Period 5: 1848-1877 The Civil War Part 2: The Course of Battle

Technology of Battle • Repeating weapons •  Improvements to arms and artillery

•  The Minie Ball

• Elaborate fortifications • Railroad •  Telegraph

Opening Clashes, 1861 •  First Manassas (First Bull Run) – July 21, 1861

•  Disorderly retreat by Union forces •  Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson •  Dispelled ideas that the war would be short

The Western Theater • New Orleans

•  Captured by David G. Farragut – April 25, 1862

•  Forts Henry and Donelson •  Captured by Ulysses S. Grant on Feb. 6 and 16, 1862, respectively

• Shiloh – April 6-7, 1862 •  Narrow victory by Grant

The Virginia Front, 1862 • McClellan’s Peninsular Campaign

•  Seven Pines: May 31-June 1 •  Robert E. Lee replaces wounded Joseph E. Johnston •  Battle of the Seven Days: June 25-July 1

•  Jackson’s Shenandoah Valley Campaign • Antietam – Sep. 17

•  Lee goes on the offensive – first attempted invasion North •  Technically a Union victory •  Lincoln gives Emancipation Proclamation •  Lincoln replaces McClellan with Ambrose E. Burnside

•  Fredericksburg – Dec. 11-15 •  Massive casualties for the Union

Emancipation Proclamation • January 1, 1863 (took effect)

• Executive order freeing all slaves in the Confederacy except in areas under Union control

• Established abolition of slavery as a war aim

1863: Year of Decision •  “Fighting” Joe Hooker replaces Burnside • Battle of Chancellorsville: May 1-5, 1863

•  Confederate victory •  Jackson killed by friendly fire

• Continued success in the West •  Vicksburg under siege – surrendered July 4 •  Gave Union control of all of Mississippi River

Gettysburg – July 1-3, 1863 •  Lee’s second attempt at an invasion North • George Gordon Meade pursues – staying between Lee

and Washington • Met at small town of Gettysburg, PA

•  First day: Confederates push Union south of town •  Second day: Lee assaults the flanks •  Third day: Pickett’s Charge

Gettysburg (cont.) •  Turning point of the war – Vicksburg surrenders one day

after Pickett’s Charge •  Lee lost 1/3 of his army • Confederacy never again threatened the North • Battle of Chattanooga – Nov. 23-25

1864-1865: The Last Stage •  1864: General Ulysses S.

Grant declared general in chief of all Union armies •  Two part strategy:

•  Army of the Potomac will force decisive battle by moving on Richmond

•  William T. Sherman will advance to Atlanta and destroy Confederate forces there

•  Battles of the Wilderness, Spotsylvania, Cold Harbor •  Grant undeterred

•  Turned attention to railroad center at Petersburg •  Nine month siege

Sherman’s March to the Sea

Appomattox Courthouse • April 1865: railroad at

Petersburg captured by Grant

• Union army pursued Lee, blocked escape route

•  Lee made decision to surrender •  Met with Grant at a private

home at Appomattox Courthouse

•  Surrendered April 9, 1865 •  Johnston surrendered to

Sherman nine days later