Geography

[1950lemans]

How important was geography in the CW? Can you give examples of where it was the major factor in a battle or other event? I do know geography played an important role at Antietam. Where else?

 

[TinCan]

I'd say geography played a heck of a role at Gettysburg.

 

[CW3O]

The terminology used by the military is terrain. Terrain, both natural and man made, played a huge part in the Battle of Fredericksburg. River crossings, urban (at least for the time period) obstacles and the "heights ". How all these terrain features were used and misused all played key roles in the outcome of the battle.

 

[7th Mississippi Infantry]

Geography/terrain prompted a siege at Vicksburg.

 

[brass napoleon]

Ball's Bluff was some pretty intense geology (and some pretty inept geologists!)

 

[Patrick H]

I'm no expert by any means, but I'd say that geography in the larger sense and terrain in the smaller sense were utterly huge in most battles and in smaller skirmishes, too. Those who knew how to use the lay of the land (considering roads, ridges, creeks, bridges, routes of re-supply and reinforcement, etc. etc.) to advantage often prevailed. Those who didn't, were often defeated or at least run off to fight another day. I know this is an over-simplified answer, but that's my take on the question.

 

[John Winn]

It was certainly an element in the Shenandoah Valley. There's only a few ways in and out so it was protected to a degree and more easily defended than other places.

 

[AUG]

The lay of the land probably payed a major role in almost any major battle of the war; Gettysburg, Kennesaw Mountain, Missionary Ridge and Lookout Mt., Ringgold Gap, etc.

Usually taking or holding the vital high ground on the field could mean victory or defeat. A great example is Gettysburg. By July 2 Meade had the AoP on a range of hills and ridges south of the town, such as Culps Hill, East Cemetery Hill, Cemetery Ridge, and Little Round Top. Those hills and ridges at Gettysburg played a major role in the Northern victory.

 

[ole]

Don't we mean topography?

 

[1950lemans]

Terrain, topography, geography? I thought it meant the same thing. Now I'm confused!

 

[Nathanb1]

You're correct.....topography is a synonym for geography, according to the online Merriam-Webster Dictionary.

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/geography

 

[NedBaldwin]

How important was geography in the CW? Can you give examples of where it was the major factor in a battle or other event? I do know geography played an important role at Antietam. Where else?

Example: http://www.brettschulte.net/CWBlog/2013/04/08/the-atchafalaya-2/

 

[cash]

Terrain determines how the battle will be fought, so it played a major factor in every battle.

 

[kevikens]

Geography is destiny and while terrain, or topography, certainly was a tactical aid, or detriment, on the battlefield, there is another way of answering that question. Consider the geography of the American South and the American North which, of course includes climate. Slavery, though lawful in all of the thirteen Colonies, thrived, and survived, in only those parts of America where labor intensive, semi tropical crops were cultivated. If rice grew in Massachusetts, indigo in Ohio and sugar in Iowa, slavery would have flourished there and with the economy of the whole country dependent on servile labor the Abolitionists would have been about as influential in New England as vegans in Omaha.

 

[ole]

Combing the finer hairs, the Pittsburg Landing/Shiloh site was geographically described as a level plateau on the bluff above Pittsburg Landing. It was however, (it's topography) cut through with creeks and ravines and swamps and dense woodlots. One can call that terrain, but it's not geography.

The Appalachians, from Alabama into Philadelphia is a geographical feature. The topography (terrain) at any given point can be quite different.

 

[Elennsar]

The Wilderness (and Chancellorsville) comes to mind as a particularly terrain-influenced battle.

 

[ole]

Of course, topography/terrain played an important role in every battle. Anchor your flanks. Secure the high ground.

 

[major bill]

Another good example is that once the Union advanced in the Western Theater past the bottle neck of Kentucky/ Tenseness the topography useful for military operations became wider. This favored the large Union forces and worked to a disadvantage to the smaller Confederate forces. The Confederate forces stood a reasonable chance of securing the shorter line, but did not have enough forces to cover the wider line.

 

[Pvt.Shattuck]

To understand the Civil War you have to know the rivers, railroads, and ports because geography determined strategy.

 

[Pat Answer]

To understand the Civil War you have to know the rivers, railroads, and ports because geography determined strategy.

+100...
Not to get all Jared Diamond here because I don't believe any kind of 'determinism' is sufficient in itself to explain history. But I will say geography - in its human sense of where things can be located because of access to fresh water, wood, metals, or whatever - is so central to understanding how events play out that it's almost a no-brainer. This is especially true for military history. I cannot think of one battle or campaign where the lie of the land (or, with respect to the navy buffs, the course of the river/shape of the harbor ) wasn't a key factor.