Major Early Battles of the Civil War

Early Battles: Manassas (Bull Run) After the Confederate victory at Fort Sumter, both sides prepared and waited to see what the other would do. Though they had just lost at Fort Sumter, the Union still believed their superior forces would end the war quickly. At Manassas, Virginia, near Washington, the two forces met for the first pitched battle. Under the command of General Irvin McDowell, the Union attempted to overrun the Confederate troops. Confederates held their ground and launched a very aggressive counterattack. Puzzled the Northern army began to disperse chaotically. Made even more so by civilians that had come to watch the battle and picnic. The Confederate army, also being quite unorganized, did not pursue to the capital. The first battle at Bull Run dispelled any notion that it would be a quick war.

Manassas (continued) Confederates held their ground and launched a very aggressive counterattack. Puzzled the Northern army began to disperse chaotically. Made even more so by civilians that had come to watch the battle and picnic. The Confederate army, also being quite unorganized, did not pursue to the capital. The first battle at Bull Run dispelled any notion that it would be a quick war.

Early Battles: New Orleans and Shiloh In response to the loss at Bull Run, the north began to realize that the best way to defeat the south was to exploit their weaknesses; specifically inability to re-supply and move troops quickly. Under the command of David Farragut, Union forces captured New Orleans. This gave them control of the Mississippi and shut down the river to the Confederates.

Shiloh Forces under the command of Ulysses S. Grant pushed the Confederates out of West Tennessee and Kentucky. Grant then moved them along the Tennessee River to Shiloh, where he forced them out. This gave the Union control of the Mississippi River to Memphis.

Early Battles: Antietam McClellan then developed a strategy to attack Richmond, the Confederate capital, through a route entitled the Peninsular Campaign. In this attempt, McClellan met Lee’s army at the Second Battle of Bull Run and were re routed. McClellan then received a copy of Lee’s orders and found out that an army led by Stonewall Jackson was separated from Lee’s army. Instead of attacking immediately, McClellan stalled, allowing most of Lee’s forces to collect behind Antietam Creek. .

Antietam (continued) On September 17, 1863, McClellan’s forces attacked Lee’s, suffering numerous casualties on both sides. Bloodiest single day engagement of the war. Late in the day, just as the Confederate line was about to break, the rest of Stonewall Jackson’s forces arrived. Still, McClellan might have broken through and conquered the armies that day. Instead, he allowed Lee to retreat to Virginnia. For this squandered opportunity, President Lincoln removed him from his command