The Valley Campaigns

Paper Summary:

This paper examines the Valley Campaigns of the American Civil War. The author argues that the outcome of the campaigns shows that appropriate tactics and quality leadership determined victory in the particular terrain and physical conditions. The Union was victorious due to outstanding leadership and knowledge of the battlefield. The confederacy's defeat is considered in terms of poor leadership and mistreatment of officers toward regular soldiers.

From the Paper:

"The strategy pitted Grant, Meade and Butler against Lee's Army of Northern Virginia, whereby Franz Sigel would invade the Shenandoah Valley and cut off Lee's supply lines; Sherman to take Georgia and Atlanta; and Nathaniel Banks to capture Mobile, Alabama (Wikipedia 2005). Lee sent Jubal Early to contain the impact of David Hunter's offensive in the Valley and, if possible, to trouble Washington and force Grant to reduce his forces in Petersburg, Virginia. Early managed to traverse the Valley un-opposed, crossed Harpers Ferry and the Potomac River and drove into Maryland. In response, Grant sent troops under Horatio G. Wright and George Crook to handle Early and strengthen the position of Washington (Wikipedia, Feis 1993, Sifakis 2005). "

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