Before, During and After the American Civil War (Essay Sample)

AMERICAN HISTORY
THE AMERICAN CIVIL WAR 1861-1865
The United States of America for a period of four years were occupied in civil war .The differences between the independent North and the south slave states sparks in conflict after Abraham Lincoln was elected president in I860. The Southern states 11 of them seceded from the Union the Southern States were against the idea of One United American Union. The first gun shot was fired in 1861 after which 600000 soldiers lost their lives and many more were injured this almost led to the collapse of union (History Net.com).
The Battle of Bull Run (First Manassas 1861)
They took some time preparing for war and after three months Fort Sumter that union and Confederate troops met at Battle of Bull Run in Virginia, between Washington, D.C and Richmond. There were massive battles in Fredericksburg, Shiloh, Virginia, Chickamauga and Tennessee. At day end union forces lost the war forcing them to retreat. Meanwhile the loss was a shock to the northerners which lead them to prepare more for battles ahead. To southerners this victory was a sigh of early end to war and proof of unwillingness of northerners to fight (National Military Park Pennsylvania).
The Battle of Shiloh and Antietam
The southerners were shocked too by the northerners at the Battle of Shiloh. In April 1862 union general Ulysses S. Grant attacked Confederate forces at Shiloh, Tennessee a very hard battle. After bloodbath Grant won the battle and to southerners ‘it was a message to engage and prepare for longer war. Lee did not wait to be attacked but rather attack the unions at their own turf. In September 1862 Confederate troops met at the battle of Antietam. There were massive causalities and Lee had to retreat back to Confederate territory (History Net).
The Battle of second Bull Run (Second Manassas)
The war was fought on the same grounds the first one was fought the union army was conquered and had to retreat. After massive union fatalities and a confederate victory, union replaced their general and both armies settled for winter across Rappahannock River from one another (B & N).
The Emancipation proclamation (1863-1864)
After the Union emerged victorious Lincoln issued Emancipation Proclamation, which is freeing all slaves that were captured in Confederate territory. This reduced labor in the Confederate side and there was strongly international public opinion on the union side.
Union victory (1864-1865)
Grant was promoted where he led the army towards Lee’s troops in Virginia (battle of wilderness). Lee responded by an assault to the unions in an area called wilderness, west of Fredericksburg, Virginia. Meanwhile the confederate war strength on its last legs, they lost major captures like Richmond, Petersburg, Fayetteville and Vicksburg. This prompted lee to surrender