Lincoln and Emancipation

When you left school were you thoroughly convinced that President Lincoln had freed the slaves with the Emancipation Proclamation? Did you realize that slavery actually went on after the war? Let's take another look at this document.

When the Civil War broke out President Lincoln called for 75,000 volunteers to help preserve the Union. Lincoln believed that had he called for a war to end slavery volunteers would not have shown up for the war. The reason for this was that industries in the North relied on cheap cotton for their well being

Lincoln was conflicted on the issue of slavery. Indeed he would state that if he had to end slavery to preserve the Union he would but he was willing to let slavery exist if it saved the Union. Lincoln pondered many plans to solve the slavery problem including the purchasing of slaves and sending them back to Africa. It was Frederick Douglass who would remind the president that America's slaves had been here since the early 1600's and were Americans. They did not want to return to Africa.

Lincoln was under tremendous pressure from the radical element of his party and the abolitionists to do something about freeing the slaves, but Lincoln was not convinced about any one solution. He was not willing to go out on a limb and in the process hand victory to the Confederacy. Lincoln declared in September of 1862 that he had no power granted to him under the Constitution to free the slaves. There were those who told him to use his war powers but it was politically risky in that the public, northern Copperhead Democrats who supported the Confederacy, and the loyal border states were opposed to it.

What would happen to change his mind? Somewhere along the way Lincoln came to the conclusion that as a divided nation we could not survive. Lincoln realized that slavery could no longer be denied as an issue, a very important issue. If slavery was not ended we would become a divided country. In July of 1862, Lincoln met with his cabinet to discuss the proclamation. He told them that he was waiting for a victory before he took the first step in the process. The victory at Antietam in September 1862 gave Lincoln his opportunity.

The Proclamation was made up of two executive orders. The first was issued on September 22, 1862. It granted freedom to all slaves"in any state of the Confederate States of America that did not return to Union control by January 1, 1863".On January 1, 1863 the specific states where it was now applicable were listed.

Lauded as a great act at the time keep in mind that in Maryland, Missouri, Kentucky, Delaware, and West Virginia, the border states, the slaves were not freed. Nor were they freed in any southern state or part of a southern state that was already controlled by the Union. Pretty much it was runaway slaves who managed to get across and into the Union lines who obtained there freedom under the Proclamation. As Union forces moved south more and more slaves gained their freedom.

The Emancipation Proclamation was a great first step. It gave slaves in the south hope for what had been a long time coming. The final demise of slavery came with the ratification of the Thirteenth Amendment on December 18, 1865

Pivotal Battle of the Civil War

This year the town of Gettysburg will be recognizing the 145th anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg that originally occurred on July 1-3, 1863. It can be argued that this is one the most important battles of the Civil War and specifically within the three days the battle for Little Round Top was the most significant of the that struggle.

The Confederate and Union forces first engaged on July 1,1863 at a point north of the town known as MacPherson's Ridge. The two armies engaged in battle that day, a day that saw the Union forces enjoying early success only to be driven back through the town and occupying what is known as Culps Hill and Cemetery Hill forming the curve of the fish hook Union line that would extend south along Cemetery Ridge. The Confederate army would line up along Seminary Ridge.

During the evening and the early morning hours of the July 2, General Lee pondered what to do next. Having looked across the way at the Army of the Potomac, Lee saw the two peaks, Little and Big Round Tops, were not occupied. After a discussion with his officers, Lee decided that the blow would come on the left flank of the Union on July 2nd and once the gunfire was heard Confederate forces would again attack the right flank of the Union.

Not all of Lee's officers were thrilled with going on the offensive, particularly Longstreet, Lee's "Old War Horse". Longstreet, who was to lead the attack on the Union left, much preferred to have the enemy come to them, the strategy that had been so successful up to this point. Lee had determined that he would have to go on the offensive if he was going to be successful on his push into the North. Thus he ordered his troops to attack up the Emmitsburg Road on the way to taking Little Round Top.

Meanwhile the Union was in the process of extending their line south along Cemetery Ridge. The forces of Hancock, Sykes, and Sickles ran from north to south toward Little Round Top but no forces from either army had as yet occupied either peak.

It was nearly 4 PM before the Confederate forces got into position. Hood had spotted the build up of Union forces in the area and asked Longstreet four times to allow him to swing and attack the Union head on but Longstreet said that Lee's orders were to be obeyed.

Meanwhile General Gouverneur Warren, the chief engineer of the Union Army discovered that there were no troops on Little Round Top. Warren immediately moved to resolve the problem. Ordering a signalman to wigwag to get attention, word got to General Meade who ordered Sykes to send troops to Little Round Top.

It was Colonel Strong Vincent who would arrive about fifteen minutes ahead of the Alabamans and Texans. Strong, the youngest brigade commander, showed up with four regiments who would stall the Confederate attack. Warren would bring up reinforcements in the form of cannons and troops.

The struggle on Little Round Top was great. The Confederate attack on Little Round Top was broken by the 20th Maine under Colonel Joshua Chamberlain, a minister prior to the war. Chamberlain and his men were the left flank of the Union line and they would face the brunt of the attack by the Alabamans and Texans. With half his force down and low on ammunition, Chamberlain would order is men to fix bayonets and charge. The Confederates were stunned by the attack and their lines would break as they ran. Chamberlain was wounded and would receive the Congressional Medal of Honor.

The defeat at Little Round Top was critical for Union success. Had the Confederates taken that peak they could have brought artillery to the top and devastated the Union line along Cemetery Ridge. In so doing the Army of the Potomac would have been destroyed and Lee could have north and onto Washington, DC. Conceivably the war could have ended with different results thus the fight for Little Round Top becomes a pivotal battle of the American Civil War.

On July 3, 1863, came Pickett's charge. It was a brutal fight that the Confederates would lose. Lee would get his troops out of town heading south never to come north during the course of the war. More importantly General Grant would win another crushing battle at Vicksburg, Mississippi and Lincoln would call Grant east. The days of the Confederacy were numbered.