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The Battle of Fort Sumter
Confederate soldiers fired the first shots of the Civil War on this day at this fort. Although no casualties were reported on either side due to the bombardment, Fort Sumter marked the start of a cruel, bloody war between 27 Northern states and 11 Southern states that would last four years and cause the deaths of hundreds of thousands of soldiers. -
The Battle of Bull Run
In the first major battle of the Civil War, Union General Irvin McDowell and 30,000 troops invaded Manassas, Virginia. Confederate Generals Jackson and Beauregard resisted the Union advance and were reinforced by General Johnston’s brigade of 6,000. Union forces were overwhelmed and began a disorganized retreat that was not pursued by the Confederates. The defeat was a demoralizing blow to the Union, which wanted a quick end to the war. -
Battle of Fort Henry and Fort Donelson
The Confederate's Fort Henry fell on February 5th; General Ulysses S. Grant's troops as well as 7 gunboats from the Union began shelling the fort. The confederate troops evacuated Fort Henry and moved to Fort Donelson 10 miles away--Grant's troops followed. Union Casualties were 2,331 while the Confederacy suffered upwards of 15,000. This was the Union's first victory and it allowed them to head south through Tennessee. -
The Battle of the Monitor and the Merrimack
Known as the most famous naval battle of the Civil War, it was also the first battle between two ironclad ships (the Monitor and the Merrimack). In the end, neither ship was declared winner, but the battle gained nationwide attention and revolutionized how warships were built. -
The Battle and Capture of New Orleans
The capture of New Orleans by Union forces was a major turning point in the war as it was the Confederacy's largest city and, given its location at the mouth of the Mississippi RIver, a trading location with a powerful and economic port--this would help in weakening the Confederacy. -
The Battle of Antietam
This battle was the first battle on Northern soil and well as the single bloodiest day in the American Civil War with a total of over 23,000 casualties (including more than 4,800 killed). -
The Emancipation Proclamation
The Emancipation Proclamation was an executive order signed by Abraham Lincoln stating the freedom of 3.1 million slaves in the Confederate States of America. This angered the South and caused a total war to destroy the Old South. -
The Battle of Gettysburg
This 3 day battle was the bloodiest battle of the war, with a total of over 46,000 casualties--nearly 8,000 of which were killed. This was a major turning point in the war. -
Re-election of 1864
With Abraham Lincoln winning the re-election, this meant that the Union campaign wouldn't be interrupted. With a trusted leader still in office, courage and faith could still be held onto/ -
Lee's surrender to Grant at Appomattox Courthouse
After the evacuation at Richmond, General Lee's troops were soon surrounded and Grant called Lee to surrender on April 7. On April 9, the two commanders met at Appomattox Courthouse and agreed on the terms of surrender.
