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Battle of Fort Sumter
The North had control of Fort Sumter, an island off the coast of Charleston, South Carolina. The Southerns were afraid that the North would try to intercept ships sailing in and out of the port, restricting the South's important trade with foreign countries. When the South fired the first shot - the American Civil War began. -
Battles of Fort Henry and Fort Donelson
The Confederates held these two important forts about 12 miles apart on the Tennessee and Cumberland rivers. General Grant attacked Fort Donelson and General Halleck attacked Fort Henry. 13,000 Confederates troops urrendered both forts. General Grant became a northern hero. This battle gave the North control of Kentucky and half of Tennessee. -
Monitor vs. Merrimac
The Confederates raised a sunken ship, the Merrimack, and covered it with iron plates. They renamed the ship the Virginia. They charged North and entered into battle destroying
two Northern ships and damaging three others. The North was angry so t he next day they sent their ironclad ship the Monitor to do battle. Niether ship won the battle but it was the first battle of ironclad ships. -
Battle of Shiloh
. Confederate troops struck first and almost destroyed General Grant's army.
. Confederate General Johnson was killed in the battle
. On the second day of the battle General Buell arrived to help Grant and with the new soldiers they were able to win.
. The North was not in control of the Mississippi River far into Tennessee. -
Battle of Antietam
. Union soldiers found a copy of General Lee's plans wrapped around a cigar.
. bloodiest day in American history
. 2,000 Northern soldiers killed
. 2,700 Confederate soldiers killed
. 19,000 soldiers wounded
. General Robert E. Lee lead the Confederate forces
. General McClellan lead the Union forces
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Battle of Chancellorsville
.General Hooker replaced General Burnside for the Union
. Generals Lee and Jackson lead the Confederate troops
. Lee attacked from two sides and almost cut the Union army in two
. General Stonewall Jackson was accidentally shot by his own men and died soon after
. The Union had to retreat -
Battle of Gettysburg
The Battle of Gettysburg was the turning point of the war. Up to this time the Confederates had won many victories and were on a roll. General Meade was the Union general and Generals Lee and Picket commanded the Confederate troops. When Picket decided to charge the Union line through an open field most of his soldiers were killed or wounded. Those who were not were captured. This was an important victory for the Union. -
Siege of Vicksburg
Vicksburg was an important city on the Mississippi River that was held by the South. The North wanted control to cut the South off from bringing fresh men and supplies up thee river. General Grant tried several times to take the city from the north but was unsuccessful because the land was marshy. Finally he slipped past the city in river boats, marched around the city and attacked from the east. The plan was successful and the city fell to the North. -
Atlanta Campaign
General Sherman marched on Atlanta with 100,000 men. General Johnston held the city for the South with half that many men. The two sides had many skirmishes as Sherman approached the city. Southern President Davis thought Johnston was not agressive enough so he replaced the General with General Hood. Although Hodd was more agressive his troops were outnumbered and he retreated into the city. Sherman seiged the city and also circled around to the south. There he destroyed the railroad tracks -
Sherman's march to the sea
. General Sherman and his army left Atlanta in flames
. The army swept through Georgia destroying everything they could not take with them.
. General Sherman's army took the city of Savanah, Gerogia
. They burned Columbia to the ground
. They were on their way to meet up with Grant -
Surrender
General Lee realized that continued fighting would mean useless loss of human lives so he wrote a message to General Grant asking for a meeting to surrender. The two great generals meet at Appomattox Court House, Virginia. Grant offered generous terms of surrender and Lee acceepted them. The bloodiest war in American history was over!
