Anaconda Plan

The Anaconda Plan Definition

The Anaconda Plan was a Union military strategy proposed by Union General Winfield Scott after the Confederacy’s attack on Fort Sumter. His plan was a naval blockade of the South that would extend along the Atlantic Coast and Gulf Coast, but also up the Mississippi River, essentially cutting the South in half. The blockade would strangle the South diplomatically and economically, forcing an eventual surrender.

Fig. 1 - General Winfield Scott

The Anaconda Plan Map

Here is an illustration that offers a good map of the Anaconda Plan:

Fig. 2 - illustration of the Anaconda Plan

Steps of the Anaconda Plan

There were three major steps in the Anaconda Plan:

• Enforce a naval blockade along the coast

• Take control of the Mississippi River

• Capture Richmond, Virginia (the Confederacy’s capital)

Steps of the Anaconda Plan: The Naval Blockade

The naval blockade was the key element of the Anaconda Plan. When it came to supplies, the North was at a clear advantage, holding most of the country’s finances and industrial production. So, the South had to depend on trade with other nations to support the war effort. If the North could use its superior navy to cut these trade networks off, the Confederacy would be left without the necessary supplies and funding.

Steps of the Anaconda Plan: Control of the Mississippi River

Taking control of the Mississippi River would exacerbate the effects of the naval blockade by cutting the Confederacy in half and preventing the flow of supplies and manpower throughout the South.

Steps of the Anaconda Plan: Capturing Richmond

Capturing Richmond was more about morale than anything else. If the Union Army were to take control of the Confederacy’s capital, both the Confederate Army and the Southern population would be in low spirits and more likely to surrender in the face of a severe supply shortage.

Detractors of the Anaconda Plan

The Anaconda Plan was a gradual strategy, and it would take some time for the South to even feel the effects. For this reason, many in the North believed it was a ridiculously bad idea. The common opinion was that the war could be one with a single, decisive battle. There was no reason to wait around.

But the timeline was not the only contentious point. Part of the goal of the Anaconda Plan was to block trade between the South and Europe, but there was the potential that such a move would lead to unfavorable European intervention. And that was only if the Union Navy was successful in its blockade. There were plenty of inlets where Confederate ships could evade detection.

But Scott foresaw something most did not–the war was going to be long (at least two years) and bloody (the Union Army would face mass casualties and needed to raise more troops). He was planning for the long term.

Anaconda Plan Timeline and Dates

After the First Battle of Bull Run in April 1862, the North had to face what Scott already knew. The war was going to be much longer and bloodier than they had originally thought. Suddenly, the Anaconda Plan sounded much more attractive. With the naval blockade of the coast was already in effect, the Union Army looked towards gaining control of the Mississippi River.

After General David G. Farragut captured New Orleans in April 1862 and General Ulysses S. Grant captured Vicksburg in July 1863, the Union succeeded in gaining control of the Mississippi River. And, so, the war of attrition began, with the North hoping to deprive the South of key resources for long enough that they could no longer continue the war.

The Union Army also began to focus on breaking down the morale of both the Confederate Army and the Southern population. In 1864, President Abraham Lincoln appointed General Ulysses S. Grant commander of the Union Army. General Grant made a name for himself with the Battle of Vicksburg and other successful campaigns, as he was unafraid to push forward in the face of mass casualties. President Lincoln believed he was the decisive leader the Union needed.

Fig. 3 - General Ulysses S. Grant

The Anaconda Plan: Success and Significance

So, what were the actual effects of the Anaconda Plan on the South? Well, massive inflation and the shortage of common goods became a very real issue. The South traded their cotton and tobacco for key supplies like weapons and foodstuffs from Europe, and without this trade, they lost funding as well as access to much-needed supplies. The South had hoped European powers would intervene to reopen these trade networks, but they turned to other suppliers instead. For example, the British looked to India for cotton.

By gaining control of the Mississippi River, the North was also successful in cutting the South in half. Because of this, the Confederacy was unable to transfer supplies and manpower. Adding to General Grant’s ruthless approach and Union victories in key Southern strongholds like Atlanta and Savannah, the Confederacy quickly lost its will to fight. On April 9th, 1865, the Confederacy, represented by General Robert E. Lee, agreed to a cease-fire.