Lauren Bevins

11/16/2021

HIST1483 T/TR 2:00pm

Civil War

The Civil War began in the United States in April of 1861 due to tension between the Southern

and Northern states. This war was Americas deadliest and bloodiest war in history. With over

600,000 out of 2.5 million soldiers dying, and many, many more injured in the process as well,

with more to come in the near future. This war ended four years later in May of 1865.

The Southern states had been advocating for slavery for decades before and the North

saw little to no point in slavery. In the North, their agricultural aspect was more established and

set on a smaller scale, not needing many slaves as the South does. As for the South, there were

many more plantations, which meant more manual labor, which meant more slaves. The

disagreement between the North and South caused bloodshed no one was prepared for. To start

off where this all had began, it was 1860. Abraham Lincoln had just won the presidential election

as sixteenth president of the United States. Shortly after, South Carolina secedes from the union,

and many states, such as; Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas follow as

well. states shortly after formed the confederate states of America. April 12, 1861, forces attack

South Carolina. After an attack that initially started the Civil war, four more states seceded from

the union as well. Arkansas, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia. “On March 4th, 1861,

Abraham Lincoln was inaugurated as President of the United States. Two days later, the

Confederacy called for 100,000 volunteers for its provisional army. On March 11th, delegates

adopted the Confederate Constitution. Meanwhile, in Charleston, South Carolina, officials

demanded the surrender of Fort Sumter. Major Robert Anderson commanded the small garrison

and refused to surrender. With supplies running out, Lincoln informed South Carolina authorities

that he planned to send supplies and reinforcements to the fort. On April 12th, 1861, at about

4:30 AM, South Carolina militia forces in Charleston opened fire on Fort Sumter. Thirty-four

hours later, Anderson surrendered his command.” States Which Seceded | eHISTORY (osu.edu)

After open fire on Fort Sumter, and surrender, President Lincoln demanded the rebellion be put

down and be done with.

In the spring of 1862, George McClellan, supreme commander of the union army led his

army up to Yorktown, On May 4th capturing Yorktown. General McClellan replaced elderly

general Winfield Scott. “By mid-1862, McClellan had been replaced as Union general-in-

chief by Henry W. Halleck, though he remained in command of the Army of the

Potomac” Civil War - Causes, Dates & Battles - HISTORY. Robert E. Lee was a confederate

general leading the South during the Civil war. General Lee saw an opportunity to kill two birds

with one stone, he eventually moved his troops up north and split his men into two groups. One

group he would go with, kept moving north while the second group ran with Jackson to near

Manassas. On the way to victory in Manassas, General Lee began the first confederate attack on

the North. McClellan then swoops in and reorganizes his army and strikes at Lee and his men

causing the confederates back to a vulnerable position. The Battle of Antietam became the wars

bloodiest day. The Battle of Antietam happened September 17, 1862, at Antietam creek in

Maryland. The insight of the battle was between Confederate general Lee against Union general,

McClellan due to Lees attempt of invasion of the North. This day ended up being the deadliest

day in Americas history.

 1863, the second on going year of the long, bloody war. “In 1863, Final proclamation of

emancipation is issued to free all slaves in the Confederate territories. President calls for

enlisting of black soldiers in the Army.” Timeline – America Civil War Although it sounded as

if all slaves are free, it did not go that far because that was surely not the case. “Despite this

expansive wording, the Emancipation Proclamation was limited in many ways. It applied only to

states that had seceded from the United States, leaving slavery untouched in the loyal border

states.” The Emancipation Proclamation | National Archives. In early June of 1863, General Lee

took about 75,000 confederates to the north to invade, again. Learning the army of the Potomac

were on their way as well, General Lee prepared as much as he could, believing he could take

them down. On July 1, 1863, the Battle of Gettysburg had begun. The Army of the Potomac had

arrived, and blood was shed, attacks from the Union from all sides. The next two days consisting

of hours of shots and open fire, July 4th, General Lee waited for the Unions counterattack but

never occurred. The confederate withdrew and the Union had won the Battle of Gettysburg.

1864, nearing the end of the war, in March, President Abraham Lincoln had put Ulysses

S. Grant in charge of supreme command of the Union armies. “Grant, who was earning a

reputation as a tenacious and determined leader, was appointed lieutenant  general by

Lincoln on March 10, 1864 and given command of all U.S. armies. He led a series of

campaigns that ultimately wore down the Confederate army and helped bring the

deadliest conflict in U.S. history to a close.” Ulysses S. Grant - Civil War, Facts & Quotes

- HISTORY. Since Ulysses S. Grant was in supreme command, that meant somebody needed to

oversee the west. President Lincoln chose William Tecumseh Sherman, a union general through

out the civil war, “playing a crucial role in the victory over the Confederate States and becoming

one of the most famous military leaders in the U.S history” (cite history.com). Shortly after
Grant was named supreme commander, on June 15, 1864, Grant started nine months siege of

Petersburg with Ulysses S. Grants union forces surrounding Confederate forces of General Lee.

In August, democratic parties nominate George B. McClellan to run against Republican party,

and current president, Abraham Lincoln. Three months later, President Lincoln was re-elected

for another term of Presidency on November 8th, 1864.

Seeing a light at the end of the tunnel, year four of the deadliest American war, 1865. The first

month of the new year, January 31, 1865, U.S congress meets and approves constitutional

amendment to abolish slavery once and for all. “March 25, 1865: Robert Lee’s Confederate

Army of Northern Virginia attacks on Grant’s forces at Petersburg. April 2, 1865: Grant’s army

breaks through Lee’s lines at Petersburg. The Confederate Capital, Richmond, is evacuated and

occupied by the Union troops. April 9, 1865: General Robert E. Lee surrenders his Confederate

Army to Gen. Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox Court House in Virginia.” Timeline – America

Civil War. After Lee surrenders, a few weeks pass by and President Lincoln dies. May of 1865,

the rest of the Confederates surrender, putting an end to the civil war, and reuniting the nation.

Later that year in December, the constitutional amendment is ratified, and slavery is officially

abolished.

Overall, the Civil war was the deadliest, bloodiest war this country has ever experienced,

but nothing would be the same without this treacherous, long war. Our nation might have still

experienced many of the tragic events. Less freedom, slavery in the south, and many more

differences we would not know unless this crucial piece of history happened.