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Period: to
The American Civil War
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Election of 1860
The four final nominees were, Abraham Lincoln for the north (Rep), John C Breckinridge for the south (S Dem.), John Bell more like the middle states (Constit. Un.), and Stephen A. Douglas (N Dem.). Lincoln won with the electoral vote 180 and Douglas lost with it, being 12. -
Jefferson Davis
Temporary first president of the Confederate States of America. He tried to increase his executive powers during the war. But VP Alexander H. Stephens, in defense of states' rights, urged the secession of Georgia in response if “despotic” actions of the gov't. They also face a serious shortage of money, the gov't was forced to issue more than $1 billion in inflationary paper money which reduced the amount of the dollar to less than two cents. -
The Battle of Fort Sumter
Charleston SC, was cut off from vital supplies and reinforcements by southern control of the harbor. Lincoln did not attempt to to defend the fort, and just sent provisions of food to the small fed garrison. He gave SC a choice, to hold out or open fire. And it put most northerners a patriotic fight to save the union. -
Winfield Scott and the Anaconda Plan
Scott did not believe that a quick victory was possible for Federal forces. He devised a long-term plan to defeat the Confederacy by occupying key terrain, such as the Mississippi River and key ports on the Atlantic Coast and the Gulf of Mexico, and then moving on Atlanta. It was the strategy the Union actually used, particularly in the Western Theater and in the successful naval blockade of Confederate ports. -
First Battle of Bull Run
First major battle of the war where 30,000 fed troops marched to attack the Confederate forces positioned near the Bull Run Creek in VA. The Union seemed invincible, until Gen Thomas Jackson, of the Confederate army, counterattacked and sent the inexperienced troops of the Union back to Washington. The Union kept trying to attack the Confederate state of VA but was always unsuccessful every time. -
Gen. George McClellan
He was part of the Peninsula Campaign, and that was a major Union operation launched in southeastern Virginia. But they were stopped as a result of brilliant tactical moves by Confederate General Robert E. Lee. After 5 months McClellan was forced to retreat and was ordered back to the Potomac, where he was replaced by Gen John Pope. -
Monitor and Merrimac
The battle began when the large and unwieldy CSS Virginia steamed into Hampton Roads. Captain Buchanan had tried to lead everyone but a trusted few to believe that this was merely a shakedown run, but most of the crew were aware that he intended to attack as soon as possible. The major significance of the battle is that it was the first meeting in combat of ironclad warships. The Confederate fleet consisted of the ironclad ram CSS Virginia and several supporting vessels -
Second Battle of Bull Run & Thomas Jackson
Gen Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson captured the Union supply depot at Manassas Junction, threatening Pepe's line of communication with Washington D.C. On the 28 of August, Maj. Gen. James Longstreet broke through light Union resistance in the Battle of Throughfare Gap and approached the battlefield. Lee took advantage of the change in Union Generals to strike quickly at Pope's army in Northern Virginia. -
Battle of Antietam
The Union Army intercepted the invading Confederates at Antietam Creek in the Maryland town of Sharpsburg. It was the bloodiest single day of combat in the entire war, which over 22,00 men were killed or wounded. -
Battle of Fredericksburg
The Union army's futile frontal assaults on December 13 against entrenched Confederate defenders on the heights behind the city is remembered as one of the most one-sided battles of the American Civil War. More than twice as many Unionist were as heavy as those suffered by the Confederate
