Soldiers had to march nearly six hundred miles in order to make it to the first official battle of the civil war. They expected the war to play out quickly and cleanly. It did not.
The First Bull Run (Y)
The First Bull Run was the first major battle of the Civil War. Under President Lincoln's orders, the Union army was to march from Washington D.C. to Richmond, Virginia and seize the Confederate capital. However, they ultimately failed in getting past the Confederate army that met them approximately 25 miles into their march. While the total number of casualties was around 4,800, both sides realized that they were in for a long, rough war.
The Battle Of Shiloh (M)
In Hardin County, southwestern Tennessee General Ulysses S Grant led the Union to a victory. This battle is also known as the Battle of Pittsburgh Landing. Both sides took many casualties on April 6th & 7th 1862.
Battle of Antietam (Y)
On September 17th, 1862, Confederate General Robert. E. Lee devised a plan to invade the North and threaten Washington, D.C. His plans fell into Union hands, and the Northern Army marched to meet Lee's army in Maryland. At the end of the day, an estimated 23,000 men were killed, ending the battle in a draw.
The 54th Regiment (M)
They were the 2nd African-American regiment to join the fight. In combat they were brave, and they gave their battles their all. Compared to white soldiers, they had a lot more to sacrifice. If confederates captured African-American soldiers, they declared that they would be put right back into slavery.
The Battle Of Gettysburg (M)
This battle was not only the bloodiest battle of the civil war, but it is also considered one of the bloodiest battles in US history. It started out organized, but quickly morphed into a chaotic blood bath. So many soldiers were lost in just three days, July 1st, 2nd, and 3rd.
Battle of Vicksburg (Y)
Vicksburg, Mississippi, lies on the bank of the Mississippi River. If the Union could capture it, it would mean total control of Mississippi. However, the city was heavily defended with trenches, gun batteries, and a Confederate Army led by General John C. Pemberton. The battle lasted for 18 days, finally ending in the Union's victory.
(M)The battle of Palmito Ranch is considered the final battle of the civil war. It took place from May 12th & May 13th of 1865. Here in Texas the final soldier of the civil war died, John J WIlliams. About one thousand soldiers fought on either side, which is surprising compared to other battles.
The Civil War's End (Y)
On August 9th, 1865, General Robert E. Lee surrendered his Confederate troops to the Union's General Ulysses S. Grant at the Appomattox Court House in Virginia. However, the war wasn't officially declared over until 16 months later, on August 20th, 1866.
Abraham Lincoln's Death (Y)
Even though the war was over, some Southerners still believed that the South could regain its previous power. 26 years old John Wilkes Booth decided to take matters into his own hands. On April 14th, 1865, Booth shot Lincoln in the back of the head at the Ford's Theatre in Washington, D.C. Despite many people's best efforts to save him, President Lincoln died the very next morning.
