Early Battles of the Civil War

1861-1862

1st Battle of Bull Run First Bloodshed after Ft.

Sumter Lincoln wanted Richmond Union came across

Confederates at Bull Run Both sides GREEN,

seesaw battle Confederate Victory

• Stonewall Jackson• reinforcements

Effects• Confederate soldiers

thought war was over, many went home

• Led Lincoln to call up 500,000 troops for 3 years

Fort Henry and Fort Donelson Ulysses S. Grant

led Union troops into TN

Captured 2 forts on Strategic river positions• Henry – Tennessee

River• Donelson –

Cumberland River Confederates

forced to surrender

Shiloh

Grant gathered troops near Mississippi border but did not set up adequate camp

Confederates surprise attacked

Union troops close to disaster

Grant regrouped, forced Confederates to retreat

Effects: • Confederate failure to hold KY-

OH frontier• Union strategy to take

Mississippi might succeed• Both sides taught lessons:

Send scouts, entrench, and fortify Showed how bloody war was, ¼ of

100,000 casualties

Battle of New Orleans David G. Farragut w/ 40

ships sent to take Confederate’s biggest port and largest city

April 24, ‘62 - Ran fleet past 2 forts firing guns

5 days later took New Orleans

Continued taking towns in Southern MS

Significance:• Almost achieved goal of taking

MS and cutting Confederacy in Two

• Still needed Port Hudson, LA and Vicksburg, MS

Seven Day’s Battle Plan to capture

Richmond under General McClellan• VERY CAUTIOUS LEADER

Met Robert E. Lee in series of battles to save Richmond 6/25 to 7/1 1862

Confederate Victory• Fewer soldiers• Unorthodox tactics• Determination• McClellan unnerved,

retreated

2nd Battle of Bull Run

Lee’s plan to attack D.C.

Met at 2nd Battle of Bull Run Confederate victory allowed them to enter MD

Antietam Union soldier found

Lee’s army order laying at an old camp ground, showed armies separated

McClellan attacked Lee aggressively

Effects• Bloodiest single day battle

(26,000 casualties)• Confederates retreated,

McClellan DID NOTHING!• McClellan fired by Lincoln