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Period: to
Civil War
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Fort Sumter
April 12, 1861 to April 14, 1861
President Lincoln sends a ship to resupply the federal fort. Believing the ship had troops and weapons, the Confederacy fired on the fort. Due to the attack on the fort, Lincoln calls up 75,000 troops and some of the border states, such as Virginia, secede. -
First Bull Run
July 21, 1861
A cautious Union army of 35,000 troops clashed with a fearsome Confederate army of 11,000 troops at Bull Run. Being steadily pushed back, the Confederates received reinforcements and a stalemate occurred. At 4 o'clock, the rebels yelled their famous "rebel yell" and charged the Union soldiers, scattering them. The Confederacy managed to push back the Union. The battle ended with 3,000 Union soldiers dead and 1,750 Confederate soldiers also dead. -
Hampton Roads
March 9, 1862
The Union ironclad Monitor faced off against the Northern built Virginia in a battle between two deadly iron boats. The Monitor, being faster, managed to get quick shots off. After a while, the Monitor’s pilothouse was hit, pounding the commander of the vessel, Worden, with iron splinters into his eyes. The Virginia’s success gave hope to the southerners of defeating the Union blockade and affected marked the end of wooden navies. -
Shiloh
April 6, 1862 to April 7, 1862
The Confederates launched a surprise attack on the Union forces under General Ulysses S. Grant. Grant had been focused on upcoming battles, and he was preparing an attack. Knowing of this, the Confederate generals attacked the unprepared Union army. Both sides fought with inexperienced armies and both sides claimed victory, even though the Confederates really lost. Because of this battle, both armies were immobilized for 3 weeks. -
Antietam
September 17, 1862 to September 18, 1862
Robert E. Lee and George McClellan fought this battle on Union soil. Being outnumbered, Lee devised a complex strategic plan while the cautious McClellan took far too long to attack and was robbed of good attacking opportunities. The brutal war remained indecisive for 4 hours before the Union forces managed to capture a few key locations, forcing Lee back. This war was the tipping point that allowed Lincoln to initiate the Emancipation Proclamation. -
Fredericksburg
December 11, 1862 to December 13, 1862
The Battle of Fredericksburg pitted the new Union General Burnside against Lee. A misscommunication between Union generals cause the Confederacy to further prepare for the incomming attack, and when it hit, the Confederacy mowed down the Union. This terrible defeat was a large blow for Union forces that lost over 13,000 men, while the Confederates lost only 5,000 and stopped the aggressive push. -
Chancellorsville
April 30, 1863 to May 6, 1863
The Battle of Chancellorsville is considered the greatest victory for Lee during the war. At first, the Union beautifully executed a march that landed them right behind the Confederate army. Outnumbered and worried, Lee managed to split his army with General Jackson and flanked the Union army. The Union retreated by losing over 17,000 men to less than 13,000 of the Confederate army. However, General Jackson was killed by his own men in the fighting. -
Gettysburg
July 1, 1863 to July 3, 1863
Searching for supplies after their victory at Chancellorville, the Confederates collided with Union forces. The first day, Union forces strengthened themselves and defended Little Round Top. The second day, the Union forces were able to hold onto Little Round Top, although the cost of lives was extreme. The third day, Lee sent 15,000 men to capture Cementary Hill, and only half made it back. This crushed the Confederacy and the North took the lead in the war. -
Vicksburg
May 18, 1862 to June 4, 1862. Union forces waged a campaign to take the Confederate stronghold of Vicksburg, Mississippi. After two failed assaults in mid-May, he used other siege tactics and soon controlled all the approaches to the city. Pemberton surrendered the city on July 4 due to ammunition and food shortages. This victory greatly heartened the North and marked to turning point of the war. -
Chickamauga
September 19, 1863 to September 20, 1863. This battle begun after the Union pushed confederate forces out of a key railroad center in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The South regained some morale that they had been lacking after reinforcesments had arrived which caused them to attack on the offensive. On September 20th the Union had retreated, but at the same time, 10 confedarate generals had parished. -
Wilderness
May 5th to May 7th. The battle began along Plank Road where the Union had attacked. Around noon on May 6, the Confederates were able to launch a strong counterattack. Grant and his troops did not retreat. The Union still ended up marching south, even after losing about 10,000 more troops than the Confederates. -
Spotsylvania
May 9th to May 21st. General Grant wanted this battle to occur in order to attack Richmond directly. Grant's relentless attack once again worked out for the North by wearing down the South so quickly. This battle was one of the bloodiest battles of the Civil War, where over 30,000 men had died, and more fatatlities were from the Union. -
Sherman's March
September 2nd to December 21st. When General Sherman split his army in two after capturing Atlanta, he personally took his army south towards Savannah smashing anything in their way. 60,000 headed to Nashville. Sherman sent 25,000 bales of cotton to the President as a gift after arriving in Savannah on December 21. -
Petersburg
April 1st to April 2nd. Petersburg was located 23 miles south of Richmond and was an important rail center. Confederate troops where deserting at every corner because of the lack of resources and animals. Lee evacuated the city that night after he realized that him and his troops could not defend the city. -
Lincoln's Assassination
April 15th. Maryland native, John Wilkes Booth, assassinated Lincoln in the theatre. Booth wanted to throw the country into dismay by killing him. He fired a gun at the back of the President's head after sneaking into his booth at 10:15. He escaped Washington with a broken leg sustained after jumping onto the stage.
