The War in the West

1. The War in the West

2. Dorothy Pesci Union Strategy in the West Westerly strategy of the Union

3. Dorothy Pesci Lincoln and Generals • Lincoln was frustrated over the cautious, hesitant General McClellan • Grant grew impatient when he was asked to lead defensive maneuvers • Grant wanted to be on attack

4. Dorothy Pesci Strategy • Western campaign focused on taking control of the Mississippi River • The Union army could attack southern communication and transportation networks • In February 1862, Grant led an assault force into Tennessee • The force took two outposts on key rivers in the west • February 6, he captured Fort Henry on the Tennessee River • Then Fort Donelson on the Cumberland River

6. Dorothy Pesci Battle of Shiloh • When advancing through south Tennessee, Grant paused near Shiloh Church to await the arrival of the Army of the Ohio • April 6, 1862, the rebels sprang on Grant’s camp • This began the Battle of Shiloh, in which the Union army got control of the Mississippi River valley • Both sides gained and lost ground • The Ohio army helped Grant regain land and win • Both armies gave out each with about 10,000 casualties • Both sides claimed victory, but Grant won

7. The Fall of New Orleans When New Orleans fell! Caitlin McCann

8. General Ulysses S. Grant proceeded along the Mississippi • Union navy forced it’s way up river to meet them • The port of New Orleans, the biggest city in the Confederacy, was the first obstacle • Admiral David Farragut, with 18 ships and 700 men, approached the two forts that guarded the gateway to the Mississippi • Knew he couldn’t defeat the forts, decided to race past them • Operation would take place at night Caitlin McCann

9. Wooden ships were wrapped in iron chains to protect them • Mud and trees attached to the ships to make them look like the shoreline • Before dawn, April 24, 1862, the union warships dashed past a barrage of bullets shot from gunboats and confederates on the shore • The fleet slipped past the two forts • New Orleans fell April 29 • Farragut sailed on up the Mississippi to take Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and Natchez, Mississippi • He soon approached Vicksburg, Mississippi Caitlin McCann

10. The Siege of Vicksburg It’s been sieged! Maggie Lyons

11. The Siege of Vicksburg • Vicksburg- impossible to invade • On top of 200 ft. tall cliffs above the Mississippi River • Surrounded by deep gorges on all other sides • Could rain down firepower on anyone who got close • Farragut couldn’t reach the city- General Grant decided to starve them out • The Siege of Vicksburg began May 1863 • Union cut off the city and started to shell it repeatedly • People of Vicksburg turned to eating rats, dogs, horses • Only thing people could do- eat when they could, sleep when they could, and dodge the shells

12. The Surrender of Vicksburg • The soldiers and civilians were sick, hungry, and considering mutiny • Late June- soldiers sent their commander a warning that said if he didn’t feed them or surrender them soon, they would rebel • July 4 Pemberton surrenders • Grant sends food in for the soldiers and civilians immediately, saying “the fate of the Confederacy was sealed when Vicksburg fell.”

13. Struggle for the Far West The Far West is being struggled for! Maggie Lyons

14. Struggle for Land • Early in the war, Union had to stop several Confederate attempts to control land west of Mississippi • August 1861- Union stops Confederate forces in Glorieta Pass (Colorado) and Pichaco Pass (Arizona) • 1861- rebels fell back to NW Arkansas- attacked again in March 1862 with the help of 800 Cherokee • Union won the battle, despite the odds • Confederates continued to attack Missouri and Kansas, causing valuable Union troops to be left there

15. Sources http://my.hrw.com/tabnav/controller.jsp?isbn=0554003015