The Importance Of Battles In The Civil War

The battles that took place in the civil war all had a significant impact on the union and the confederates. Many could justify which battles led up to the civil war, but I believe it to be these. The battle of Fort Sumter, first Battle of Bull Run, and the Battle of Gettysburg were the most important battles that took place in the civil war.
The Battle of Fort Sumter was a confederate assault on union soldiers holding a Fort near Charleston Harbor. Commander of the confederate P.G.T Beauregard demanded at surrender, but Robert Anderson leader of the union refused. On April 12 at 4:30am 500 confederate’s soldiers opened fire on Fort Sumter. Confederates fired for approximately 34 hours against the union. Anderson and his 80 soldiers were outnumbered
The engagement took place in Virginia only twenty-five miles from Washington D.C. Abraham Lincoln appointed Irvin McDowell commander of the union army to push the rebels away from the capital. The union army consisted of 35,000 men who volunteered and this is what concerned McDowell. None had any experience in war and weren’t soldiers to begin with. McDowell saw this as a problem and wanted more days for training. However, Lincoln disregarded it and ordered him to push the confederated away from the capital. Lincoln not only wanted to push the confederates back but to open a way towards Richmond. This way it the war would end quicker and the U.S would be whole again. McDowell and his army moved from Washington and into D.C but nevertheless Beauregard was prepared. Beauregard acquired knowledge that led him to believe where McDowell would be. With that, he arranged for his army to flank the union army slowing them down. McDowell also had plans for the confederate army. His job was to push Beauregard army before Johnston could ally with Beauregard. 10,000 federal soldiers could push back 4,500 rebels but as Beauregard had planned Joseph Johnston army had already arrived. With more reinforcements coming both sides where almost evenly matched. With more reinforcements from Johnston, they could break the union line. The confederates flanked union troops along right and lefts sides making union troops to fall back. Both sides were a disorganized when they fought. Because of the two armies of the confederates led by Joseph and Beauregard some soldiers were confused whose orders to follow. The union Army wasn’t prepared and had little training to begin with. Also, McDowell Plans were too complicated for the union army and would have little success against the rebels. The union army lost hope and retreated to Washington. The outcome of this battle went to