The American Civil War
Allyson Vinson
Antienam
Confederate General: Lee
Strategy: The South goes on the offence as Lee begins to get cocky after a string of victories.
Summary: Lee split his army into four parts, each sectioned planned to go in a different direction to confuse the Union. However, two Union soldiers found the plans and promptly reported it to McClellan, the current General. The Battle lasted for eight hours, suffering over 21,000 casualties.
The first phase was in Miller's Corn field, Confederate forces threaded their way through stalks of corn, beginning to march into the Union. The Union forces, however, were waiting, beginning to fire several cannons and beginning to cause a haze in the battlefield. Once the Confederate slipped out of the corn only to find themselves point blank to the Union. Shots are fired in a moment of desperation before the South flees.
The Second phase was one of the most cruelling scenes of this horrific war, the sunken road also known as bloody lane. The Confederated flees to the road, sunken in from years of work. The Union forces advanced, beginning to fire downward to simply slaughter as many soldiers as they can. The ground was described as flooded with human blood, thousands of men lost their lives in this phase.
Phase three also known as Burned Bridge. Here, General Lee retreats, and McClellan this time does not pursue him. Lincoln is furious with him, believing he could have ended the war there. McClellan is fired quickly after this battle.
Political Event: The Emancipation Proclamation was passed by President Lincoln, freeing slaves in the Rebellious Confederate states only, boarder states were not effected through this. This decision made Great Britain decide not to enter the war now, as the war began to turn to slavery.
Battle Map of Antienam
General McClellan
General Lee
Gettysburg
Confederate General: Lee / Pickett
Strategy: The South attempted to defend, but ended up attacking the Union violently.
Summary: Lee entered the town, looking for supplies. It was by accident that he encountered the Union army. There were 25,000 casualties on the Confederate side, and 23,000 on the Union. Day one: The Union retreated to a section of high ground, reinforcements arrived for both sides. Day two, the South tried to drive Union forces from the kills. The Union held their positions. Day three, Lee ordered an attack to "create panic and virtually destroy the Union army". The confederates fired nearly 140 canons at the Union lines, then crossed across open land in what became known as "Picket's March". But while they broke through the first line of Union defenses, most of the men who began the effect laid wounded on the ground. This battle lost the chance for the South to gain help from England or France.
Political: The Gettysburg Address is whenever Lincoln gave a simply, two minute speech honoring the soldiers and their causes and stated his vision for the country.
Battle Map of Gettysburg
General Meade
General Lee
Vicksburg
Confederate General: Pembertan
Strategy: The Union used the Anaconda plan by squeezing the town and forced into submission.
Summary: The battle took place on July fourth, and was a victory for the Union. The river city Vickburg, Mississippi fell under control of Union troops lead by Ulysses S. Grant. The battle took place over the course of a few months. The Union began the attack in April, surrounding 30,000 Confederate troops. In May, Grant cut off food and various supplies from the Confederate forces, as Union gunships fired thousands of shells into the city. The siege lasted 47 days all together. 9,000 Confederate casualties and 10,000 Union casualties, most of these were caused by disease or starvation. While troops suffered heavy loss, the actual town of Vicksburg had as little as a mere 20 casualties. A few days later, Port Hudson, Louisiana was taken by the Union. The Anaconda plan was once again set into action now that the Mississippi river was now the Union's, cutting off Texas, Arkansas, and Louisiana from the other Southern States. The tide of the war now changed, in favour for the Union.
Political event: This battle signified the changing of the war, shifting in favour of the Union now that the South was broken up.