Early Years of the War

First Battle of Bull Run (Manassas)

• N: named battle after nearest creek/river

• S: named battle after nearest town

• N. Gen. McDowell marches troops SW of DC to fight southern troops lead by Gen. Beauregard

• Sunday afternoon, rich DC people bring picnic lunches to watch

• Union outnumbers the South but Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson holds his ground

• Inspired rest of southern troops– rebel yell is first heard

• Union troops panic and retreat back to DC, picnic goers get in the way– huge mess

• McDowell fired and Lincoln appoints McClellan

War at Sea• North wanted to hurt South

economically by cutting off trade with Europe

• N ships stretched from VA to Fl and in Gulf of Mexico to TX

• South tried using blockade runners to get into open ocean

• First submarine created– The Huntley

• Ironclads– see handout

The War Out West

• After Bull Run not much happens in east for awhile– each side regroups, trains

• Battles occur in TN, KY, and MS, North tries to split south by taking Miss and TN rivers

• N. Ulysses S. Grant wins battles in KY to prevent South from getting KY to secede

Battle of Shiloh• Huge battle near RR junction in Shiloh,

MS

• Grant’s troops surprised early in morning by southern attack (Grant made mistakes)

• Battle lasts 2 days, very bloody, North wins with help of reinforcements

• Both sides suffer huge casualties– killed, wounded, or missing

• Bloody pond, Hornets Nest, Peach Orchard, pigs at night, stolen breakfast

Seven Days Battle• Lincoln orders

McClellan to attack Richmond, he takes ships south along coast

• McClellan takes too much time, Lee prepares defenses

• Several battles take place between Richmond and the coast– Seven Days Battles

• North wins most of the battles but McClellan retreats each time

• Lee uses his cavalry lead by JEB Stuart to circle the Union forces– hit and run attacks, cause major trouble

• JEB Stuart becomes a hero in newspapers, McClellan retreats back to DC

Battle of Antietam• Lee and Stonewall Jackson

join their forces 20 miles from DC

• Jefferson Davis orders Lee to invade Maryland– wants to win major battle get support from Europe

• McClellan’s troops chase the Southerners and find battle plans wrapped around cigars–Lee’s army was split in 5 parts– McClellan too slow, misses chance

• Two armies meet at Antietam Creek near Sharpsburg, MD

• Single bloodiest day in US history

• Heavy fighting at Burnsides Bridge, Bloody Lane, and the cornfield

• Neither side really wins but South retreats

• McClellan didn’t chase them, gets fired

• Lincoln uses this “victory” to free the slaves