Battle of Fort Sumter
The Battle of Fort Sumter took place on an island in Charleston Harbor in South Carolina. The battle started on April 12th, 1861. This battle is remembered as The First Shot. The first general officer of the Confederate States of America was Pierre Gustave Toutant Beauregard. General P.G.T. Beauregard's slogan was "Booty and Beauty". The fort was held by the northern army and needed to be resupplied with food, ammunition, and other products. South Carolina was not satisfied that the Union had control over the fort. With that being said, the South would not let them resupply their fort. The Confederate army demanded evacuation of the Northern army from Fort Sumter, and when they refused, the Confederate army opened fire. The Confederate Army had won the battle. This resulted in the Union surrendering and the Southern army captured the fort. South Carolina was the first state to seceed from the United States of America, and to become a part of the Confederate States of America.
1st Battle of Bull Run (Manassas)
The First Battle of Bull Run is considered to be the first real battle of the Civil War. The Union wanted to destroy the South, so they they marched toward their capital, which was located in Richmond, South Carolina. The general in charge of the Union army was Brigadier General Irvin McDowell. A quote of McDowell is "This is not an army. It will take a long time to make an army." The Northern army met the Confederate troops and had them retreating, but Southern reinforcements arrived and pushed back the Union army. The Union troops retreated back toward the North. The South won this battle,which proved that this was not going to be a one sided war. The Confederate army felt victorious, and the North wanted revenge.
Gettysburg
The Battle of Gettysburg was the last major battle of the Civil War. This battle was three days in length. General Lee wanted to get in between the Northern army and Washington D.C. to isolate them and put an end to the war. The Confederate army marched North, and all of the roads were
converged on Gettysburg. On the first day, the Southern army didn't know how many troops the Union had, so they were very cautious in their attack. After a fight between the two armies, the Northern army was pushed back. On day two, additional Union troops arrived and occupied to high ground, also known as Cemetery Ridge. The Confederate troops tried to flank the Union army at Little Round Top, but they could not. The Southern army also failed at trying to break the Northern army lines. On day three of the Gettysburg battle, the Confederate army made a final attempt to overrun the Union army, so General Lee sent his entire force across an open field straight at the Union army. George Pickett was a general for the Confederate Army. One quote from General George Pickett is "Up men to your posts! Don't forget today that you are from old Virginia." Pickett led charge and many Confederate troops were slaughtered. The Union army won at Gettysburg and because of their losses, the Confederate army could not continue to battle the stronger Northern army.
converged on Gettysburg. On the first day, the Southern army didn't know how many troops the Union had, so they were very cautious in their attack. After a fight between the two armies, the Northern army was pushed back. On day two, additional Union troops arrived and occupied to high ground, also known as Cemetery Ridge. The Confederate troops tried to flank the Union army at Little Round Top, but they could not. The Southern army also failed at trying to break the Northern army lines. On day three of the Gettysburg battle, the Confederate army made a final attempt to overrun the Union army, so General Lee sent his entire force across an open field straight at the Union army. George Pickett was a general for the Confederate Army. One quote from General George Pickett is "Up men to your posts! Don't forget today that you are from old Virginia." Pickett led charge and many Confederate troops were slaughtered. The Union army won at Gettysburg and because of their losses, the Confederate army could not continue to battle the stronger Northern army.
Sherman's March to The Sea
Sherman's March to the Sea took place from 1864 until 1865. The eighteenth president, Ulysses S. Grant was trying to capture Richmond, Virginia. He was a very important person in this battle of the Civil War. One quote from Ulysses S. Grant is "I have never advocated war except for a means of peace." While he was trying to accomplish this, he sent William Tecumsuh Sherman to "clear" the South. Sherman chased the Confederate army around trying to lure them into fighting. While the Southerners ran, William Sherman wiped out everything in his path. One hundred thousand troops took Atlanta in 1864 and burnt half of the city to the ground. William continued toward Savannah on the coast of the Atlantic ocean, and turned the north into North and South Carolina. The Northern Army won Sherman's March to The Sea. This battle was the last demoralizing blow to the South.