-
Fort Sumter
On April 12, 1861 at 4:30 A.M. Fort Sumter was attacked by Confederate forces. After 34 hours of shelling Anderson surrendered to the confederate forces. There were no casualties. -
Period: to
Civil war timespan
The Civil War began April 12, 1861. It ended April 15, 1865. -
Battle of Bull Run
On July 21, McDowell and the union forces began shelling across Bull Run. Ten thousand Union troops began to push back the four thousand- five hundred confederate troops. Later that day Confederate reinforcements arrived to lead to a confederate victory. As a result this battle cost some 3,000 union lives and 1,750 Confederate lives -
Period: to
Civil War
-
Hampton Roads
This battle took place between two iron-clad ships. The Unions Monitor and the Confederate Merrimick. At 8 am the battle begun between the two iron-clads and ended around 12:30 pm. As a result of this war, it put an end to wooden navies. -
Shiloh
On this day in history, Confederate forces launched a suprise attack on Ulysses s. Grant. The Confederates were unable to hold there ground and the Union came up with a victory. This battle was also known as Pittsburg Landing which is located not in Pennsylvania, but in Tennessee. Both sides suffered a combined total of 23,000 casualties. -
Battle of Antietam
At Antietam Creek in Sharpsburg, Virginia, this battle had the most casualties in any American battle. 22,000 soldiers died. The Union counted it as a victory even though there was no real winner. This "victory" gave President Lincoln the chance to issue his Emancipation Proclamation. -
Fredericksburg
Led by General Burnside, and over 120,000 Union troops moved against General Lee. General Franklin and his 50,000 troops were ordered to attack Lee's lines, but this was unsuccessful and gave Jackson a successful chance to call a counter attack. As a result, the union lost 13,000 and the south lost 5,000 -
Battle of Chancellorsville
This battle lasting from April 30 - May 6 is thought to be General Robert E. Lee's greatest victory. Facing a force nearly twice the size of his, he spit his army in two. Joseph Hooker was forced to fall back and re-cross the river. As a result of this battle the south lost there prized Stonewall Jackson and 12, 826 casualties and the north lost 17, 278 soldiers. -
Battle of Gettysburg
The Battle of Gettysburg started on July 1, 1863 and ended on July 3, 1863. The Union lost 23,000 men while the Confederates lost over a third of its army which was around 28,000. This Union victory increased Union morale and turned the tide of the war in the North's favor. -
Battle of Vicksburg
The Battle of Vicksburg lasted from May 18 to July 4 1863. After the Confederates lost two forts and 2 cities, the only thing protecting the Mississippi River was Vicksburg. After several failed assaults to take Vicksburg, the Union blocked off the entire city. After the Confederates were low on ammunition and nearly starving, they surrendered to the Union. This along with the victory in Gettysburg let the Union know that the tide of war is turning. -
Battle of Chickamauga
On September 20, 1863 Union and Confederate forces were struggling over the control of the key railroad center of Chattanooga, Tennessee. Union General William Rosecrans pushed Braxton Bragg’s army of Tennessee out and gathered his army of some 60,000 at Chickamauga, Georgia. Rosecrans troops were forced to retreat and the confederates walked away with another victory. As a result the combined total of casualties was 36000. -
Battle of Wilderness
The Battle of the Wilderness lasted from May 5 1864 to May 7. At the end of the first day the battle was inconclusive. At 5am the next morning, the Union attacked. The Confederates recieved reinforcements just before they were about to lose. They then launched two counter attacks causing panicking Union troops to report defeat. However, Grant held his ground. He sent his troops marching south in victory. The Union lost 17500 troops while the Confederates lost around 10000. -
Battle at Spotsylvania
The Battle of Spotsylvania Court House lasted from May 8 to May 21. This Union assault resulted in heavy casualties. The Union had several victories but ended in defeat after a Confederate counter attack. The Union lost 18000 men while the Confederates lost 11000. The Union defeat caused people to realize that the Union didnt break the Confederate line. Even after these defeats Grant continued his advancement. -
Shermans March
On this day Sherman and his troops captured Atlanta, an improtant railroad hub for the confederates. It had munitions factories, foundries, and warehouses to keep the Confederates supplied with food and ammunition. From there he took his remaining 62,000 troops and swept a path of destruction to Savannah, Georgia. When arriving in Savannah, Sherman presented the city and 25,000 bales of cotton to President Lincoln as a Christmas gift. -
The Petersburg Camaign
The Petersburg Campaign lasted from June 9, 1864 to April 9, 1865. Petersburg was an important stategic point for the protection of the Confederate capital. After the Union captured Fort Harrison and defeated the Confederates at the Battle of Fort Stedman and the Battle of Five Forks, General Lee informed Jefferson Davis that they could not hold Petersburg and Richmond. They evacuated the cities that night. On April 9, General Lee surrended to Grant in the Appomattox Court House. The Union won. -
Lincoln Assassination
On April 14, 1865 in the Ford's Theater in Washington, D.C., John Wilkes Boothe shot President Lincoln durring a showing of "Our American Cousin". Lincoln was taken across the street to be looked after. On April 15 President Lincoln died. The entire country was mourning his death.
