Meg's News
The teenage girl that gives summaries of recent events!
Battle of Antietam
On September 16th 1862, George B. McClellan and the Union Army of the potomac went head to head with Robert E. Lee’s army in Maryland. The Battle of Antietam was known as the “single bloodiest day in American military history”. The Union had an advantage when it came to how many people they had fighting, but Jackson’s group stayed strong and kept fighting. From a military point of view, this battle was a draw. That didn’t stop Lincoln and the rest of the Union to call it a victory on their part, though. This battle was the cause of Lee’s group leaving Maryland. Crazy, right?
Fort Sumter
As some of you readers may know, South Carolina left the Union on December 20th of 1860. Well, Robert Anderson and 85 of his soldiers were at Fort Moultrie, and on December 26th they moved to Fort Sumter. Right after Lincoln was inaugurated, they only had 6 weeks’ worth of food left in the fort. On April 11th, 1861, Confederate Brig. Gen. P.G.T. Beauregard demanded that they give up. Obviously they didn’t know. At 4:30 AM, they opened fire! It lasted for 34 hours. Anderson decided to surrender on April 13th, and thankfully no one died. They wanted to have a 100-gun salute but it was cut down to 50 guns after one of the gunners was killed due to an accidental explosion, and another was mortally wounded. Ouch!
Vicksburg
Want to know about the Battle of Vicksburg? Well Ulysses S. Grant took a campaign against Vicksburg and the Confederate defenders. They made a surprise landing below Vicksburg. The forces moved rapidly inland. This caused the Confederates’ chief to retreat, thanks to Vicksburg’s defenses. I guess he didn’t win that one!
Gettysburg
Robert E. Lee’s army invaded Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. They needed to collect supplies. The plan was to threaten the cities up north, get rid of their want for war, and win a huge battle. Around 90,000 Union soldiers were still fighting on the second day. The Confederates were gaining up on them, but the Union kept their ground. Stay strong, guys!
Sherman’s March to the Sea
On July 21st, Sherman’s three armies were separated. Hood had planned for the forces to back off from the outer lines north of the city, and go around the city. Well his plan didn’t go well at first due to a late start, with tired men walking down a dusty road in the hot night. Thomas Sweeny met Hardee’s opening attack though. General McPherson left Sherman’s HQ before the shooting started. He ran into part of Cleburne’s line and threw up his sword as a signal for him to surrender. Corporal Coleman shot him because he saluted and rode off on his horse. The Confederacy lost that battle.
Fort Fisher
Major General Benjamin Butler was relieved of command. Alfred Terry was placed in command of a “Provisional Corps”. He was supported by nearly 60 vessels to renew operation against the fort. The Union forces landed and prepared to attack Major General Robert J.’s infantry line. A select group gained ground on the fort from the back. The Confederate surrendered. Point one for the Union!
Appomattox Court House
Gordon and Fitzhugh Lee had 9000 men go into the fields west of the village to fight before dawn. They waited there. Their attack was successful. The Union was outnumbered and fell back, and the road was opened temporarily. The Union’s infantry began showing up from the west an south, finishing Lee’s encirclement. Lee made his troops go back across the Appomattox River. They sent up flags as a truce from the Confederacy from 10-11 AM. The Confederacy surrendered, which set them up for the war’s conclusion.