Union Strategy

General Scott wants to cut the Confederacy into three parts to win the war; one to the West of the Mississippi River, one in between the Mississippi River and the Appalachian Mountains and one to the East of the Appalachian Mountains. The Union will gain control of the Mississippi River first to cut off Texas, Arkansas and Louisiana from the rest of the war. Then they will to set up a naval blockade with their ships on the Atlantic and Gulf Coast. The Confederacy will be unable to get any supplies or sell cotton to Europe. The Confederacy will grow weak and the Union will grow strong. Then they will attack from the north and the west.

Confederate Strategy

General Lee’s strategy was to go into the north. They would enter Maryland first, because it was one of the slave states in the Union. He thought if he defeated the Union Army there, Maryland would join the Confederacy. They would go to Pennsylvania next, where it would take over Harrisburg, the Capital, destroy the Railroad line, and enable the south to get supplies like shoes for the troops.

The Ironclad Ship Battle

The Confederacy took a sunken Union ship and covered it with 2-inch iron plates and a battering ram and named it the Virginia. This ironclad ship sunk two Union ships. The next day the Union sent it’s own ironclad ship, the Monitor, to fight the Virginia. The battle lasted four hours. Both sides claimed victory but neither ship was sunk. Months later the Union won control of the port and the Confederacy destroyed their own ship so the Union would not get it.

The Battle of Bull Run

The battle of Bull Run is the first battle in the Civil War. It was it located in Manassas, Virginia. 35,000 Union troops marched out to fight 25,000 Confederate troops. The Confederate was losing but then they sent in 2300 fresh soldiers to fight. The Union soldiers began to retreat because they were exhausted.

The Battle of Chancellorsville

General Lee’s army took the Union Army by surprise. They only had half as many troops and won. That was Robert E. Lee’s most brilliant victory.

The Siege of Vicksburg

The union wants to take out the last two strongholds of the confederacy on the Mississippi. They want to take over Vicksburg so it can gain control of all of the Mississippi River and cut the Western states off from the rest of the Confederacy. General Grant surrounded the Vicksburg and cut off supplies to 30,000 troops.

The Battle of Gettysburg

The battle of Gettysburg was a three-day battle. The Confederate’s strategy, on day three, was to make one final attack. General Lee sent 15,000 men, commanded by General Pickett, to advance across an open field towards the Union’s troops. The attack failed, because the union could use their guns to easily fire on an open target.

The Battle of Richmond

Richmond is the capital of Virginia. The Union’s strategy is to take out Richmond, capturing the Confederate’s largest railroad center, the largest manufacturer of guns and their largest iron mill.

The Surrender at Appomattox Court House

On April 9 General Lee surrendered to the Union. General Grant met General Lee at Appomattox Courthouse to go over the terms of the surrender. The Confederates had to turn in their weapons. They were allowed to take their horses and go back home with no punishment.