The Early years of the Civil War

Chapter 16 Section 2

THE EARLY YEARS OF THE CIVIL WAR

Historians have called the Civil War at least 30 names. Here are just a few:

The War for Southern Independence

The War for States’ Rights

The War of Secession

The Great RebellionThe War Against

SlaveryThe War for the

UnionThe War of the

North and SouthThe War of the Blue

and GrayMr. Lincoln’s WarThe War of Northern

Aggression

LOTS OF NAMES FOR THE SAME EVENT!

Officially, it was the “War of the Rebellion” because the U.S. government considered the Southern states rebelling.

Southern states didn’t agree to it because they felt secession was constitutional!

“Civil War” also wasn’t acceptable because Southern states saw themselves as an independent nation

Compromise: “War Between the States” name was adopted by many as a compromise

NORTH AND SOUTH COULDN’T EVEN AGREE ON THE NAME OF THE

WAR!

It has an alternate name: Manassas

WHO: Gen McDowell (Union) vs. Gen Beauregard and Stonewall Jackson both Confederates

WHEN: July, 1861 WHERE: near Manassas

Junction, Virginia WHAT HAPPENED: Union

troops pushed the Confederates back, then inspired by “Stonewall” Jackson Confederates led a counterattack….

Confederates made an “unearthly” scream that became to be known as the REBEL YELL.

Union troops were terrified and dropped their guns and retreated back to Washington D.C.

OUTCOME: Confederates won and they thought they would be close to end the war! The North was shocked and realized the war would take longer than expected.

President Lincoln called for more volunteers to enlist.

FIRST BATTLE AT BULL RUN

The North’s goal was to create a naval blockade southern ports.

The blockade would prevent the sell of cotton and block southern imports.

North did not want the South to be able to make money. WHY?

Unfortunately for the North: They didn’t have enough ships to block the southern ports.

Southern ships were able to go in and out of ports...they were called “Blockade Runners.”

WAR AT SEA

WHO: CSS Virginia (former Merrimack) vs. The Union’s Monitor

WHEN: March 9 th, 1862WHERE: on the Potomac

RiverWHAT HAPPENED: Ships

exchanged fire for 3 hours! Both ships took about 2 dozen hits and eventually ended when both sides were too exhausted to fight anymore!

MONITOR VS. MERRIMACK

GOAL: North wanted to capture important railway junction at Corinth Mississippi. Battle took place about 20 miles north of the junction near a church called Shiloh.

WHO: Gen. Grant (North) vs. Johnston and Beauregard (South)

WHEN: April 6th, 1862

WHERE: Shiloh, Tennessee

BATTLE OF SHILOH: AKA PITTSBURG LANDING OR “BLOODY SHILOH”

WHAT HAPPENED: The Confederates led a surprise attack on the Union Troops. The battle lasted 2 days, one of the bloodiest! Combined casualties of 20,000+ and Gen Johnston was killed.

Soldiers were lying in the rain, waiting for medical help…the Bloody Pond.

OUTCOME: South retreated and the Union won and then took control of Corinth Mississippi and then Memphis Tennessee…closer to controll ing Mississippi River. Why important?

It’s ironic that Shiloh in Hebrew means “Place of Peace.”

“BLOODY SHILOH” CONTINUED

GOAL: North wanted to capture the city… get closer to taking control of the Mississippi River

WHO: D. Farragut (Union Navy)

WHEN: April 25 th, 1862

WHERE: New Orleans, Louisiana

WHAT HAPPENED: The Union Navy was able to capture the largest city in the South! Rebels could no longer carry goods to the Gulf of Mexico for trading…one step closer to controlling all of the Mississippi River!

BATTLE AT NEW ORLEANS

GOAL: Union wants to capture Richmond because it was the capital of the Confederacy

WHO: McClellan (Union) vs. Lee and Jeb Stuart (Confederates)

WHEN: June 1862

WHAT HAPPENED: Stuart had his scouts gather information about the North’s position...only 1 died. Then Stuart’s troops circled around McClellan’s men. Gen Lee was able to push Union troops to James River.

OUTCOME: Union failed to take capital, disheartened the North and the South’s morale increased.

SEVEN DAYS BATTLE (RICHMOND)

GOAL: South’s President J. Davis ordered Confed. troops to take the offense and attack into Maryland- a border state (close to Washington DC!)

If the South won then they were hopeful that France and England would aid the South and encourage people of Maryland to join the Confederacy.

WHO: Gen Lee (South) vs. McClellan (North)

WHEN: Sept 17 th, 1862WHERE: Sharpsburg,

Maryland- along Antietam Creek

WHAT HAPPENED: Single bloodiest day of the entire war! 6,000 killed and 17,000 wounded. Gen Lee retreated to Virginia. North claimed the victory.

ANTIETAM (AKA SHARPSBURG)

Gen. McClellan is fired because he did not follow Pres. Lincoln’s orders. He was told to follow Confed. troops but did not. A. Burnside will take control of the Union troops afterwards.

ANTIETAM CONTINUED