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Uncle Tom’s Cabin, a novel written by abolitionist Harriet Beecher Stowe, was an anti-slavery novel written in 1852. Her book is known to have started the Civil War because of its views on the cruelty of slavery and the relation between Christianity. Although the book was against slavery, it aided in the creation of black stereotypes.
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Fort Sumter was known to be the first battle of the Civil War, started by the question of slave ethics. The attack by the Confederate Army of a Union force led to the Union’s surrender. Although no one died during the attack, a Union soldier, Daniel Hough, was killed by an accidental cannon discharge.
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The First Battle of Bull Run was initiated as 35,000 Union troops coming from Washington, D.C. clashed with 20,000 Confederate troops near a river named Bull Run. The Confederate Army, led by General P.G.T Beauregard persisted through the Union front and claimed another victory with confidence.
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After the Union's capture of Fort Henry, a union force led by Ulysses S. Grant sought out to assault Fort Donelson. Fort Donelson was located on an important gateway river of the Confederacy, the Cumberland River. The Confederacy was unable to defend themselves, giving the Union one of their first major victories.
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The Battle of the Ironclads was fought between a Union ship, the U.S.S Monitor, and a Confederate ship, the C.S.S Virginia. The two ships engaged in the battle for 4 hours, yet their strong metal armor deflected most shots. All in all, the battle ended with no definite winner and proved that wooden ships would not be effective in battles anymore.
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The Battle of Shiloh was initiated when the Confederate army launched an attack on Union soldiers led by General Ulysses S. Grant. Although the Confederacy was triumphant at the beginning of the battle, the Union force was able to overpower the Confederates and win the battle. Sadly, the casualty totaled at more than 23,000.
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The Second Battle of Bull Run was a grim battle with a heavy amount of casualties estimated to be 22,177 people in total, most being Union soldiers. A Confederate force led by Robert E. Lee with backup from “Stonewall” Jackson sought out to threaten Union soldiers. A Union force led by General John Pope was under the false impression that he had cornered the Confederacy, but his false judgment led to another loss for the Union.
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The Battle of Antietam, named the deadliest one-day battle in American history, was initiated as the Army of the Potomac, led by General George McClellan, struck forces under the command of Robert E. Lee, leading to the death the giant death toll. After firing at each other for 12 hours, the Confederate army surrendered due to 10,316 casualties.
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The Battle of Fredericksburg took place on the river of Rappahanook as the Union Army of the Potomac, led by General Ambrose E. Burnside, attempted to move towards Richmond. Overall, they started to move forward but the attacks of the Confederacy led to Burnside surrendering. Another Confederate victory instilled more confidence.
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The Battle of Stones River initiated on the banks of Stones River between a Confederate army led by General Braxton Bragg and a Union force led by General William S. Rosecrans, who came into leadership after Lincoln issued the preliminary Emancipation Proclamation. Although both generals came up with very similar battleplans, Rosecrans rose victorious along with his Union army.
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General Joseph Hooker of the Union army has attempted to reach Northern Virginia to confront General Robert E. Lee’s forces, but failed. This resulted in a Confederate victory and made Lee split his forces into 3 and influenced him to launch another attack on the North.
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The Siege of Vicksburg was a massive victory for the Union as they captured the stronghold of Vicksburg. This victory divided the Confederacy and instilled confidence in the Union. The great victory of the Union also gave them control of the Mississippi River, a major supply line, and was a huge turning point for the Union.
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The Battle of Gettysburg was initiated as Confederate General Robert E. Lee attempted to invade Northern states to force them to negotiate for peace. His failure caused another major turning point in the war and the bloodiest battle of the Civil War with a total estimated 51,112 casualties.
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The Battle of Chickamauga happened due to the Confederate Braxton Bragg’s Army defeated a Union force led by General William Rosecrans. However, Ulysses S. Grant was able to reverse this as he brought reinforcements, forcing the Confederacy to retreat. This battle was a long-lasting victory to bolster the Union’s reputation and assurance.
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This was the first battle between major figures in the Civil War: Union General Ulysses S. Grant and Confederate General Robert E. Lee. The battle did include forces of other generals including General A.P Hill and Winfield S. Hancock. The battle between May 5-7 paused during the dark and ended inconclusively.
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The Battle of Cold Harbor took place along the Totopotomoy Creek. Ulysses S. Grant led a Union force to launch an assault on a Confederate army led by Robert E. Lee. Grant’s loss contributed to creating more confidence amongst the Confederacy as his Union force was massacred.
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General Ulysses S. Grant and the Army of Potomac sought out to invade Petersburg to cut off a major supply route of the Confederacy. They had advanced on the lines of defense but were eventually heavily outnumbered by the Confederate defense. Another victory for the Confederacy made the Union’s chances of winning the war look slim.
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The Battle of Atlanta struck when two Union Generals, William Tecumseh Sherman and James B. McPherson, led their army to defend against a Confederate force. The Confederate army, led by General John Bell Hood, was unable to overpower the Union, aiding in the Union's victory. However, Atlanta did not fall to the Union until later that year in September.
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The Battle of Appomattox Court House took place in Virginia as General Robert E. Lee moved from the Confederate Capital of Richmond, Virginia. It took place near the Courthouse and ended in another defeat of the Confederacy as Robert E. Lee surrendered his Northern Virginia Army.
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As Lincoln was watching a show in the Ford Theater, actor and Confederate John Wilkes Booth was planning to murder the president in hopes of bringing back the Confederacy. Lincoln had no warning and died from the bullet wound shot by Booth.
