Civil War: The Early Battles

Topic #36

First Battle of Bull Run – July 1861

(AKA – Battle of Manassas)

Fought near Washington, D.C.

Union General McDowell was weak and indecisive.

“Stonewall” Jackson – southern general who rallies the troops to victory.

Confederates win the battle

Proved to the North that this would be a long war.

Ft. Henry and Ft. Donelson Ulysses S. Grant –

Union commander of the western forces.

February 1862 – attacked and took control of Ft. Henry and Ft. Donelson, Tennessee.

First significant Union victories.

The Seven Days Battles

Lincoln replaced general McDowell with George B. McClellan.

McClellan attempted to attack Richmond several times.

June 26, 1862 these battles started.

Southern General Robert E. Lee attacks McClellan’s army and sends them retreating.

Second Battle of Bull Run Lincoln, upset about

the retreat, sends General John Pope with reinforcements.

Lee’s army attacks those men while on the way there in Bull Run.

Union army is crushed and defeated.

Lee marches north. He accidentally leaves

a copy of his battle plan at the abandoned camp!

Battle of Shiloh – April 1862

Confederates snuck up on Grant’s camp and attacked.

Two days of fighting, each side had over 10,000 casualties.

Grant gains a portion of the Mississippi river.

Union navy, led by Admiral David Farragut comes up river and meets with Grant’s army by the summer.

Battle of Antietam – Sept. 1862

Lee split his army for a two pronged attack.

McClellan hesitated though

bloodiest single-day battle in American history

25,000 casualties, Union victory but missed a chance to follow up the battle and finish the Southern army

McClellan is fired even though he won the battle.

Antietam – Eyewitness Accounts

In pairs, we are going to read some eyewitness accounts of the battle of Antietam.

1. Read the account and write a one sentence reaction.

2. Re-read for good and bad things:

Circle positive things Underline negative things

3. Re-read for details of the battle.

4. Re-read again for visuals of casualties.

Antietam Images

Now, in your pairs, create a picture of your account of the battle.

Use colored pencils and include a caption to show what you are depicting in your drawing.

Share with the class.