Civil War Battles and Events

1. Fort Sumter April 12, 1861 Major Anderson First Shots Fired Confederates blocked shipments Lincoln tried to send supplies Confederates opened fire Battle lasted two days Nobody Died! Lincoln Called for Volunteers

2. 1st Battle of Bull Run July 21, 1861 North: Irvin McDowell South: P.G.T. Beauregard :Stonewall Jackson First Battle Both inexperience armies Picnic Battle Rebels rallied under Jackson Union retreated into D.C. Realized it will be a long bloody war George McClellan put in charge of Union Army

3. Battle of Shiloh April 6, 1862 North: U.S. Grant South: Albert Johnston/PGT Beauregard First major bloodshed! Boarder of Miss. And Tenn. Confederate surprise attack 2 days 23,000 killed or wounded Union won and took large amount of the Miss. River in the next month.

4. Battle of Antietam Sept. 17, 1862 North: George McClellan South: Robert E. Lee Lee tried to attack Washington D.C. Split his army in two McClellan found battle plans, but delayed Bloodiest single day of the war. 23,000 killed or wounded Union won and Lee retreated to Virginia

5. Battle of Fredericksburg Dec. 13, 1862 North: Ambrose Burnside South: Robert E. Lee Inspired Lee to attack North. Burnside attacks Lee in Virginia Lee decided to meet them outside of Fredericksburg Confederates easily win and Burnside is replaced by Joseph Hooker

Emancipation Proclamation Lincoln ordered a decree freeing all slaves in rebel territory. January 1, 1863 Didn’t free any slaves at the time, but it meant slavery would be over if the Union won.

6. Battle of Chancellorsville May 1863 North: Joseph Hooker South: Robert E. Lee :Stonewall Jackson Both sides split forces Confederates surrounded the Union army and attacked Hooker withdrew, but Jackson was shot by own men. Jackson died a week later

Weak Union Generals In one year Lincoln went through three generals. McClellan, Burnside and Hooker George Meade was next in line

7. Battle of Gettysburg July 1-4, 1863 North: George Meade South: Robert E. Lee Turning Point of the War Accidental meeting between Union Cavalry and Confederates looking for supplies Lead to turning point of the war Nearly 50,000 casualties in three days Cemetery Ridge, Round Top, Little Round Top Pickett’s Charge!

8. Vicksburg Siege July 4, 1863 North: U.S. Grant Grant took control of important Port city on Mississippi. 47 days of bombing Split confederacy in two in the coming weeks.

Gettysburg Address Nov. 19, 1863 Dedication of National Cemetery at Gettysburg. Lincoln’s most famous political speech Lasted only 2 minutes. “Four Score and Seven Years Ago…”

9. Wilderness Campaign May 5, 1864 North: U.S. Grant South: Robert E. Lee First part of Union plan to end the war. Grant attacked Lee and wouldn’t let him get away. Six week long battle 50,000 troops died in 30 days at one point. Grant called a “butcher” in North

10. Sherman’s March to the Sea North: William Tecumseh Sherman 2nd part of plan to end the war Take the war to the people Sherman marched to Atlanta and then to the coast Destroyed everything in his path and lived off the land Turned N. through Carolinas Break Southern will to fight Freedom March for Slaves

11. Fall of Richmond April, 1865 U.S. Grant vs Lee Battled outside Richmond at Petersburg for months. Lee finally withdrew and Union troops marched into already burning Richmond. Davis and government had fled already. Union troops try to put out the fire. Union finally took the Capital.

12. Surrender at Appomattox North: U.S. Grant South: Robert E. Lee April 9, 1865 Formal surrender of Confederate Army Appomattox Court House, Virginia Grant was very lenient with Lee and his troops Tried to set peaceful precedent to end war