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Battle of Fort Sumter
At 4:30 a.m. the Confederacy began to attack Fort Sumter. Fort Sumter is bombarded with over 4,000 rounds before Major Anderson surrenders. -
Virginia Secedes
After the fall of Fort Sumter, Lincoln called for 75,000 volunteers to serve for 3 months, but he received much more than the ever thought. When Virginia secedes from the Union it is a terrible loss for the Union because it is one of the most populated states of America. In May 3 more states follow Virginia which are Arkansas, Tennessee, and North Carolina. West Virginia secedes form Virginia and joins the Union due to not agreeing with slavery. -
Battle of Bull Run
An army of 30,000 inexperienced Union soldiers faced inexperienced Confederate soldiers near the little creek of Bull Run. The Confederates began to attack back confidently because of General Thomas J. Jackson held his ground like a "stone wall" which would inspire troops as well. The Confederates were victorious and this gave lots of confidence for the Confederacy for the war. -
Battle of Shiloh
Thousands of Confederate troops startled Union soldiers, some of which were shot while making coffee and laying in their blankets. As the Union soldiers were facing imminent defeat General Grant rallied his troops for another push. This resulted in the Confederacy retreating. This would teach both sides that this was going to be a bloody war and sending scouts, building trenches, and building fortifications were going to be a necessity to win battles. Nearly 35,000 killed, injured, or captured. -
Battle at Richmond
Robert E. Lee became the replacement for General Joseph E. Johnston after he was wounded in battle. Robert E. Lee proved a formidable for for the Union. He was very bold compared to McClellan as McClellan was cautious and conservative. Even when Lee had fewer troops and suffered more casualties than McClellan he was able to drive McClellan towards the peninsula to the sea. -
Battle of Antietam
A Union Corporal found General Lee's plans wrapped around a bunch of cigars which revealed that lee and "Stonewall" Jackson's armies were separated. McClellan was aggressive for the first time and orders his me to attack Lee. This battle would be at a creek called the Antietam. The casualty count would be more than 26,000 dead. McClellan didn't pursue the crippled Confederate army and finish them off which would cause Lincoln to fire McClellan on November 7, 1862. -
Emancipation Proclamation
When the Emancipation Proclamation was passed it didn't let slaves become free immediately but it was a powerful symbolic symbol. This would let the Union give another reason to fight for the war and would allow slaves to be enlisted into the army. This would also give the Confederacy more reason to fight harder to protect their way of living. This would also eliminate any chance for a compromise between both sides meaning the Union would have to destroy the Confederacy. -
Battle of Gettysburg
The Confederacy heard that there was a shoe factory in Gettysburg and advanced towards there. Scouts were engaged by Union cavalry. July 2nd had nearly 90,000 Yankees and 75,000 confederate soldiers. The Union had the high ground and were able to fend off Confederate advancements. On July 3rd General Lee felt optimistic and headed towards the Union high ground but cannon fire and union resistance weakened what remained of his army. The Union lost 23,000 while the Confederacy lost 29,000. -
Gettysburg Address
The Gettysburg Address was made to honor the dead and notify everyone that the war is testing whether the nation has the will to survive. This would have everyone thinking and feel more appreciating of the nation itself. -
Surrender at Appomattox
Union armies would destroy everything in their paths to cripple Confederate morale the Union felt the end was near for the war. They would eliminate any Confederate resistance and begin to ease on destruction. When it was over the Union gave the Confederacy a deal to surrender and in return they would allow Confederate soldiers to return home with their possessions, needed supplies, and would allow Officers to keep their swords. Two months after any remaining Confederate resistance was squashed. -
The Assassination of Abraham Lincoln
5 days after Lee surrendered to Grant Lincoln was shot in the back of the head by John Wilkes Booth. He escaped and was on the run for 12 days until he was apprehended at a Virginia tobacco barn. Shot were fired and he was dragged out by cavalry. His last words were "Useless, Useless". This would be the first time a President was assassinated. -
Extra Credit 1
The Union had many advantages such as more fighting power, factories, greater food production, and a more extensive railroad system. The Confederacy had cotton, first-star military generals, strong military tradition, and a strong will to fight. The Union had the Anaconda Plan, Step one was to block southern ports, step 2 was to use the Mississippi river to their advantage, step 3 would to capture the Confederate capital in Richmond, Virginia. The Confederacy's plan was to play defense. -
Extra Credit 2
Once the Emancipation Proclamation blacks were allowed to enlist in the Union. When they started they weren't payed as much as white soldiers. This changed in 184 when they pushed for equal pay. The Confederacy would execute or take back any slaves caught in battle. Slave resistance also made slave owners lives more difficult such as slaves sabotaging and being more stubborn which in the end it proved useful in reducing the plantation system for the south. -
Extra Credit 3
The South was struggling economically such as increased taxes and the Union created shortages on salt, sugar, coffee, nails, needles, and medicine by blocking Southern ports. The north had an economic boom in most but cotton and were living well overall. Though they struggled with keeping up with the minimum wage as it declined many of the peoples standard of living. -
Extra Credit 4
After Fort Sumter fell the federal government set up the United States Sanity Commission. I was meant to improve the hygienic conditions and to recruit nurses and train them. It proved useful as the death rate showed considerable improvement from previous wars. The Confederacy didn't have a Sanity Commission but many women volunteered to serve.