Essay on The Great Battles of the American Civil War

The Great Battles of the American Civil War The Civil War, often called the War for Southern Independence began on April 12, 1861. The main cause of the war was slavery. The southern states depended on slaves to help grow crops which were the main source of income for the south. Slavery was illegal in all of the northern states but most people actually were neutral about it. The main conflict was if slavery should be permitted in the newly developing western territories. The first battle of the Civil War occurred on April 10, 1861 when Brigadier General Beauregard demanded the surrender of Fort Sumter. The commander of the fort, Major Anderson, refused. Two days later Confederate artillery came crashing down on the fort. On†¦show more content†¦Johnston originally planned to attack Grant on April 4, but delays postponed it until the 6th. Attacking the Union troops on the morning of the 6th, the Confederates surprised them, routing many. Some Federals made determined stands and by afternoon, they had established a battle line at the sunken road, known as the Hornets Nest. Repeated Rebel attacks failed to carry the Hornets Nest, but massed artillery helped to turn the tide as Confederates surrounded the Union troops and captured, killed, or wounded most. Johnston had been mortally wounded earlier and his second in command, Gen. P.G.T. Beauregard, took over. The Union troops established another line covering Pittsburgh Landing, anchored with artillery and augmented by Buell’s men who began to arrive and take up positions. Fighting continued until after dark, but the Federals held. By the next morning, the combined Federal forces numbered about 40,000, outnumbering Beauregard’s army of less than 30,000. Beauregard was unaware of the arrival of Buell’s army and launched a counterattack in response to a two-mile advance by William Nelson’s division of Buell’s army at 6:00 am, which was, at first, successful. Union troops stiffened and began forcing the Confedera tes back. Beauregard ordered a counterattack, which stopped the Union advance but did not break its battle line. At this point, Beauregard realized that he could not win and, having suffered too manyShow MoreRelatedUnderstanding The Civil War1710 Words   |  7 Pages Civil War Chris Cowan HIS/155 November 11, 2015 Civil War Understanding the Civil War is very important, to understand the way America has been shaped through out the past couple of centuries. Shelby Foote, a historian, believed that the Civil War defines the people in America. The Civil War was a war involving the North (The Union) and the South (The Confederates) who had different points of view over whether or not slavery was justified. Ultimately around 600,000 Americans lost theirRead MoreThe Civil War And American History890 Words   |  4 Pages In American History many significant events took place that reflected religious faith of multiple Americans and has shaped the world we live in today. Throughout the 1800s, the most memorable times in America took place throughout the Civil War. Events that escalated before, during and even following the Civil War resulted in a chain of reactions from many people within that period. After analyzing the events of the Civil War, I was able to draw a connection to the actions of the soldiers, w omenRead MoreEssay on Why the American Civil War Lasted for Longer Than 90 Days1149 Words   |  5 PagesWhy the American Civil War lasted for longer than 90 days The North had expected their war with the south to last for no more than 90 days. They not only had more men up in the north but they had more resources as well. Now why couldnt they defeat the south? I have to say it is due to the incompetence of the norths generals commanding the army, and the army itself. On April 15, 1861, President Lincoln called on the states to provide 75,000 militia men for 90 days to put down the rebellion ofRead MoreThe American Civil War1364 Words   |  5 Pageshorrific war began. Nobody had any idea that this war would become the deadliest war in American history. It wasn’t a regular war, it was a civil war opposing the Union in the North and the Confederate States in the South.. The Civil War cost many people’s lives on the battlefield and beyond. In addition it cost an extreme amount of money for the nation which possibly could have been avoided if the war had turned to happen a little differently. To start with, The Civil War lastedRead MoreThe Unions Ability to Conduct Total Warfare and Confederate Defeat931 Words   |  4 PagesUnions Ability to Conduct Total Warfare and Confederate Defeat The American War for Independence was a successful struggle of a smaller nation fighting a larger, more powerful force. However, in the case of the American Civil War, the larger more powerful Union defeated the southern Confederacy. The Union won the Civil War because the Confederacy could not sustain a war of attrition in the Napoleonic style that evolved into Total War. This paper will briefly explain what Napoleonic warfare is andRead MoreAnalysis Of The Book Crossroads Of Freedom By James M. Mcpherson1167 Words   |  5 PagesCrossroads of Freedom: Antietam, was written by James M. McPherson to argue why the Battle of Antietam was the battle that changed the cause of the Civil War. While McPherson argued this he also argues that the Civil War had many other turning points and was not settled by just one battle. McPherson’s targeted audience would have to be those interested in the Civil War and the events that led to it. McPherson wrote this great book which came to be an important contribution to our collective historical knowledgeRead MoreAfrican Americans And The Civil War1540 Words   |  7 Pageshistorical backdrop of the United States, African Americans have dependable been victimized. When Africans first came to America, they had no choice but to be slaves. The progressed toward becoming slaves to the rich, covetous, lethargic Americans. African Americans had given no compensation and regularly whipped and beaten. They battled for their opportunity, yet when the Civil War came African Americans had this logic that if they were to join the Civil War they could liberate all slaves. However, theirRead MoreThe Battle Of Antietam By Robert E. Lee1046 Words   |  5 Pagesthe outcome of the American Civil War. The Civil War was fought between the North (Union) and the south. The Battle of Antietam took place on September 17, 1862 near Sharpsburg, Maryland, and it was the bloodiest day in American history. Before the battle, the confederacy had a better chance of winning the war. Conflict arose between McClellan and Robert E. Lee which sparked the invasion of the north and the beginning of a long war. McPherson argued in his novel that the battle of Antietam was theRead More Civil War Essay1649 Words   |  7 Pages Civil War Civil war was the greatest war in American history. It was waged in 10,000 places-from Valverde, New Mexico, and Fernandina on the Florida coast. More than three million Americans fought in it and more than 600,00 men died in it. It was not only the immensity of the fight but the new weapons, the new standards of generalship, and the strategies of destruction which made the Civil War an event present ever since in the American consciousness. Here are some of the crucialRead MoreNative American in the Civial War1380 Words   |  6 PagesNative Americans in the Civil War The American Civil War was fought between the Unions, from the northern region of America, and the Confederacy, from the southern region of America. A war that was started because of slavery and fought between western europeans and incidentally people who live on the land such as Native American. The battles fought were all over the land in America. So, if a territory was on the land, then the people who lived there would inevitably get involved with the war. Battles