When the South (red) seceeded from the Union, they captured most of the forts on the Charleston Harbor that belonged to the Union. Fort Sumter was one of the forts that remained under federal control, and it was running low on supplies. Lincoln had to decide whether or not to send supply ships- if he did, he could risk war; if he didn't, he would be giving into the rebels and the South would capture the fort.
Lincoln decided to send supply ships to Fort Sumter. The leaders of the Confederacy decided to attack Fort Sumter before the supply ships arrived to prevent the federal government from holding on to it.
On April 12th, 1861 at 4:30 a.m., the Confederates opened-fire on the fort. The Confederates fired for 34 hours, until Major Robert Anderson was forced to surrender Fort Sumter at 2:30 p.m. on April 13, 1861.
No one was killed in this battle, but it was the battle that was the beginning of...
The Union's offensive strategy was based off of the Anaconda Plan. The bad thing about the Anaconda Plan was that it took time, but people in the Union were eager for action and wanted to attack the Confederacy's capital of Richmond, Virginia.
Lincoln ordered an invasion of Virginia in the summer of 1861, but in order to do that, General Irvin McDowell (of the Union) had to beat the Confederate troops in Manassas, Virginia. The Union forces met the Confederate forces , headed by General Pierre Beauregard, on July 21, 1861. A battle was fought near a creek called Bull Run, north of Manassas.
At some point during the battle, an officer on the Confederate side pointed and cried out, "Their is Jackson standing like a stone wall!" (right) This is how the famous Stonewall Jackson got his nickname.
After reinforcements arrived for the Confederates, they equaled the Union and counter-attacked. As they attacked they let out a scream, later known as the "rebel yell". This yell made the Union troops panic, causing them to break ranks and panic.
This battle was a victory for the Confederacy. The South thought that they had won the whole war, but Lincoln called for a real army of 500,000 men to serve in the war for the next three years. The First Battle of Bull Run is known as the first major land battle of the Civil War.
Political Events in 1861
~President Abraham Lincoln was inaugurated on March 4
~ The Civil War began with the Battle of Sumter on April 12
~Lincoln organized an army of 500,000 men to fight
~The Confederate Congress voted to set up the capital in Richmond, Virginia in May
~ The First Battle of Bull Run was on July 21
~ West Virginia separates from Virginia
Economic Events in 1861
~ Rifles started being used in the military
~ Minie balls, a bullet with a hollow base, start being used in the military
~ Ironclads, warships covered in iron, were important and worked better than wooden ships in battle
Social Events in 1861
~ Many citizens join the army and live in harsh living conditions
~ Many casualties happen in battles
