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Battle at Fort Sumter
April 12-14, 1861
The Confederates General Beauregard demanded the Union to surrender Fort Sumter, and the Union commander Anderson refused causing the Confederates to open fire on the fort. At 2: 30 pm, April 13 Anderson surrendered, following an evacuation. There were no casualties during the attack, but this sparked the start of the American Civil War. -
First Bull Run
July, 21 1861. Union Brigadier General Irvin McDowell attacked Confederate Brigadier General P.G.T Beauregard at Bull Run. They tried to flank each other but both failed. The Confederate forces had the high ground and eventually pulled out the victory. But they were too disorganized to pursue the Union troops. After the battle, Lincoln realized that the war will be long and costly. -
Battle at Hampton Roads
March 8-9, 1862
This was the first attack between to ironclad ships in history. The Confederates ironclad Virginia made its way through Hampton Roads sinking Cumberland and on March 9, the Confederates ironclad met is match against the Unions ironclad, Monitor. The two ships fought but the Unions Monitor claimed victory. -
Battle of Shiloh
April 6-7, 1862. Confederate Generals launched a surprise attack against Ulysses S. Grant in southwestern Tennessee. The Confederate forces were forced to retreat making a Union victory. Both sides suffered heavy causalities forcing them both to be immobilized for three weeks. -
Battle of Antietam
September 16-18, 1862. Major General George B. McClellan and his Union army attacked Robert E. Lee's Confederate army in Sharpsburg, Maryland. On September 17, Major General Joseph Hooker’s Union corps flanked Lee’s army on the left to begin the Battle of Antietam. After vicious attacks by the Union and equally vicious attacks by the Confederates, it became the single bloodiest day in American military history. This battle allowed Abraham Lincoln to enforce the Emancipation Proclamation. -
Battle of Fredericksburg
December 11-15, 1862
The Union army attempted its main assault on the Confederate right flank resulting in a success, but soon the Confederates counter-attacks weakened the Union. The Union relied on the Burnside Plan, which was a flank on the Left Grand Division, while the rest of his army was lead to Marye’s Heights. The Union was not successful, because the Confederates artillery was too strong. Wave after wave of Union soldiers were just being gunned down. This battle was considered a Co -
Battle of Chancellorsville
Arpil 30- May 6, 1863
Major General Joseph Hooker led his three corporations (V, XI, XII) to attack the confederate left flank. But Lee left a force by Fredericksburg, while the rest of his army move to confront the large Federal Force. Soon Hookers army moved towards Fredericksburg and encountered increasing numbers in Confederate resistance, when he heard of this news he ordered his army to focus the attack against Chancellorsville. When the Federals heard about the flank they gathered troo -
Battle of Gettsyburg
July 1-3 1863
The Confederates attacked from the north and west of Gettysburg at the Union. After both sides gathered reinforcements, the Federals tried to execute a flank on Peach Orchard, Wheatfield, and Devil’s Den. Then they started putting pressure on the right flank at Culp’s and East Cemetery Hills. In the afternoon of July 3rd the Confederates lead an assault known as Pickett’s Charge; this only had a miniscule effect on the Union. Robert E. Lee gathered his men and retreated on Jul -
Siege of Vicksburg
May 18 – July 4, 1863. Major General Ulysses S. Grant’s Union armies surrounded Vicksburg. They trapped Lt. Gen. John Pemberton’s Confederate armies. This siege made the Confederacy split in half. This also boosted Grant’s reputation and allowed him to become General-in-Chief of the Union armies. -
Battle of Chickamauga
September 19-20, 1863. Union General William Roscerans drove back Braxton Bragg’s army back to Chickamauga with reinforcements coming. The Confederates attacked the Union as the both suffered heavy losses. The Union troops eventually retreated. It was the costliest war on the western side of the states. It could be considered a victory for the Union because they were able to regroup and the Confederates suffered more losses. -
The Battle of the Wilderness
May 5-7, 1864
Both the Union and the Confederates were fighting in the dense woods. On May 6, Hancock lead an attack in Plank Roads, but the Longstreet Corps stoped the Confederate flank on Hamiltons Thicket. The IX Corps moved into the Confederate center, but were stopped. This battle was considered a tactical draw. -
Battle of Spotsylvania Court House
May 8-21 1864
The Battle of Spotsylvania lasted 2 weeks in Spotsylvania Court House. General Ulysses S. Grant attack the Confederates at dawn capturing nearly a whole Federal division, but the Confederates fired back with counterattacks; this 20 sustained battle was one of the fiercest in the Civil War. The Confederates attacked from the right flank but it resulted in a negative outcome with many casualties. On May 21 Grant disengaged from the fighting and headed with his army to Richmond. -
Sherman's March
November 15 - Decemer 21, 1864
The Confederacy lost Atlanta and to compensate for this loss they headed to Tennessee and Alabama. On the way they destroyed Union supply lines as they went. Sherman's troops arrived in Savannah three weeks after they left Atlanta and they found it was unprotected. Sherman presented Savannah and 25,000 bales of cotton a Christmas gift for Lincoln. -
Seige of Petersburg
June 9, 1864-April 9, 1865. The Union started to siege Petersburg and Richmond. Battles lasted throughout summer, but Grant was able to cross the Petersburg-Weldon Railroad by the end of August. Railroads were destroyed and the Confederates were cut off from supplies. The Confederates were pushed back and were left with 50,000 troops to Grant’s 120,000. General Joseph E. Johnston surrendered to Grant on April 9 ending the war. -
The Lincoln Assassination
April 14-15, 1865
On April 14, 1865 Abraham Lincoln was shot during a special comedy performance. He was shot by John Wilkes Booth and died the next day. Wilkes Booth tried to escape and hid in a barn in Bowling Green, Virginia, but was found and shot the same night and ended up dying on April 26, 1865. His following conspirators Lewis Paine, David Herold, Mary Surratt, and George Atzerodt were put to death in the gallows of the Old Penitentiary on July 7, 1865.
