Civil War Battle Tactics
The Anaconda Plan (Union Strategy)
U.S. General-in-Chief Winfield Scott's plan to defeat the Confederacy: blockade the southern and eastern coasts, seize control of the Mississippi River so as to break the Confederacy in two, and then strike from all sides at once. When Scott and President Abraham Lincoln released the details of this plan, journalists and others scoffed at its lengthy development time. However, events of the Civil War proved Scott's plan sound.
Confederate Strategy
Confederate president Jefferson Davis settled on an offensive-defensive strategy as a response to the Northern plan. The basic concept was to remain on the defensive until an opportunity presented itself to launch offensive operations. It ensured that all Northern thrusts would be met thereby assuring Confederate citizens that their homes would be defended, at least initially. Davis’ plan also fit the image he wished to promote to the world that the South was fighting only in self-defense.