the civil war 1861-1865

First Manassas

• 22,000 men of the confederate army, led by Beauregard positioned in north virginia south of river at manassas
• General Johnston commanded another army of 11,000 men in the Shenadoah valley
• union general Mcdowell marched south with some 30,000 men on 16th july
• his attack on the 21st came near to winning a decisive victory
• Confederate forces fought bravely - Jacksons brigade that stood like a stonewall
• when Johnstons troops arrived, union panicked and fled
• Confederacy won the first major battle of the war
• south suffered 2000 casualties and the union 3000
• Confederacy didnt follow up on their victory- some argue they missed an oppurtunity to win the war
• however couldnt because disorganised and short of supplies
• mixed blessing the win- some overconfident but union more determined now

Shiloh

• 1862- Grant with over 40,000 men encamped on the west back of the Tennessee river at Shiloh
• 6 april johnston launched surprise attack
• many union troops fled but enough stayed to ensure it wasnt a total victory
• death of johnston in midst of battle - Beauregard took over
• he argued that it was a total victory to Davis
• 25,000 men from Buells army arrived to reinforce Grants army- next day confederacy was forced to retreat
• rebels suffered 10,600 casualties and union 13,000
• the union had turned back the rebel bid to regain initiative
• Beauregard replaced with Bragg

The penisula Campaign

• anxious to avoid a full frontal attack, Mclellan planned to attack Richmond up the penisula between the york and james rivers
• april 1862, the army of potomac, 121,000 strong transported to Fortress Monroe
• Mclellan waited for Davis to send men
• confederates withdrew
• his forces greatly outnumbered the confederates opposing him, but Mclellan, convinced he was outnumbered, waited reinforcements

The Shenadoah Valley

• Mclellan never got his reinforcements because of stonewall jacksons shenadoah campagain
• Jackson with 18,000 men was sent into…