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Lee is in the dark...let's see how long this lasts.
I have one word: WOW.
April 19th, 1863...the 88th anniversary of Lexington and Concord - the battles which ignited the American Revolution. Symbolic timing.
That's intense!
When the Civil War is over, could we get a ranking of the five bloodiest battles of the war?
Then Pickett probably would be better off.
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If this were real, you'd have made Harry Turtledove jump for joy with all the possibilities :rofl:
Damn it - here I'd hoped that John Reynolds would make it through this war. Still, good to see that Chamberlain and the 20th Maine are still near-indestructible. I'm pretty sure that some artistic license had to be taken for that painting, as I cannot for the life of me see how his horse could have survived three hours of musketry.
I am also unsurprised that Little Mac once more has snatched, if not defeat from the jaws of victory, a pause where action was needed.
I am also unsurprised that Little Mac once more has snatched, if not defeat from the jaws of victory, a pause where action was needed.
Based on the ending of the last update, Little Mac may need that pause.
You must know a lot about warfare of that time period to be able to write such detailed and good battle descriptions. Do you just read a lot of civil war military books? One of the thins I'd like to do better in my AAR is describe the battles better but I know little of ww2 military tactics.
Anyway keep up the awesome work and I hope you get the award for best vicky historybook aar, you deserve it!
Anyway keep up the awesome work and I hope you get the award for best vicky historybook aar, you deserve it!
One, two, and three strikes your out! What is next for the CSA... well, that's to be covered soon. The Civil War is going to take a turn for the worst of man and war until either the Union is preserved, or... the Union is preserved. There's no other option after the staggering losses and reversal of fortune in the East.
Improbable victories, well, it's about time the Union are having a few!Nathan Madien said:
Nathan Madien said:
Symbolic timing indeed!
Never intended that - but since you've pointed it out, I guess Patriotic timing is in my blood - or maybe an outside force made it possible for another to find something like this! Nathan Madien said:That's intense!
Only in homage to Gettysburg!
Nathan Madien said:
There's a good thought. Perhaps. At the very least, I'll have compiled to rough stats/estimates of all the casualties and deaths from the war.
OAM said:
I'm not sure Harry Turtledove would like the fact the Confederates haven't won the war yet, and are now in the process of possibly losing it. Btw, he's got a few good books that I've read - all with CSA victories as the pretext!
(Irony anyone!)c0d5579 said:
Johnny Reynolds is one of my favorite "what if" commanders. What if he was in charge at Gettysburg over Meade, etc. One of the most "unknown" commanders for his good corps ability, but lack of experience at the same time. Well, some Generals have to die.
LOL! I'm sure he didn't have a horse after such a fight either, but everyone likes the dramatic effect of an officer leading on horseback - so romantic in the eyes of war. For Little Mac, he's had better luck in this timeline, but still hasn't been aggressive enough. And when the aggressive Hooker got his chance, no success - one questions Little Mac's true military "genius" when it came to capitalizing on victories, much like the Archduke Charles (ie: Aspern-Essling). And thanks for dropping by!
Nathan Madien said:
The world may never know, and this will certainly be a major point of focus for historians, both revisionists and realists on "why," and "what could have been."
EvilFishtank said:
A lot of study, and a lot of research, and, of course, a lot of prior hand knowledge. For this AAR, I've done a lot of research, not only to try and keep characters true to form, and plot what they would have done in such situations (from politicians, to policies, to generals). It's all for a good cause, plus, I get more knowledge than I knew before!
Abraham Lincoln
Episode Nine, Part IX
Number 16: Abraham Lincoln
Party: Republican
52 years old, from Kentucky
The Clay-Morrow Act
By June, 1863, Treasury Secretary Henry Clay Jr. finalized his bill with the Morrow Railroad Company to build the Transcontinental Railroad. It was a major accomplishment during a year full of war and gave hope to what life could be in American once the war would end, and with the victory at Sharpsburg and Vicksburg, and the Union Army besieging Mobile and landing in North Carolina, the war looked like it was swinging in favor of the Union once and far all.
The Sharpsburg Address
The Sharpsburg Address (historically speaking the Gettysburg Address [1]) was given on June 14, 1863 after the Union victory at the Battle of Sharpsburg or Antietam. Lincoln spoke with John C. Fremont, Henry Clay Jr. Hannibal Hamlin, Charles Sumner, and General George McClellan all attending and speaking before him. The highlight of the speeches was, and shall always be Abraham Lincoln’s powerful address to some 10,000 people who attended to honor the dead and wounded who had given their lives in the defense of this “Holy Union” as Henry Clay Jr. had stated earlier.
“Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.
Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation, so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.
But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate...we can not consecrate...we can not hallow this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us—that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion—that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain—that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom—and that government: of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.”
His words meant much to the worn-torn nation, but his speech, highly publicized by the press was considered to be one of, if not the best speech by any American politician, let alone President.
President Lincoln, delivering his Sharpsburg Address.
The Twilight of the Confederacy
The swift Union victory at Sharpsburg had a domino effect throughout the South. General Rosecrans, once again was made famous for his victory at the Battle of Corinth, Mississippi, was placed as the Second overall commander of the Army of the West when Grant was called to Washington. At the same time, the Union Armies that landed in North Carolina, 60,000 strong, moved south towards South Carolina with the first full-African American regiments.
During the battle of Fort Wagner, the 54th Massachusetts led by Colonel Robert G. Shaw launched an attack against the most important Confederate Fort guarding Charleston from the Union Navy. During the attack, the 54th MA stormed the fort, but were brutally entrenched in hand-to-hand combat against veteran Confederate forces. The battle ended with a Confederate victory, and the death of Colonel Shaw. But the battle led to another 100,000 African-Americans to join the Union Army.
The Battle of Fort Wagner, capturing the heroic moments of the 54th Massachusetts and Colonel Robert Shaw.
All the meanwhile, Joseph E. Johnston was struggling against General Nathaniel P. Banks Red River Army of 80,000 men besieging Mobile while Johnston held with him only 36,789 men defending the city. As the Second Siege of Mobile went into full swing, the last major Confederate Armies capitulated in Texas and Arkansas, a total of 59,000 Confederates were captured with the surrender of North Texas (the Confederate part of the state) and the surrender of Arkansas. The Union Army of Texas then moved south into Mexico to finish off the French and Belgian volunteers fighting for control of Mexico; and in good timing too.
While the Confederacy was stagnating, William T. Sherman was preparing for the final swing against the South. By late August, 1863, he had 160,000 soldiers with him at Vicksburg when he left the city. Destination: the Atlantic Seaboard.
Meanwhile, General Rosecrans defeated Bragg at the Second Battle of Corinth, this defeat led to Bragg being replaced by John Bell Hood from Robert E. Lee’s Army, and General Polk breaking off with his 40,000 men in comparison to Bell’s 42,000 men to defend Alabama and Georgia from Sherman’s giant army leaving Vicksburg.
The Second Battle of Corinth, August 24, 1863. The battle put Rosecrans back on the map after minor scrutiny after his defeat at Fayetteville.
Back in the Virginia, McClellan was still sitting in Staunton after taking the city from Lee. General Grant was called by Lincoln and promoted to General of the Armies and took control of McClellan’s forces while McClellan served as his second-in-command and the Army’s field commander. With Grant moving the Army of the Potomac against Richmond in October of 1863 with 200,000 total men spread out across Virginia, Sherman leaving Vicksburg with 160,000 men, Banks besieging Mobile with 80,000 men, and 60,000 men fighting in the Carolina’s and about 100,000 in Texas and Mexico, the last hope for the Confederacy might just be the forbidden alliance with France, who had 150,000 men fighting in Mexico against an equal but spread out force of Texans and Americans (Union). The final blow to the Confederacy was about to begin.
[1] The Gettysburg Address, which is the "Sharpsburg" Address in this timeline, word for word, was an address delivered in November of 1863 to honor the fallen of the 'greatest' battle of the Civil War.
Episode Nine, Part IX
Number 16: Abraham Lincoln
Party: Republican
52 years old, from Kentucky
The Clay-Morrow Act
By June, 1863, Treasury Secretary Henry Clay Jr. finalized his bill with the Morrow Railroad Company to build the Transcontinental Railroad. It was a major accomplishment during a year full of war and gave hope to what life could be in American once the war would end, and with the victory at Sharpsburg and Vicksburg, and the Union Army besieging Mobile and landing in North Carolina, the war looked like it was swinging in favor of the Union once and far all.
The Sharpsburg Address
The Sharpsburg Address (historically speaking the Gettysburg Address [1]) was given on June 14, 1863 after the Union victory at the Battle of Sharpsburg or Antietam. Lincoln spoke with John C. Fremont, Henry Clay Jr. Hannibal Hamlin, Charles Sumner, and General George McClellan all attending and speaking before him. The highlight of the speeches was, and shall always be Abraham Lincoln’s powerful address to some 10,000 people who attended to honor the dead and wounded who had given their lives in the defense of this “Holy Union” as Henry Clay Jr. had stated earlier.
“Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.
Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation, so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.
But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate...we can not consecrate...we can not hallow this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us—that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion—that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain—that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom—and that government: of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.”
His words meant much to the worn-torn nation, but his speech, highly publicized by the press was considered to be one of, if not the best speech by any American politician, let alone President.
President Lincoln, delivering his Sharpsburg Address.
The Twilight of the Confederacy
The swift Union victory at Sharpsburg had a domino effect throughout the South. General Rosecrans, once again was made famous for his victory at the Battle of Corinth, Mississippi, was placed as the Second overall commander of the Army of the West when Grant was called to Washington. At the same time, the Union Armies that landed in North Carolina, 60,000 strong, moved south towards South Carolina with the first full-African American regiments.
During the battle of Fort Wagner, the 54th Massachusetts led by Colonel Robert G. Shaw launched an attack against the most important Confederate Fort guarding Charleston from the Union Navy. During the attack, the 54th MA stormed the fort, but were brutally entrenched in hand-to-hand combat against veteran Confederate forces. The battle ended with a Confederate victory, and the death of Colonel Shaw. But the battle led to another 100,000 African-Americans to join the Union Army.
The Battle of Fort Wagner, capturing the heroic moments of the 54th Massachusetts and Colonel Robert Shaw.
All the meanwhile, Joseph E. Johnston was struggling against General Nathaniel P. Banks Red River Army of 80,000 men besieging Mobile while Johnston held with him only 36,789 men defending the city. As the Second Siege of Mobile went into full swing, the last major Confederate Armies capitulated in Texas and Arkansas, a total of 59,000 Confederates were captured with the surrender of North Texas (the Confederate part of the state) and the surrender of Arkansas. The Union Army of Texas then moved south into Mexico to finish off the French and Belgian volunteers fighting for control of Mexico; and in good timing too.
While the Confederacy was stagnating, William T. Sherman was preparing for the final swing against the South. By late August, 1863, he had 160,000 soldiers with him at Vicksburg when he left the city. Destination: the Atlantic Seaboard.
Meanwhile, General Rosecrans defeated Bragg at the Second Battle of Corinth, this defeat led to Bragg being replaced by John Bell Hood from Robert E. Lee’s Army, and General Polk breaking off with his 40,000 men in comparison to Bell’s 42,000 men to defend Alabama and Georgia from Sherman’s giant army leaving Vicksburg.
The Second Battle of Corinth, August 24, 1863. The battle put Rosecrans back on the map after minor scrutiny after his defeat at Fayetteville.
Back in the Virginia, McClellan was still sitting in Staunton after taking the city from Lee. General Grant was called by Lincoln and promoted to General of the Armies and took control of McClellan’s forces while McClellan served as his second-in-command and the Army’s field commander. With Grant moving the Army of the Potomac against Richmond in October of 1863 with 200,000 total men spread out across Virginia, Sherman leaving Vicksburg with 160,000 men, Banks besieging Mobile with 80,000 men, and 60,000 men fighting in the Carolina’s and about 100,000 in Texas and Mexico, the last hope for the Confederacy might just be the forbidden alliance with France, who had 150,000 men fighting in Mexico against an equal but spread out force of Texans and Americans (Union). The final blow to the Confederacy was about to begin.
[1] The Gettysburg Address, which is the "Sharpsburg" Address in this timeline, word for word, was an address delivered in November of 1863 to honor the fallen of the 'greatest' battle of the Civil War.
I expect you've played past at this point, but I'd love to see Lincoln's version of Churchill's war memoirs. I suspect he would be more politic than Sir Winston, but there are bound to be a few choice phrases about the Union's early-war leadership.
I'm counting the Union at about 600,000 under arms; how's the naval situation look during the period? That might be the make-or-break point in dealing with a European power: the moat.
I'm counting the Union at about 600,000 under arms; how's the naval situation look during the period? That might be the make-or-break point in dealing with a European power: the moat.
What are the sizes of the armies at this point for both parties and what be their losses?
You should have had Lincoln not have time for another draft of the address, and just used an earlier draft of the speech instead. Also, I would like to know how badly devastated Southern manpower is compared to the real timeline.
It seems that you've managed to turn the war around quite well since the time I've been gone, well done
Sorry for having missed the post last chapter, university life isn't just all hanging out and having fun, unfortunately. Keep up the good work!
Sorry for having missed the post last chapter, university life isn't just all hanging out and having fun, unfortunately. Keep up the good work!
Looks like the Confederacy is in it's death throes now. Just too many Yankees coming at it from all sides. It won't be long now.
Indeed, I have played passed the current point of the AAR. Well, maybe you'll get to see some of Lincoln's war memoirs (speaking of which, for Christmas I got a book of Lincoln's Written Letters (from 1848-1865), which has a lot of personally written letters dealing with the historic civil war. And yes, I think it's safe to say that there would be a lot of choice words dealing with early war leadership.
The naval situation, for the most part, is quiet. Every Confederate seaboard province is tied up with the Union navy, which hasn't seen much actual action outside the Monitor vs. Merrimac. And yes, the Union masses 600,000 men under arms (630 actual), and another 250,000 called up for arms to finish the South.
Enewald said:
The Union has ca. 630,000 current men under arms and the Confederacy has
ca. 300,000 with an unknown amount of possible reserves coming into deployment. As for losses, I couldn't say right now. Stay tune for those numbers once the war is over.
whitesoxfan said:
Well, I've got to some things the same in this timeline, and the Gettysburg Address is just to historic for me to change and or exclude from a revisionist look at American history. As for Southern manpower, it's tough to say. Historically, the South was devastated (just about all eligible Southern White Men served in RL, and I would say that's pretty much the case in this timeline). I would say, there's a heavier toll of the South as they don't have the numbers in this 1863 war year than they did historically.
NACBEAST said:
Thanks! University life must be tough, especially when hitting your major and what not (good luck on that btw). And I thought it was because I was getting old and boring in my work!
Hardraade said:
The Confederacy is about to hit hard times. The slow build up of size in the South (Sherman's Army) and the slow progress in the West since the capture of Vicksburg (once again to build up for the final blow), coupled with an *actual* or *legitimate* victory in the East, the South is going to be walking their final steps soon. And, to be honest, I'm happy (both in-game and writing). Once the war is over, I'm looking forward for Reconstruction and Industrialization and all the future promise that the Gilded Age brings.
Abraham Lincoln
Episode Nine, Part X
Number 16: Abraham Lincoln
Party: Republican
52 years old, from Kentucky
The Overland Campaign
By July of 1863, when Grant took command of all Union forces began his Overland Campaign to wear down Robert E. Lee’s forces. Grant moved his Army of over 200,000 total troops, 110,000 in McClellan’s Army of the Potomac, to finish off the Confederacy. In August of 1863, Grant engaged Lee in the Wilderness Campaign, which ended in a Confederate Tactical Victory, but a Union Strategic victory. Likewise, Grant advanced north and isolated Richard Ewell’s corps and killed, wounded and captured 15,000 Confederates at the Fourth Battle of Staunton. Included in the captured Rebels was Richard Ewell himself.
The climax of the Overland Campaign came during the Battle of Spotsylvania Courthouse from October 14-18, 1863. During the long and drawn out battle, Lee’s Army of 55,000 men halted McClellan’s Army of 100,000 for three days of the battle before Major General Winfield Scott Hancock, newly returned from his wounds from Sharpsburg finally broke through AP Hill’s corps at the last day of battle.
An Episode of the Battle of Spotsylvania, “The Storming of AP Hill’s Corps.”
The Battle of Spotsylvania was very costly for the Union. During the battle, the 17th New York Infantry Regiment of 700 men took 699 casualties (313 killed, 386 wounded). The only survivor was the young flag-boy who was shouted at by the Confederates to turn back when he was the only member of his regiment still marching towards the Confederate lines. Ultimately, the Union took 12,577 casualties while the Confederates lost only 5,717 but the Union still cleared the field.
Likewise, Major General Sedgewick’s Army of Eastern Viriginia (a sub-division of the Potomac) marched into Norfolk and began the long siege of Norfolk, Virginia. Norfolk was defended by 40,000 soldiers of General James Longstreet who was in charge of containing the eastern flanks of Richmond while Lee and Jackson were guarding the north and western edges of the Confederate capital.
The Siege of Norfolk lasted from October 27, 1863, to February 13, 1864 and is considered to be the height of the Overland Campaign. During the long siege, of 100,000 Union soldiers who engaged, 29,327 were listed as casualties. Of the 40,000 Confederates, 11,899 were listed as casualties. Among the Union dead included General Sedgewick himself, who was then replaced by Winfield Scott Hancock as the Union forces closed in on Richmond.
An Episode of the long Siege of Norfolk, sometime in late 1863.
The last major battle of the Overland Campaign was the Battle of Cold Harbor. The Battle of Cold Harbor was held between 150,000 Union soldiers against 57,890 Confederates. This was the last delaying effort by Robert E. Lee, who gave the Confederate Government enough time evacuate Richmond for Raleigh, North Carolina.
The Battle of Cold Harbor, March 19-22, 1864 led to the Confederate Army to suffered 16,711 casualties and the Union lost 26,789 men. After the Battle of Cold Harbor, the Union Army marched into Richmond on April 8, 1864, ending all hopes for the Confederacy to achieve peace.
The long and drawn out Overland Campaign left 91,617 Union casualties, and 56,729 Confederates. Although the Confederates lost fewer men than the Union armies, the Union forces were able to replace their losses, unlike Robert E. Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia. After losing Richmond, Lee moved to Appomattox Court House with Grant in hot pursuit.
Sherman’s March to the Sea
After the Siege of Mobile ended in November 1863, leading to the surrender of 40,000 Confederates to General Nathaniel P. Banks, Sherman defied all odds by continuing his March to sea.
In August of 1863, after General William Rosecrans won his great victory at Corinth, General William T. Sherman left Vicksburg for the last time with an Army of 160,000 men. From August to November, Sherman’s main opponent was John Bell Hood (August-September) before Hood was replaced by Joseph E. Johnston and Leonidas Polk for the rest of the war.
From August to September, Sherman marched across Mississippi and Alabama fighting a series of eight battles with John Bell Hood where he lost 12,781 men to Hood’s 14,867 men. Hood’s aggressive tactics led to his replacement, and from October to November of 1863, Johnston played the defensive card to halt Sherman’s massive juggernaut with only 62,000 total men.
At the Battle of Kennesaw Mountain in November of 1863, General Johnston was forced retreat to Atlanta after 12,000 Confederate casualties, including General Polk who was shot in the chest (rumored) by a Union cannon. After the battle, Rosecrans forces that had been folded into the Army met a high point in leadership problems. So close to Atlanta, Sherman, who was waging “Total War [1]” against the South wanted to press on to Atlanta in the Christmas season, a time usually spent in camps. General Rosecrans wanted to rest, like a traditionalist. This led to Rosecrans resignation and appointment to Ohio.
The Battle of Kennesaw Mountain; November 1863. The battle is the resting place of Lt. General Polk, the highest ranked general to be killed in the war.
After Rosecrans left for Ohio, Sherman pressed on towards Atlanta where he would engage Johnston in December and cause him to retreat from the city. After taking Atlanta, Sherman didn’t even stop for Christmas, he took Savannah by New Year’s Day, and seized Charleston, South Carolina just as Richmond fell.
By the end of Sherman’s infamous March to the Sea, he had captured over 20,000 miles of territory with a force of 210,000 men at it’s height, tracked across six states of the Confederacy, captured 40,000 Confederates, killed and wounded an equal amount, destroyed 5,000 miles of railway tracks, burned down over 2,000 farms and plantations and left Joseph Johnston isolated in Raleigh with 30,000 men. On April 19, 1864, General Joseph Johnston surrendered his army to General Sherman.
An episode of Sherman’s March to the sea, likely this picture is depicting The Burning of Atlanta.
The Floridian Campaign
In February of 1864, the last state needing to see action was Florida. General Banks, after taking Mobile, moved into Florida and began to besiege the only outpost of Confederate soldiers in Jacksonville. The Siege lasted the entire month, but in the end, 20,000 Confederates, the last major army of the Confederacy South of North Carolina (as Johnston hadn’t surrendered yet), surrendered to Banks.
General Banks then moved down and by April, the entire state was under Union control. By May of 1864, the last major opposition army to the Union was the Army of Robert E. Lee in Virginia, and his 41,000 men of rag-tag and veteran soldiers. After three and a half years of bloody civil war, the war was finally coming to a close.
The Siege of Jacksonville, Florida; the last great battle of the war.
[1] Total War is a method of fighting where you destroy every and anything that could be used by the enemy. Examples of Total War or “Scorched Earth” can be seen in Napoleon’s Invasion of Russia (1812) and Operation Barbarossa during WWII (1941).
Episode Nine, Part X
Number 16: Abraham Lincoln
Party: Republican
52 years old, from Kentucky
The Overland Campaign
By July of 1863, when Grant took command of all Union forces began his Overland Campaign to wear down Robert E. Lee’s forces. Grant moved his Army of over 200,000 total troops, 110,000 in McClellan’s Army of the Potomac, to finish off the Confederacy. In August of 1863, Grant engaged Lee in the Wilderness Campaign, which ended in a Confederate Tactical Victory, but a Union Strategic victory. Likewise, Grant advanced north and isolated Richard Ewell’s corps and killed, wounded and captured 15,000 Confederates at the Fourth Battle of Staunton. Included in the captured Rebels was Richard Ewell himself.
The climax of the Overland Campaign came during the Battle of Spotsylvania Courthouse from October 14-18, 1863. During the long and drawn out battle, Lee’s Army of 55,000 men halted McClellan’s Army of 100,000 for three days of the battle before Major General Winfield Scott Hancock, newly returned from his wounds from Sharpsburg finally broke through AP Hill’s corps at the last day of battle.
An Episode of the Battle of Spotsylvania, “The Storming of AP Hill’s Corps.”
The Battle of Spotsylvania was very costly for the Union. During the battle, the 17th New York Infantry Regiment of 700 men took 699 casualties (313 killed, 386 wounded). The only survivor was the young flag-boy who was shouted at by the Confederates to turn back when he was the only member of his regiment still marching towards the Confederate lines. Ultimately, the Union took 12,577 casualties while the Confederates lost only 5,717 but the Union still cleared the field.
Likewise, Major General Sedgewick’s Army of Eastern Viriginia (a sub-division of the Potomac) marched into Norfolk and began the long siege of Norfolk, Virginia. Norfolk was defended by 40,000 soldiers of General James Longstreet who was in charge of containing the eastern flanks of Richmond while Lee and Jackson were guarding the north and western edges of the Confederate capital.
The Siege of Norfolk lasted from October 27, 1863, to February 13, 1864 and is considered to be the height of the Overland Campaign. During the long siege, of 100,000 Union soldiers who engaged, 29,327 were listed as casualties. Of the 40,000 Confederates, 11,899 were listed as casualties. Among the Union dead included General Sedgewick himself, who was then replaced by Winfield Scott Hancock as the Union forces closed in on Richmond.
An Episode of the long Siege of Norfolk, sometime in late 1863.
The last major battle of the Overland Campaign was the Battle of Cold Harbor. The Battle of Cold Harbor was held between 150,000 Union soldiers against 57,890 Confederates. This was the last delaying effort by Robert E. Lee, who gave the Confederate Government enough time evacuate Richmond for Raleigh, North Carolina.
The Battle of Cold Harbor, March 19-22, 1864 led to the Confederate Army to suffered 16,711 casualties and the Union lost 26,789 men. After the Battle of Cold Harbor, the Union Army marched into Richmond on April 8, 1864, ending all hopes for the Confederacy to achieve peace.
The long and drawn out Overland Campaign left 91,617 Union casualties, and 56,729 Confederates. Although the Confederates lost fewer men than the Union armies, the Union forces were able to replace their losses, unlike Robert E. Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia. After losing Richmond, Lee moved to Appomattox Court House with Grant in hot pursuit.
Sherman’s March to the Sea
After the Siege of Mobile ended in November 1863, leading to the surrender of 40,000 Confederates to General Nathaniel P. Banks, Sherman defied all odds by continuing his March to sea.
In August of 1863, after General William Rosecrans won his great victory at Corinth, General William T. Sherman left Vicksburg for the last time with an Army of 160,000 men. From August to November, Sherman’s main opponent was John Bell Hood (August-September) before Hood was replaced by Joseph E. Johnston and Leonidas Polk for the rest of the war.
From August to September, Sherman marched across Mississippi and Alabama fighting a series of eight battles with John Bell Hood where he lost 12,781 men to Hood’s 14,867 men. Hood’s aggressive tactics led to his replacement, and from October to November of 1863, Johnston played the defensive card to halt Sherman’s massive juggernaut with only 62,000 total men.
At the Battle of Kennesaw Mountain in November of 1863, General Johnston was forced retreat to Atlanta after 12,000 Confederate casualties, including General Polk who was shot in the chest (rumored) by a Union cannon. After the battle, Rosecrans forces that had been folded into the Army met a high point in leadership problems. So close to Atlanta, Sherman, who was waging “Total War [1]” against the South wanted to press on to Atlanta in the Christmas season, a time usually spent in camps. General Rosecrans wanted to rest, like a traditionalist. This led to Rosecrans resignation and appointment to Ohio.
The Battle of Kennesaw Mountain; November 1863. The battle is the resting place of Lt. General Polk, the highest ranked general to be killed in the war.
After Rosecrans left for Ohio, Sherman pressed on towards Atlanta where he would engage Johnston in December and cause him to retreat from the city. After taking Atlanta, Sherman didn’t even stop for Christmas, he took Savannah by New Year’s Day, and seized Charleston, South Carolina just as Richmond fell.
By the end of Sherman’s infamous March to the Sea, he had captured over 20,000 miles of territory with a force of 210,000 men at it’s height, tracked across six states of the Confederacy, captured 40,000 Confederates, killed and wounded an equal amount, destroyed 5,000 miles of railway tracks, burned down over 2,000 farms and plantations and left Joseph Johnston isolated in Raleigh with 30,000 men. On April 19, 1864, General Joseph Johnston surrendered his army to General Sherman.
An episode of Sherman’s March to the sea, likely this picture is depicting The Burning of Atlanta.
The Floridian Campaign
In February of 1864, the last state needing to see action was Florida. General Banks, after taking Mobile, moved into Florida and began to besiege the only outpost of Confederate soldiers in Jacksonville. The Siege lasted the entire month, but in the end, 20,000 Confederates, the last major army of the Confederacy South of North Carolina (as Johnston hadn’t surrendered yet), surrendered to Banks.
General Banks then moved down and by April, the entire state was under Union control. By May of 1864, the last major opposition army to the Union was the Army of Robert E. Lee in Virginia, and his 41,000 men of rag-tag and veteran soldiers. After three and a half years of bloody civil war, the war was finally coming to a close.
The Siege of Jacksonville, Florida; the last great battle of the war.
[1] Total War is a method of fighting where you destroy every and anything that could be used by the enemy. Examples of Total War or “Scorched Earth” can be seen in Napoleon’s Invasion of Russia (1812) and Operation Barbarossa during WWII (1941).
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Wow, that update shocked me! I knew the CSA was screwed, but Jacksonville was there Yorktown!
Hehehehe... what do you know... you could be finishing the Civil War an entire year early! Imagine how good that'd be for Lincoln's re-election bid! He'd probably blow out the entire electoral college if he managed to win the Civil War before then!
Also gotta say, told ya Grant in the East would be a big help. And Sherman's March goes off as well as the original march did... now, looks like all that's left to do is get the Confederates to realize that their collective asses are toast with the capture of Charleston and Richmond.
Also gotta say, told ya Grant in the East would be a big help. And Sherman's March goes off as well as the original march did... now, looks like all that's left to do is get the Confederates to realize that their collective asses are toast with the capture of Charleston and Richmond.
Yep, that pretty much wraps things up. Lee isn't going to throw away 41,000 lives in some futile gesture.
While surprised by the speed of the endgame, I'm also surprised by the seemingly reckless nature of the Union. They seem to not really care how many they lose.
Hmm, freeing south with fire?
Ah well, so you really made a very traditional civil war in the game?
Or close to a historical one.
Ah well, so you really made a very traditional civil war in the game?
Or close to a historical one.