Notes; The Civil War, Ch 16

Battle notes – locate the following info on the listed battles

Who? Significant people

Where? General location, state

When? Year

Why? Why did they fight the battle?

Significance? – What makes this battle important?

Bull Run (Manassas)

Antietam

Vicksburg

Gettysburg

Sherman’s March to the Sea/Total War

Appomattox Court House

  1. Battle of Bull Run (Manassas)
  2. Southern Leader: Pierre G. T. Beauregard, Northern Leader: McDowell
  3. Virginia (near Washington, DC)
  4. Occurred on July 21, 1861
  5. Fought for control of a major railroad junction
  6. Let both sides know the war would not end soon.

Other information to add – Thomas Jackson got the nickname Stonewall Jackson at this battle. (“There stands Jackson like a stone wall. Rally ‘round the Virginians.) Sightseers came from Washington, DC, came to watch the battle, then clogged the road hampering the Union retreat. Confederates backed off so civilians wouldn’t be harmed.

  1. Battle of Antietam (Sharpsburg)
  2. Southern Leader: Robert E. Lee; Northern Leader: George McClellan
  3. Sharpsburg, Maryland
  4. September 17, 1862
  5. Purpose – to win a battle on Northern soil
  6. Significance - bloodiest day of the war & US History (Union 12,000 dead, South – 13,000)

Other information to add – Lee decided to invade the North to attempt to find food for his hungry troops. A Union scout found his battle orders and plans wrapped around a package of cigars. The battle was a stalement, but Lincoln claimed it as a victory because the Confederate invasion was stopped, and he used it as an opportunity to issue the Emancipation Proclamation.

  1. Siege of Vicksburg
  2. Southern Leader: Pemberton ; Northern Leader: Ulysses S. Grant
  3. Vicksburg, MS – on the Mississippi River
  4. Began Mid-May, 1863, South surrendered July 4
  5. Fought for control of the Mississippi River
  6. Northern gained control of the Mississippi, completing part of their Anaconda Plan

Other Notes to add: This battle is a turning point in the Civil War because the Union accomplished their goal of dividing the Confederacy and stopping the flow of supplies from western Confederate states.

  1. Gettysburg
  2. Southern Leader: Robert E. Lee, Northern Leader: George G. Meade
  3. Gettysburg, Pennsylvania
  4. July 1-3 1863
  5. Attack in Union territory
  6. Turning Point of the war

Other Notes to Add: This is the last time the South will attempt to invade the North. The South invaded because they were looking for “a Saratoga” – a big victory in Northern territory that would influence England to make an alliance with them.

  1. Sherman’s March to the Sea
  2. Northern Leader – William Tecumseh Sherman
  3. September 2 – December 22, 1864
  4. State of Georgia – from Atlanta to Savannah
  5. Goal – to deal a crippling blow to the South
  6. Destroys the South – over $100 million in damages

Other Notes to Add –Sherman was the first general to use the tactic total war – his men destroyed property, set fire to fields and homes, took or slaughtered livestock so that Southerners would be unable to support the Confederate Army and would lose the will to fight. Total war targets the civilian ability to support an army (economically and emotionally).

  1. Appomattox Court House
  2. South – Robert E. Lee, North – U. S. Grant
  3. Appomattox Court House, Virginia
  4. April 9, 1965 (Palm Sunday)
  5. Lee surrenders to Grant when he realizes he is outnumbered and all of his men will be killed if he goes into battle.
  6. Ends the Civil War