P.G.T. Beauregard, Stonewall Jackson, Albert Johnston, Joseph E. Johnston, Robert E. Lee, and James Longstreet. The Union could boast many advantages over the Confederacy at the start of the war. The Union had a population of 18 million, while the Confederacy had only 9 million, 3.6 million of whom were slaves. Farmers in the North produced more edible crops like corn, wheat, and oats than their southern counterparts, and most of the country's deposits of iron, coal, copper, and precious metals were found in the North. Ninety percent of the county's manufacturing capacity, two-thirds of the total railway mileage, and most of the factories for building trains were located in northern states. The Union controlled the seas and had access to European factories and trade. | |
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