History Revisited - 7 Interesting Things About The Civil War
The American Civil War was a costly affair for people on both sides of the conflict. It was also a defining "moment" in our nation's history that helped shape our modern identity. So let us take a moment to look back on some of the noteworthy people, places and events from that conflict.
7 Interesting Factoids
1. The American Civil War lasted from 1861 to 1865. It was largely fought over the issue of slavery. Most states in the north were anti-slavery. Most states in the south were pro-slavery. Thus, it is often called the "War Between the States" (among other things).
2. The term "secede" means to separate or withdrawal from an alliance or organization. This is what the southern states did -- they seceded from the Union, and were therefore labeled as secessionists. South Carolina was the first state to break away, separating from the Union in December of 1860.
3. After South Carolina seceded, other southern states were quick to follow. In 1861, ten more states would follow suit and leave the Union. In order of secession, they were Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Texas, Virginia, Arkansas, North Carolina and Tennessee. These states formed the Confederate States of America (CSA), or Confederacy for short.
4. The first real battle of the Civil War was largely an artillery bombardment and siege. It took place at Fort Sumter in South Carolina, where Confederate troops pounded the Union-held fort with mortars and cannons until Union forces surrender.
5. Many battles from the Civil War have two names. This is the result of different naming processes between the northern and southern troops. The Confederates typically named a battle for the nearest town, whereas the Union forces typically named battles after landmarks and geographical features (rivers, creeks, etc.). Hence we have the Battle of Bull Run / Battle of Manassas, and many other battles with two names.
6. The 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry Regiment was one of the first all-black units to fight in the war. The 54th fought fiercely in many battles, such as the headlong assault on the heavily defended Fort Wagner in South Carolina. A 1989 film called "Glory" depicted the heroic actions of the 54th Massachusetts. It started Denzel Washington, Morgan Freeman, and Matthew Broderick as Colonel Robert Shaw.
7. In September 1862, the bloody Battle of Antietam / Sharpsburg produced nearly 23,000 casualties (killed or wounded) in a single day. To put that number into perspective, it is around nine times the number of American casualties at D-Day in Normandy (World War II).
Brandon Cornett is the creator of 21Facts.com, a fast-growing library of facts on topics ranging from science to celebrities. To learn more about the Civil War history (or to submit an article of your own), please visit www.21facts.com
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