American Civ 10-12-11 July 21st 1961 first battle of bull run, first major battle of the civil

war. General Thomas Stonewall Jackson The union army was led by a man named Irwin mcdowell The south was led by joseph e. Johnston The assumption is hat there is only gonna be one or two major battles, and itd be over, so families wanted to see the confederate get smashed, so they pack up lunches to go watch the war being fought. Union army 35,000, confederates 32,500 Its going back and forth, then colonel Jackson shows up on the field, he was a artillery officer, he was a teacher when the war began. His regiment assembled as they prepped to fight the north. Look at Jackson standing like a stonewall, few minutes later the man who said that died. Largely because of jacksons appearance on the field they turned the union back towards Washington. If the south wouldve pushed on they couldve captured Washington dc etc. Union 3500, confederates 2000 killed wounded captured. Lincoln is upset at mcdowell and fires him, and hires George b. mcclellan and the army of the Potomac Everyone puts their faith in mcclellan because he is young and has a good track record. He had been an observer to the war in Europe. A few years earlier he had retired, he is given the nickname the young napoleon. They have faith that he will turn the war around. He takes the army that was driven out of the south and he drills them and makes a first class fighting force. Mclellan is not a good fighting general. Hes very cautious, too cautious. One of his biggest problems, he will constantly believe that the confederates have more troops, which isnt true, he outnumbers them.

1862 starts out very well for the union, general Ulysses s. grant, they capture new Orleans in Louisiana, in tennesee theres a couple of fortresses, two major rivers that flow into tenesee, the confederates knew that these fortresses protect the rivers, they could keep union gun boats out of the south. They were considered impregnable. Grant was able to take the forts in early 1862, now the union can tranverse the south freely and drop off troops anywhere.

Grant was a west point graduate. The S doesnt stand for anything, the man from westpoint guy was mistaken. Does quite well, skilled horse rider. He serves Mexican war, after that he is posted in California. He was sort of a drunk. Out in cali he would have these bouts of having a lot to drink. One day when he is drinking, there was surprise inspection by a superior officer. He tells him you can resign your commission orcourt marshal. He heads to Illinois, and he is an abslolute failure at everything. He gets so desperate he chops down firewood. Eventually he takes a job with his father as a leather worker. The civil war breaks out, they call for anyone with military experience. Grant was an officer, so they commission him in the Illinois militia. He finds himself elevated to general major. He becomes quite adept at whipping his army into shape. They move west and take this two forts.

April 1862 in souther tenessee, they exploit those new forts, and set down in a place called Shiloh, albert Sydney Johnson is leading that group of soldiers, he was the highest ranking military office to resign and join the confederacy. This is a three day battle. The first day grant almost loses, but the 2nd and 3rd day he receives reinforcements and starts taking the lead. Johnson bleeds to death on this battle. Grant wins, but its a narrow battle

Each side looses about 10,000, killed captured and wounded. These are huge battles, Washington never commanded more men than this. These battles were huge. Back east people dont believe the numbers that they are told. Shiloh the place where the battle was fought means Shiloh.

Back east there are some significant things going on, mclellan flanks the Jamestown peninsula, mclellan takes the confederates by surprise, everything looks good, but he starts going very slowly advancing. This allows the confederates up north to come down and fight them.

With Johnson wounded, lee takes command until the end of the war. Another union army is coming down during the time and is commanded by john pope. Lee moves to attack pope, second battle of bull run. Another confederate victory, pope turns his army back towards Washington.

Lee is embolded by his victory at bull run, and he says everytime we fought a union army weve won, so lets fight an offensive war. He decides to invade Maryland, mainly cause its a slave state that has remained loyal to the union. Plus he wants to flank Washington dc from above i.e. Maryland. His other major goal hes trying to impress someone, he was trying to impress the british and the French. They thought they needed the british and the French to recognize them as an independent nation. The british position was win the war and well recognize you. The british has a lot to lose in the war because of the cotton. Lord palmerston, he favored recognizing the south. The people did not want to recognize them because they are anti-slavery. For thirty years the british had been anti slavery.

Lincoln is seriously trying to wrap his mind around the idea of slavery, which is the fundamental thing of the war. He says he has no power to free slaves, the constitution does not give him that power. But during war, we can confiscate whatever we want that helps the souths equipment. He figures he can take slaves and free them

The emancipation proclamation issued September, 1862 after the battle of Antietam Went into affect on jan 1, 1863 Fred slaves only in areas still in a state of rebellion, it doesnt apply to states that remained loyal to the union or were captured by the union

William seward says this is a great idea, Im behind you 100%. If we play this card now, while lee is on the verge of attacking us, this will look like we are desperate cause its the last card we have. We have to wait for a victory to issue this. That summer he has people telling him that he needs to free them, and not telling them that they need to free them

In Maryland the armys are trying to find each other, and something happens to the union army, they found a box in the middle of the field with some cigars, they start smoking and they see the papers they were wrapped in. they end up finding lees complete battle plans for invading the north. Mclellan takes his time and doesnt act on it as he should. They send the soldiers to antitam creek, union army has 87,000, confederate 40,000. He is still convinced that the enemy outnumerbs him.

Septmeber 7th 1862, mclellan has 7 army core, lee has about 3. Mclellan has six of his army core fighting lee, hes holding one back in reserve. He wants to keep one in reserve because he thinks the south is getting reinforcements. His generals were yelling at him to send in the last core into battle. Had he sent that last core in he wouldve won the civil war. Lee witdraws, its a union victory, lee has to head back into Virginia, suffering the first major defeat. Its a one day battle. Union army losses 12,000 confedertes 10,000, single bloodiest day in ameriacn history. The battle proves to be a strategic victory. Lincoln issues the emancipation procloamtion. Palmerston was wathching closely for a confederate victory. And that doesnt happen, never again will Britain come as close to recognizing the confederacy. William Gladstone said the confederates has already made an amry and a navy, but already a nation.

Lincoln has had it with mclellan, he fires mclellan and hires ambrose burnside. Burnside known for 2 wisps hair coming down his face, hance sideburns. In December burnside will take the army to Fredericksburg. There he will lead the army over the river into a city being contested, theres a half mile of open field and a stone wall pointing there guns marching towards it being

cut down as they march down to it. As its obvious they will not get to the confederates, they propup the bodies of their fallen comrades as meat shields. They have to stay there all night behind the bodies of their dead friends. An arurora borealis happens in Virginia that night. Seen right over Fredericksburg. Both sides take it as they are doing the right thing. The next day burnside he orders his troops to pull out. Huge attack there. 1863 grant continuing to make headway down the Mississippi, Lincoln fires burnside, and hires joseph hooker. Was known for keeping women of ill refute hence hooker. Takes the army and invades Virginia once again. The place is called chacellorsville, to the west. Lee who is still guarding the east, he dispences Jackson and hits the union army and the north retreated. During this battle Jackson he is on the front lines, he is asked for a call sign. North Carolinians start firing on them, he is hit in the shoulder and they amputate his left arm. Lee who had just considered Jackson his indespensible, he said Jackson has lost his left arm, and I have lost my right. A few days later infection sits in, and Jackson dies, quite arguably the best general of the south. In a few weeks we will be fighting the most important battle of the civil war, which occurs at Gettysburg in Pennsylvania. Lee decides to invade the north because he is running low on supplies and men. He sees that the north has a lot more factories and men. The south doesnt have anything. The south needs to win the war that year, not a defensive war anymore.