Civil War Battles

Part II

• Union capture of the largest Confederate city• Union Commander: Farragut, Butler• Confederate Commander: Lovell

Capture of New OrleansApril 25 – May 1, 1862

• Most Confederate forces were in northern MS

and western TN.• Many of these troops fought at Shiloh on April 6-

7

• Only 3,000 militia and a few ships were left defending New Orleans

• Two big obstacles for the Union army:• Fort Jackson and Fort St. Phillip

Capture of New OrleansApril 25 – May 1, 1862

• In the middle of the night of April 24, Admiral Farragut

led a fleet of boats and 15,000 soldiers past the forts. The Union sank eight Confederate ships.

At New Orleans, General Lovell pulled his troops out of the city to avoid severe damage & casualties.

Confederates surrendered on April 29

Capture of New OrleansApril 25 – May 1, 1862

• Part of the Peninsula Campaign• Union Commander: McClellan• Confederate Commander: Johnston

Battle of Seven PinesMay 31 – June 1, 1862

• Albert Sydney Johnston was mortally wounded

at the Battle of Shiloh

• Joseph E. Johnston was wounded at the Battle of Seven Pines

• Unrelated

Two Johnstons

• Unsuccessful attempt by McClellan to capture

the Confederate capital of Richmond and end the war

• Started in March 1862 at Fort Monroe

• McClellan’s army moved northwest up the Virginia Peninsula beginning in early April

Peninsula Campaign

• Also known as Fair Oaks

Station

• On May 31, Confederate troops attempted to overwhelm the Union army at the Chickahominy River

• Both sides fought back and forth, each gaining reinforcements

Battle of Seven PinesMay 31 – June 1, 1862

• This battle was tactically inconclusive• The largest battle in the Eastern Theater at that

time

• 11,000 casualties

• This battle marked the end of the Union offensive

Battle of Seven PinesMay 31 – June 1, 1862

• Johnston was wounded at the

Battle of Seven Pines

• Replaced on June 1 by Lee

• Lee knew he had fewer troops, so he planned an offensive campaign

Robert E. Lee

http://www.history.com/topics/american-civil-war/peninsula-campaign/videos

Lee vs. Grant

• Series of 6 major battles over 7 days• Union Commander: McClellan• Confederate Commander: Lee

Seven Days BattlesJune 25 – July 1, 1862

• Near Richmond, VA during Peninsula Campaign• 1) Union attack in Battle of Oak Grove on June 25

• Then Lee began a series of 5 attacks

• 2) June 26 - Beaver Dam Creek

• 3) June 27 - Gaines's Mill• Union forced across the Chickahominy River• Lost Richmond & York Railroads as supply line

Seven Days BattlesJune 25 – July 1, 1862

• 4) June 29 - Savage's Station

• 5) June 30 - Battle of Glendale• Wounded Union generals Meade and Sumner• Wounded Confederate generals Anderson, Pender,

Featherston

• 6) July 1 - Battle of Malvern Hill

• McClellan and the Union army escaped to safety at Harrison’s Landing on the James River• Required 6 weeks of rest and recovery

Seven Days BattlesJune 25 – July 1, 1862

Battle of Glendale