1861 - The Beginning
1862 - The Confederacy's Best Year
1863 - The Tide Turns
1864 - The Union in control
1865 - The End
Summary - Military Action by States
The Cost
in Lives
Geography.
"The East" means Virginia east of the mountains, plus the parts of North Carolina,
South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida that are within 50-100 miles of the Atlantic
coast. Thus most of N.C., S.C., and Ga. are not in "the east"!
"The West" means from "the east" to the Mississippi River: most or all of Georgia, Tennessee, Alabama, Kentucky, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, and Mississippi.
Everything across the Mississippi River is not "the west" but "the trans-Mississippi."
1860 - Prelude.
There are 15 slave states, 18 free states. Lincoln, a surprize nominee of the
new Republican Party, is elected president in November. Because he is
personally opposed to slavery and believes secession to be unconstitutional,
the south sees his election as a disaster. South Carolina secedes from
the Union in December.
1861 - The Beginning.
In the first six months ten other states secede: Miss, Fla, Al, Ga, La, Tex,
Va, Ark, NC, Tenn. Four slave states do not secede: Mo, Ky, Md, Del.
Delegates elect Jefferson Davis of Mississippi to be President at Montgomery,
Al, the first Confederate capitol; but soon the capitol is moved to Richmond,
Va. Lincoln's inaugural address in March makes clear that he will not
accept secession and will not give up federal property in the southern states.
April 14. Maj. Robert Anderson surrenders Union forces at Fort Sumter in Charleston Harbor to attacking S.C. forces, which begins the war. No casualties, and Union troops are allowed to leave and go north. Soon there are small battles in western Virginia (Bierce involved), Ky, Mo. The first significant battle is First Bull Run/Manassas, just south of Washington, in July, a clear CSA victory. Soon the USA has captured and reoccupied some forts along the east coast, and imposed a naval blockade of most of the southern coasts.
Jeff Davis's strategy is to make the war expensive enough for the Union
that public and political pressure will force Lincoln to let the Confederacy
go its way. Davis also has high hopes that France, England, other
European nations will support him. He knows very well that the North
is much superior militarily.
Back
1862: The Confederacy's
Best Year.
Feb-Mar. U.S. Grant captures forts Henry (guarding Tenn. River) and Donelson (guarding Cumberland River), gets nickname "unconditional surrender" Grant at Donelson. Nashville, on the Cumberland, is taken 2 weeks later. Grant proceeds down the Tenn. River, planning to go south via Corinth, MS to Mobile, thereby cutting important southern communication and supply lines.
Battle of Shiloh/Pittsburgh Landing, 4/6-7 (Bierce there for 2nd day), 1st big battle of the war. More losses, both sides combined, than the Rev, 1812,and Mexican Wars together (24,000, roughly 1/4 of all participants). Union victory, but Grant removed from command because the CSA attack surprised him at Shiloh. Union plans to go south to Mobile are dropped.
Other Actions. Monitor vs Virginia (Merrimac) naval engagement, March; New Orleans captured 4/25, Memphis captured 6/6. Battles in the east: Stonewall Jackson's stunning Shenandoah Valley campaign, Mar-June (CSA), the 7 Days Battle, June-July (CSA), 2nd Bull Run/Manassas, Aug (CSA), Antietam, Sept (USA), Fredricksburg, Dec (CSA); in the west, Murfreesboro/Stone River (Bierce involved), Dec (USA). In the east, Confederate and Union armies move back and forth between Washington and Richmond, with Confederate forces making the most impressive showing under R. E. Lee; in the west, Union forces definitely have the upper hand, control all the Miss. River except Vicksburg, are pushing Confederates back from Nashville toward Chattanooga.
Jan-June. Lincoln issues Emancipation Proclamation (Jan. 1), puts Grant in charge of Vicksburg Campaign. Chancellorsville, March, Lee's greatest victory, but Stonewall Jackson is killed by "friendly fire." To follow up his success, Lee invades Pennsylvania.
July 4, the turning point. On this day Lee retreats from Gettysburg, and Vicksburg surrenders to Grant; badly needed CSA supplies can no longer be sent east from La and Texas. It's basically all downhill for the CSA from now on.
July-Dec. In the west USA pushes CSA south across Tennessee, into and then out of Chattanooga. Sherman marches across Miss from Vicksburg, then back, leaving a 30 mile wide path of destruction. Then south of Chattanooga CSA wins its last big victory, at Chickamauga in Sept. Gen. George Thomas commanded the only Union forces that didn't go into headlong retreat and thus was called "the Rock of Chickamauga". Grant is put in command of Union forces in Chattanooga, has Sherman bring his army across Miss and Ala (Faulkner country) to Chattanooga. Soon Grant routs the Confederates at Missionary Ridge in Nov. CSA retreats to north Georgia. Bierce is in the middle of both Chickamauga and Missionary Ridge battles.
Winter-Spring. Lincoln calls Grant to DC, makes him commander of all Union armies; Grant makes Sherman commander of all Union forces in the West (March), then (Apr) with superior forces Sherman begins pushing the Confederates from north Ga toward Atlanta. In the east, Grant similarly begins pushing Lee toward Richmond (May).
Spring-Summer. Atlanta campaign by Sherman: battles at Dalton, Resaca, Pickett's Mill, Kennesaw Mtn where Bierce is seriously wounded and goes home. Atlanta captured (Sept), then the Confed army under Hood moves to N. Ala and into Tenn.
Summer-Fall. Grant's Richmond campaign, May-Dec. Battles: The Wilderness (May), Spotsylvania (May), Cold Harbor (June), Petersburg (June). Grant never wins a battle and has twice the losses of Lee, but with greatly superior forces always advances, and finally surrounds nearly all of Richmond and nearby Petersburg.
Fall-Winter. Sherman makes his destructive march from Atlanta to Savannah (Nov-Dec, "the march to the sea") after sending part of his army to Tenn to oppose Hood. Bierce rejoins the Union army in Tenn. Hood moves toward Nashville via Spring Hill and Franklin, where Union forces outsmart him and win a major battle. Then he attacks Nashville and is completely routed, his army essentially destroyed (Nov-Dec). The remnants go toTupelo, Miss.
Jan-Mar. Sherman marches destructively across S.C. and N.C. to Raleigh area, aiming to combine with Grant's army to capture Richmond and Lee's army.
Apr 2. Lee, along with CSA government officials, abandons Richmond, aiming to join up with remaining Confed forces in N.C. But Grant's much larger army forces Lee to move westward instead of south, harassing him along the way. With Grant focusing on Lee's army, most Confederate civilian officials are able to escape capture.
Apr 9. Lee, with food and supplies exhausted, surrenders his Army of Northern Virginia to Grant at Appomatox Courthouse (a village, not an actual courthouse!)
Apr 14, Good Friday.
1) Gen Robt Anderson, at a ceremony at Ft. Sumter, hoists over the ruins
the very same flag that he lowered when he abandoned the Fort on Apr 14 1861.
2) Gen Joe Johnston requests to meet with Sherman near Hillsborough NC,
to arrange terms of surrender of remaining Confederate forces in the east.
3) John Wilkes Booth shoots Lincoln at Ford's Theatre in Washington about
10pm; he dies the next morning. Johnson sworn in as President about 10am.
Apr 26. Johnston's terms of surrender to Sherman in N.C. finalized.
May 4. Gen Richard Taylor surrenders remaining Confederate forces in the west to Gen Edward Canby near Mobile.
May 10. Jefferson Davis, aiming to make his way to the trans-Mississippi and continue resistance there, captured near Irwinville, Ga.
May 26, June 2. Gens Simon Buckner and Kirby Smith surrender remaining Confederate forces in the trans-Mississippi to Gen. Canby, at New Orleans and at Galveston.
Civil War Military
Action. Where it was, in rough order
of states in which more and less action occurred
Virginia. The most, and the most important action by far, mainly between Richmond and Washington. Both sides wanted to protect their capitol city and capture the other's. Some battles: 1st/2nd Manassas/Bull Run (both CSA), Fredricksburg (CSA), Chancellorsville (CSA), Jackson's Valley Campaign (CSA), The Seven Days (CSA), The Wilderness (inconclusive), Spotsylvania (CSA), Cold Harbor (CSA), sieges of Richmond, Petersburg; Lee's surrender at Appomatox Courthouse.
Tennessee. Actions throughout the war. Forts Henry (USA) and Donelson (USA), Shiloh (USA), Memphis (USA), Stone River/Murfreesboro (USA), Chattanooga (USA), Missionary Ridge (USA), Franklin (USA), Nashville (USA), cavalry raids by N.B. Forrest (CSA).
Mississippi. Action throughout the war. Corinth (USA), the long Vicksburg campaign with several major battles (all USA), Sherman's march to Meridian (USA), Brice's Crossroads (CSA); various cavalry raids by N.B. Forrest (CSA).
Georgia (mainly 1864). Great Locomotive Chase ('62), Chickamauga (CSA), Sherman's crucial Atlanta campaign (USA) and march to the sea.
Alabama. Lots of minor action in N. Ala throughout the war, plus battles of Mobile Bay (USA) and Mobile (USA), cavalry raids by N.B. Forrest (CSA).
West Virginia. Minor battles in 1861. "Seceded" from Virginia and accepted into the union 1863. Several significant actions at Harper's Ferry.
Louisiana. Minor and mid-level action through most of the war. New Orleans (USA), Ft. Hudson (USA), Baton Rouge (USA), Red River Campaign (CSA).
Arkansas. Minor and mid-level action throughout the war.
Kentucky. Continual minor action until late in the war. Battles of Mill Springs (USA), Richmond (CSA), Perryville (USA); cavalry raids by J.H. Morgan (CSA).
South Carolina. Federal control and blockade of most coastal areas early in the war. No inland action until Sherman's highly destructive march across the state, spring of 1865.
North Carolina. Federal control and blockade of most coastal areas early in the war. No inland action until spring 1865 when Sherman arrived from S.C. and did some relatively minor damage. Johnston's surrender to Sherman.
Texas. A few minor or mid-level actions along the Gulf Coast, Brownsville to Galveston.
Missouri. A few minor engagements throughout the war.
Florida. One minor unsuccessful Union attempt to invade N. Florida.
Pennsylvania. Nothing significant . . . except Gettysburg!
Maryland. A smallish Confederate force went through western Md, briefly reached the outskirts of Washington, 1864. And the battle of Antietam/Sharpsburg (USA), the bloodiest single day of the war.
Ohio. One brief, unsuccessful Confederate raid by J. H. Morgan's cavalry raiders.
New Mexico Territory. One early attempt by a Confederate force from Texas to go across the Southwest and invade California. It was sent straggling back to Texas by Union garrisons in far western forts.
About 620,000 Americans died in the war, roughly half on the battlefield, and half due to disease, accidents, and the like. This is approximately equal to Americans killed in all other wars combined from the Revolutionary War through the 1991 Persian Gulf War.
The ten costliest battles (killed, wounded, missing, captured):
1) Gettysburg PA, July 1-3 1863: 51,000 of 157,000. Winner: Union
2) Chickamauga GA, Sept 19-20 1863: 35,000 of 124,000. Winner:
Confederacy
3) Chancellorsville VA, May 1-4 1863: 30,000 of 194,000. Winner:
Confederacy.
4) Spotsylvania VA, May 8-19 1864: 27,000 of 133,000. Winner:
Confederacy
5) Antietam/Sharpsburg MD, Sep 17, 1862: 26,000 of 127,000. Winner:
Union.
6) The Wilderness VA, May 5-7 1864: 25,000 of 162,000. Inconclusive.
7) 2nd Manassas/2nd Bull Run VA, Aug 29-30 1862: 25,000 of 124,000.
Winner: Confederacy.
8) Stone River/Murfreesboro TN, Dec 31 1862: 25,000 of 77,000.
Winner: Union.
9) Pittsburgh Landing/Shiloh TN, Apr 6-7 1862: 24,000 of 103,000.
Winner: Union.
10) Fort Donelson TN, Feb 13-16 1862: 19,000 of 48,000. Winner:
Union.
MILITARY ORGANIZATION
USA and CSA armies were both organized in basically the same way
Company: at full strength, about 100 men commanded by a captain.
Battery: an artillery company that (at full strength)
handled four cannons. Each cannon, when traveling, was attached to
a two-wheel wagon (a limber) that carried ammunition. Six horses
pulled a cannon plus limber. A four-wheel wagon (a caisson) carried
more ammunition for each cannon, and six horses pulled each caisson.
So, twelve horses per cannon! But on the road, horses pulling loads
get tired, so there were twelve spare horses per cannon. Thus a full-strength
battery company included about 100 men and 96 horses. Since both
sides depended on volunteers for most of the war, often companies and regiments
never attained "full strength," and as the war progressed many of them
were reduced to much less than full strength.
Regiment: Two or more companies, commanded by a colonel.
A full-strength regiment was somewhere around 1000 men. Sometimes,
especially in the south, regimental colonels were elected by the troops.
Brigade: Two or more regiments, commanded by a brigadier
(brigade) general. Brigadier generals varied enormously in ability
and experience. Sometimes they were political appointees with zero
military experience! When enough volunteers were recruited in a state,
somebody had to be put in charge even if no one was available who was qualified.
So local politicians who wanted a war record to further their political
careers were sometimes appointed as brigadier generals after some lobbying
with officials in Washington or Richmond. Of course experienced "regular
army" brigadier generals held such appointees in low esteem. A few
of them turned out to be very capable military leaders; a few of them had
had prior military service; but most of them didn't.
Division: Two or more brigades, commanded by a major general.
Corps: Two or more divisions, sometimes commanded in CSA
by a lieutenant general. In USA, by a senior major general.
Army: Two or more corps, commanded by a "commanding general"
appointed by the commander in chief (Lincoln or Jeff Davis).
The USA had no lieutenant generals until Lincoln put Grant in charge of all Union armies, early 1864. It took a special act of Congress to make Grant a lieutenant general, because previously only one person had ever held that rank - George Washington.
Both CSA and USA had several hundred generals. Many of them did not command any troops, but served in various headquarters staff positions.
Which of several generals of the same rank was in command when several brigades or divisions fought together depended on seniority. The general who had gotten his promotion first was the commander, even though he may not have had as much experience as some others. Sometimes this led to jealousy and bitter complaints among generals. Of course the commander in chief (Lincoln, or Jeff Davis) could and sometimes did overrule the seniority system.