Transcript Turning Points of the Civil War

Turning Points of the Civil War
1861-1865
War in the East: 1861-1862
George B. McClellan
 Appointed
to lead the army of the
Potomac – or the Union army in Virginia
 McClellan
was slow– he drilled his men for
half a year
 “Seven Days Battle” – a series of battles
where the Union forces try to capture
Richmond. (June 25 – July 1 1862) victory
for the Confederates!
Second Battle of Bull Run – another
resounding victory for the Confederates &
now Lee decided to enter into enemy soil
 McClellan has a tremendous stroke of luck –
found Lee’s army orders wrapped around a
bunch of cigars
 ANTIETAM – Bloodiest single day in
American history – Casualties totaled more
than 26,000 – happened September 17, 1862
in Maryland – Stalemate – Union victory
because CSA - retreats

Battle of Antietam
“Bloodiest Single Day of the War”
September 17, 1862
23,000 casualties
Proclamation – because
of the Union victory at Antietam –
Lincoln presents to the public his
Emancipation Proclamation (Military
Tactic)
 States – slaves are free in all states that
are in rebellion against the USA(Union)
 What about border states?
 Emancipation
Emancipation in 1863
The Road to Gettysburg: 1863
Road to Gettysburg
 Shortly
after Antietam, Lincoln became
Frustrated with McClellan b/c – he could
have destroyed Lee’s retreating army
but he let them go untouched
 Nov. 7 1862 – McClellan replaced with
Gen. Ambrose Burnside
Fredricksburg
8, 1862 –Burnside ordered a
series of attacks on Lee – located at
Fredericksburg Va. Union suffered
12,000 casualties, twice as many as the
CSA
 Dec.
 Lincoln
replaces Burnside with Gen.
Joseph Hooker
Chancellorsville
Hooker devised a plan to attack Lee’s troops
at Fredericksburg
 He would divide his troops
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Some would stay at Fredericksburg
Others would leave go west and attack Lee’s
troops from the west
May 2, 1863 Lee’s troops attacked Hookers forces
at Chancellorsville
CSA outnumbered 2-1, won and Hooker
surrendered on May 5, 1863
Battle of Gettysburg
Having weakened the Union Forces – Lee
wanted to invade the Union
 Lincoln replaced Hooker with Meade
 Lee moved North – some of his troops forged
into Gettysburg
 When they arrived the CSA ran into Union
troops under the command of John Buford
 1st day – Union troops were pushed out of the
town into hills directly south

Gettysburg
day – Lee attacked but the Union
Held their Ground
 2nd
 Cemetary
Hill
 Cemetary Ridge
 Little Round Top
3rd Day – Lee ordered a massive attack of
15,000 troops under General Pickett and
A.P. Hill – (mile wide line of troops)
7,000 casualties in less than a half hour
Gettysburg
 Less
than 5,000 troops made it up
Gettysburg
 Lee quickly rallied his troops and
ordered a retreat
 Sever blow to both sided
 Union
23,000 casualties
 CSA 28,000 casualties
Gettysburg Casualties
Gettysburg Address
Nov, 1863 – Lincoln came to
Gettysburg to dedicate a portion of the
battlefield as a military cemetery
 He was not the key note speaker –
spoke for 2hrs
 Lincoln spoke for 5 minutes
 In
The War in
the West, 1863:
Vicksburg
Vicksburg Mississippi
 Was
the last stronghold for the
Confederates on the Miss. River
 GRIERSON’S Raid
 Grant Intended to march on the city from
the southern part of Mississippi
 In order to maneuver troops into position
he needed a diversion
 He sent Grierson to take 1700 troops on
a cavalry raid through Mississippi
Vicksburg
 Grierson
went on a two week raid of
Mississippi -- This gave Grant time to set up his
troops and enter Miss from the south
 From this point Grant ordered a march
directly east --- commanding his troops
to live by foraging
Vicksburg
 Grant
marched 180 miles in 17 days
fighting 5 battles and killing 7,200
confederates
 May 1863 – Grant launched to assaults
on the city- both repelled
 Grant decided the only way to take the
city was by seige
 July 4th 1863 the Confederates
surrender
The North Initiates
the Draft, 1863
Recruiting Irish Immigrants in NYC
Recruiting Blacks in NYC
NYC Draft Riots, (July 13-16, 1863)
NYC Draft Riots, (July 13-16, 1863)
A “Pogrom” Against Blacks
Inflation in the South
The Progress of War: 1861-1865
Grant

Grant’s successes in the West make him
General in Chief of the entire Union Army
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Chickamauga
Chatanooga
Wilderness to Cold Harbor
Seige of Petersburg
Farragut and Mobile
The Fall of Atlanta - Sherman
Grant
– Nov 15 1864 – marches to
the sea (Total War)
 Destruction 60 miles wide
 Turned North and headed to South
Carolina
 Did not spare SC
 Thirteenth Amendment
 Sherman
Sherman’s
“March
to the
Sea”
through
Georgia,
1864
1864 Election
Pres. Lincoln (R)
George McClellan (D)
Presidential
Election
Results:
1864
The Final Virginia Campaign:
1864-1865
Surrender
1st 1865 – Union troops cut the last
rail lines into Petersburg
 Lees troops left their positions and fled
west
 Attempt failed – Sheridan’s Calvary
blocked Lee off at Appomattox
 April
Terms of Surrender
 US
would not persecute southern troops
for treason
 Let them take horses to work farms
 Lincoln’s
Assassination
Surrender at Appomattox
April 9, 1865
Casualties on Both Sides
Civil War Casualties
in Comparison to Other Wars
Ford’s Theater (April 14, 1865)
The Assassin
John Wilkes Booth
The Assassination
WANTED~~!!
Now He Belongs to the Ages!
The Execution