Introduction

The U. S. Civil War was fought between the populations of the 11 southern states and 1 territory (Arizona) comprising the Confederate States of America and the 24 northern states and 8 territories comprising the United States of America.   The predominant cause of the war was the slavery issue, 15 states having slaves and treating them as legal property, the other states having outlawed slavery earlier.   Other differences between these two populations were over states' rights, particularly secession rights, and tariffs, which usually favored the north.

Officially, the war itself began with the firing on Fort Sumter, South Carolina, on April 12, 1861, by southern forces, although southern belligerent acts occurred between this date and the Presidential election of Abraham Lincoln in November, 1860, the precipitating event.   The major fighting ended with the surrender of General Lee to Lt. General Grant at Appomattox, Virginia, April 12, 1865, although sporadic fighting occurred after that date.   The war might be considered officially ended with President Johnson's August 20, 1866, declaration that Texas is no longer in the state of insurrection, the last of the 11 Confederate states.

At the onset of the war, no one had any idea that it would be so long, bloody and costly.   Pres. Davis called for 11,500 and Pres. Lincoln 75,000 troops when the war began.   At peak strength, January 1, 1863, Union forces were 918,191, of which 698,802 were present and 219,389 were absent.   Confederate forces were 464,646, of which 277,970 were present and 186,676 were absent.   Total Union deaths from all causes were 365,026 - 360,222 Army and 4,804 Navy.   Total Confederate deaths were about 258,000.   The Union spent about $6,190,000,000 on the war and reconstruction activities through 1879, which did not include the costs borne by individual states.   An estimate of Confederate costs for army and navy military operation is $2,099,808,707.   Many southern people also suffered from destroyed harvests, homes, factories, railroads, ships and storage facilities.   In the North, the war increased production and provided a boom economy.   Inflation in the Confederacy far exceeded that of the Union: In March, 1865, $60 to $70 in Confederate money and $1.79 in Federal greenbacks bought $1.00 in gold. ^{Long 706-728}

This history describes the main events leading to the war, the war itself, and the period following the fighting, called Reconstruction, during which the Confederate states took actions imposed on them to end their belligerent status.   Also included are several special studies.   The history ends with the withdrawal of federal troops from the last of the 11 Confederate states, Louisiana, on April 24, 1877.   Reconstruction thereby ended and all states had equal status before the Constitution and Federal laws.