Anaconda Plan essays

Anaconda Plan essays Winfield Scott's original plan on how to crush the rebellion. General-in-chief Winfield Scott was a great leader of the union troops during the civil war. He fought many battles and came up with various military strategies. His most famous military strategy was the Anaconda Plan. He was the man that updated President Lincoln (personally) on the national military situation. These meetings were to help Scott work out the Union military aims. Winfield Scott was born in Petersburg, Virginia on June 13, 1786. Scott joined the army in 1808 and served with distinction as a young brigadier general in the 1812 War. Captured on the Niagara frontier he was exchanged in 1813 and fought with distinction at Chippewa (July 5, 1814) and Lundy's Lane (July 25, 1814). After the war, Scott rose to the rank of major general and went to Europe to study military tactics and in 1841 became commanding general of the United States Army. At the start of the Mexican War Scott recommended to President James Polk that General Zachary Taylor should command United States forces in the field. However, after Taylor made slow progress, Scott made a sea born invasion of Mexico that captured Vera Cruz and Mexico City, which was captured on September 14, 1846. Meanwhile General Stephen Kearney conquered New Mexico and with the support of John Fremont took control of California. A member of the Whig Party nominated Scott to be candidate in the 1852 presidential election. The party was badly divided with Southerners deeply suspicious of Scott's views on slavery. In the election Franklin Pierce won 1,601,474 votes against Scott's 1,386,578. On the outbreak of the American Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln called a special session of Congress and proclaimed a blockade of Gulf of Mexico ports. This strategy was based on the Anaconda Plan that had been developed by Scott. ...