Who was the main military commander for southern forces?

Who was the Main Military Commander for the Southern Forces?

The American Civil War: A Divided Country

From 1861 to 1865, the United States was embroiled in a brutal and costly conflict known as the American Civil War. The conflict was fought between the unionist North and the confederate South, primarily over the issue of slavery. Slavery was a deeply unpopular institution in the North, while it was a powerful economic and social force in the South.

The Southern Strategy

To counterbalance the North’s superior firepower and industrial might, Southern leaders developed a strategy reliant on guerrilla warfare, hit-and-run tactics, and mobilizing state militias. This approach was partly driven by the South’s limited resources, as they sought to conserve men and weapons for the long and expected war.

New Orleans and the Western Union

Although the South’s strategy is often associated with Sherman’s March against Atlanta, another crucial part of their plan was in the Western Theater, where General P. G. T. Beauregard played a significant role. Beauregard, a West Pointer and a brilliant engineer, was instrumental in the West’s defense. He defeated the Union forces at Shiloh, and went on to capture Santa Fe, New Orleans, and Vicksburg, gaining control over the Mississippi River.

However, the Battle of Vicksburg () marked a turning point; the Union forces, commanded by General U.S. Grant, captured this strategic city, splitting the Confederacy in two ().

Mobile Bay and the Gulf Sea

Following the fall of Vicksburg, the South saw a series of defeats which weakened their grip on Western territories. In the Southern Theater, Admiral Franklin Buchanan did his best to defend mobile Bay, but ultimately sank his flagship, the U.S.S. Farragut, making it impossible for him to continue the fight.

Though the South continued to demonstrate resilience, the Pensacola Campaign (1862) and later the Mobile Bay naval battle (1864), they ultimately failed to hold onto key coastal cities, such as New Orleans & Mobile Bay respectively.

Defeat and Surrender

As events unfolded, the South had to face the futility of their war . Lee’s campaign in Pennsylvania () revealed the limitations of their numbers and resources. The collapse of the Confederacy intensified, and in Petersburg (1863), the Defeat of General Lee, the South began to wane.

The battle of Appomattox Court House () spelled the end for the Second Confederate Government. Alexander Stephens, Vice President Jefferson Davis, was captured outside of Washington D. C., and Union forces took control of Georgia, the Carolinas (), and other states.

Ultimately, the main military command for the Southern forces should be attributed to Alexander P. Stewart, his Army of Tennessee, and the First Corps of the eastern theater. He played important roles in Chancellorsville and Petersburg, and though he died in 1867,

Conclusion**

Considering the Southern strategy, one can see how the collapse of the Confederacy wasn’t solely due to failures in the North. Effective leadership, combined with smart tactics, was crucial – but ultimately insufficient –in the face of overwhelming Union forces.

Although the South faced significant reversals, it is indeed General Beauregard who can be directly attributed as the main Military Commander for the Southern Forces.