The American Civil War, BATTLES

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  • Created by: Bambi101
  • Created on: 07-02-18 11:49

Why were the Confederates fighting?

  • States Rights: They oppose federal intervention.
  • Preserve Slavery: argued that its a way of life.
  • Wanted to win independance.
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Why were the Union fighting?

  • To preserve the Union.
  • Abolition of slavery.
  • They don't want a war.
  • Anaconda plan- strangle the Confederates.
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What advanatges did the Confederates have?

  • Fight a defensive war.
  • They had four natural barriers (Rivers, York, James, Rappahannock and Potamac)
  • Size of Confederacy,750,000 square miles, would not be easy to conquer.
  • Martial culture was more important to the South.
  • Better Generals, Robert E. Lee.
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What advantages did the Union have?

  • 22 million people in the North compared with 9 million in he South.
  • Four slave states had remianed loyal to the Union.
  • Strogner pool of milaitry experience and had a huge naval supremacy.
  • Had more resources:
  • 0 ships (C) vs 90 ships (U)
  • Firearm production 32 (U) vs 1 (C)
  • Wheat Production 4.2 (U) vs 1(C)
  • Railway track, North had twice as much.

Lincoln Quote- 'I hope to have God on my side but I must have Kentucky'

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What happened at Manassas/Bull Run?

  • 21 July 1861
  • Eastern theatre, Virginia.
  • Union Commander- McDowell.
  • Confederate Commander- Johnstone and Jackson.
  • The Union attack the Confederates, start winning.
  • Most Confederate's ran away but Jackson kept his troops there.
  • Union ran away from the battle.

Impact

  • Confederates won. 
  • Humiliation for the Union, McDowell kicked out and McClellan put in charge. Called the 'Great Skidaddle'. Poor leadership on the Union behalf.
  • More casualites in the Union- 2,800 vs 2,000
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What happened at Shiloh?

  • April 1862, Western Theatre, S.W. corner of Tennesse. 
  • Union had Grant and Confederate, Johnston and Beuregaurd. 
  • Confederates attack, Union suprised and pushed back. 
  • Union counterattack, Johnston shot dead and south retreat further. 

Impact

  • Not a clear cut victory or a decsive battle. 
  • Increased Union dominance in the West and the beginning of Grant's leadership. 
  • Changed the perception of the war.
  • More casualites in the Union, 13,000 vs 10,000
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What happened at the Seven Days Battle?

  • June/July 1862
  • Eastern Theatre/Virginia.
  • McClellan planning to take Richmond, training his army.
  • Union were not strong enough, Lee attacks for 7 days, McClellan retreats. 

 Impact

  • Overwhelming Southern victory. 
  • Union back on boats to Washington. 
  • Ended Pennisula campaign and Northern morals crushed. 
  • McClellan kicked out, Pope replaces. 
  • South lost 20,000 vs 16,000 Union.
  • Can the South sustain these losses?
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What happened at the Second Manassas?

  • August 1862.
  • Manassas, Eastern Theatre. 
  • Pope wanted a united army. 
  • Lee sent Jackson (Confed General) to Wsahington and the North of Pope. 

Impact

  • Union disaster- 16,000 vs 9,000. 
  • Union reputation downhill.
  • Doesn't really change the pattern of the war. 
  • Pope gets kicked out, McClellan back in, he's good at administration.
  • Pathed the way for Lee to invade Northern soil. 
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What happened at the Battle of Antietam?

  • September 1862.
  • Sharpsburg, Maryland. 
  • Lee trying to ruin northern mroale by fighting ont heir soil, wants support from Maryland. 
  • Union have double the amount of men (85,000)
  • Lee splits army, McClellan doesn't attack- missed opportunity. 
  • Lee's army reunites again with Jackson (just in time). Union attacking all the time.

Impact 

  • Union claimed victory- 12,000 (U) vs 10,000 (C)
  • Bloodiest single day Battle ever. 
  • Graphic photos shocked citizens. 
  • Strategic Union victory. 
  • McClellan replaced with Burnside
  • Nearly 1/4 of Lee's army gone, can't carry on like that. 
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What happened at Fredericksburg?

  • December 1862.
  • Eastern Theatre in Fredericksburg. 
  • Burnside (Union) reluctant to take the job. 
  • Union get hammered fighting when South. 
  • Union sent 14 brigades up slope, absolutely slaughtered.
  • Disastrous generalship. 

Impact

  • Crushing defeat for the Union. Confederacy lost 5,000, U lost 13,000. 
  • Burnside accepts responsisbility but blames Lincoln for making him take control. Kicked out and ****** replaces him. 
  • Restored Confederate moral. 

Lincoln quote 'If there is a worse place than hell, I am in it'

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What happened at the Battle of Chancellorsville?

  • April- May 1863
  • sent troops on a flanking march to threaten Lee. 
  • Lee split his forces, left some at Fredericksburg, May divides again to Jackson who attacks at dusk pushing the Union back, shocked and confused. 
  • Jackson dies. 

Impact 

  • 17,000 (C) vs 13,000 (U). 
  • Confederate victory 
  • Led to overconfidence from the Confederates. 
  • General-****** replaced
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What happened at Gettysburg?

  • July 1863
  • Confederates had same strategy, stop Union attack. 
  • Lee attacking Meade. 
  • Day 1- Confederate victory. 
  • Day 2- Union hold Little Round Top. 
  • Day 3- Pickett's Charge. 

Impact 

  • Lee blamed himself and offers resignation, Jefferson declines. 
  • Lee lost 1/3rd of army. 
  • Union victory, turning point. 
  • Union 23,000 vs 28,000 Confed
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What happened at the Fall of Vicksburg?

  • May- July 1863.
  • Strategic battle for Union
  • Lincoln quote- 'Vicksburg is the key, war can never be brought to a close until the key is in our pocket'. 
  • Instead of fighting from top, Grant goes other side of River and attacks from the South. Risky. 
  • Siege cuts off supplies to the Confederates. Surrendered 4 July, 30,000 men. 

Imapact

  • Grant won.
  • Confederate cut in half as the Union are in control of the Union.
  • Leads to Grants promotion. 
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What happened at Chickamauga and the siege of Chat

  • Sep-Nov 1863
  • Confederate have more men than Union. 
  • Union moved troops to where Confed weren't, they took advantage of this. 
  • Confederates going to besiege Union in Chattnooga, broke out siege.

Impact

  • Union loses Chickamauga 
  • Poor placement of the Confederates. 
  • Bragg (C) unpopular with his men.
  • Opened way to Atlanta, crucial transport link
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What happened at the Battle fo the Wilderness and

  • May- June 1864
  • Grant moved soldiers to the Wilderness.
  • Lee predicted this, suprise attack, two days fighting from the Union. 
  • Grant doesn't retreat but attacks again. 

Impact

  • No clear cut victory 
  • strategic success for the Union. 
  • Grant didn't allow Lee to rest or re-build his army. 
  • 55,000 Union loses, however, they can afford to replace this. 
  • Confederacy lose 31-35,000 men, cannot affor to replace this. 
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What happened at Sherman's 'March to the Sea'?

  • Nov- Dec 1864
  • Atlanta is crucial due to the transport links. Sherman (Union) wanted to 'make Georgia howl'. 
  • After C lost Atlanta, Confederate head West into Tennesse. 
  • General Thomas split Union.
  • Confederacy not in position to mount effective opposition 

Impact

  • Union won.
  • Inflicted $100million worth of damage on Georgia and crippled states railway network. 
  • Reduced southern morale. 
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What happened at the Siege of Petersburg?

  • June 1864- April 1865
  • Aim was to destroy Lee's army.
  • Union siege the Confederates. 
  • Confederate army deserted as they could not feed their troops. 
  • 60,000 desertions. 
  • Battle of Appomattax, April 1865. Lee reduced to 25,000 men, signed a surrender.

Impact 

  • War is done.
  • Grant- 'rebels are our countrymen again'. 
  • Gives ration for 25,000 men for 3 days. 
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