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Union Naval Blockade (1861-1865)
Largest blockade attempted in history; required the monitoring of 3,500 miles of Atlantic and Gulf coastline, including 12 ports. Intended to block shipments in and out of the Confederacy. To avoid the blockade, small ships called runners were deployed from foreign ports. Runners too small to carry enough supplies for Confederacy. Along with poor transportation, the blockade led to shortages for South. Significance: The disarray of Southern economy (no exportation and no importation). -
Fort Sumter - Start of the Civil War (4/8/1861 – 4/12/1861)
Confederate artillery bombardment of a US base in SC. Began when Lincoln ordered that Anderson’s men be resupplied. Lincoln did not plan to give up this fort. When news of the supply ships spread, Confederate Gen. Beauregard ordered the Union to surrender the base but was refused. Soon firing began and lasted 2 days. No casualties, but a Confederate victory. After the battle, Lincoln called for 75,000 men to the Union army. Significance: This marked the start of the Civil War. -
First Battle of Bull Run
Also called the First Manassas, 1st major battle of war after Fort Sumter. Indicated that war would be long and bloody. Took place in Virginia after Union Gen. McDowell’s troops were stopped at Bull Run by Brig. Gen. Beauregard’s forces on their way to capture the Confederate capital of Richmond. Resulted in Federal retreat to Washington and McDowell was replaced by Maj. Gen. McClellan, who reorganized and trained the Union troops.Significance:Proved that the South was a real threat to the Union -
Trent Affair
Union boat seized 2 Confederate diplomats, Mason and Slidell , who were heading to Europe to gain support for the S, from the British ship Trent. British were angry by the seizure and demanded an apology and the release of Mason and Slidell in order to avoid war.Sec. of State Seward complied by apologizing and freeing the Confederate prisoners.After this, European nations were more hesitant to give the Confederacy diplomatic recognition.Significance: New tension with Britain for Union. -
Battle of Shiloh
This battle, aka Pittsburg Landing, began when Confederates launched a surprise attack on Union forces under General Grant in Tennessee. The Confederates were unable to sustain the fighting and were forced back. Union wins. Total of 23,000 casualties with great losses on both sides, far outnumbering losses of earlier battles. Served as a reminder of war’s tremendous cost. Significance: Important Union victory, allowed Grant to begin operating in the Mississippi Valley -
Battle of Antietam
Also called Sharpsburg. Took place in Maryland, deadliest one-day battle in American history. General Lee used his entire force in the battle to try to invade the north, while McClellan used less than ¾ of his. Union army outnumbered the Confederacy 2:1. Battle proved that the Union could defeat the Confederacy in the east. Significance: After this battle, Lincoln had the confidence to issue the preliminary Emancipation Proclamation, freeing the slaves in the rebelling states. -
Battle of Fredericksburg
One of the largest and deadliest battles of the War with more than 200,000 combatants.Union Gen. Burnside,who replaced McClellan, made a plan to capture the Confederate capital of Richmond by heading southeast toward the Rappahannock River,but was fought back so brutally by Gen. Lee(12,500 Union soldiers were killed)that Burnside retreated and the war in the east was lost to the Union for that year.Significance: the battle resulted in the resurgence of Confederate morale. -
Issuing of the Emancipation Proclamation
In Sept 1862 after narrow victory at Antietam, Lincoln sent ultimatum declaring that the rebelling states had to return to the Union by Jan 1 or slaves in those states would be freed.No states accepted the offer & on Jan 1 Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation declaring that all slaves in Confederate states were free and would be allowed to fight for Union.Significance: Ended slavery in rebelling states and gave Union soldiers a new purpose for fighting in the war. -
Vicksburg Campaign (3/31/1863 - 7/4/1863)
Gen. Grant intended to cut Vicksburg’s supply from the Southern Railroad and to destroy manufacturing in Jackson. This would divide the Confederacy and make victory easier. Over 17 days, Grant’s army won 5 battles and marched to Vicksburg for a siege. Confederate Gen. Pemberton surrendered Vicksburg after 47 days. Significance: Grant proven able General, also combined with win at Gettysburg, made Lincoln believe Union victory was near. -
Battle of Chancellorsville (4/30/1863 - 5/6/1863)
Union Gen. Burnside, having failed in Fredericksburg, was replaced by Joseph Hooker. Hooker remade his army and constructed a “perfect plan” to drive Lee from his camp at Fredericksburg, but Lee and Stonewall Jackson’s brilliant tactics pushed by the Union in one of the bloodiest battles of the War. Significance: Gen. Lee’s largest victory, pushing him to confidently engage in the Battle of Gettysburg and Confederate General Stonewall Jackson was killed by friendly fire. -
Battle of Gettysburg 7/1/1863 – 7/3/1863
Gettysburg, PA - attempt by Lee to win a northern battle to end the war. Union Gen. Meade faced Lee in this 3-day battle which ended in 51k casualties. Lincoln hoped this northern victory would result in a quick end to war, but Gen. Meade failed to pursue the Confederate army south and the war raged for 2 more yrs. Significance: Lee's plan to invade north failed, bloodiest single battle and turning point of the war. After, Lincoln makes Gettysburg Address. -
Gettysburg Address
Lincoln made 2-minute speech on the site of the Battle of Gettysburg to a crowd of 15k people.The address connected ideas found in the Declaration of Independence with efforts being made in the Civil War with phrases like“All men are created equal”and“birth of a new nation”. Significance: Gettysburg Address is one of the most famous American speeches of all time; gave north a new sense of purpose w ideals of justice and freedom 2 years into this bloody war. -
Overland Campaign (5/4/1864 – 6/24/1864)
A 40-day period of battles between the Rapidan and James Rivers in Virginia in which Grant and Lee fought one another for control in the east. Consisting of the Battle of the Wilderness, The Battles for Spotsylvania Court House, The North Anna Campaign and Cold Harbor, the two generals fought to outsmart and outmaneuver each other. Lee lost 50% of his men and Grant 45%. Significance: The Confederacy’s army was gutted and a Union victory was in sight. -
Sherman’s March to the Sea (November 15, 1864 - December 21, 1864)
Union General Sherman led 60,000 soldiers on a 285-mile march from Atlanta to Savannah, Georgia to scare Georgia’s people into abandoning the Confederate cause. Sherman’s burned houses and stole food and livestock before they captured Atlanta, the industrial center of the Confederacy. Next Sherman marched half his men (the other half went west to Tenn.) to Savannah, “smashing things to the sea” along the way. Significance: Soon after, the Confederacy surrendered. -
Appomattox Campaign (3/29/1865 – 4/9/1865)
Final Union attempt to seize Confederate capital of Richmond. Lee’s army was depleted from casualties, disease and desertion after the Richmond–Petersburg campaign while Grant's army was growing in strength. Union forces were able to cut off the Confederate supply lines while also pursuing Lee's fleeing Confederates relentlessly as they tried to retreat. Eventually, Lee realized he was cornered and soon surrendered. Significance: Last efforts to capture Confederacy and attain Union victory. -
Lee’s Surrender at Appomattox
General Lee's army was outnumbered by the enemy and running out of supplies in his final campaign. They were blocked by Grant’s cavalry and knowing that the end was inevitable, instead of destroying his army, he surrendered. A ceremony was held to honor the end of the war and Grant-Lee agreed to allow Confederate troops to return home while Union soldiers were told not to celebrate. No formal peace treaty was ever signed. Significance: Civil War ended.