Troop engagements of the American Civil War, 1863 facts for kids

The year 1863 was a very important time during the American Civil War. In this year, the Union army won some big victories. They captured the Confederate cities of Vicksburg and Port Hudson. This gave the Union full control of the important Mississippi River. Also, after the huge Battle of Gettysburg, the Confederates had to leave the North.

Key Battles of 1863

Battles in the East

In the eastern part of the war, the Union Army of the Potomac was led by Major General Joseph Hooker. They faced the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia, led by General Robert E. Lee.

The Battle of Chancellorsville

Battle of Chancellorsville by Kurz and Allison. It shows Confederate General "Stonewall" Jackson getting wounded.

General Hooker tried a clever plan at the Battle of Chancellorsville. He wanted to move most of his army around Lee's army to attack from behind. But a small Confederate force slowed the Union army down. Then, General Lee sent a surprise attack led by Thomas J. Jackson. This attack happened on May 2 and forced Hooker to retreat by May 6. Sadly, during this battle, Jackson was accidentally shot by his own soldiers and died a few days later.

The Gettysburg Campaign

After Chancellorsville, General Lee reorganized his army. In June, he decided to invade Union land, moving into Pennsylvania. The Union commander, Hooker, was replaced by Major General George Meade. From July 1 to July 3, General Meade successfully stopped Lee's attacks at the Battle of Gettysburg. Both sides had many casualties, but Lee's army had to retreat back to Virginia. Meade followed closely, but he couldn't completely defeat Lee's army.

Later in the year, Lee tried to trap Meade's army during the Bristoe Campaign. But his attack at the Battle of Bristoe Station on October 14 failed. Meade also tried to attack Lee's positions near the Mine Run. However, Lee had built strong defenses, and Meade decided the position was too strong to attack, so he retreated.

Battles in the West

In the western part of the war, the Union launched attacks to gain control of the Mississippi River.

The Vicksburg and Port Hudson Sieges

Siege of Vicksburg by Kurz and Allison.

General Ulysses S. Grant started the Vicksburg campaign in late April. He crossed the Mississippi River and marched inland. He captured Jackson, Mississippi's capital, which cut off the Confederate army in Vicksburg from supplies. After a six-week siege, the Confederates in Vicksburg surrendered on July 4. Just a few days later, on July 9, the Confederates at Port Hudson also surrendered. This meant the Union now controlled the entire Mississippi River! Grant became a hero in the North.

Battles for Chattanooga

In central Tennessee, the Union Army of the Cumberland, led by Major General William S. Rosecrans, moved the Confederate Army of Tennessee, led by General Braxton Bragg, towards Chattanooga, Tennessee. In early September, Rosecrans captured Chattanooga, which was an important rail center for the Confederates.

However, a few weeks later, Bragg's army, reinforced by troops from Virginia, attacked Rosecrans near Chickamauga Creek. Much of the Union army was forced to retreat back to Chattanooga. But the brave resistance of General George H. Thomas's troops stopped the Confederates from chasing them right away. Bragg then surrounded Chattanooga, cutting off almost all supplies to the Union army.

Arguments started among the Confederate leaders. General Grant was put in charge of the Union forces near Chattanooga. His army was strengthened by more troops. From November 23 to 26, Grant launched a series of attacks on Bragg's positions and drove the Confederate army away. Bragg was later replaced as commander.

Battles West of the Mississippi River

C.S. Bayou City captures the USS Harriet Lane during the Battle of Galveston.

In the area west of the Mississippi River, there were mostly smaller battles. On January 1, Confederate forces led by Major General John B. Magruder recaptured the port city of Galveston, Texas. This was the only port city the Confederates managed to take back during the war.

In April, Union Major General Nathaniel P. Banks moved his troops up the Bayou Teche in Louisiana. This was to cut off Confederate supply lines to Port Hudson. For the rest of the summer, Confederate General Richard Taylor tried to cut off Banks' supply lines to New Orleans, but he didn't succeed. In September, Union forces tried to invade eastern Texas. They were defeated at Sabine Pass, losing two gunboats and 350 men, while the Confederates had no casualties.

List of Engagements

Here is a table showing some of the many battles and skirmishes that happened in 1863 during the American Civil War. It lists the date, the battle name, the military units involved, and the number of soldiers lost by each side.