Confederate encampment at Corinth

Battle of Shiloh Johnston attacks grant on April 6 beginning the Battle of Shiloh. Johnston is killed during the battle. Gen. P.G. T. Beauregard takes command of southern forces. South advances on Day 1, but on Day 2 reinforced Union forces cause a Confederate retreat back to Corinth. Shiloh was the bloodiest battle of the war to that point. Corinth & Memphis were later abandoned by the Confederates.

Battle of Shiloh

Western Campaign

Battle of Shiloh

Battle for Vicksburg Vicksburg was vital. It sat within a great curve in the MS River. The city was well fortified and sat atop high bluffs. Vicksburg was a key supply point for the Confederacy. Union tried to dig a canal on the LA side of the river to avoid Vicksburg. This failed. Dec. 1862 Union Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman begins a direct attack against Vicksburg from the North. Attack Fails

Vicksburg 1863

Battle for Vicksburg (Cont.) Grant tries to dig a canal to bypass Vicksburg, but this fails due to Confederate Artillery fire. Grant moves his forces south of Vicksburg through LA. Grant attacked & captured Jackson, MS in May 1863 & then led a direct attack on Vicksburg. Vicksburg was surrounded, but numerous attacks failed Grant laid siege to Vicksburg for 6 weeks Vicksburg fell July 4, 1863 (same day as Gettysburg victory)

Vicksburg, MS

Vicksburg Map

Union blockade at Vicksburg

Union soldiers at Vicksburg

Vicksburg National Cemetery

After Vicksburg Grant named Commander of all Union Forces General William T. Sherman commands Union troops in the West Sherman captured Meridian, MS in Feb. 1864 (RR Depot) Sherman moved on to Chattanooga Sherman kept MS Generals Nathan Bedford Forrest and Stephen Lee off of his supply lines by constantly raiding North & East MS Late 1864 Sherman makes his famous “March to the Sea” (from Atlanta to Savannah, GA)

Battle of Chattanooga & Chickamagua

Atlanta Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman

Battle Map

Fort Massachusetts (Ship Island)

War Ends March 1865 Richmond, VA falls to the Union. April 1865 Robert E. Lee surrenders at Appomattox Court House, VA MS & AL troops surrendered on May 4, 1865 at Citronelle, AL Jefferson Davis was captured on May 10, 1865 in Irwinville, GA

Lee Surrender

Mclean House

Washington D.C. after the War

MS Numbers 80,000 Mississippians fought for the Confederacy About 500 Mississippians fought for the Union Army 17,000 MS slaves or freedmen fought for the Union Army MS had about 27,000 dead at the end of the Civil War.

9th Mississippi Infantry

9th MS Infantry at Ft Pickens, Pensacola

Private James Madison Moore, Company A, 14th Regiment, Mississippi Consolidated Infantry

MS’s Homefront Those at home did what they could Men joined the service Women made uniforms or were nurses Everyone supported the state or opposed in silence MS tried to have normal politics but it was impossible. Money became worthless in the south. People did not have Candle wax, salt, coffee & tea (corn, okra, sweet potatoes used instead), Slave Revolts were feared Union Soldiers took what they wanted and in many cases destroyed everything else.

Hardtack

End of Slavery During war many southern blacks fled to Union army camps. Some stayed on the Plantations Blacks joined Union army and mainly performed labor roles. By end of war blacks were actively fighting for the Union Blacks were paid less and usually given menial tasks. 1862 Emancipation Proclamation issued. Freed slaves in the seceding states. Dec. 1865 13th Amendment abolished slavery

Slaves

Slaves

Slaves

Emancipation Proclamation

13th Amendment (from Harper’s Weekly) SCENE IN THE HOUSE ON THE PASSAGE OF THE PROPOSITION TO AMEND THE CONSTITUTION, JANUARY 31, 1865.