Western theater of the American Civil War facts for kids

The Western Theater of the American Civil War was a huge area where many important battles happened. It covered states like Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Mississippi, Kentucky, and Tennessee. It also included parts of Louisiana east of the Mississippi River. This area was super important because Union armies could use its big rivers, like the Mississippi and Tennessee, to go deep into the South.

The Confederacy had a tough time defending this vast region. Their railroads mostly ran north-south, making it hard to move troops and supplies east-west. This gave the Union a big advantage.

Union efforts started in September 1861, trying to keep Kentucky on their side. General Ulysses S. Grant and his Army of the Tennessee quickly won battles in Kentucky and western Tennessee. They captured important forts like Fort Henry and Fort Donelson. Grant's troops also won the Battle of Shiloh and later captured Vicksburg, a key city on the Mississippi River. Meanwhile, the Army of the Ohio stopped a Confederate invasion of Kentucky and took control of much of Tennessee.

Even though the Western Theater was very important, it often gets less attention than the Eastern Theater. This is because the Eastern battles were closer to the capitals and bigger cities. However, many historians believe the West was where the Union truly won the war. Union forces here steadily pushed back the Confederates, leading to their final surrender.

What Was the Western Theater?

Western Theater map from The Photographic History of the Civil War

The Western Theater was a large part of the United States. It was east of the Mississippi River and west of the Appalachian Mountains. As the war went on, it grew to include Union army movements into Georgia and the the Carolinas.

Many people think this was the most important area of the war. Capturing the Mississippi River was a main goal for the Union. This would split the Confederacy in two. Union generals in the West often did better than their Confederate opponents. The Union kept winning battles, with only a few exceptions.

Despite these victories, the Western Theater got less attention. This was because the big newspapers and famous generals like Robert E. Lee were mostly in the East.

Key Leaders in the Western Theater

Early Battles (1861-1862)

From Belmont (November 1861) to Shiloh (April 1862)

At the start of the war, Missouri and Kentucky were key states. Losing either would hurt the Union badly. Missouri stayed with the Union thanks to Captain Nathaniel Lyon. Kentucky tried to stay neutral, but both sides quickly moved in.

Confederate General Albert Sidney Johnston was in charge of a large area. He had fewer soldiers but could move them quickly. On the Union side, there was no single leader at first. This made it hard to plan attacks.

In January 1862, Union General Ulysses S. Grant got permission to attack Fort Henry in Tennessee.

Rivers Become Battlegrounds (February-June 1862)

Grant moved fast. On February 2, his troops went up the Tennessee River towards Fort Henry. The fort was in a bad spot and easily captured. This opened the Tennessee River for Union forces.

Next, Grant attacked Fort Donelson on the Cumberland River. This fort was stronger. After some fighting, Confederate General Simon B. Buckner surrendered to Grant. Grant demanded "unconditional surrender," which meant no special terms. These victories were the first big Union wins. They opened two major rivers for invading Tennessee.

Confederate General Johnston's defenses were broken. Union forces now controlled key supply lines. On April 6, the Confederates surprised Grant's army at the Battle of Shiloh. The Confederates pushed Grant back, but couldn't defeat him. Johnston was killed in this battle. The next day, Grant got more troops and pushed the Confederates back. This battle had huge losses for both sides.

The Union also started taking control of the Mississippi River. On April 7, Union forces captured Island Number 10. On April 28, Admiral David Farragut captured New Orleans, the South's biggest city and port.

Union General Henry Halleck then slowly moved his large army towards Corinth, Mississippi. The Confederates left Corinth without a fight on May 29. Grant was put back in charge of his field army. Halleck then went to Washington to become the main general for all Union armies.

Kentucky, Tennessee, and Mississippi (1862-1863)

From Corinth (May 1862) to Perryville (October 1862)

After Corinth, Confederate General Braxton Bragg took command of the Army of Tennessee. He decided to invade Kentucky. He hoped to cut off Union General Don Carlos Buell's supplies.

Another Confederate general, Edmund Kirby Smith, also invaded Kentucky. He won a big victory at the Battle of Richmond (Kentucky). Bragg and Smith tried to combine their forces, but couldn't.

On October 8, fighting broke out at Perryville. Bragg's army had some success against part of Buell's army. But Bragg realized he was facing Buell's entire army and retreated. This ended the Confederate invasion of Kentucky.

Meanwhile, in northern Mississippi, Confederate forces tried to stop Grant from helping Buell. Union General William S. Rosecrans won a small victory at the Battle of Iuka on September 19. Then, in the Second Battle of Corinth (October 3-4), the Confederates attacked Union troops but were pushed back with heavy losses.

In October, Rosecrans replaced Buell as Union commander. He renamed his army the Army of the Cumberland. After Christmas, Rosecrans attacked Bragg at Murfreesboro, Tennessee. In the Battle of Stones River, Bragg surprised Rosecrans on December 31. But on January 2, 1863, Bragg's attacks failed, and he retreated. This battle was very bloody. Bragg's threat to Kentucky was over, and the Union now controlled Middle Tennessee.

Vicksburg Campaigns (1862-1863)

Abraham Lincoln believed that capturing Vicksburg, Mississippi, was key to winning the war. Vicksburg and Port Hudson were the last Confederate strongholds on the Mississippi River. Vicksburg was on high cliffs, making it very hard to attack by water.

General Grant planned to move south from Memphis. Another Union general, Nathaniel P. Banks, would move north from Baton Rouge.

First Try at Vicksburg

Grant's first attempt involved two parts. General William T. Sherman sailed down the Mississippi with his troops. Grant marched through Mississippi by railroad. But Confederate cavalry cut Grant's supply lines, forcing him to turn back. Sherman attacked Vicksburg from the north but was pushed back.

Grant then tried several other ways to reach Vicksburg by moving through rivers and canals. All of these attempts failed.

Second Try at Vicksburg

Grant's operations against Vicksburg

Grant's second attempt, in spring 1863, was a big success. He moved his army down the west bank of the Mississippi. On April 16, Union Navy ships managed to sneak past Vicksburg's guns. They ferried Grant's army across the river south of the city.

Grant used clever tricks to hide his plans. He sent Sherman on a fake attack north of Vicksburg. He also sent Colonel Benjamin Grierson on a daring cavalry raid through Mississippi. This raid drew away many Confederate forces.

Grant faced two Confederate armies: the Vicksburg defenders and forces in Jackson. Instead of attacking Vicksburg directly, Grant moved northeast towards Jackson. He wanted to cut off the supply lines between the two Confederate armies.

Sherman's troops captured Jackson on May 14. Then, the whole Union army turned west to face the Vicksburg defenders. The main battle was at Champion Hill. After this, the Confederates retreated into Vicksburg. Grant's army then began the Siege of Vicksburg.

The people and soldiers in Vicksburg suffered greatly from shelling and hunger. They hoped for help, but it never came. On July 4, the Confederate commander surrendered Vicksburg to Grant. This was a huge turning point in the war. By July 8, the entire Mississippi River was in Union hands, splitting the Confederacy in two.

Tullahoma, Chickamauga, and Chattanooga (1863)

From Vicksburg (December 1862 – July 1863) to Chickamauga (September 1863)

After the Battle of Stones River, Union General Rosecrans stayed in Murfreesboro for months. Confederate General Bragg rested in Tullahoma, defending the city of Chattanooga. In June, Rosecrans finally advanced against Bragg in the Tullahoma Campaign. He used clever moves to force Bragg out of Middle Tennessee without much fighting.

Tullahoma Campaign

Rosecrans then planned to force Bragg out of Chattanooga. He crossed the Tennessee River and moved south to cut Bragg's supply lines. Bragg got reinforcements, including troops from General Robert E. Lee's army. Bragg set a trap in the mountains of northwestern Georgia.

The Battle of Chickamauga began on September 19-20, 1863. Bragg attacked Rosecrans's army. A mistake in the Union lines allowed a big gap to open. Confederate troops poured through, causing the Union army to retreat. If not for General George H. Thomas ("The Rock of Chickamauga"), the Union army would have been completely destroyed. Rosecrans retreated to Chattanooga, and Bragg surrounded the city.

Grant, now in charge of all Western armies, came to Chattanooga. He replaced Rosecrans with Thomas. Grant quickly opened a new supply line to the city. More Union troops arrived, including those from Sherman and Joseph Hooker. Bragg, however, sent some of his troops away to fight another Union force.

The Battles for Chattanooga began on November 24, 1863. Hooker captured Lookout Mountain. The next day, Grant planned to attack Bragg's position on Missionary Ridge. Sherman's attack struggled, so Grant ordered Thomas to make a small attack. But Thomas's troops charged up the ridge, broke the Confederate line, and won the battle. Chattanooga was saved. This opened a path for the Union to invade Atlanta. Bragg was replaced by General Joseph E. Johnston.

Atlanta Campaign (1864)

Map of the Atlanta Campaign

In March 1864, Grant became the main general for all Union armies. Sherman took over Grant's command in the West. Grant planned for Union armies to attack all across the Confederacy at the same time. Sherman's Atlanta Campaign was a huge success.

Sherman's army was much larger than Confederate General Joseph E. Johnston's army. The campaign began in May 1864. Sherman pushed Johnston's army southeast through the mountains. Sherman usually avoided direct attacks. Instead, he would march around Johnston's defenses, forcing Johnston to retreat to a new position. The Battle of Kennesaw Mountain was an exception, where Sherman attacked directly and lost many men.

Confederate President Jefferson Davis was unhappy with Johnston's constant retreating. He replaced Johnston with the more aggressive General John Bell Hood. Hood repeatedly tried to attack parts of Sherman's army, but each attack failed with heavy losses for the Confederates. Sherman eventually cut Hood's supply lines. Knowing he was trapped, Hood left Atlanta on September 1, burning military supplies.

At the same time, Admiral David Farragut won the important naval Battle of Mobile Bay on August 24. He captured the Confederate fleet defending Mobile. This closed the last major Confederate seaport on the Gulf Coast. The capture of Atlanta and Mobile Bay greatly boosted morale in the North and helped Abraham Lincoln get re-elected.

Franklin-Nashville Campaign (1864)

Franklin-Nashville Campaign

After Atlanta, Sherman prepared to march east. Hood, the new Confederate commander, decided to attack Sherman's supply lines by moving north into Tennessee. Sherman thought this was a bad idea for Hood. He left General George H. Thomas in Nashville to defend against Hood. Sherman then took most of his army and marched towards Savannah, Georgia.

Hood hoped to defeat Union General John M. Schofield before he could join Thomas. At the Battle of Spring Hill (November 29, 1864), Union troops managed to escape Hood's trap. The next day, at the Battle of Franklin, Hood launched many direct attacks against strong Union defenses. The Confederates suffered huge losses, especially among their officers. This battle severely weakened Hood's army.

Schofield retreated to Nashville. Hood followed and dug in south of the city. After two weeks, Thomas launched a massive attack at the Battle of Nashville (December 15-16). Thomas's overwhelming assault crushed Hood's army. Hood and his remaining soldiers retreated, never to recover as a fighting force. Many Confederates deserted, realizing the war was nearly over. Hood was removed from command.

Sherman's March to the Sea (1864)

Sherman's March to the Sea

Sherman's march from Atlanta to Savannah is known as the March to the Sea. Sherman and Grant believed the war would end only if the Confederacy's ability to fight was completely broken. Sherman ordered his troops to destroy crops, kill livestock, and ruin civilian buildings along their path. This was a strategy of "total war."

Sherman's army left Atlanta on November 15, 1864. They marched in two columns, causing widespread destruction. Most of the resistance came from Georgia militia. On December 17, Sherman reached Savannah. The Confederate defenders left the city, and Sherman entered on December 22. He famously telegraphed President Lincoln, "I beg to present you as a Christmas gift the City of Savannah ...."

Carolinas Campaign and Surrender (1865)

Carolinas Campaign

After Savannah, Grant wanted Sherman to bring his army to Virginia. But Sherman convinced Grant that he should march north through the Carolinas instead. He wanted to destroy military targets there, especially in South Carolina, the first state to leave the Union.

Sherman's plan was to reach Goldsboro, North Carolina, by March 15, 1865. He would then meet up with other Union forces. He marched his armies in different directions to confuse the Confederates. His main target was Columbia, the state capital. He faced the smaller Confederate Army of Tennessee, again led by General Joseph E. Johnston.

On February 17, Columbia surrendered to Sherman. Fires broke out, destroying much of the city. The cause of the fires is still debated today. On the same day, the Confederates left Charleston. The last important Confederate seaport, Wilmington, surrendered on February 22.

Confederate President Jefferson Davis put Johnston back in command of all Confederate forces in the Carolinas. Johnston gathered his troops and attacked at the Battle of Bentonville (March 19-21). He tried to defeat one part of Sherman's army before it could join the rest. The initial Confederate attack was strong, but the Union forces held on until more troops arrived. Johnston then retreated to Raleigh.

On April 11, Johnston learned that General Robert E. Lee had surrendered at Appomattox Court House. Johnston then asked Sherman for surrender terms. On April 18, Johnston signed a truce with Sherman. After some confusion about the terms, Johnston formally surrendered his army on April 26. This included all Confederate forces in the Carolinas, Georgia, and Florida.

Final Operations (1865)

After the victory in Nashville, Union General Thomas sent General James H. Wilson to destroy the last factories in Alabama and Georgia. He also sent General Edward Canby to capture Mobile.

Wilson's cavalry attacked central Alabama in late March. He aimed to destroy Confederate industries in places like Selma. The only force left to stop him was General Nathan Bedford Forrest's cavalry. Wilson captured Elyton (now Birmingham) on March 29. On April 2, Selma was captured after a battle, which was Forrest's last defeat. Wilson continued into Georgia.

Canby's forces landed near Mobile Bay in mid-March. They attacked Spanish Fort and Fort Blakely. On April 8, Union forces heavily shelled Spanish Fort and captured part of it. The Confederate defenders escaped. The next day, Fort Blakely was captured, and most of its defenders were taken prisoner. These battles forced the Confederates to leave Mobile.

When he heard about Lee's and Johnston's surrenders, Confederate General Richard Taylor surrendered his forces to Canby on May 4. Forrest formally surrendered his troops on May 9. On May 20, Wilson's cavalry took control of Tallahassee, Florida, the last Confederate state capital east of the Mississippi to be captured. This completed the Western Theater operations. A part of Wilson's cavalry also captured Confederate President Jefferson Davis on May 10 in Georgia.

Major Land Battles in the West

These were the costliest land battles in the Western Theater, based on the number of soldiers killed, wounded, captured, or missing:

Battle	State	Date			Union	Confederacy			Total
			Strength		Commander		Casualties
Siege of Vicksburg	Mississippi	May 18–July 4, 1863	77,000	33,000	Ulysses S. Grant	John C. Pemberton	4,835	32,697	37,532
Battle of Chickamauga	Georgia	September 19–20, 1863	60,000	65,000	William S. Rosecrans	Braxton Bragg	16,170	18,454	34,624
Battle of Stones River	Tennessee	December 31, 1862 – January 2, 1863	41,400	35,000	William S. Rosecrans	Braxton Bragg	12,906	11,739	24,645
Battle of Shiloh	Tennessee	April 6–7, 1862	63,000	44,699	Ulysses S. Grant	Albert Sidney Johnston	13,047	10,699	23,746
Siege of Port Hudson	Louisiana	May 22 – July 9, 1863	35,000	7,500	Nathaniel P. Banks	Franklin Gardner	10,000	7,500	17,500
Battle of Missionary Ridge	Tennessee	November 25, 1863	56,359	44,010	Ulysses S. Grant	Braxton Bragg	5,824	6,667	12,491
Battle of Atlanta	Georgia	July 22, 1864	34,863	40,438	William T. Sherman	John Bell Hood	3,641	8,499	12,140
Battle of Nashville	Tennessee	December 15–16, 1864	55,000	30,000	George H. Thomas	John Bell Hood	3,061	6,000	9,061
Battle of Franklin	Tennessee	November 30, 1864	27,000	27,000	John M. Schofield	John Bell Hood	2,326	6,252	8,578
Battle of Perryville	Kentucky	October 8, 1862	22,000	16,000	Don Carlos Buell	Braxton Bragg	4,276	3,401	7,677
2nd Battle of Corinth	Mississippi	October 3–4, 1862	23,000	22,000	William S. Rosecrans	Earl Van Dorn	2,520	4,233	6,753
Battle of Peachtree Creek	Georgia	July 20, 1864	21,655	20,250	George H. Thomas	John Bell Hood	1,710	4,796	6,506
Battle of Champion Hill	Mississippi	May 16, 1863	32,000	22,000	Ulysses S. Grant	John C. Pemberton	2,457	3,840	6,297
Battle of Richmond, Kentucky	Kentucky	August 29–30, 1862	6,500	6,850	William "Bull" Nelson	Edmund K. Smith	5,353	451	5,804

Images for kids

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  Western Theater Overview (1861–1865)      Confederate      Union