What were the war strategies of the Union and the Confederates during the Civil War?

During the American Civil War, the Union and the Confederacy employed distinct strategic approaches to achieve their objectives.

Union Strategies

1. The Anaconda Plan: This was the initial strategic proposal put forth by Major General Winfield Scott. The plan involved a multi-pronged approach:

   • Blockading the Confederate coastline to cut off international trade and supplies124.
   • Dividing the Confederacy by controlling the Mississippi River, thereby splitting the Confederacy into two parts and disrupting internal trade and communication124.
   • Raising a large force to advance into Virginia and eventually into the Deep South, supported by naval forces and coordinated with other regional advances12.

2. Grant's Comprehensive Strategy: By 1863-1864, General Ulysses S. Grant took command of the Union Army and implemented a more aggressive and coordinated strategy:

   • Simultaneous offensives: Grant launched multiple major offensives, including General George Meade's Army of the Potomac against Robert E. Lee in Virginia, General James Butler's advance up the James River towards Richmond, and General William Tecumseh Sherman's campaign into the heart of the South to destroy Confederate war resources45.
   • Focus on Confederate Armies and Supply Lines: Grant's strategy targeted the main Confederate field armies and their sources of support. Sherman's forces, after capturing Atlanta, became a large raiding party aimed at damaging Confederate supply lines and logistics, a strategy referred to as "raiding logistics strategy"5.

3. Naval Blockade and Control of Key Territories: The Union successfully implemented a naval blockade, preventing meaningful foreign aid to the Confederacy. Key victories, such as the capture of Vicksburg, gave the Union control over the Mississippi River, further weakening the Confederacy4.

Confederate Strategies

1. Cordon Defense and Maneuver: Initially, the Confederacy adopted a cordon defense strategy, attempting to defend the entire scope of the Confederacy. However, this proved unsustainable, and they shifted to a strategy of maneuver, aiming to outmaneuver Union forces and exploit their weaknesses12.

2. Use of Terrain and Fortified Positions: Confederate forces, particularly under General Robert E. Lee, made effective use of terrain and fortified positions to counter the Union's numerical superiority. Lee's strategy was to make the cost of the war so high that the Northern public would lose support for it4.

3. Guerrilla Tactics and Mobility: The Confederates employed guerrilla tactics such as hit-and-run raids and ambushes to disrupt Union supply lines. They also utilized railroads to move troops quickly to threatened areas, taking advantage of their interior lines to concentrate forces against Union offensives25.

4. Concentration of Forces: The Confederates were adept at concentrating their forces in response to Union offensives, often achieving local superiority through strategic troop movements. This was evident in campaigns like Chickamauga, where they came close to destroying a Union army5.

In summary, the Union's strategy evolved from an initial blockade and division plan to a more aggressive, coordinated effort targeting Confederate armies and supply lines, while the Confederacy relied on maneuver, terrain, and guerrilla tactics to counter the Union's superior numbers and resources.