How the Civil War Began and Ended

A resident of Jacksonville, Mississippi, Jon Daniel “Dan” Fasano served in the United States Marines for 10 years. In 2006, he went on to work in furniture design. Jon Dan Fasano is interested in Civil War history, and how the war, and its impact on society, will be remembered for generations to come.

The American Civil War raged on for four years from April 12, 1861, to April 9, 1865, when seven southern states succeeded to form their own confederate nation. While there is no official reason for why the war started, historians agree it comes down to those for and against slavery. The first official battle of the war happened when troops at Fort Sumter, South Carolina, were bombarded by their enemies. The South Carolina militia, a pre-confederate army, attacked the US Army with artillery, and while the Army did fire back with their weapons, they ultimately surrendered their position.

While the war may have been declared over on April 9, when Robert E. Lee surrendered to Ulysses S. Grant, the final battle was not fought until more than a month later. With the war officially over, many Confederate forces had surrendered, but it was not the same across the country. In Texas, there were still forces from both sides fighting it out near the southern tip of the state. The final battle, at Palmito Ranch, lasted less than two days and included less than 500 troops on either side.

The Northern Strategy That Finally Won the Civil War

Joe Daniel “Dan” Fasano serves as a product designer for a gift importer in Jackson, Mississippi. As a member of the U.S. Marine Corps Special Operations forces, Joe Dan Fasano has an avid interest in military history, especially the Civil War (1861-65).

The Civil War’s early years brought scant reward to the Union. The North had won only one state (Tennessee) and a few smaller areas. President Lincoln’s chances for reelection were doubtful.

Three things hindered the North. First of all, advances in weaponry and fortifications greatly favored the defense. Secondly, the Southern rail net allowed it to move troops quickly to trouble spots. Finally, armies of that era needed massive amounts of food and ammunition, and faced with longer supply lines, Northern generals had to divert troops to protect those links. Even so, Union General Ulysses S. Grant and Lincoln managed to create a plan that coordinated military, economic, and diplomatic initiatives.

Grant devised a two-pronged attack. His own army concentrated on defeating General Robert E. Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia. To his subordinate, General William Sherman, he gave the task of capturing the key city of Atlanta and eroding civilian morale by destroying infrastructure.

The North had blocked access to Southern seaports for the entire war. As a result, upper-class Southerners had trouble importing luxury goods, which impacted political support. The blockade also crippled the banking system that financed the war.

Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation shifted the moral high ground to the North. In addition to convincing freed slaves to join the fight, it let Northern diplomats paint Southerners as defenders of slavery, offending many Europeans.

Although 1864’s campaigns came at a high price, Grant’s strategy ended Confederate hopes of victory. Northern armies did more than kill soldiers and ruin Southern industry. They also convinced their foes that returning to the Union, while undesirable, was less painful than fighting a losing war.