Some Confederate Generals (e.g. Robert E. Lee) feel that a war of attack will bring victory, but others (General Longstreet) feel that a defensive war is better. The Union Generals were also divided. Some (e.g. George McClellan) favour siege warfare; others (Ulysses S. Grant and General Sherman) favour 'total' war to break Confederate resistance. Confederate Options Don’t have any overall policy – just react to circumstances as they develop. Conduct a war of attack: the Union army is much larger so must be knocked out with a quick and decisive blow. Conduct a war of defence: by dragging the war out, the North will eventually lose their desire to fight. Union Options Conduct a war of attack: the Confederate army is defending its homeland and won’t come to us. Conduct siege warfare: blockade and surround the Confederate forces and starve them into surrender, but avoid bloodshed. Don’t have any overall policy – just react to circumstances as they develop. Outcomes President Jefferson Davis struggled to decide on an overall policy and as a result his generals argued with each other and their overall effectiveness was undermined. For example, during the Battle of Gettysburg, General Longstreet was very slow to carry out the orders of General Lee and this contributed to their defeat. Historians disagree about whether the South should have fought a war of defence, or a war of attack.
President Abraham Lincoln always favoured a war of attack, but it was only after he finally dismissed the cautious General George McClellan and placed Generals Ulysses S. Grant and General Sherman in charge that the Union army adopted the aggressive tactics of 'total war'. This turned the tide of the war in favour of the Unionists. Quiz Questions What nickname was given to the anti-war movement faced by President Abraham Lincoln?*Copperheads*Silvertongues*Brassbands*Goldfingers*Bronzebottoms The Union Generals who favoured 'total war' were Grant and...?*Sherman*McClellan*Lee*Longstreet