Troop engagements of the American Civil War, 1861 facts for kids

The following is a list of important battles and events that happened in 1861 during the American Civil War. This was the first year of the war, and many key moments set the stage for the years that followed.

The Start of the War

The American Civil War began on April 12, 1861. Confederate forces, led by General P. G. T. Beauregard, fired on the Union army base at Fort Sumter. This fort was located in the harbor of Charleston, South Carolina. After 34 hours of fighting, the Union soldiers surrendered.

Amazingly, no one was killed during the actual battle. However, the next day, a cannon exploded while Union Major Robert Anderson was firing a salute. This accident killed one soldier and injured five others.

After this, United States President Abraham Lincoln asked states to provide 75,000 volunteers for 90 days to help stop the rebellion in the South. In response, four more states – Virginia, Arkansas, Tennessee, and North Carolina – left the Union and joined the Confederacy. They also promised to send troops to the Confederate army.

Fighting in the East

First Battle of Bull Run, a colorful picture by Kurz & Allison

In the Eastern part of the war, most of the fighting happened in Virginia. The first big action was the Western Virginia campaign, which started in May. Union forces, led by Major General George B. McClellan, moved into western Virginia. They pushed Confederate soldiers out after several small fights. Even though only a few hundred men fought in these battles, newspapers made McClellan a national hero.

Later, McClellan was put in charge of a larger army called the Army of the Potomac. Confederate General Robert E. Lee then tried to remove Union forces from Virginia. But he failed at Cheat Mountain and in the Kanawha Valley. Lee was then moved to other jobs in November.

The other major event in the East was the First Battle of Bull Run on July 17. Union forces, led by Major General Irvin McDowell, attacked the Confederate Army of the Potomac. This army was commanded by Brigadier General P.G.T. Beauregard. At first, the Union army did well. But then, Confederate reinforcements arrived from the Shenandoah Valley. They defeated McDowell's army and forced them to retreat back to Washington, D.C.

McDowell was replaced by McClellan. McClellan renamed his army the Army of the Potomac. For the rest of the year, he focused on training his soldiers and gathering supplies. This happened even though the government wanted him to attack as soon as possible. There were also smaller fights in Virginia. The most important was the Battle of Ball's Bluff. This battle was notable because Colonel Edward Dickinson Baker, a senator from Oregon, was killed. His death made Congress very angry. This led to the creation of the Joint Committee on the Conduct of the War. This committee was used by some politicians to push for their ideas on how the war should be fought.

Fighting in the West

In the Western part of the war, there were many small fights in Kentucky. But there were no major battles. Kentucky tried to stay neutral because people there had mixed feelings about the war. However, Confederate Major General Leonidas Polk sent troops to take over Columbus, Kentucky. He said it was needed to protect the Mississippi River.

The Kentucky government then asked the Union for help to remove the Confederates. After this, both armies set up defenses across the state. Most of Kentucky's government supported the Union. But a pro-Confederate government was formed in Russellville. Both armies then started trying to get more people to join their side.

Along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts, Union forces captured several areas. These areas were used as naval ports for the Union blockade. Examples include Port Royal, South Carolina, and the Outer Banks of North Carolina. On April 19, President Lincoln announced a blockade of all Confederate coastlines and ports. This meant the Union navy had to build many new ships to enforce the blockade. They grew from 42 ships in April to 264 ships by the end of the year.

Fighting Beyond the Mississippi

Battle of Wilson's Creek by Kurz and Allison

In the Trans-Mississippi Theater, most of the fighting happened in Missouri. It was between the pro-Confederate Missouri State Guard, led by Major General Sterling Price, and the Union Department of the West. Union forces, under Brigadier General Nathaniel Lyon, pushed the Missouri State Guard and the pro-Confederate government into the southwestern part of the state. There, they joined with the Confederate Western Army, led by Brigadier General Benjamin McCulloch.

On August 10, at the Battle of Wilson's Creek, Lyon attacked the combined forces of Price and McCulloch. Lyon's forces were defeated, and Lyon himself was killed during the battle. McCulloch went back to Arkansas. Price moved north, trying to take back Missouri from Union control.

Another Confederate attack happened in the New Mexico Territory. A Confederate cavalry group moved into the southwestern part of the territory. They captured Fort Filmore, forcing the Union soldiers there to surrender. A meeting in Mesilla declared the southern part of the territory to be the Confederate Territory of Arizona. They also formed several local soldier groups. These groups fought against both the Union forces still in the territory and the Apache tribes.

Engagements