Major Battles of the American Civil War

1. Major
Battles of
the
American
Civil War

2. Secession!: SC Dec. 20, 1860

3. Lincoln’s reaction to secession
“I have no purpose, directly or indirectly, to interfere
with the institution of slavery in the States where it
exists. I believe I have no lawful right to do so, and I have
no inclination to do so.”
“In your hands, my dissatisfied fellow-countrymen, and not in
mine, is the momentous issue of civil war. The Government
will not assail you. You can have no conflict without being
yourselves the aggressors. You have no oath registered in
heaven to destroy the Government, while I shall have the
most solemn one to “preserve, protect, and defend it.”
- Lincoln’s First Inaugural Address, March 4, 1861

4. Battle of Fort Sumter, Charleston, SC
April 12, 1861

5. “My paramount object in this struggle is to save the
Union, and is not either to save or to destroy slavery. If
I could save the Union without freeing any slave I
would do it, and if I could save it by freeing all the
slaves I would do it; and if I could save it by freeing
some and leaving others alone I would also do that.
What I do about slavery, and the colored race, I do
because I believe it helps to save the Union; and what I
forbear, I forbear because I do not believe it would help
to save the Union.”
- Lincoln, August 22, 1862

6. The Basic Causes of Southern Secession
1. Slavery
2. State’s Rights vs. Federal Gov.
3. Economic Differences
4. Cultural Differences
Lincoln’s Reason for Fighting the War:
1861-1862: PRESERVE UNION
1863-1865: PRESERVE UNION + END SLAVERY

8. Union and Confederate Resources, 1861

10. Anaconda Plan:
1.US Navy blockades CSA
2.US riverboats and armies move
down Miss R. to split CSA
3.US captures Richmond, VA.

11. Battle of First Bull Run, Manassas, VA
July 21, 1861

12. Peninsular Campaign, southeast VA, March-July 1862
USA: George McClellan CSA: Robert E. Lee

13. Battle of Antietam, Sharsburg, MD, September 17, 1862
USA: McClellan CSA: Lee

15. Battle of Gettysburg, PA
July 1-3, 1863
USA: George Meade
CSA: Lee

16. Siege of Vicksburg, MS
May 18, 1863 - July 4, 1863
USA: Ulysses S. Grant
CSA: John Pemberton

17. Overland Campaign, eastern VA, May 4-June 24, 1864
USA: Grant CSA: Lee

18. Siege of Petersburg, June 15, 1864 - April 2, 1865
USA: Grant CSA: Lee

19. Atlanta Campaign, GA, May 7, 1863-September 2, 1864
USA: William T. Sherman
CSA: Joseph E. Johnston and John B. Hood

20. March to the Sea and Carolina Campaign, GA, SC, NC
November 15, 1864-April 26, 1865
USA: Sherman CSA: William Hardee, Joseph Wheeler, Johnston

21. Appomattox Courthouse, VA, April 9, 1865
USA: Grant CSA: Lee