The first engagement of the Civil War took

The first engagement of the Civil War took place at Fort Sumter on April 12 and 13, 1861. After 34 hours of fighting, the Union surrendered the fort to the Confederates. From 1863 to 1865, the Confederates at Fort Sumter withstood a 22 day siege by Union forces. During this time, most of the fort was reduced to brick rubble.

Fort Sumter Charleston, South Carolina Union Commander: Major Robert Anderson Confederate Commander: General Beauregard April 12 -14, 1861 Casualties: None Winner: Confederate

Fort Sumter Significance: First battle of Civil War. No casualties on either side raised false hopes for a quick bloodless war. General Beauregard was a student of Major Anderson while at West Point.

Fort Sumter Video

First Battle of Bull Run July 1861 Public demand pushed General-in-Chief Winfield Scott to advance on the South before adequately training his untried troops. Scott ordered General Irvin Mc. Dowell to advance on Confederate troops stationed at Manassas Junction, Virginia. Mc. Dowell attacked on July 21, and was initially successful, but the introduction of Confederate reinforcements resulted in a Southern victory and a chaotic retreat toward Washington by federal troops.

First Bull Run Manassas, Virginia Union Commander: General Winfield Scott Confederate Commander: General Stonewall Jackson July 21, 1861 Casualties: Union-2, 446, Confederate-1, 600 Winner: Confederate Stonewall Jackson

First Bull Run Significance: First major engagement of the war. Confederates routed an unprepared Union force. Casualties shocked the North and South. They now believed the war would not be easily won. During this battle, Gen. Thomas J. Jackson earned the name, “Stonewall. ”

Shiloh was a decisive battle in the war. The South needed a win to make up for land lost in Kentucky and Ohio. It also needed to save the Mississippi Valley. Memphis and Vicksburg were now vulnerable to Union attack, and after Corinth there is now doubt that those cities would be the next targets. However, Grant and his men had been rid of their over -confidence by the battle of Shiloh. They now knew that hopes for and easy victory over the south were illfounded. Grant knew then that this war was going to be, in the words of a Union Soldier, "A very bloody affair. "

Battle of Shiloh, Tennessee Union Commander: General Ulysses Grant Confederate: General Albert Sydney Johnston April 6 -7, 1862 Casualties: Union-13, 047 Confederate-11, 600 Winner: Union

Significance: The first battle with truly large casualties. The Confederacy caught General Grant by surprise and almost destroyed his army the first day. On the second day Grant was reinforced and forced the Confederates back to the Mississippi. This ended the South’s hope of ever regaining Tennessee. The casualties were higher than any America had ever seen. Unfortunately, there would be many more “Shilohs” to come.

To the right is a monument where he fell. Confederate General Albert Sydney Johnston was considered the finest General in either army before the war began. He bled to death on the first day of Shiloh from a wound to the leg.

Seven Days Battle Richmond, Virginia June 25 -July 1 1862 Casualties: Union: 15, 849 Confederate: 20, 141 Victor: Confederacy Significance: Fought outside Richmond, this was General Lee’s first major victory over the North. Though outnumbered, General Lee attacked General Mc. Lellan forcing him to retreat to Washington DC.

Second Bull Run Manassas, Virginia August 29 -30, 1862 Casualties: Union: 16, 085 Confederate: 9, 197 Victor: Confederate Significance: Almost the same battle field as the first battle, this was a complete Confederate victory. General Lee cements his legacy as a great general. General Lee defeats General John Pope.

The single bloodiest day of the Civil War

Battle of Antietam Creek: Sharpsburg, Maryland Union Commander: General George Mc. Clellan Confederate Commander: General Robert E. Lee September 17, 1862 Casualties: Union-12, 410 Confederate-13, 724 Winner: Union

Battle of Antietam Significance: One of only 2 major battles fought in the North. The single bloodiest day in US history. Robert E. Lee invaded Maryland hoping the state would defect to the South. Instead, Lee was pinned down at Antietam creek by George Mc. Clellan. The Union forced Lee back to the South. This was the Union’s first major victory. This victory was what Lincoln needed to issue the Emancipation Proclamation.

Antietam Clip

Battle of Fredericksburg, Virginia December 13, 1862 Casualties: Union: 12, 653 Confederate: 5, 377 Winner: Confederate Significance: This battle was part of a Union campaign to capture Richmond, the Rebel’s capital. General Lee crushed General Burnside’s Army ending the Union’s overall plans.

Union General Ambrose Burnside

General Ambrose Burnside was replaced with Joseph Hooker immediately set out to reorganize the Army of the Potomac, a task at which he succeeded. In the end of April 1863, he launched his attack on Confederate forces. One part of his army crossed the Rappahannock south of Fredericksburg, the other crossed the river 12 miles to the north. Hooker successfully outflanked Lee. However, when Hooker's forces encountered their first serious opposition, he ordered an end to the advance and a partial withdrawal.

The Battle of Chancellorsville, Virginia May 1 -4, 1863 Casualties: Union: 17, 000 Confederate: 12, 800 Winner: Confederate Significance: Lincoln’s quest for a winning general continues with General Joseph Hooker. General Hooker was totally outclassed by General Lee and General Stonewall Jackson. However, Stonewall Jackson was accidentally shot by one of his own troops and dies a week later.

Joseph Hooker Robert E. Lee

At the time of the Civil War, the Mississippi River was the single most important economic feature of the continent; the very lifeblood of America. Upon the secession of the southern states, Confederate forces closed the river to navigation, which threatened to strangle northern commercial interests. Following the failure of the May 22, 1863, assault, Grant realized that Vicksburg could not be taken by storm and decided to lay siege to the city. Slowly his army established a line of works around the beleaguered city and cut Vicksburg off from supply and communications with the outside world.

Commencing on May 26, Union forces constructed thirteen approaches along their front aimed at different points along the Confederate defense line. The object was to dig up to the Confederate works then tunnel underneath them, plant charges of black powder, and destroy the fortifications. Union troops would then surge through the breach and gain entrance to Vicksburg.

Vicksburg, Mississippi May 19 - July 4, 1863 Union Commander: General Ulysses Grant Confederate: General Joseph E. Johnston May 19 - July 4 1863 Casualties: Union: 9, 000 Confederate: 9, 000 Winner: Union

Significance: One of the most important strategic victories for the Union because it split the Confederacy in half. The CSA lost control of the Mississippi River. General Grant proves himself again.

After Decades of Refusing to Do So, Vicksburg is Again Celebrating Independence Day On July 4, 2013, the 150 th anniversary of the end of a great Civil War battle fought for possession of the city, Vicksburg, Mississippi celebrated in style. According to the Vicksburg Daily News, the city had a “Independence Day firework extravaganza, ” concerts, a “battle of the bands” with one group dressed in Confederate gray and the other in Union blue, and other events “too many to mention. ” The News made a point of reporting that “most of Vicksburg was there” for the celebration, and that “a very large number of businesses and residences” in the city were decorated with American flags. Those facts are significant, because Independence Day has not always been acknowledged with such pomp in Vicksburg. In fact, for most of the last 150 years it was not officially celebrated at all. That’s because of what happened in Vicksburg on July 4, 1863.

- Little Roundtop Robert E. Lee

Gettysburg, Pennsylvania Union Commander : General George Meade Confederate Commander: General Robert E. Lee July 1 -3, 1863 Casualties: Union-23, 049 Confederate-28, 063 Winner: Union

Significance: The turning point of the war. After success at Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville, Lee invades the North again. After trying to break the Union lines for 2 days, Lee tries a frontal assault on entrenched Union forces. This was known as Pickett’s charge. This attempt failed miserably. Lee ultimately retreats to Virginia. This would be the last chance for the South to win the war and threaten the North. Deadliest battle of the war.

He is best remembered for two great events: the action at Little Round Top, on the second day of Gettysburg (July 2, 1863), when then -Colonel Chamberlain and the 20 th Maine held the extreme left flank of the Union line against a fierce rebel attack, and the surrender of Lee's Army of Northern Virginia at Joshua Chamberlain. Appomattox, when Grant chose Former teacher Chamberlain to receive the formal turned hero at surrender of weapons and colors Gettysburg. (April 12, 1865).

Battle of Chickamauga, Georgia August 19 -20, 1863 Chickamauga was one of the few battles in the Civil War that the Confederates outnumbered the Union. It was the worst defeat of the Union in the Western Theatre and slowed the Union's advance to Atlanta. The armies stretched across about six miles of battle front on land that was not very good for a fight. Dense woods covered most of the battlefield, so artillery was not very useful and soldiers could only see about a half a football field distance in front of them when the air was clear - add the smoke and dust of the battle and they could barely see 20 feet in front of them. The battle lasted two days, with confusion reigning as generals struggled to keep track of their troops let alone direct them. After the first day the Union was taking a defensive position as they tried to regroup their forces. On the second day confusion among the Union generals caused a hole to open in the union line near Brotherton Cabin allowing Confederates to roll forward and two Union corps retreating from the battlefield. This left Union Major. General George H Thomas exposed and in danger. Thomas led his men in a stubborn defense on Snodgrass Hill where he earned the nickname, "The Rock of Chickamauga. " After the defense, Thomas is able to make a safe and orderly retreat to Chattanooga. While the Confederates won the battle the price, like in many of the Civil War's battles was high. Killed, wounded and missing for the Confederate amounted to 18, 000 of the 66, 000 engaged. Union casualties were 16, 000 of the 58, 000 involved.

Battle of Chickamauga, Georgia August 19 -20, 1863 Casualties: Union: 16, 170 Confederate: 18, 454 Winner: Confederate Significance: A huge needed victory for the South. A smaller Union Army was routed by the larger Rebel Army. The second bloodiest battle of the war. Army of the Cumberland vs. Army of Tennessee

Photo of the dead at Chickamauga

Atlanta, Georgia (Sherman’s March to the Sea) Union Commander: General William Sherman Confederate Commander: General John Hood July 20 -September 2, 1864 Casualties: Union-31, 623 Confederate-35, 044 Winner: Union

Sherman’s March to the Sea (minutes 30 -40)

Significance: The siege of Atlanta by General Sherman ended with the burning of the city by Union troops. Sherman wanted to kill or destroy everything calling this tactic “Total War. ” This battle was immortalized in the movie “Gone With The Wind”. After burning Atlanta, Sherman began his famous march to the sea, during which his troops looted and plundered their way across Georgia, destroying everything in their path.

The Battle of the Wilderness Northern Virginia May 5 -6, 1864 Casualties: Union: 17, 500 Confederate: 10, 500 Winner: Draw (Grant will continue his advance) Significance: Lee must stop Grant from reaching Richmond. Lee outmaneuvered Grant but was unable to stop him from advancing towards the South’s capital. This battle, in thick woods and brush, saw some of the most horrific fighting of the war.

Battles of Petersburg, Virginia June 20, 1864 -April 2, 1865 Casualties: Union: 42, 000 Confederate: 28, 000 Winner: Union Significance: Numerous battles, spelled the end of the Confederacy. Lee halted Grant but couldn’t defeat him. Both sides dug trenches (a preview of World War I). Richmond eventually falls.

Causalities: Union: 1, 312 Confederate: 8, 200 Winner: Union Significance: On April 9, 1865 Robert E. Lee surrendered his army of Northern Virginia in a little village called Appomattox Courthouse. Lee surrendered formally to Grant. The papers of formal surrender were signed in the home of Wilmer Mc. Lean, whose first house was damaged during the first battle of the Civil War. The war is over!

Lee surrendered to Grant in this home.

Not everyone believes it’s over. The war has at least one more causality. Abraham Lincoln has 5 days left to live.