Civil War Battles and Events
April 12, 1961
Ft. Sumter
First shots to the Civil War are fired. Union General Robert Anderson surrendered to General P.G.T.
Beauregard because they lack food and ammunition.
July 1861
First Battle of Bull Run, VA
First major battle of the war, and it was a Southern victory. This is where Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson
got his nickname because a soldier was quoted as saying, “There is Jackson, standing like a stone wall.”
Government put pressure on General McDowell to attack so the war would end quickly. Northern people
decided to picnic and watch the battle. Confederate troops were well trained and had the Union army retreating
shortly after the battle started. Battle took place 25 miles from Washington, D.C. McDowell took the brunt of
the blame for the loss and was replaced by General McClellan.
February 1862
Ft. Henry and Ft. Donelson (western Tennessee)
Northern victory – Ulysses S. Grant was commander of the Union army here. This was where he
received his nickname “Unconditional Surrender,” after the battle of Ft. Donelson for not letting the
Confederate soldiers off easy. He captured over 12,000 Confederate soldiers here. He was promoted to Major
General after this battle. The capture of these two forts opened up the Cumberland River to Union forces.
April 1862
Battle of Shiloh (Tennessee)
Northern victory – Major General Grant defeated the Confederate troops under General Albert Sidney
Johnston. Union had a force of 33,000 from western Tennessee and 32,000 from Ohio. The Confederates had a
force of 45,000. This was the costliest battle as far as causalities up to this point with _23,476_, which is more
than __Revolutionary__ War, War of 1812, and __Mexican War combined.
April 25 – May 1, 1862
Battle of New Orleans
Northern victory – Admiral David Farragut captured New Orleans at the mouth of the _Mississippi_
River.
March 8, 1862
Monitor vs. Merrimac
Both were ironclad ships. One of the North’s first acts at the outset of the Civil War was the attempt to
force the Confederacy into submission by blockading its ports. __Monitor_ was the first ironclad ship in U.S.
history. __Merrimac_ was the Confederacy’s answer to wooden ships blockading their ports. Neither side
won the battle. It was however a strategic victory for the Union because the south did not take away the
blockade.
September 1862
Antietam, Maryland
Northern victory – This was the first of only two times that the South invaded the North. The battle was
a _disaster_, because after Lee was defeated here, _England_, refused to help the Confederacy. Lee had
45,000 troops while McClellan had 87,000 troops. This was the bloodiest single day in American history.
There were over __22,500__ causalities. More people died here then on D-Day or 9/11. After the battle,
McClellan was relieved from his duties for being to __passive_.
January 1, 1863
Emancipation Proclamation
The importance of this document was that it now officially made the war a war to end slavery. It did not
free the slaves in the Border States (for fear these states would secede), but it freed slaves in states at war with
the United States.
July 4, 1863
Vicksburg, Mississippi
Northern victory – By capturing this city, the Union now had control of the Mississippi River. The
South was split after the Vicksburg campaign. __Grant__ led the attack and wanted the unconditional
surrender of the Confederate forces, but later decided he didn’t have to transport __29,495__ troops to prison
camps. So he paroled them.
July 1-4, 1863
Gettysburg, Pennsylvania
Northern victory – General _Meade_ vs. General __Lee__ -- This was the second and final time that
South would invade the North. The South was so heavily defeated that Lee’s army would never be strong
enough to attack the North again. Confederate General George Pickett led 15,000 troops in the unsuccessful
Pickett’s charge. (Hilly areas around the valley battleground were named McPherson Ridge, Seminary Ridge,
_Little Round Top_, and Cemetery Ridge.)