Learn about the people, battles, and impact of the Civil War!
Introduction The Battle of Pea Ridge, which took place March 7-8, 1862, is a highly obscure military action in large part because none of the generals became heroes after the war. But its impact on the course of the war was immense. Background On Christmas Day 1861 Major General Henry W. Halleck placed Brigadier General... Continue Reading →
Introduction The Battle of Lookout Mountain, also known as the Battle Above the Clouds, set the stage for the Battle of Missionary Ridge, one of the Union’s greatest victories in the war. Grant's victory exemplifies his strategic brilliance and his corps commanders (Sherman, Thomas, Hooker). Indeed, this was not only the greatest leadership of any... Continue Reading →
Intro General Grant’s strategic military genius has been continually downplayed in modern times, often leading to a lack of comprehension of his astounding military skills. He has especially been branded as a butcher due to his high casualty rate in the 1864 Overland Campaign. Yet his strategic successes at Fort Henry & Donelson, Vicksburg and... Continue Reading →
The Anaconda Plan - Winfield Scott The Anaconda Plan was the strategic plan proposed by General Winfield Scott early in the American Civil War. General Winfield Scott's Anaconda Plan was designed to defeat the Confederate States of America (CSA) through economic measures rather than a land war. The purpose of Scott's plan was to devise an... Continue Reading →
Background - The Confederate Constitution The primary author of the Constitution of the Confederate States of America (CSA) was Robert Barnwell Rhett, an elected representative to the Provisional Confederate States Congress from South Carolina. He chaired a committee of twelve appointed by the Provisional Confederate States Congress in Montgomery Alabama beginning on February 5, 1861.... Continue Reading →
Introduction Did the South have a legal right to secede? Is the United States a unified nation in which the individual states merged their sovereign rights and identities forever, or is it a federation of sovereign states joined together temporarily from which they can withdraw at any time? Whether or not states had the constitutional... Continue Reading →
Intro - Defense of Richmond The defense of Richmond in the Civil War was crucial to the Confederacy. With Grant’s crossing of the James in August 1864 during the fourth year of the Civil War, Lee was forced to defend Richmond, the CSA capital city. Richmond in the Civil War was vulnerable from the east,... Continue Reading →
Introduction - Double and Single Rank Emory Upton infantry tactics were improvised during a charge at Spotsylvania on May 10, 1864 and changed not only the course of the Civil War but also how warfare is conducted. The customary infantry assault of the era used a wide battle line advancing slowly, firing at the enemy... Continue Reading →
The Battle of Antietam is the bloodiest battle in American history. Learn about the events and significance here.
This article analyzes what really happened with John Wilkes Booth's plan to kill President Lincoln? Did he survive and live on? This article answers these questions and much more.
