The Civil War Book

On this day in the Civil War, with a vote of 38 to 6, the Senate passes the Thirteenth Amendment to the Constitution. This amendment abolishes slavery in the United States and all areas under its jurisdiction.

On this day in the Civil War, after hearing from General Sheridan that General Lee might surrender if pressed, President Lincoln tells Grant, “Let the thing be pressed”.

Grant sends a message to Lee asking him to surrender his army to prevent ‘any further effusion of blood’. Lee responds by asking what the terms would be of such a surrender.

General Robert E. Lee

(Photo Credit: Library of Congress)

On this day in the Civil War, the battle of Shiloh begins in Tennessee. After several hours of fighting General Grant’s troops fall back and the day concludes with no conclusive victory for either side. The following day, awaited reinforcements for the Confederates fail to arrive and General Beauregard orders a retreat to Corinth, Mississippi. The Federals maintain a hold on positions they had previously taken and achieve a splitting of Confederate forces along the Mississippi River. Casualties of the battle of Shiloh are 13,047 for the North and 10,694 for the South.

Shiloh Battlefield

On this day in the Civil War, General Joseph Johnston’s Confederate troops continue to gather reinforcements for the imminent conflict at Yorktown, Virginia. McClellan’s Army of the Potomac far outnumbers the Confederates.

Joseph Johnston

(Photo Credit: Library of Congress)

On this day in the Civil War, President Lincoln writes to Major Anderson to inform him of the upcoming relief of Fort Sumter.

Fort Sumter 

Circa 1861

(Photo Credit: Library of Congress)