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Battle of Fort Sumter
Forces from the Confederate States of America attacked the United States military at Fort Sumter, South Carolina. Less than two days later, the fort surrendered. No one was killed, however, this battle was very bloody, and was the battle that kicked off the Civil War. -
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Wars During Civil War
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The First Battle of Bull Run
The bloodiest battle during the civil war, with over 4,700 casualties. People picnicked upon a hill to watch the war play out. Resulted in a Confederate Victory, the Union needing to retreat to Washington D.C., despite the bigger army. -
Battle of Gaines' Mill (7 Days Battle)
General Robert E. Lee of the Confederacy attacked General Fitz John Porters Isolated at V Corps at Gaines’ Mill. It was a battle that forced General George McClellan’s Army away from Richmond. After holding off the majority of a series of Confederate attacks for most of the afternoon, Porter’s line began to crumble that evening, and his men fled towards the Chickahominy River. -
Battle of Antietam
Lee invaded Maryland with a full agenda. He wanted to move the focus of fighting away from the South and into Federal territory. Victories there could lead to the capture of the Federal capital. General Lee committed his entire force to the battle, while Gen. George B. McClellan sent in less than three quarters of his. If McClellan had sent all of his troops, the outcome might’ve been different, with the Union at a 2:1 ratio. But the result was inconclusive, with about 23,100 casualties. -
Battle of Fredericksburg
With nearly 200,000 combatants, Fredericksburg was one of the largest and deadliest battles of the Civil War. From his camps around Warrenton, Virginia, Ambrose E. Burnside (replacement general of McClellan) planned to abandon the army’s movement southwest to make a quick dash southeast toward the lower Rappahannock River. There, he planned to position himself perfectly between Lee and Richmond. In turn, the Confederacy won, leading to 17,929 casualties in all. -
Siege of Vicksburg
Grant drove south along the Mississippi to Vicksburg. There, he defeated 2 Confederate armies and laid siege to the city. After repelling Union assaults for six weeks, the exhausted and starving Vicksburg garrison surrendered on July 4th, 1863. 5 days later, Union forces took Port Hudson, Louisiana, and had control of the whole Mississippi River. -
Siege of Port Hudson
Union General Nathaniel Banks formed a siege against Franklin Gardner at Port Hudson, one of the last strongholds on the Mississippi. This war lasted 48 days until Gardner finally surrendered. He knew that with Vicksburg gone, no reinforcements would be available. -
Battle of Chattanooga
The three-day Battles of Chattanooga resulted in one of the most dramatic turnabouts in American military history. When the fighting stopped on November 25, 1863, Union forces had driven Confederate troops away from Chattanooga, Tennessee, into Georgia, clearing the way for Union general William T. Sherman's March to the Sea a year later. After the battles, the rivers, rails, and roads of Chattanooga were firmly in Union hands, & the city was transformed into a supply and communications base. -
Battle of the Wilderness
Grant intended on pushing his army through the rough terrain in order to get to open lands as soon as possible. If that means pushing through the Confederate army, so be it. In turn, it did mean pushing through the Confederate army. After 2 days of combat, the 2 armies were initially back where they started. No one side won the war, being marked inconclusive. The Union army suffered more than 17,500 casualties over 48 hours, thousands more than the toll endured by the Confederates. -
Battle of Cold Harbor
The small crossroads of Cold Harbor, just 10 miles north of Richmond, became the focal point of the action in late May. Grant repeatedly ordered attacks against the confederates trench style game plan. Both armies held their ground, keeping the withering fire between the lines. However, Grant eventually withdrew, but continued to head south and east. A total of 15,500 casualties were counted. -
Battle of Franklin
After a missed opportunity at the Battle of Spring Hill on November 29, Hood pursued Schofield to the town of Franklin. The Confederate General then led an assult, which led to the devastating defeat of Gen. John Bell Hood’s Confederate troops in an ill-fated charge at Franklin, & resulted in the loss of more than 6,000 Confederates, along with six generals and many other top commanders. In total, 8,587 men died. -
Surrender at Appomattox Court House
On April 8, the Confederates discovered that their army was blocked by Federal cavalry. Confederate commanders tried to break through the cavalry screen, hoping that the horsemen were unsupported by other troops. But Grant had anticipated Lee’s attempt to escape and ordered two corps to march all night to reinforce the Union cavalry and trap Lee. Lee’s formal surrender to Grant at Appomattox Court House brought the war in Virginia to an end.