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Civil War Battle/Campaign
Analysis Paper
You are required to submit at the end of the semester, a final project in the form of a paper that analyzes a significant battle or campaign and assesses its influence on the course of the Civil War.
Your paper should be a minimum of eight to ten (8-10) pages in length and should be supported by reputable sources. There is no specific referencing style that you must use, but which ever one you choose it should be an accepted style (i.e. MLE, Turabian, AP), and you should be consistent in using it. Check with your mentor.
The four key factors that you will need to address in your battle/campaign analysis are:
1. When and why did this particular battle/campaign take place?
2. Where did it take place?
3. What influenced the outcome of this battle/campaign?
4. What influence did the outcome of this particular engagement/campaign have on the course of the Civil War?
The emphasis of your paper should be on placing the battle or campaign that you have selected to research into the wider context of the Civil War as a whole. As such, your paper should not focus solely on military matters, but should also take into account any political, economic, and social considerations for which you can find evidence.
The Production of your Final Project
You will produce your paper in three stages. As part of Written Assignment 3 you are required to arrange with your mentor which battle or campaign you want to research and submit a preliminary list of sources you intend to use.
Once your selection and preliminary list of sources has been approved you are required to submit as part of Written Assignment 5 a brief outline of how you intent to structure your paper and, if applicable, a list of any additional sources you intend to use.
Once you have received feedback from your mentor regarding your outline, proposed structure, and any additional sources, you will then produce your paper. Your completed battle/campaign analysis is due at the end of the semester.
Battle/Campaign Analysis Paper Minimum Requirements
Your Battle/Campaign Analysis Paper must meet the following minimum requirements:
1. It must be between eight and ten (8-10) pages in length. The length of your analysis paper does not include the title page, table of contents page, or reference page.
2. It must have a title page. The title page must have the title of the analysis paper, your name and address, and the name of the course.
3. It must have a table of contents. The table of contents must indicate the pages on which each portion or section of the paper begins based on the points in the Battlefield Analysis Guideline.
4. It must have an abstract. An abstract is a short statement of the central idea(s) in your analysis paper. The abstract must be between 25 and 50 words in length.
5. It must have a statement of the issue(s). The statement of the issue(s) identifies the topic discussed and any related subordinate issues. For purposes of this analysis paper, the abstract is a discussion of the topic, your reaction statement, your reasons for selecting this question, identification of the major issues relating to the topic, and your position on the issue. The “statement of the issue” section of your analysis paper might identify more than one issue relating to the topic. However, after the “statement of the issue” section, discuss only the major issue(s) you have identified.
6. It must have a conclusion section. It should briefly summarize the issue(s) you raised and clearly articulate your analysis of the topic.
7. Your analysis paper must have a reference section. There is no specific referencing style that you must use, but which ever one you choose it should be an accepted style (i.e. MLE, Turabian, AP), and you should be consistent in using it. Check with your mentor.
The references you cite should be from reputable and authoritative sources. Be discerning; just because something is in print or on the Internet does not mean it is credible. Your references must include primary and secondary sources.
8. Each section of the analysis paper must have a separate heading and each section must correspond to the page numbers noted on the table of contents. Placing a heading at the beginning of each section of the paper makes the discussion in the paper easier to follow. Headings also improve the paper’s visual presentation.
9. Your analysis paper must use proper grammar, spelling, and punctuation. All technical flaws in your analysis paper will result in grade deductions.
10. A missed due date will also result in a grade deduction. Check the course “Calendar” area of this syllabus to find out when your paper is due.
Sources
A vast amount has been written about the American Civil War, and in general you should not have much difficulty finding information for any of the major battles or campaigns that were waged over the period 1861 to 1865. Indeed, so much exists that initially one of your biggest problems will be to narrow down which sources to use since the quality of the available material will vary considerably. One of the major concerns you should have is to select reputable works and your mentor will be able to help you with that.
One of the sources that you should consult for your paper is The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, the Official Records. Often referred to as simply the “OR” this is a multi-volume series compiled by the US government beginning at the end of the Civil War. The OR contains primarily eyewitness accounts of the veterans who fought in the different battles and campaigns of the Civil War.
Ohio State University has made the entire 128 volume series available online free-of-charge at their e-history website:
http://ehistory.osu.edu/osu/sources/records/
This website features an index of campaigns, which used in conjunction with your textbook’s Table of Contents, provides a good starting point for you to use when making your choice of which battle or campaign to research.
http://ehistory.osu.edu/osu/sources/records/list.cfm
Clicking on the link for any specific campaign listed will take you to an outline of significant events (including battles) associated with that campaign followed by documentation such as reports, letters, etc.
As a source of primary evidence the OR is indispensible for any study of a battle or campaign. However, the OR should not be your main source of information since the reports, letters, etc. it contains were not checked for accuracy before their inclusion. You will need to use a variety of sources, particularly secondary works that give a reasoned perspective of events – something the primary records in the OR will not provide.
Study Guide for Battle Analysis
If you choose to write about a particular battle you will find the following source useful when producing your analysis. It is an abridged version of the Study Guide for Battle Analysis*, based on the methodological format developed by the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College to study battles and campaigns. It contains generic questions that can be applied to any battle, and with some adaptation, different campaigns.
This abridged version gives you a good idea of the type of questions you should be attempting to answer in your analysis. NOTE: Keep in mind that your paper should be 8-10 pages in length, which means that you will have to be very discerning about the amount of detail to include in your paper. Remember that one of your primary objectives is to relate how a particular battle or campaign affected the course of the Civil War – you need to keep your eyes on the “big picture” and avoid getting bogged down in too much detail.
Study Guide for Battle Analysis*
Consider the strategic factors: What armed forces did each side possess? How well trained, equipped, and armed were they? Did any social, political, economic,
or religious factors influence the armies?
b. Describe the battlefield setting: What campaign was the battle part of? What were the objectives of the campaign? How did the battle fit into the overall campaign?
c. Review the tactical situation:
(1) Study the geographic area: Effect of conditions (road access and distances, time, technology employed, geography, and so forth) on the outcome.
(a) Weather. What was the weather like? How did it affect the operation?
(b) Terrain. Describe the terrain in the area of operations. What advantages did it give to the attackers or to the defenders?
(2) Compare the opposing forces: in the following terms:
(a) Size and composition. What were their numerical strengths in terms of troops and key weapon systems? How were they organized (corps, divisions, brigades etc.?
(b) Technology. What were the battlefield technologies, such as railroads, telegraph, observation balloons, steamships and medical care etc., of the opposing forces? Did one side have a technological advantage over the other?
(c) Logistical systems. Did one side have an advantage in available supplies or transportation?
(d) Command and communications. How were the staffs organized and how effective were they? How well did they communicate? Were there personality problems?
(e) Intelligence. What intelligence information was available to the opposing forces? How well was it used? What were the major sources of intelligence (spies, formal agencies)? Did one side have an advantage over the other in intelligence resources?
(f) Training. What was the level of training in the opposing forces? Were some troops experienced veterans, some not, and some in between?
(g) Troop and unit condition and morale. What was the morale of the troops before the fighting, was it affected by a previous battle and did it change after the fighting began? Did specific leaders affect morale?
(h) Leadership. Who were the leaders, and how effective had they been in past actions?
a. What were the commanders trying to do?
b. Why was that necessary?
c. How did each intend to accomplish his aim?
d. Why did each succeed or fail?
e.. Was each commander’s aim consistent with his greater goals (national policy)?
a. State the mission of the opposing forces:
What were the objectives? What missions were developed to achieve the objectives?
b. Describe the initial disposition of forces:
What were the locations of the units of the opposing forces? How were the units deployed tactically?
c. Describe the opening moves of the battle:
Examine the initial actions by the opposing forces. Did one side gain an advantage over the other in the opening phase of the battle?
d. Detail the major phases:
Establish a chronology for the battle while examining the actions after the opening moves. Look for key events or decisions that turned the battle toward one side or the other.
e. State the outcome:
Who won the battle? Did either side achieve its objectives? Did the battle provide an advantage to the winning side, and what was it? Did the battle have any long term effects, and what were they? What was the significance of the battle or campaign?
*This abridged set of guidelines has been adapted from a study guide for a World War II battle fought at Kasserine Pass in North Africa. The full study guide can be found at:
http://usacac.army.mil/CAC2/CSI/docs/MHIC_Link04c.doc
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