Fort Sumter-Confederate Victory First Battle of the Civil War There was not one human death (a Confederate horse was killed) from enemy fire. A death occurred after the fighting, from friendly fire. Significance: No casualties on either side raised false hopes for a quick war.
First Battle of Bull Run-Confederate Victory Significance: First sizable engagement of the war. Confederates routed the North. Northern civilians who rode out to see the battle had to flee back to Washington with panicked Union troops. Casualty totals shocked the North and South and alerted them that the war would not be won easily. It was also during this battle that Confederate General Thomas J. Jackson earned his nickname, Stonewall.: Spectators came to watch the battle with picnics
Monitor vs. Merrimack-Draw First naval battle between two ironclad ships, The Union s USS Monitor and the Confederacy s CSS Virginia, which was built from the USS Merrimack. The Virginia destroyed a lot of the Unions wooden ships, but on day two when the Norths ironclad came in the Virginia was damaged. Significance: The first clash of ironclads, this battle revolutionized naval warfare. The Merrimack (C.S,S, Virginia) was able to destroy several wooden Union ships on the first day. The arrival of the Monitor the next day saves the fleet. The two ships fight all day to a draw but it shows the world that wooden ships are now obsolete.
Shilo-Union Victory (there was a church near the battle site named Shilo, which ironically meant place of peace ) Union troops were not prepared for this attack and the southern troops forced them to retreat toward the river. Confederates suffered lots of loss and the second day Union started to gain ground. Confederates had such a great defense that they stopped the Union troops before they retreated. Significance: The first battle with truly large casualties. The confederacy caught Grant by surprise and almost destroyed his army on the first day. On the second day Grant was reinforced and forced the Confederates back to Mississippi. This battle ended all hopes of the south regaining Tennessee. Although the casualties were higher than anything seen by Americans so far, there would be many more Shiloh s to come.
7 days battles (1st Richmond)- Confederate Victory The Union army was defeated when it tried to capture Richmond for the first time, for three main reasons: McClellan took too long to prepare it was a weak attack Lee was able to reinforce the city Significance: Fought outside Richmond, this series of battles was Robert E. Lee s first big victory over the North. During the course of the week Lee, even though outnumbered, attacked the Union general, George McLellan, so furiously that the Union army was forced to retreat back to Washington.
Antietam-Union Victory This was the single bloodiest day of the Civil War (September 17, 1862) and was a result of the Confederate Army attempting to invade the North. The combined casualties were more than twenty-three thousand. Significance: One of only two major battles fought in the North and the bloodiest day of the war. Robert E. Lee had invaded Maryland and hope the state would defect to the South. This failed to happen and Lee was pinned down at Antietam Creek by Gen. McLellan. The Union victory forced Lee back to the South. It also gave Lincoln the good news he needed to issue the Emancipation Proclamation which freed all slaves in areas not controlled by the Union.
Fredericksburg-Confederate Victory Union General Ambrose Burnside lead a march on Richmond, but was delayed for more than two weeks because of late arriving supplies. General Lee positioned his army, deploying snipers to pick off Federal troops. Confederate artillery decimated Union forces in their attempts to capture Marye s Heights. Many Union soldiers were left in the open after crossing military pontoon bridges, and they became easy prey for Confederate troops. Burnside had no choice but to retreat with the remnants of his army. Significance: Union general Ambrose Burnside learned the folly of attacking an entrenched enemy with a frontal assault. Robert E. Lee was dug in at the top of a hill called Marye s Heights and he was able to repel 14 Union assaults. The screams of wounded Union soldiers could be heard from the base of the heights but the soldiers were unable to help their fallen comrades.
Chancellorsville-Confederate Victory Joseph Hooker had taken over as the Union Commander after the failed battle of Fredericksburg. As the Winter of 1862-1863 set in, the C o n f e d e r a t e s c a m p e d a t Fredericksburg as the Union Camped just across the River from the Confederates. Significance: Lincoln s quest for a winning general continued with Joseph Hooker. At Chancellorsville he was totally outmaneuvered by Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson. This battle was the greatest Confederate victory of the war. It was tainted at the end, however, when Stonewall Jackson was accidentally shot by his own troops. He died a week later.