| And...speaking of battles:
MAJOR BATTLES &
EVENTS OF THE CIVIL WAR:
-
The firing on
Fort Sumter, SC began
the war on April 12, 1861 at 4:30 am. The man behind the cannon
was Captain George S. James. The die was cast!
-
The first
Battle of Manassas (Bull Run),
VA was the first major battle on Sunday, July 21, 1861,
the battle began in full force. It would be the first
significant meeting of the two armies. People came from miles
and packed a picnic lunch to watch! Boy were they in for a
surprise.
Result(s): Confederate victory
Location: Fairfax County and Prince William County
Campaign: Manassas Campaign (July 1861)
Commanders: Brigadier General Irvin
McDowell
 ;
Brigadier General Joseph E. Johnston and Brigadier General P.G.T.
Beauregard
Soldiers fighting: 60,680
Estimated Casualties: 4,700 total
 The
signing of the Emancipation Proclamation made “freeing the
slaves” the new focus of the war. Many freed slaves
joined the Union army.
President Abraham Lincoln
issued the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863, as the
nation approached its third year of the civil war. The proclamation
declared "that all persons held as slaves" within the confederate
states "are, and henceforward shall be free."
Sounded great, right? But
the Emancipation Proclamation
was limited in many ways. It applied only to states that had seceded
from the Union, leaving slavery untouched in the loyal border
states. It also left out parts of the Confederacy that had already
come under Northern control. Most important, the freedom it promised
depended upon Union military victory. Remember, this was the
president of the USA telling the president of the CSA to free
slaves. It didn't go over too well with Davis.
The
Battle of Vicksburg
divided the South—The North controlled the
Mississippi River.
While
there was heavy fighting in the East during the Civil War, there was
also fighting in the West. The Mississippi River was very important
to the Southern army. Without control of this river, the South would
be split in half. The army would be cut off from supplies that it
badly needed.
In May and June of 1863, Maj. Gen.
Ulysses S. Grant’s armies marched to Vicksburg.
The two armies fought. Unable to win, the Confederate army retreated
to Vicksburg. Grant tried to attack two more times, but was unable
to win. Instead he began a siege. This was a way to force an enemy
to surrender by surrounding them. Unable to get food or more water,
the army had to surrender or starve.
Union
cannons fired on Vicksburg almost every day. This went on for more
than a month. The people in the city evacuated and began to live in
caves that they dug into the hillside. Some people even carried up
furniture and brought along their slaves.
As the
siege went on, food began to run out. People became sick. They were
forced to eat horses and mules for food. Soon, soldiers were given
very little to eat every day.
On July 4,
the
leader of the Confederate army was forced to ask Grant for the terms
of surrender.
Grant
had achieved his goal. The South had been split in two. It had taken
almost eight months, but it was worth it. It appeared that the North
had taken control of the Civil War. A Union Victory!
 The
Battle of
Gettysburg was the turning point of the war—the
North repelled Lee’s invasion.
Please take a minute and
go to this
site. It's a great story and there is even a letter left by a 15
year old girl who recalled the war.
Lee’s surrender to Grant
at the Appomattox Court House (VA) in 1865
ended the war.
Civil War
Voices - Taken from Kenneth C. Davis Book, The Civil War
Grant's recollection of the meeting with Lee at Appomattox:
When I left camp that morning I had not expected so soon
the result that was then taking place and consequently was
in rough garb. I was without a sword, as I usually was when
on horseback in the fields, and wore a soldier's blouse for
a coat, with the shoulder straps of my rank to indicate to
the army who I was.
When I went into the house, I found General Lee. We greeted
each other, and after shaking hands took our seats. I had my
staff with me, a good portion of whom were in the room
during the whole of the interview.
What General Lee's feeling were I do not know. As he was a
man of much dignity, with an impassible face, it was
impossible to say whether he felt inwardly glad that the end
had finally come, or felt sad over the result, and was too
manly to show it. Whatever his feelings, they were entirely
concealed from my observation; but my own feelings, which
had been quite jubilant on the receipt of his letter, were
sad and depressed. I felt like anything rather than
rejoicing at the downfall of a foe who had fought so long
and valiantly and had suffered so much for a cause, though
that cause was, I believe, on of the worst for which people
ever fought, and one for which there was the least excuse. I
do not question, however, the sincerity of the great mass of
those who were opposed to us.General Lee was dressed in a
full uniform which was entirely new, and was wearing a sword
of considerable value...In my rough traveling suit, the
uniform of a private with the straps of a lieutenant
general, I must have contrasted very strangely with a man so
handsomely dressed, six fee high and of faultless form...
We soon fell into a conversation about old army times. He
remarked that he remembered me very well in the old
army;...Our conversation grew so pleasant that I almost
forgot the object of our meeting, and said that he had asked
for this interview for the purpose of getting from me the
terms I proposed to give his army...
...When news of the surrender first reached our lines,
our men commenced firing a salute of a hundred guns in honor
of the victory. I as once sent word, however, to have it
stopped. The Confederates were now our prisoners, and we did
not want to exult over their downfall.
|
Grant
told Lee that his men could keep their horses, mules and side arms.
He also asked if his men could have some food which Grant
authorized. |
