Learn about the people, battles, and impact of the Civil War!
Background Following the Battle of Antietam, McClellan failed to pursue the Army of Northern Virginia like President Abraham Lincoln would have liked. In October, following the bloodiest day in American history, Lincoln visited the Army of the Potomac and later had Halleck, general-in-chief, message McClellan to “Cross the Potomac and give battle… Your army must... Continue Reading →
Background The Mississippi River was key to both the North and South during the American Civil War. The Mississippi flowed south to New Orleans, a major port city that farmers would ship their goods to and through. From 1859-60, over 2 million tons of goods were shipped to New Orleans along the Mississippi. This amounted... Continue Reading →
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 →
Intro One June 2, commander-in-chief Ulysses S. Grant spent a rainy day prepping for an attack to be made the following day. It was at dawn on June 3 that 60,000 Union men rushed the Confederate lines at Cold Harbor. This horrific attack would be over by noon as the Federals charged head on into... Continue Reading →
Background George Henry Thomas was born in 1816 to a plantation and slave owning family in Virginia, just hardly out of North Carolina. George’s father died in 1829, leaving Thomas’ uncle to do the fatherly duties in George’s life. Thomas would frequently break the Virginia law making it illegal to teach enslaved peoples to read... Continue Reading →
Background Late in June of 1863, Ulysses S. Grant was completing his attempt to take Vicksburg. Meanwhile, Robert E. Lee was beginning his second invasion of the North and was moving his army into Pennsylvania. While these major moves were being made, William S. Rosecrans began moving his army that had been motionless at Murfreesboro... Continue Reading →
Background Following Braxton Bragg’s invasion of Kentucky that culminated in the Battle of Perryville, Bragg left his army and traveled to Richmond. Here, he met with the president of the Confederacy: Jefferson Davis. Bragg, unsurprisingly, had been criticized by his subordinates for his command decisions during the Perryville Campaign. In response to this, Davis decided... Continue Reading →
Introduction The Battle of Stones River resulted in 13,176 casualties for the Union army under William Rosecrans engaged there. Of those 13,176 casualties, 1,171 were deaths. However, of those over 1,000 deaths, the most dramatic was that of Lieutenant Colonel Julius Peter Garesche on December 31, 1863. Garesche was the Chief-of-Staff of the Army of... Continue Reading →
Introduction Following the smashing defeat of John Pope and his army at Second Bull Run, George B. McClellan was restored to his command of the Army of the Potomac. McClellan’s skills as an organizer and morale booster made him a good fit for the disheartened Union forces, even if he lacked speed and audacity. Meanwhile,... Continue Reading →
Introduction When people think of Asheville, North Carolina today, it is commonly seen as a hippie community in the mountains, known for its art scene, tourist appeal, and the Biltmore Mansion. However, few people have explored the city’s underlying historical connections to the American Civil War and the events that took place there during the... Continue Reading →
