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Civil War timespan
The Civil War, also known as The War Between States and The War of Secession lasted 4 years and it was America´s bloodiest war. This war divided the United States into two different countries; the Union (which were the northern states that stayed in U.S.) and the Confederacy ( which were the southern states that broke away from the U.S.). They fought because the Union disagreed with secession and slavery.At the end, the Union won the war, but it was one of the bloodiest war in America. -
The South Secedes from the U.S.
In January of 1861, the southern states decided to break away from the union (seceed) South Carolina, Mississippi, Texas, Louisiana, Alabama, and Florida, were the first of the southern states to seceed and form their own country called The Confederacy. They secceded because Abraham Lincoln, the new president, didnt believe in slavery and they did. This was the main reason, there were many others. -
The South Makes a Goverment
The south creates the Confederacy Constitution, that is a document very similar to the United States Constitution. The Confederacy (the south states) also elect a president : Jefferson Davis (the man in the picture). -
The Battle of Fort Sumter
This is when the war really started. South Carolina wanted to have a fort that belonged to the Union. Since the Union refused, they took over Fort Sumter. The first shots were fired and they attacked Fort Sumter. The fort was eventually surrendered to the south. Due to this victory 4 more states joined the confederacy. At the end the Union had 24 states and the Confederacy had 11. -
The First Battle of Bull Run
Also known as the Manassas Battle, the first battle of Bull Run was lead by the general Irvin McDowell. The soldiers of the union werent properly trained yet. This battle was very bloody, and the south won, afterward , president Lincoln replaced General McDowell with General George B. McClellan. -
Confederate Winter Quarters
During winter, the Confederate forces camp and rest at Manassas, Centreville, Fairfax Court House, and Falls Church, Virginia. During this time they fight no major battles. Remember that each side had more than one army. Each army was supposed to be in each part they were likely to fight. -
The Battle of Shiloh
At Shiloh, Tennessee, Confederate forces attacked union forces.The union was headed by General Ulysses Grant. By the end of the day the Union forces were almost defeated, but during the night reenforcements arrived, and on April 7 the Confederate forces retreated. The casualities were major. Out of 63.000 Union soldiers 13.000 died, and out of 40.000 Confederate soldiers 11.000 died. Even thought Union won the battle, they lost alot of soldiers. -
The Peninsular Campaign Begins
This event began in April of 1862. It was a very planned attack by General McClellan. It basicly consisted in taking over Virginia´s capital, Richmond. By May 4 they had already taken over Yorktown. But at Williamsburg the Confederate armies stopped them, and McClellan was forced to wait for reenforcements. -
The Battle of Seven Pines
This is continuing with the Peninsular Campaign. The Confederate troops attacked the Union, and they were almost defeated. Luckily the last minute reenforcements saved the Union by very little. Joseph E. Jhonston, the general in charge of the North Virginia Army, was severley hurt, so the charge went to Robert E. Lee. -
The Seven Days Battle
This battle ended in July 2. This was more fighting about the Peninsular Campaign. It was a series of bloody battles ; Mechanicsville, Gaines Mill, Savages Station, Fraysers Farm,and Malvern Hill. Finally the Confederates went back to Richmond, ending the Peninsular Campaign. -
Harper´s Ferry
General McClellan defeated Confederate General Robert E. Lee at South Mountain and at Crampton´s Gap. But he couldnt save Harper´s Ferry, West Virginia ,which had been taken by the Confederate troops by september 15 of 1862. -
The Battle of Antietam
The battle was in Sharpsburg, Maryland. Union troops caught a Confederate army lead by General E. Lee. This was the bloodiest battle in the war.2,700 Confederates were killed and 9,029 were wounded.2,508 Union soldiers were killed and 5,949 were wounded. The winners of this battle were unknown, but people believed the Union was victorious, because the Confederate army went to Virginia first. -
The Battle of Fredericksburg
In November 7 General McClellan was replaced because he always let Lee and his troops escape, and had very slow movements. The new Union general was General Ambrose E. Burnside. Burnside fought this battle, that was a series of attacks to the Confederates done on Fredericksburg,Virginia.The battle ended on December 15. The Union army lost and was badly wounded. -
The Battle of Stones River
The battle of Stones River was fought in Tennessee. The Union was lead by general Wylliam Rosecran, and the Confederate army was lead by general Braxton Bragg. In all there was 24,645
casualities. The Union won this battle. -
The Emancipation Proclamation
Abraham Lincoln did this document stating that any slaves in the Union were to be completely free. He did this in response to the Congress, that had passed a law saying that all southern slaves against the Union were free. -
The First Conscription Act
Due to shortage of soldiers, this act was passed, saying that every man from the age of 20 to 45 was to enroll to military service. To avoid this you could pay a fee, or find a substitute for yourself. To the poor this was unfair. Riots broke out. A very similar thing happened in the South. This was during March. -
The Battle of Chancellorsville.
This battle was in Rappahannock River. The new general of the Union, General Hooker tried to attack General Robert E. Lee (confederate general) and his troops, but was backstabbed with his own trick, and the Union lost to the South (confederates). But this battle cost the Confederates an awfull lot of casualities. -
The Vicksburg Campaign.
Union General Ulysses grant won many victories around Vicksburg, Mississippi. Since the Mississippi river crossed most of the South, the Union wanted to take over the river. The Union army formed a line of defense around the city. Two weeks later they handed over the city , along with 30,000 men. Later the Union took over Port Hudson. With that, the Union had the Mississippi river; the South was split in 2. -
The Battle of Gettysburg
The Confederate and Union troops met by chance in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The Union army fought with great strategy and won the battle, but they couldnt catch the confederate general: Robert E. Lee. This battle was important because it made all the countries that supported the South loose hope on them. -
The Battle of Chickamauga
Union and Confederacy forces joined on the border of Tennessee and Georgia near the Chickamauga Creek.After the battle , the Union had to retreat to Chattanooga , while the Confederacy took control of the Battle field. -
The Gettysburg Adress
After the Battle of Gettysburg president Abraham Lincoln made part of the Battlefield a cementary for all the soldiers of the Union that had died fighting. He also gave a very famous speech called the Gettysburg Adress. -
The Battle of Chattanooga
This battle was from November 23 to 25.It was REALLY important because when the Union won the Battle,it was like a doorway to attack deep in the south: Atlanta. This influenced the confederacy, as the elections were close to that date. -
Winter Quarters at Brandy Station
This is where the Union stayed during the winter, treating the wounded and making up new battle tactics. They were there for alot of time waiting for their next command to advance on the Confederate armies.They stayed resting till April of 1864. -
Grant´s Wilderness Campaign
Ulysses Grant was promoted to commander-in -chief of the Union army. He lead his forces to a battle in the Wilderness. General E. Lee, the Confederate commander and his troops did many casualities unto the Union soldiers. Grant did the same to the South troops. The difference was that the Union had reenforcements, and the Confederacy didnt. -
The Battle of Spotsylvania
Union General Grant continues to attack Robert E. Lee and his troops at Spotsylvania Court House. Grant doesnt give time to the Confederacy to recover from the casualities. In fact, he promised to stay there fighting all summer if necessary. The battle was 5 whole days. -
The Battle of Cold Harbor
Union General Grant kept attacking Confederacy forces at Cold Harbor. He lost 7,000 men in 20 minutes. The Confederate forces didnt have that much of casualities, but they never recovered from General Grant´s attacks. This was Robert E. Lee´s last clear victory in the civil war. -
The Siege of Petersburg
General Grant (Union Commander) had a plan to take over Petersburg and then go directly to Virginia´s Capital; Richmond. Unfortunatley, the plan didnt work and resulted in 10 months of siege (blockade, or obstruction) and thousands of casualities for both sides. -
Confederate Troops Approach Washington, D.C
Robert E. Lee was exhausted, he had been fighting against Grant for months. In order to let Lee rest, Confederate General Jubal Early lead his forces to Maryland, attempting to take over Washington D.C. Jubal was within 5 miles of Washington when he was driven back by Union forces, back to Virginia. -
General Sherman's Atlanta Campaign
General William T. Sherman (Union general) was soon meeting with general Jhonston in his march to Atlanta. Jhonston´s army was very skillfull and could keep off the large Union army. But Jhonston was replaced by a general that soon surrendered Atlanta, Georgia to the Union. The fall of Atlanta gave the North states alot of hope. -
President Lincoln is Re-Elected
In November of 1864, re-elections were held, for the Union. Many people wanted to elect General McClellan because he had been very helpful during the war, and they believed President Lincoln wasnt very good at giving instructions. But general Sherman´s victory in Atlanta gave our 16th president a popularity that helped him win by by alot. -
Fort Monroe and Hampton
In Fort Monroe and Hampton were in Virginia. These forts were essensial in the peninsular campaign, in here the forces of McClellan stayed for a while. The forts are very strong, and even now, that so many years have passed, they still stand in Virginia. -
Battle of Franklin
The battle of Franklin was fought in Franklin, Tennessee. The Union troops chose the Carter House as their headquarters. The Confederate army marched right up to the house. The battle lasted 5 bloody and horrible hours. More soldiers were killed than in the 2-day battles, like the battle of Shiloh. What was left of the Tnnessee army only had one determination;keep Union away from E. Lee. They Failed -
Sherman´s March to Sea
As you might have remembered from earlier before, Union General Sherman had been attacking Robert E. Lee with a lot of success. Sherman had been marching through Georgia with his troops, wrecking everything that was in the way. Then he took over Fort McAllister, and eight days later, he also took over Savannah. -
The Battle of Nashville
This battle was fought from Dec. 15-16. Union General Thomas advanced to Nashville to battle the undefeatable army of Tennessee. At first the Union performed poorly, but it was only a distraction. Then they did a stunningly clever surprise attack on Shy´s Hill and destroyed the army of Tennessee. This was one of the most decesive battles of the war, and one of the last major battles. -
The Confederacy Falls
Due to blockades around the rivers and harbors, The confederacy was suffering alot. Not only because the countless battles it had to fight, but because exportations were impossible with all the union forces taking over the ship entries, this meant loss of food, and economic fall. President Davis even tried to make slaves soldiers due to the loss of soldiers for armies. -
Sherman Marches On and On
Union general Sherman marches through North Carolina and South Carolina with his powerful army and destroys absolutley everything they find. Later in February, Confederacy president Davis agrees to go to a meeting to do a peace agreement with Lincoln, but only if Lincoln would accept that the south was right to be independent. Lincoln refused, and the peace treaty was lost. -
Richmond falls
General E. Lee fights the Union forces near Petersburg, losing the battle. Then they fight again on April 2 and General E. Lee loses again. Finally he and his forces leave Richmond, Virginia and the Union takes it for themselves, victorious. -
Lee Surrenders
On April 9, in Appomattox Cout House, General Grant from the Union surrounds general Robert E. Lee. He is forced to surrender, along with his forces and all the weapons they had. -
Abraham Lincoln is murdered
On the 14th of May, Abraham Lincoln, the president from the Union was waching a play called Our American Cousin, when an actor from Maryland, Jhon Wilkes Booth, shot him. Turns out Jhon was so enraged that the South had lost the battle that he murdered our 16th president. 11 days later, Jhon was killed. -
Final Surrenders, New Rules
The Potomac army of the Union parades around, picking up the last surrenders of the generals. On May 10nth, the Confederacy president, Jefferson Davis was captured. The war was officially over, and the Union Had won. Many generals that fought in this war for the Union were later presidents, like Ulysses Grant. After the war slavery was also prohibited in ALL the states.
