This exhibit examines one of America's bloodiest wars: The Civil War. The four-year-war caused the death of over 600,000 soldiers from the Northern Union and Southern Confederacy. The war broke out after South Carolina seceded from the Union after the election of Republican Abraham Lincoln, an abolitionist from the great state of Illinois. The fed up South banded together, and fought the changing ways of American customs in the early-1860's.
The Northern Union was lead by legends of American history. Abraham Lincoln was at the helm of the country at the time of war, and was also the one who declared war on the Confederacy. He felt obliged to do this after the Confederate forces fired cannons onto the unassuming Union stronghold of Fort Sumter in Charleston, South Carolina on April 12, 1861. The Union felt inspired to defend their grounds and make the Confederate rebels pay for their actions done onto the harmless fort. Various militias were formed from the Northern states. These militiamen, normally men and boys of normal profession, suited up to attack the South. The first confrontation between North and South was at First Bull Run on July 21, 1861 in Prince William County, Virginia. The battle began with a strong offensive by the Union troops, but ultimately lead to the defeat and retreat of Northern troops. This loss was an eye-opener for the defeated Union army, bringing to light the fact that the war will not be won in one day, as well as the fact that beating the Confederate army was going to be no easy task. Lead by General George McClellan, the Union forces lost consecutive battles during the Peninsula Campaign. In September of 1862, however, the Union was victorious in the bloody Battle of Antietam, which saw over 22,000 Union and Confederate lives taken. This victory was followed up with a loss at Chancellorsville, which did, however, lead to the death of the great Stonewall Jackson, the second-in-command to Confederate General Robert E. Lee. The next time the two armies collided was in the fields of Gettysburg in July of 1863. The North slaughtered the helpless South, leading to the loss of a combined 57,000 lives on each side. The Union killed one third of the Confederate officers, leading to a severe handicap in leadership for the South. July also brought on the New York Draft Riots, which were some of the first forms of public distaste about the war effort presented by northern civilians. Many northerners believed they should not be drafted into a position that would almost nearly guarantee death. Lincoln tried to save the waning northern support of the war with his famous Gettysburg Address in November of 1863. In the following year, Union General William Sherman lead a series of successful campaigns in the heart of the South. Sherman lead his troops to burn main southern ports like Atlanta, Chattanooga, Columbia, and Charleston, South Carolina. With victory imminent, Union General Ulysses S. Grant met with Confederate General Robert E. Lee to discuss the terms of the southern surrender at Appomattox Court House in Virginia in April of 1863. This surrender meant the conclusion of the bloodiest war in American history, and a victory for the Union of the North.
The Confederate South, lead by Jefferson Davis, seceded from the Union in 1861 after Republican and moderate abolitionist Abraham Lincoln was elected President in the Election of 1860. The first state to announce its secession was South Carolina. The state of South Carolina held the Union stronghold of Fort Sumter. The Confederates fired a barrage of cannons onto the Fort, causing the Union to declare war on the Confederacy on April 15th, 1861. The South held the wartime advantage of having an insurmountable number of volunteers for the war effort. These passionate volunteers were ready to defend their southern, Democratic beliefs and customs and were willing to die trying. The first armed conflict of the Civil war was held on southern soil, at what southerners referred to as the Battle of Manassas on July 21st, 1861. Handling a strong first wave of Union soldiers, the Union countered and forced the North to retreat. This victory, lead by esteemed Confederate General Robert E. Lee, instilled feelings of overconfidence for the Confederate troops. It also lead them to believe that the war effort would be finished after their major victory. The victory only proved that the war would continue, and more lives on both sides would be lost. The fight waged on, leading to southern victories throughout the Peninsula Campaign. The tides turned in September of 1862 with the bloody Battle of Antietam. The Confederate loss at Antietam was their first of the war. Tragedy struck the Confederate Army months later at the Battle of Chancellorsville in May of 1863. Although the battle was won, the South had to pay a great toll for their victory. That toll was the life of Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson, the second-in-command to General Lee, who was killed by friendly fire. The sobered South had to continue to push on, leading them to the fields of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania in the summer of 1863. The Battle of Gettysburg was a bloody one for both sides, resulting in over 57,000 lives lost. The slaughtering at Gettysburg resulted in the death of one-third of the Confederate officers. With the state of the South in jeopardy, Union forces began campaigning in the deep south. The Union moved through Tennessee, Georgia, and South Carolina being met by only limited prideful militia of the towns that were attacked. These militia were no match for bloodthirsty Union General William Sherman, who burned Atlanta, Chattanooga, Columbia, and Charleston to the ground. The defeated South saw no option but to surrender to the Union. Robert E. Lee, mournful and embarrassed by the stench of defeat, met with Union General Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox Court House in Virginia in late-April, 1863, to announce the Confederate surrender. The southern troops, defeated spiritually, had to make the long trek back to their hometowns to attempt to rebuild what little southern tradition they had left.
The Northern Union was lead by legends of American history. Abraham Lincoln was at the helm of the country at the time of war, and was also the one who declared war on the Confederacy. He felt obliged to do this after the Confederate forces fired cannons onto the unassuming Union stronghold of Fort Sumter in Charleston, South Carolina on April 12, 1861. The Union felt inspired to defend their grounds and make the Confederate rebels pay for their actions done onto the harmless fort. Various militias were formed from the Northern states. These militiamen, normally men and boys of normal profession, suited up to attack the South. The first confrontation between North and South was at First Bull Run on July 21, 1861 in Prince William County, Virginia. The battle began with a strong offensive by the Union troops, but ultimately lead to the defeat and retreat of Northern troops. This loss was an eye-opener for the defeated Union army, bringing to light the fact that the war will not be won in one day, as well as the fact that beating the Confederate army was going to be no easy task. Lead by General George McClellan, the Union forces lost consecutive battles during the Peninsula Campaign. In September of 1862, however, the Union was victorious in the bloody Battle of Antietam, which saw over 22,000 Union and Confederate lives taken. This victory was followed up with a loss at Chancellorsville, which did, however, lead to the death of the great Stonewall Jackson, the second-in-command to Confederate General Robert E. Lee. The next time the two armies collided was in the fields of Gettysburg in July of 1863. The North slaughtered the helpless South, leading to the loss of a combined 57,000 lives on each side. The Union killed one third of the Confederate officers, leading to a severe handicap in leadership for the South. July also brought on the New York Draft Riots, which were some of the first forms of public distaste about the war effort presented by northern civilians. Many northerners believed they should not be drafted into a position that would almost nearly guarantee death. Lincoln tried to save the waning northern support of the war with his famous Gettysburg Address in November of 1863. In the following year, Union General William Sherman lead a series of successful campaigns in the heart of the South. Sherman lead his troops to burn main southern ports like Atlanta, Chattanooga, Columbia, and Charleston, South Carolina. With victory imminent, Union General Ulysses S. Grant met with Confederate General Robert E. Lee to discuss the terms of the southern surrender at Appomattox Court House in Virginia in April of 1863. This surrender meant the conclusion of the bloodiest war in American history, and a victory for the Union of the North.
The Confederate South, lead by Jefferson Davis, seceded from the Union in 1861 after Republican and moderate abolitionist Abraham Lincoln was elected President in the Election of 1860. The first state to announce its secession was South Carolina. The state of South Carolina held the Union stronghold of Fort Sumter. The Confederates fired a barrage of cannons onto the Fort, causing the Union to declare war on the Confederacy on April 15th, 1861. The South held the wartime advantage of having an insurmountable number of volunteers for the war effort. These passionate volunteers were ready to defend their southern, Democratic beliefs and customs and were willing to die trying. The first armed conflict of the Civil war was held on southern soil, at what southerners referred to as the Battle of Manassas on July 21st, 1861. Handling a strong first wave of Union soldiers, the Union countered and forced the North to retreat. This victory, lead by esteemed Confederate General Robert E. Lee, instilled feelings of overconfidence for the Confederate troops. It also lead them to believe that the war effort would be finished after their major victory. The victory only proved that the war would continue, and more lives on both sides would be lost. The fight waged on, leading to southern victories throughout the Peninsula Campaign. The tides turned in September of 1862 with the bloody Battle of Antietam. The Confederate loss at Antietam was their first of the war. Tragedy struck the Confederate Army months later at the Battle of Chancellorsville in May of 1863. Although the battle was won, the South had to pay a great toll for their victory. That toll was the life of Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson, the second-in-command to General Lee, who was killed by friendly fire. The sobered South had to continue to push on, leading them to the fields of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania in the summer of 1863. The Battle of Gettysburg was a bloody one for both sides, resulting in over 57,000 lives lost. The slaughtering at Gettysburg resulted in the death of one-third of the Confederate officers. With the state of the South in jeopardy, Union forces began campaigning in the deep south. The Union moved through Tennessee, Georgia, and South Carolina being met by only limited prideful militia of the towns that were attacked. These militia were no match for bloodthirsty Union General William Sherman, who burned Atlanta, Chattanooga, Columbia, and Charleston to the ground. The defeated South saw no option but to surrender to the Union. Robert E. Lee, mournful and embarrassed by the stench of defeat, met with Union General Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox Court House in Virginia in late-April, 1863, to announce the Confederate surrender. The southern troops, defeated spiritually, had to make the long trek back to their hometowns to attempt to rebuild what little southern tradition they had left.