The US Civil War

The US Civil War was a terrible but fascinating time in American History. Here are some important facts concerning the war.

1. It was the bloodiest war in American history. 620,000 people died or 2% of the population.


2. Eleven states withdrew from the Union to form the confederacy. They were:

South Carolina (first to secede), Mississipi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Texas - first round - followed by Virginia, Arkansas, Tennessee and North Carolina.

3. First Battle of the War - Attack on Fort Sumter (April 1861)

4. Strength of the Union forces: 2.1 million. Strength of the Confederacy troops: 1.1 milion.

5. Number of Union dead: 360,000. Number of Confederacy dead: 260,000. On both sides about a third of these deaths were a direct result of KIA (Killed in Action).

6. Key Union Generals: Ulysses S. Grant, William T. Sherman, George Meade, Winfield Scott, Joseph Hooker, George McClellan, John Pope, William Rosecrans and Ambrose Burnside.

7. Length of the War - Almost 4 Years - April 12, 1861 - April 9, 1865.

8. Last battle - Battle of Palmito Ranch was actually fought after the war ended in May 1865.

9. States loyal to the Union: California, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachussets, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont and Wisconsin.

Nevada and West Virginia also joined the Union.

10. Territories on the Union side included: Colorado, Dakota, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mesxico, Utah and Washington.

11. Major Confederate Battle Wins: Chickamauga, Chancellorsville, First Battle of Bull Run (Manassas), Fredericksburg, Second Battle of Bull Run (Virginia).

12. Inconclusive Battles: Spotsylvania, Antietam and Wilderness.

13. Major Union Battle Wins: Gettysburg, Stones River, Shiloh, Vicksburg and Fort Donelson.

14. Three Battles with the biggest number of casulaties: Gettysburg (51,112), Chickamauga (34,624) and Chancellorsville(30,099).

15. State where the most number of battles were fought: Virginia

16. Place where the South surrended (under Robert E. Lee) - Appomattox Courthouse (1865)

17. Key Generals of the Confederacy: Robert E.Lee, Stonewall Jackson, Braxton Bragg. James Longstreet, John Hood, John Pemberton and Pierre Beauregard.

18. At the Battle of Shiloh - more Americans fell than in all previous wars combined.

19. Over 3500 Native Americans fought in the war for the Union. Just less than a third were killed.

20. Disease killed twice as many men as did actually battle wounds.

21. The US Congress issued the first ever paper currency - Greenbacks.

22. African Americans made up 1% of the northern population but supplied 10% of the Union's troops