Omar Bennett
North Carolina played a significant role during the American Civil War, despite most major battles occurring in other Southern states. The state joined the Confederacy reluctantly, mainly due to the presence of Southern Unionist sentiment within its borders. During the war, North Carolina contributed a significant number of troops to the Confederate cause, with approximately 80% of the state's white male population between the ages of 15 and 49 serving in the Confederate Army. The state also produced several Confederate generals and provided vital supplies. However, North Carolina was a divided state, with large pockets of Unionism, especially in the western mountainous regions. Following the Civil War, North Carolina underwent a period of Reconstruction, with Republicans in the U.S. Congress asserting their power and insisting on new constitutions that protected the rights of African Americans. The state's economy also shifted towards manufacturing, with the growth of textile mills and cigarette production.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| North Carolina's stance on the Civil War | North Carolina joined the Confederacy with some reluctance, mainly due to the presence of Southern Unionist sentiment within the state. |
| North Carolina's contribution to the Confederate army | North Carolina provided more men (133,905) for the Confederate cause than any other state. This number comprised approximately one-sixth of the Confederate fighting force. |
| Casualties of the Confederate army from North Carolina | Between 33,000 and 35,000 soldiers from North Carolina died in battle, of wounds, or of disease between 1861 and 1865. |
| North Carolinians who fought for the Union | Approximately 8,000 men from North Carolina fought for the Union, with 3,156 being white and 5,035 being black. |
| North Carolina's role in the Civil War | The state was an important source of troops and supplies for the Confederacy, and it also saw some significant military campaigns, especially towards the end of the war. |
| Effects of the Civil War on North Carolina's constitution | After the Civil War, North Carolina's constitution was amended to protect the rights of African Americans, but by 1900, amendments were passed that resulted in the disenfranchisement of nearly all African Americans. |
| North Carolina's economic growth after the Civil War | The state experienced rapid economic growth, with new industries, improved infrastructure, and a strong manufacturing base. |
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What You'll Learn
North Carolina's support for the Confederacy
North Carolina joined the Confederacy during the American Civil War, but it did so reluctantly. The state had a significant Southern Unionist sentiment, and a popular vote in February 1861 on the issue of secession was initially won by those who wanted to stay in the Union. However, when President Abraham Lincoln requested troops from all Union states, North Carolina seceded.
The state remained divided during the war, with large pockets of Unionism in the Appalachian Mountains in the western part of the state. However, North Carolina contributed a significant number of troops to the Confederacy, with around 125,000 white men between the ages of 15 and 49 (over 80%) serving in the Confederate Army at some point. Many of these soldiers volunteered due to their personal commitment to the Confederate cause, but others were conscripted under the threat of imprisonment or death. North Carolina also channelled vital supplies to the Confederacy, and the Piedmont region produced crops that fed Confederate forces. Wilmington, the state's largest city, was the Confederacy's only access point to the Atlantic Ocean and European trade for a few months in 1865.
North Carolina's wartime governors, John W. Ellis, Henry Toole Clark, and Zebulon Vance, struggled to suppress both political dissent and outright resistance to the Confederacy. Tensions between Unionists and Confederate forces resulted in two infamous mass killings. The first occurred in late January or early February 1863 in Madison County, where members of the 64th North Carolina infantry killed thirteen suspected Unionists and deserters. A year later, in February 1864, Major General George E. Pickett hanged twenty-two North Carolinians who had been captured fighting for the Union after deserting the Confederacy.
Despite North Carolina's contribution to the Confederate cause, the state experienced food shortages during the war, and there were food riots in Salisbury in the spring of 1863. The breakdown of the Confederate transportation system also took a heavy toll on North Carolina residents. In addition, thousands of North Carolinians refused to be conscripted into the Confederate military or support the state's war effort through taxes or contributions.
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The impact of the Civil War on North Carolina's population
North Carolina played an important role during the American Civil War, and its population was significantly impacted by the conflict. The state joined the Confederacy but remained divided, with a large proportion of its white population supporting the Confederacy while others remained loyal to the Union.
At the outset of the war, North Carolina's population reflected a range of perspectives and social classes. The state had a large population of free African Americans, who constituted the fifth social class. The remaining white population was divided into the middle class, yeomen farmers/skilled labourers, and the planter class. The planter class, comprising around 25% of the population, owned slaves and strongly supported the Confederacy. The yeomen farmers and skilled labourers, who constituted about 60-65% of the white population, also largely supported the Confederacy, as they defended the social hierarchy that placed them above the enslaved. However, some yeomen farmers in the western part of the state, who owned few or no slaves, felt ambivalent about the Confederacy, with draft-dodging and desertion being common.
During the war, North Carolina contributed a significant number of troops to the Confederate Army. Approximately 125,000 out of 150,000 white men between the ages of 15 and 49 served in the Confederate Army at some point. However, around 24,000 of these men deserted, and thousands more refused to be conscripted or support the war effort. The state also provided several generals to the Confederate cause, including Braxton Bragg and Robert F. Hoke. The conflict resulted in heavy casualties for North Carolina's Confederate troops, with between 33,000 and 35,000 dying in battle, from wounds, or from disease.
On the Union side, at least 10,000 white and 5,000 black North Carolinians joined the Union Army, with some sources placing the total number of North Carolinians in the Union Army at around 15,000. The presence of Union troops in North Carolina led to significant population displacement, with thousands of families becoming refugees and fleeing occupying armies.
In the aftermath of the Civil War, North Carolina underwent a period of rapid change. New industries emerged, cities grew, and new people moved to the state. The state experienced sustained economic growth and maintained one of the strongest economies in the country. However, racial segregation remained a challenge, and white Democrats opposed the new Republican-led government, resorting to terrorist tactics and instituting discriminatory policies against African Americans.
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Battles fought in North Carolina
North Carolina played a pivotal role in the Civil War, providing more men for the Confederate cause than any other state. The state contributed approximately one-sixth of the Confederate fighting force, or 133,905 men, of which around 20,000 became casualties of war. The state also produced numerous generals for the Confederate cause, including Braxton Bragg, Daniel H. Hill, and William Dorsey Pender.
Although North Carolina was reluctant to secede from the Union, it eventually did so on May 20, 1861, after the fall of Fort Sumter in South Carolina. The state's secession was largely due to Abraham Lincoln's proclamation requesting 75,000 troops from all Union states. This prompted widespread draft-dodging, desertion, and tax evasion, especially in the western, Union-friendly part of the state.
During the Civil War, North Carolina became a Civil War battlefield, with Union and Confederate forces clashing in several key battles. One of the earliest battles was the Battle of Roanoke Island in February 1862, which helped cement Federal control of a part of coastal Carolina. This was followed by the Battle of New Bern, where Confederate officers Lawrence O’B. and Union Major General Ambrose Burnside fought for control of the town. The Confederates eventually retreated, and Burnside secured New Bern for the Union.
In 1864, the Confederates launched an offensive in North Carolina, attempting to recover lost territory. They reconquered Plymouth but failed to retake New Bern. The Union Army also launched several attempts to seize Fort Fisher, finally succeeding in 1865. During this time, the Union's Gen. William T. Sherman marched into North Carolina, occupying much of the state and defeating the Confederates in several key battles, including Averasborough and Bentonville.
The Battle of Bentonville, fought from March 19-21, 1865, was the largest battle fought in North Carolina. General Joseph E. Johnston, commanding all Confederate forces in the state, positioned his troops along the Goldsboro Road near Bentonville, hoping to catch the Union force divided. Initially, the Confederates broke through Union lines but failed to crush their enemies. When the two wings of the Union army united, Johnston's defeat was ensured, and he was forced to retreat.
The surrender of General Joseph E. Johnston's Confederate army at Bennett Place in April 1865 marked the end of the war in the Eastern Theater.
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Post-war governance and the rights of African Americans
North Carolina was reluctant to secede from the Union at the outset of the Civil War, but ultimately joined the Confederacy. The state contributed a significant number of troops to the Confederate cause, with around 80% of white men between the ages of 15 and 49 serving in the Confederate Army at some point. However, North Carolina also had a large population of free African Americans—30,463 in 1860—and there was significant opposition to secession, particularly in the western part of the state. During the war, thousands of North Carolinians joined the Union Army, and many more refused to be conscripted into the Confederate military or support the war effort.
Following the Civil War, North Carolina underwent a period of rapid change. The state experienced economic growth, with new highways and industries being developed, and cities growing as new people moved to the state. Politically, the Republican Party, composed largely of freedmen, dominated a new constitutional convention in 1868, which gave North Carolina a new government that protected the rights of African Americans. The state was then readmitted to the Union. However, white Democrats opposed the new government and used terrorist tactics, including the actions of the Ku Klux Klan, to try to defeat the Republicans. By 1872, the Democrats had regained control of the state and instituted policies that discriminated against African Americans, leading to inadequate educational and health opportunities for the black community.
The struggle to eliminate racial segregation in North Carolina began in the public schools in the 1950s and at lunch counters in Greensboro in 1960, and continued throughout the 1960s. Despite the challenges, North Carolina has maintained one of the strongest economies in the country, with a strong manufacturing base and a growing service sector. The state's political landscape also evolved, with a Republican governor taking office in 1973 for the first time since the 19th century.
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North Carolina's road to secession
In the mid-19th century, North Carolina was a state of contrasts. The Coastal Plain was a plantation state with a long history of slavery, while the rural and mountainous western region had no plantations and few slaves. These differing perspectives were reflected in the 1860 election, where North Carolina's votes went to Southern Democrat John C. Breckinridge, a strong supporter of slavery, rather than the Constitutional Union candidate, John Bell. Despite Breckinridge carrying the state, North Carolina was hesitant to secede from the Union, seeking compromise and reluctant to take such a significant step.
The election of Abraham Lincoln in 1860 sent shockwaves through North Carolina and the South, as the rise of the Republican Party to power jeopardized the institution of slavery. Secessionists launched a series of statewide local meetings, and the matter of secession was put to a vote. In February 1861, Unionists narrowly defeated secessionists, with a slight lean towards remaining in the Union. However, when Lincoln called for 75,000 troops to "put down the rebellion", North Carolina's stance shifted. Governor Ellis responded, "You can get no troops from North Carolina", but a second secession convention was called. Despite many delegates still wishing to remain in the Union, the majority now favoured secession.
On May 20, 1861, North Carolina seceded from the Union, choosing this date to coincide with the celebration of the Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence in 1775. The state's involvement in the Civil War had begun, and it joined the Confederacy, contributing significantly to their war effort. North Carolina provided more men (approximately 125,000-133,905) to the Confederate cause than any other state, making up about one-sixth of their fighting force. However, it is important to note that thousands of North Carolinians, especially in the western Union-friendly regions, resisted the Confederacy and supported the Union Army.
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Frequently asked questions
North Carolina contributed to the Confederate war effort by providing more men (133,905) than any other state. This comprised around one-sixth of the Confederate fighting force. The Piedmont region also produced crops that fed Confederate forces, and Wilmington provided the Confederacy’s only access to the Atlantic Ocean and European trade for a few months in 1865.
Between 175,000 and 200,000 North Carolinians became refugees during the Civil War. Families fled occupying armies, and some relocated multiple times. Around 33,000-35,000 Confederate troops from North Carolina died in battle, of wounds, or of disease between 1861 and 1865.
North Carolinians remained divided over whether to support the Union or the Confederacy throughout the Civil War. A large proportion of the state's white population supported the Confederacy, with around 80% of white men between the ages of 15 and 49 serving in the Confederate Army at some point. However, thousands of North Carolinians resisted the Confederacy's control over the state, and draft-dodging, desertion, and tax evasion were common.
After the Civil War, North Carolina experienced a period of rapid change and sustained economic growth. New highways were built, cities grew, and the state's manufacturing base remained strong.
Following the Civil War, North Carolina ratified the Thirteenth Amendment to the US Constitution, which abolished slavery. In 1868, the state adopted a new constitution that protected the rights of African Americans, and it was readmitted to the Union.
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