Civil War Battles and Events
April 12, 1961 Ft.Sumter
First shots to the Civil War are fired. Union General Robert Anderson surrendered to General P.G.T. Beauregard because they lack food and ammunition.
July 1861First Battle of Bull Run, VA
First major battle of the war, and it was a Southern victory. This is where Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson got his nickname because a soldier was quoted as saying, “There is Jackson, standing like a stone wall.” Government put pressure on General McDowell to attack so the war would end quickly. Northern people decided to picnic and watch the battle. Confederate troops were well trained and had the Union army retreating shortly after the battle started. Battle took place 25 miles from Washington, D.C. McDowell took the brunt of the blame for the loss and was replaced by General McClellan.
February 1862Ft. Henry and Ft.Donelson (western Tennessee)
Northern victory – Ulysses S. Grant was commander of the Union army here. This was where he received his nickname “Unconditional Surrender,” after the battle of Ft.Donelson for not letting the Confederate soldiers off easy. He captured over 12,000 Confederate soldiers here. He was promoted to Major General after this battle. The capture of these two forts opened up the Cumberland River to Union forces.
April 1862Battle of Shiloh (Tennessee)
Northern victory –Major General Grant defeated the Confederate troops under General Albert Sidney Johnston. Union had a force of 33,000 from western Tennessee and 32,000 from Ohio. The Confederates had a force of 45,000. This was the costliest battle as far as causalities up to this point with ______, which is more than ______War, War of 1812, and ______War combined.
April 25 – May 1, 1862Battle of New Orleans
Northern victory – Admiral David Farragut captured New Orleans at the mouth of the ______River.
March 8, 1862Monitor vs. Merrimac
Both were ironclad ships. One of the North’s first acts at the outset of the Civil War was the attempt to force the Confederacy into submission by blockading its ports. ______was the first ironclad ship in U.S. history. ______was the Confederacy’s answer to wooden ships blockading their ports. Neither side won the battle. It was however a strategic victory for the Union because the south did not take away the blockade.
September 1862Antietam, Maryland
Northern victory – This was the first of only two times that the South invaded the North. The battle was a ______, becauseafter Lee was defeated here, ______, refused to help the Confederacy. Lee had 45,000 troops while McClellan had 87,000 troops. This was the bloodiest single day in American history. There were over ______causalities. More people died here then on D-Day or 9/11. After the battle, McClellan was relieved from his duties for being to ______.
January 1, 1863Emancipation Proclamation
The importance of this document was that it now officially made the war a war to end slavery. It did not free the slaves in the Border States (for fear these states would secede), but it freed slaves in states at war with the United States.
July 4, 1863Vicksburg, Mississippi
Northern victory – By capturing this city, the Union now had control of the Mississippi River. The South was split after the Vicksburg campaign. ______led the attack and wanted the unconditional surrender of the Confederate forces, but later decided he didn’t have to transport ______troops to prison camps. So he paroled them.
July 1-4, 1863Gettysburg, Pennsylvania
Northern victory – General ______vs. General ______-- This was the second and final time that South would invade the North. The South was so heavily defeated that Lee’s army would never be strong enough to attack the North again. Confederate General George Pickett led 15,000 troops in the unsuccessful Pickett’s charge. (Hilly areas around the valley battleground were named McPherson Ridge, Seminary Ridge, ______, and Cemetery Ridge.)