Date of Award
9-1997
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science
Abstract
This thesis studies the logistics involved in mobilizing and supplying the Union Army at the onset of the Civil War. The main elements discussed are the sources, procedures, and items needed for the mobilization and supply efforts. Initially, the Union relied on the States to mobilize the military with the majority of the military being militia members or volunteers. The number of volunteers declined later in the war and the Union used both the bounty system and the draft for recruitment. Eventually, the Federal Government replaced the States as the primary mobilizing entity. The military needed supplies of weapons, clothing, and food. Again the States were the primary providers of supplies. The Union later used domestic and foreign markets for supplies, but the urgency of the nation spawned fraud and corruption. Additionally, the majority of the supplies provided were not adequate for the environment of war. By the end of war, corruption decreased and quality increased. Today's military can use the actions of the Union as guidance of what to do and what not to do in the time of war. The actions of the Union during the Civil War should be used as a template for future generations.
AFIT Designator
AFIT-GAL-LAL-97S-2
DTIC Accession Number
ADA329933
Recommended Citation
Burrows, Trey G., "The Logistics of Mobilizing and Supplying the Union Army during the Initial Stages of the American Civil War" (1997). Theses and Dissertations. 5992.
https://scholar.afit.edu/etd/5992
Comments
Presented to the Faculty of the Graduate School of Logistics and Acquisition Management of the Air Force Institute of Technology