Civil War Battles & Major Events

Civil War Battles & Major Events

Civil War Sides Key Union States Border States Confederate States

Army Organization

Fort Sumter Date Where Commanding Officers April 12-14, 1861 Fort Sumter, South Carolina Union: Major Robert Anderson Confed: Brigadier General P.G.T. Beauregard Confed. Losses Union Losses Who won? 0 0 Confederate Overview On April 10, Beauregard demanded surrender of the Union garrison of Fort Sumter. Anderson refused. On April 12, Confederate batteries opened fire; on April 13, Anderson surrendered and evacuated the fort. THIS STARTS THE CIVIL WAR!

First Battle of Bull Date Where Commanding Officers July 21, 1861 Manassas, Virginia Union: Brigadier General Irvin McDowell Confed: Brigadier General Joseph E. Johnston and General P.G.T. Beauregard Confed. Losses Union Losses Who won? 2,000 3,000 Confederacy Outcome Both armies decided to attack the other s left flank. However, Confederates learned this and built up enough troops on the Union right side to overrun that flank. This led to disorder and the Union Troops retreated. FIRST MAJOR BATTLE. PEOPLE FROM D.C. BROUGHT PICNIC BASKETS TO WATCH THE BATTLE! BEFORE THIS, PEOPLE THOUGHT THE WAR WAS SIMPLE - WITH LOSS OF SOLDIERS AND CIVILIANS, THE WAR WASN T SIMPLE BUT REAL.

JUDITH HENRY S HOUSE Judith Carter Henry, 84 or 85 years old and bedridden, refused to leave her upstairs bedroom as the First Battle of Bull Run was fought on the hill surrounding her home. Snipers used the house; Judith Henry was killed by a bullet meant for the snipers. She was the first civilian killed at First Bull Run, July 21, 1861. The Second Battle of Bull Run was also fought on this hill. (Also called the First and Second Battles of Manassas.)

U.S.S. Monitor vs. C.S.S.Virginia Date Where Commanding Officers March 8-9, 1862 Hampton Roads, Virginia Union: Lieutenant John Worden Confed: Captain Franklin Buchanan and Lieutenant Catesby R. Jones Confed. Losses Union Losses Who won? 24 409 Draw, but a strategic Union victory Overview March 8, Confederate ironclad Virginia sank the Cumberland. March 9, the Union ironclad Monitor initiated the FIRST ENGAGEMENT OF IRONCLADS IN HISTORY. The two ships fought each other to a standstill, but the Virginia withdrew.

Source: http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/image:battle_between_monitor_and_merrimac_%28hampton_roads%29.png

Battle at Antietam Date Where Commanding Officers Sept. 16-18, 1862 Sharpsburg, Maryland Union: Major General George B. McClellan Confed: General Robert E. Lee Confed. Losses Union Losses Who won? 10,318 12,410 Union Overview Both armies confronted each other on Sept. 16th/. At dawn, Hooker s army attacked Lee s left flank - attacks and counter-attacks swept across the field. The union were able to pierce the center of the line, and then more Union troops attacked the right side of the Confederates, pushing Burnsides army back. The Confed. side was outnumbered 2-to-1, but Lee put in all of his troops, McClellan only put in less than 1/3rd of the army. Finally, Lee withdrew his troops during the night. THIS WAS THE SINGLE MOST BLOODIEST DAY OF THE WAR. IT FORCED LEE TO RETREAT BACK INTO VIRGINIA.

Battle at Antietam Date Where Commanding Officers Sept. 16-18, 1862 Sharpsburg, Maryland Union: Major General George B. McClellan Confed: General Robert E. Lee Confed. Losses Union Losses Who won? 10,318 12,410 Union Overview Both armies confronted each other on Sept. 16th/. At dawn, Hooker s army attacked Lee s left flank - attacks and counter-attacks swept across the field. The union were able to pierce the center of the line, and then more Union troops attacked the right side of the Confederates, pushing Burnsides army back. The Confed. side was outnumbered 2-to-1, but Lee put in all of his troops, McClellan only put in less than 1/3rd of the army. Finally, Lee withdrew his troops during the night. THIS WAS THE SINGLE MOST BLOODIEST DAY OF THE WAR. IT ALSO FORCED THE CONFEDERATE ARMY BACK TO THE SOUTHERN SIDE.

Emancipation Proclamation Lincoln saw the significance of the Battle of Antietam and issued a declaration: Lincoln would grant freedom of all slaves in any state of the Confederate States of America that didn t return to Union control by January 1, 1863. Announced the acceptance of African American men into the Union Army and Navy Since no states left the C.S., he presented the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863: "all persons held as slaves within any States, or designated part of the State, the people whereof shall be in rebellion against the United States, shall be then, thenceforward, and forever free. This did not free ALL slaves, only slaves in Confederate states.

Emancipation Proclamation WHEN? January 1, 1863 WHAT? An official presidential policy statement SIGNIFICANCE? This declaration: ENDED SLAVERY IN CONFEDERATE STATES ALLOWED AFRICAN AMERICAN SOLDIERS TO FIGHT FOR THE UNION TIED THE ISSUE OF SLAVERY DIRECTLY TO THE WAR

Emancipation Proclamation WHEN? January 1, 1864 WHAT? Declaration SIGNIFICANCE? This declaration: ALLOWED AFRICAN AMERICAN SOLDIERS TO FIGHT FOR THE UNION Freed former slaves coming into the Union lines at New Bern, North Carolina. Many slaves fled their owners whenever a northern army was nearby. The Emancipation Proclamation helped to clarify the legal position of fugitive slaves, and from the beginning of the war, African Americans, slave and free, took every opportunity they could to make it a war against slavery. Many free African Americans in the North attempted to volunteer for military service. TIED THE ISSUE OF SLAVERY DIRECTLY TO THE WAR

Battle at Fredericksburg Date Where Commanding Officers Dec. 11-15, 1862 Fredericksburg, Virginia Union: Major General Ambrose E. Burnside Confed: Gen. Robert E. Lee Confed. Losses Union Losses Who won? 4,201 12,653 Conferderate Overview Under Burnside, Union troops crossed the Rappahannock River and occupied Fredericksburg. Confederate troops withdrew and occupied the heights above the town. Because of the strategic positions above and south of the town, the Union troops could not break down the Confederates. Union troops had to withdraw. This was Burnsides first command (and last) after McClellan was relieved. THIS FAILED ASSAULT PREVENTED BURNSIDE FROM MOVING SOUTH TO ATTACK RICHMOND, THE CONFEDERATE CAPITOL.

Battle of Chancellorsville Date Where Commanding Officers April 30- May 6, 1863 Chancellorsville, Virginia Union: Major General Joseph Hooker Confed: General Robert E. Lee, Major General Thomas J. Jackson Confed. Losses Union Losses Who won? 11,400 18,400 Confederate Outcome Union Burnside was replaced by Hooker. This was LEE S GREATEST BATTLE. After Fredericksburg, the Union Army crossed the river and settled near Chancellorsville. Lee divided his troops and put a lot of pressure on the Union army. JACKSON moved his men eleven miles undetected to attack Hooker s rear position. Heavy fighting began on May 1; May 2, fighting was overwhelming and disorganized. That night, STONEWALL JACKSON WAS SHOT BY HIS OWN TROOPS. On May 5-6, Union troops withdrew.

!Blood stain from Jackson s wound Stonewall Jackson s Jacket

Battle of Gettysburg Legos Date Where Commanding Officers July 1-3, 1863 Gettysburg, Pennsylvania Union: Major General George G. Meade Confed: General Robert E. Lee Confed. Losses Union Losses Who won? 28,000 22,807 Union Overview Gen. Robert E. Lee concentrated his full strength against Meade s Army of the Potomac at Gettysburg. On July 1, Confederate forces converged on the town driving Union defenders back through the streets to Cemetery Hill. During the night, reinforcements arrived for both sides. On July 2, Lee attempted to envelope the Union, first striking the Union left flank and then attacking the Union right. By evening, the Union retained Little Round Top and had drove away most of Ewell s men. During the morning of July 3, the Confederate infantry were driven from their last toe-hold on Culp s Hill. In the afternoon, after an early artillery bombardment, Lee attacked the Union center on Cemetery Ridge. The Pickett-Pettigrew assault (more popularly, Pickett s Charge) momentarily pierced the Union line but was driven back with severe casualties. Stuart s cavalry attempted to attack the Union rear but was driven back. On July 4, Lee began withdrawing his army toward Williamsport on the Potomac River. His train of wounded stretched more than fourteen miles. THIS LOSS DEMORALIZED THE SOUTH. LEE WILL NEVER TRY TO INVADE THE NORTH ON SUCH A GRAND SCALE AGAIN.

Current-day scene of Pickett s Charge

Gettysburg Address WHEN? November 19, 1863 WHAT? Lincoln s Speech at the ceremony of those fallen in the Gettysburg battle SIGNIFICANCE? In the address: Lincoln said that the Civil War was a test of whether or not the republic could survive - THIS IS A FIGHT FOR FREEDOM AND EQUALITY, NOW. NOT JUST A FIGHT TO KEEP OUR NATION TOGETHER.

Siege of Vicksburg Date Where Commanding Officers May 18 to July 4, 1863 Vicksburg, Mississippi Union: General Ulysses S. Grant Confed: Lieutenant General John C. Pemberton Confed. Losses Union Losses Who won? 9,091 10,142 Union Overview In May and June of 1863, Maj. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant s armies met at Vicksburg, entrapping a Confederate army under Lt. Gen. John Pemberton. On July 4, after a long siege, Vicksburg surrendered. This was one of the most brilliant military campaigns of the war. VICKSBURG WAS A STRATEGIC WIN. IT SPLIT THE CONFEDERACY IN HALF AND HELPED THE UNION GAIN STRENGTH AND COMPLETE CONTROL OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER.

Sherman s March to the Sea Date Where Commanding Officers November 12- December 22, 1864 From Atlanta to Savannah, Georgia Union: Major General William Sherman Confed: Major General Joseph Wheeler Confed. Losses Union Losses Who won? 13,096 13,607 Union Overview Late in 1864, General William Sherman left Atlanta to headed towards the coast. He moved through Macon and Augusta and ended up in Savannah. There were few troops to stop him and his forces on the way and they left destruction in their wake. In the end of December, Sherman presented Lincoln with Savannah, Georgia, in what he called a Christmas Gift. In the course of the march, his soldiers ate off the land, and destroyed anything of military value in its way. His victories marked the end for the Confederacy. HE PRACTICED TOTAL WAR, DESTROYING EVERYTHING (ALL USABLE RESOURCES) IN HIS PATH..

Sherman s Neckties As Sherman's men pushed southeast, they systematically destroyed all manufacturing plants, agricultural infrastructure, and railroads they encountered. A common technique for wrecking the latter was heating railroad rails over fires and twisting them around trees. Known as "Sherman's Neckties," they became a common sight along the route of march.

Surrender at Appomattox Date Where Commanding Officers April 9. 1865 Appomattox County, Virginia Union: Lt. General Ulysses S. Grant Confed: General Robert E. Lee Confed. Losses Union Losses Who won? 6,000 (27,805 captured) 10,780 Union Overview Early on April 9, the remnants of some Lee s Army of Northern Virginia formed a line of battle at Appomattox Court House. Lee was determined to make one last attempt to escape from the Union army so he could reach his supplies at Lynchburg. At dawn the Confederates advanced, initially gaining ground against Sheridan s cavalry. The arrival of Union infantry, however, stopped the advance in its tracks. Lee s army was now surrounded on three sides. Lee surrendered to Grant on April 9. THIS WAS THE FINAL FIGHT OF THE CIVIL WAR. GENERAL LEE SURRENDERED TO GRANT, AND THE WAR CAME TO AN END.

Sources: PBS http://www.pbs.org/civilwar/war/map1.html National Archives Various Textbooks The History Channel: Civil War 150