Give Me Liberty!: Volume 1

Marcus M. Spiegel, a German-born Jew who migrated to Ohio in 1849, volunteered for the Civil War in 1861, inspired by his belief in the protection and freedom offered by America. Spiegel, who rose to the rank of colonel in the 120th Ohio Infantry, experienced the harsh realities of war in Virginia, Mississippi, and Louisiana, and frequently wrote to his wife about his experiences and observations.

Initially, Spiegel was not an abolitionist and was critical of Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation, reflecting his Democratic Party affiliations and the era’s prevalent racist attitudes. However, his views evolved significantly during the war, especially after witnessing the brutal realities of enslavement in the South. By January 1864, he expressed a firm opposition to enslavement in a letter to his wife, a stark change from his earlier stance.

Tragically, Spiegel was killed in a minor engagement in Louisiana in May 1864, becoming one of the many casualties of the Civil War. The authors use his personal transformation from a Union soldier to an opponent of enslavement to illustrate the broader shift in Northern sentiment, where the war’s purpose transitioned from merely preserving the Union to also abolishing enslavement.

The First Modern War

The American Civil War, often termed the “first modern war,” featured large-scale battles and blurred lines between military and civilian targets. The authors note how technological advancements like railroads, ironclad ships, and the telegraph transformed warfare. The Union, with its larger population and superior resources, faced a South that hoped to win by enduring longer.

The use of propaganda and media brought the war’s brutal realities into public view, with significant impacts from photography and newspaper reporting. The war’s nature, marked by high casualties and the strategic use of technology, foreshadowed the trench warfare of World War I. This period redefined the roles and rights of individuals in wartime, which is noted by the authors as contributing to the ongoing evolution of the concept of freedom.

The Coming of Emancipation

The Civil War catalyzed the emancipation of nearly 4 million enslaved persons. Initially, Lincoln focused on unity over abolition to maintain support from the border states. As the war evolved, the military’s treatment of self-emancipated Blacks as contraband and the increasing engagement of enslaved persons in their own liberation pressured the government toward anti-enslavement measures.

The Emancipation Proclamation in 1863, following the Union victory at Antietam, marked a pivotal shift, aligning military goals with abolition and leading to the enlistment of over 200,000 Black soldiers. This phase clearly highlights The Impact of Social Movements and Political Conflicts on Liberty, as the authors argue that the Emancipation Proclamation directly challenged longstanding structures of racial oppression.

The Second American Revolution

The Civil War brought sweeping changes, termed the “Second American Revolution” (1146), reshaping government, society, and notions of liberty. Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address redefined the war as a struggle for national unity and equality. The war expanded federal power, transformed the economy, and elevated the North’s industrial capitalists. Women’s roles evolved significantly, with increased participation in public and economic life.

Despite Lincoln’s leadership, the era was marked by intense internal dissent and societal divisions in the North. The authors note that The Significance of Diverse Groups in America influenced this transformation, especially women and African Americans, whose increased visibility and activism began to shift public perceptions and policies.

The Confederate Nation

Jefferson Davis struggled with public support compared to Lincoln, hampered by the absence of a strong party system and poor communication strategies. His administration’s attempt at “King Cotton diplomacy” (1167) failed to sway British intervention. The Confederacy’s internal divisions, highlighted by economic hardships and dissent over military drafts, contributed to its downfall.

In a dramatic policy shift, the Confederacy considered arming enslaved persons for war in its final months, underlining desperate measures against inevitable defeat. The authors present the debates and policies during this period to underscore how even the Confederacy, founded on the institution of enslavement, contemplated radical changes to its military and social structure in the face of collapse—changes with implications for how the concept of freedom was undergoing radical change.

Turning Points

Key victories at Gettysburg and Vicksburg in 1863 marked major turning points in the Civil War. These victories shifted momentum to the Union, with Lee’s defeat at Gettysburg ending Confederate hopes of invading the North, and Grant’s capture of Vicksburg securing the Mississippi River.

The war of attrition led by Grant in 1864 and Sherman’s capture of Atlanta helped seal Lincoln’s reelection, ensuring the war’s continuation toward a Union victory. These military victories were critical in the broader social and political movements that were reshaping the nation’s understanding of liberty and freedom.

Rehearsals for Reconstruction and the End of the War

As the war concluded, early experiments in Reconstruction began in the Sea Islands and the Mississippi Valley, testing new freedoms and labor systems for formerly enslaved persons. Political debates over the future roles of African Americans and the structure of postwar society heated up, particularly with Lincoln’s Ten-Percent Plan and the Radical Republicans’ Wade-Davis Bill.

Sherman’s destructive March to the Sea and the subsequent Union victories hastened the war’s end. The 13th Amendment to the US Constitution abolished slavery, setting the stage for the challenging Reconstruction era that sought to redefine American freedoms and rights, particularly for African Americans. These developments bring together all of the themes set forth by the authors so far, and are presented as setting foundational changes for the future of American democracy and freedom.