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Major Early Battles
of the Civil War
Early Battles: Manassas (Bull Run)
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After the Confederate victory at
Fort Sumter, both sides prepared
and waited to see what the other
would do.
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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.
Manassas (continued)
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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 resupply and move troops
quickly.
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Under the command of
David Farragut, Union
forces captured New
Orleans.
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This gave them control of
the Mississippi and shut
down the river to the
Confederates.
Shiloh
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Forces under the command
of Ulysses S. Grant pushed
the Confederates out of
West Tennessee and
Kentucky.
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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
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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)
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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