| The American Civil War is the most defining event in | | | | The two sides eventually clashed in on 21 July 1861 |
| American history. The twentieth century, the | | | | at the Battle of Bull Run, the Northerners had the |
| American century was moulded by the carnage and | | | | best of the initial fighting but then stepped up |
| devastation of the Civil War. It marked the end of | | | | Thomas J. Jackson whose Virginians stood like a |
| slavery, the fading of the great Southern aristocratic | | | | Stonewall, forever defining the man. It was the |
| families, the dawning of a new political and economic | | | | turning point of the battle, the rebels were soon |
| order and the beginning of big business and | | | | yelping the Johnny Reb shout, which was to become |
| government. It was the first time that the world | | | | a rallying cry across thousands of battlefields in the |
| witnessed modern war and the monstrous being that | | | | coming years, as the northerners were forced into |
| it is. | | | | retreat. |
| There is a rippling of inevitability about the Civil War, | | | | The Northern armies were in disarray, the |
| the very genesis of the nation is wrapped in the | | | | Confederates never followed them, if they had, that |
| insidious nature of slavery, indeed before the | | | | might have been that. Many within the Union |
| Mayflower landed at Plymouth, Dutch ships had been | | | | considered abandoning the secessionists, leaving them |
| arriving with their horrific cargoes of slaves stolen | | | | to take control of the South, Lincoln refused, calling |
| from Africa. | | | | for the enlistment of a hundred thousand men and |
| History has taught us over and over again that all | | | | placed Henry McClellan in command. McClellan |
| citizens must be treated equally and not ignored like | | | | transformed the rabble into the Army of the |
| the black population was during the American | | | | Potomac, high on confidence and faith. |
| Revolution when everyone was patting themselves | | | | In the spring of 1862, McClellan attacked Virginia, he |
| on the back with the belief that "all men are created | | | | made great advances before being halted by |
| equal". But that doctrine had roots in truth and so it | | | | Johnston at the gates of Richmond, before been |
| blossomed; abolitionists increased greatly in the North | | | | defeated by Lee in the Seven Days Battles. The |
| and slavery was at the base of most inter-regional | | | | Confederacy emboldened by their successive |
| disputes. | | | | successes, invaded the North, Lee leading his forces |
| Simply, there can be no justification for such a | | | | into Maryland. McClellan met him at the Battle of |
| heinous policy and eventually it has to be faced, | | | | Antietam on 17 September 1862, halting Lee's |
| branded what a monster it is, hacked down and done | | | | advance and forcing him to return to Virginia. |
| away for good. Harriet Beecher Stowe published | | | | McClellan was relieved of his post and replaced by |
| Uncle Tom's Cabin in 1852, it sold in the hundreds of | | | | Burnside who was subsequently defeated by General |
| thousands, shocking readers with it's account of the | | | | Lee at the Battle Fredericksburg. General Lee |
| hell that was daily life for their fellow Americans. | | | | appeared invincible humiliating Hooker, Burnside's |
| By the presidential election of 1860, the Democratic | | | | successor at the Battle of Chancellorsville. However, |
| party had splintered over the issue of slavery, the | | | | Hooker was replaced by Meade who defeated Lee |
| Republican Party under Abraham Lincoln romped | | | | at the definitive Battle of Gettysburg, it turned the |
| home to victory. When he was elected, there were | | | | tide in favour of the Union forces. |
| thirty-three States in the Union, but by the time of | | | | In the Western Theater, the Union had been scoring |
| his inauguration there were only twenty-seven | | | | successes against the Confederates under the |
| remaining. | | | | master tactician Ulysses S. Grant, including at the |
| The secessionist States adopted a provisional | | | | Battle of Shiloh and the Battle of Vicksburg. At the |
| constitution for the Confederate States of America | | | | beginning of 1864, Lincoln appointed Grant as |
| and established their temporary capital at | | | | Commander-in-Chief of the Union Army, who thought |
| Montgomery, Alabama. Confederate forces seized | | | | similarly in total war, and believed that only total |
| most of the federal forts within their boundaries. | | | | annihilation of Confederate forces and their economic |
| Ford Sumter in Charleston, South Carolina was one of | | | | base would bring an end to the war. |
| the few that remained in Federal hands and Lincoln | | | | Grant devised a coordinated strategy, outlining plans |
| was determined to hold it. | | | | for his generals to follow, directing Meade and Butler |
| So when Confederate artillery bombarded the fort in | | | | against Lee at Richmond; Sigel to attack the |
| the early hours of 12 April 1861, Lincoln sent out the | | | | Shenandoah Valley; Sherman to capture Atlanta; |
| call for the federal states to raise troops to | | | | Crook and Averell to operate in Virginia. It worked, |
| recapture the captured forts, the Civil War had | | | | Lee although fighting gallantly, found himself |
| begun. The secessionists struck out to capture | | | | back-pedaling, losing conflict after conflict, eventually |
| Washington while the North's forces were still in | | | | realizing that further resistance was futile, he |
| disarray, however the cavalry arrived just in time | | | | surrendered on 9 April 1865. Small pockets of |
| securing the city. There ensued something of a stand | | | | Confederates continued fighting for a number of |
| off between the two rival capitals glaring at one | | | | months but by the close of June 1865 all fighting had |
| another across the lush countryside of Virginia. | | | | ceased and the American Civil War was over. |