THE CIVIL WAR(1861-1865)

Battle of Bull Run / Manassas

The first major battle of the Civil War was fought on July 21, 1861 Union – Irvin McDowall Confederate – P.G.T. Beauregard

Union forces were initially successful until Confederate reinforcements arrived under the command of Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson

Union troops retreated in chaos

Battle of Bull Run / Manassas

Casualties at Bull Run totaled 4,878 men Union – 460 killed Confederate – 387 killed

Union forces & civilians feared that an attack on Washington, DC was imminent

Both sides realized that the war was going to be longer & deadlier than anticipated

Battle of Bun Run / Manassas

As a result of his loss at Bull Run, Lincoln replaced McDowell with George McClellan who was named general-in-chief of all the Union armies Able to transform the troops

into a disciplined army Remained cautious as

fighting continued in the East

Battle of Shiloh

Took place on April 6-7, 1862

Union forces were led by Ulysses S. Grant who planned an attack on a railroad junction near the Mississippi / Tennessee border

Confederate forces then staged a surprise attack on Grant’s army

Battle of Shiloh

Confederate forces were successful until Union reinforcements arrived the next day

The battle was the bloodiest in American history up to that time Casualties totaled 23,4746 Union – 1,754 killed Confederate – 1,728 killed

Battle of Antietam / Sharpsburg

Took place on September 17, 1862

Confederate forces were led by Robert E. Lee who invaded Maryland in hopes of gaining needed supplies & European recognition of the Confederacy

It was the first major battle to take place on Northern soil

Battle of Antietam / Sharpsburg

Tactically, the battle was a draw

Strategically, it was a Union victory as it stopped Lee’s invasion

The battle was the bloodiest single day of fighting in the war Casualties totaled 24,000 Union – 2,108 killed Confederate – 1,546 killed

Battle of Antietam / Sharpsburg

Antietam was also an important diplomatic victory

Lincoln reconsidered his views concerning the war & slavery

As the war continued & the death tolls rose, Lincoln drafted a proclamation to free the slaves

Emancipation Proclamation

Five days after the Battle of Antietam, Lincoln issued the preliminary Emancipation Proclamation Freed the slaves residing in states in rebellion against

the Union Allowed Lincoln to maintain the support of the border

states while pushing them closer to emancipation Transformed the Union war aims Further divided the Northern Democrats

Copperhead Democrats – Wanted an immediate end to the war & saw Lincoln as a tyrant

War Democrats – Demanded an aggressive policy towards the Confederacy & supported Lincoln