[Gutenberg 44964] • Battles of the Civil War

In all history of this American Republic, or perhaps any other nation, there was no conflict that was so terrible as our Civil war. Napoleon's efforts to bring into reality his dream of universal empire would not compare with it.

I have endeavored in this book to describe in detail the chief points that were enacted on the most important battlefields of that War. As those who participated in that War are now fast passing away, and the time will soon be here when they will only be remembered by their deeds of valor on these battlefields, I deem it only fit and proper that those in all walks of life should know more of these battles in detail and of those who participated in them. I think you will get this information from this book, as it is written specially with this view. It should specially appeal to teachers and students who can use it in a supplementary way in connection with the study of history of this period.

I now commend this book to you, and trust that it may be the means of giving you more light on this the greatest civil war of all time, and that it may help to lengthen in the minds of the American people their remembrance of those who participated in it.

CONTENTS

First Battle of Bull Run

Battle of Shiloh

Battle of Fair Oaks and Seven Pines

The Seven Days' Battles before Richmond

Battle of Cedar Mountain

Second Battle of Bull Run

Battle of Antietam

Battle of Murfreesboro

Battle of Fredericksburg

Battle of Chancellorsville

Siege of Vicksburg

Battle of Gettysburg

Battle of Chickamauga

Battle of Lookout Mountain and Missionary Ridge

Battle of the Wilderness

Battle of Spottsylvania Court House

Battle of Cold Harbor

Sherman's March to the Sea

Battle of Cloyd Mountain

The Siege and Fall of Petersburg

The Surrender at Appomattox

ILLUSTRATIONS

General Robert E. Lee

General Ulysses S. Grant

John Brown on His Way to the Gallows

Battlefield of First Bull Run

Battle of Antietam

Battle of Gettysburg

Dedicating the National Cemetery at Gettysburg

Battle of Spottsylvania Court-House

FIRST BATTLE OF BULL RUN

At the beginning of July, 1861, the Federals had 30,000 men encamped along the Potomac near the heights of Arlington under the general command of General Winfield Scott, who was a veteran of the war of 1812, as well as the Mexican war, but who was at this time aged and infirm, and remained in Washington, and Brigadier-General Irvin McDowell was in immediate command of the army. Another 20,000 men lay at Martinsburg under General Patterson who like Scott was a veteran of the war of 1812 and of the Mexican war.

At Manassas Junction, about thirty miles from Washington, lay the Confederate army under Brigadier-General Beauregard. General Joseph E. Johnston was in command of 9,000 men in the Shenandoah Valley. Johnston and Beauregard, as well as McDowell, had with Scott and Patterson battled at the gates of Mexico.

General Scott gave orders to McDowell to move against Beauregard and on the 16th day of July the army, with waving banners and lively hopes of victory, and with "On to Richmond" as their battle cry, moved on Manassas. General McDowell brought his army to a halt at Centreville within seven miles of Manassas. Beauregard was apprised of the coming of the Federals. The stream of Bull Run, from which the first great battle of the war derived its name, flowed between the two armies. Patterson failed to detain Johnston in the valley, and General Johnston reached Manassas with his army on the afternoon of the 20th.