Major Battles of the Civil War

Fort Sumter A Fort in Charleston Harbor, SC Bombarded April 12-13, 1861 by Confederate troops

Impact Union troops surrendered Signaled the start of the Civil War

First Manassas/Bull Run

1 st Bull Run/Manassas July 21, 1861 near Manassas, VA Both armies had about 30,000 men

Union Army tried to march south to capture Richmond, VA (capital of the Confederacy)

1 st Bull Run/Manassas Initially, the Northern troops were winning.

A stand by Thomas Jackson’s Virginia brigade allowed the Confederates to organize and push the Federals back and turned the tide of the battle.

1 st Bull Run/Manassas RESULTS 3,000 Union Casualties 2,000 Confederate Casualties Confederate Victory Showed that the war would last much longer than people thought

1 st Bull Run/Manassas Confusion in Battle –Inexperienced and poorly trained troops and officers –No standardized uniforms or flags. Union troops wearing gray and Confederate troops wearing blue Confederate battle flag looked like Union flag when the wind wasn’t blowing

Early Battles ( ) Confederates won the majority of early battles. They were outnumbered but inflicted more damage on Union forces –Largely because of poor Union, and good Confederate leadership

2 nd Bull Run/Manassas (Aug. 1862),

Antietam September 17 th, 1862 Robert E. Lee wanted to follow up victories in the South by invading the north Wanted to capture Washington DC and get Maryland to join the Southern cause

Antietam Lee’s secret orders for troop locations were found by Federal troops but the Union general, George McClellan, was very slow to act. –Lee was given time to organize his army and fight off Union attacks, even though he was outnumbered 2 to 1

Antietam

Battle was a draw

Impacts 1) Bloodiest single day in American warfare –Federal losses were 12,410, –Confederate losses 10,700.

2) Gave Lincoln the “victory” he needed to pass the Emancipation Proclamation –Kept European nations from recognizing the Confederacy

War Sept 1862-Summer 1863 War went well for the Confederacy in the East. Winning combination of Lee and Jackson scored two big victories at Fredericksburg and Chancelorsville.

Fredericksburg (December 1862)

General Ambrose Burnside Cracked under the pressure of army leadership. Battle at Fredericksburg was poorly managed. –15,000 Union casualties Last name is rearranged to make the word “sideburns”

and Chancellorsville (May 1863)

General Joseph Hooker Cracked under pressure of army leadership His army was defeated at Chancelorsville, even though he outnumbered his enemy 2 to 1 Some success later in lower levels of command

Jackson was accidentally shot by his own men at Chancellorsville, and died a week later.

Gettysburg July 1-3, 1863 After several more successful battles, Lee decided to invade the north again.

On day one (July 1 st ) Southern troops pushed the Union back.

On day two, Lee tried to flank (get behind) the Union army.

Disastrous decision to attack the Union center on Day Three (Pickett’s Charge) 15,000 men attacked, only 6,000 came back.

High Tide of the Confederacy

Gettysburg RESULTS Union Victory/Turning point of the war Confederate army never went on a major offensive again

Bloodiest battle of the war –23,000 Union Casualties –28,000 Confederate Casualties

Vicksburg Port of Vicksburg on Mississippi River General Ulysses S. Grant tried to gain control on Mississippi River –Part of Anaconda Plan

Grant tried head on attacks and failed

Forced Confederates into a siege Siege from May-July 1863

Impact of Vicksburg Confederates surrendered 25,000 men on July 4th Union Victory Cut Confederacy in Half

Wilderness Campaign May-July 1864 Grant took over command of the Union Army Immediate goal was to capture Richmond

His strategy was called “Total War” –Fight/destroy whatever you need to in order to win

Union army relied on manpower and industry to win

Confederates on the defensive –They didn’t have the troops or weapons to replace their losses

Forced to rely on trenches and terrain to make up for their smaller army

Impact of the Wilderness Battle was a draw Even though Grant suffered 20,000 casualties (compared to Lee’s 10,000), he kept his army moving south. –Defied military convention –He wanted to keep Lee on the run and disorganized

Began a two month series of battles that wore down Lee’s army.

Sherman’s March to the Sea May-December 1864 William Tecumseh Sherman led a Union army in Tennessee and Georgia. Initial focus was Atlanta, Georgia

Atlanta Major railroad and production center for the South. After a 2 month campaign, very similar to that in Virginia, Sherman captured Atlanta.

As Union troops occupied the city, fires mysteriously broke out. Both sides blamed the other

Sherman decided to march his men to the Atlantic coast, destroying anything useful to the Confederates. He ordered his men to live off the land… stealing food and livestock from local citizens.

March to the Sea “WAR IS HELL”

Impact of “Total War” and Atlanta Campaign Confederate armies put on defensive and lost many experienced troops and commanders. Confederate war production destroyed. Confederate civilians wanted war to end. The Anaconda Plan was working!

Appomattox Grant captured Richmond on April 4 th, 1865 and Lee retreated towards the Shenandoah Mountains.

On April 9 th, 1865 he was surrounded and decided to surrender, in order to save what was left of his army.

Lee encouraged his men to accept defeat and unite with their countrymen again, even though many wanted to continue fighting, despite the hopeless odds.

War was basically over.