Union troops advance during a reenactment. Photo by Bruce Wetterau.
1863: The Turning Point
The siege at Vicksburg.
Nov. 1862–July 63 Vicksburg Campaign Successful Union drive to take Vicksburg, Mississippi. Union capture of the city, the last Confederate stronghold on the Mississippi, effectively divided the Confederacy in two. Threatened by advancing Union armies earlier in 1862, Confederates under Gen. John C. Pemberton fortified the city and for months successfully repelled Union assaults. In the months of April and May, 1863, Union Gen.
Ulysses S. Grant executed a series of maneuvers by which his army marched down the far side of the Mississippi River to a point south of the city, crossed the Mississippi aboard Union gunboats (Apr. 30), and moved north and east with 20,000 men to halt the advance of Gen. Joseph Johnston, who had sought to link up with Pemberton’s troops. In a series of five victories, Grant forced Pemberton, who had moved out of Vicksburg to meet Johnston, back to Vicksburg. Grant then began a six-week siege (May 22-July 4, 1863) that culminated in Pemberton’s surrender of Vicksburg. Union losses were about 10,000 to Confederate losses of some 9,000 casualties and 30,000 taken prisoner. With the capture of Port Hudson, La. (July 8), Union control of the Mississippi was complete. The campaign was a major defeat for the Confederacy and marked Grant’s ascedancy as the Union’s leading commander.
Vicksburg National Military Park Port Hudson Battle summary
Ulysses S. Grant executed a series of maneuvers by which his army marched down the far side of the Mississippi River to a point south of the city, crossed the Mississippi aboard Union gunboats (Apr. 30), and moved north and east with 20,000 men to halt the advance of Gen. Joseph Johnston, who had sought to link up with Pemberton’s troops. In a series of five victories, Grant forced Pemberton, who had moved out of Vicksburg to meet Johnston, back to Vicksburg. Grant then began a six-week siege (May 22-July 4, 1863) that culminated in Pemberton’s surrender of Vicksburg. Union losses were about 10,000 to Confederate losses of some 9,000 casualties and 30,000 taken prisoner. With the capture of Port Hudson, La. (July 8), Union control of the Mississippi was complete. The campaign was a major defeat for the Confederacy and marked Grant’s ascedancy as the Union’s leading commander.
Vicksburg National Military Park Port Hudson Battle summary
Gen. U. S. Grant and Gen. Pemberton talk after the surrender at Vicksburg.
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Photo of the trenches at Vicksburg.
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Gen. Lee with his troops at Chancellorsville.
May 2-4, 1863 Chancellorsville, Battle of This Confederate victory led to Gen. Lee’s failed invasion of Pennsylvania and the Battle of Gettysburg. Gen. Joseph Hooker, now commanding the 130,000-man Union Army of the Potomac, launched a new drive southward and attacked Gen. Lee’s army of 60,000 at Chancellorsville, Va. Gen. Lee split his forces, however, sending Gen. Stonewall Jackson to attack Hooker’s right flank (May 2). The surprise maneuver resulted in a rout. Despite outnumbering the Confederates two to one, Hooker withdrew back to Fredericksburg (May 5). The Confederate victory was marred by the loss of Gen. Stonewall Jackson, who was accidentally shot by one of his own men during the battle (May 2) and died later. Union losses were 17,000, Confederate 12,000.
June 1863 Lee’s second invasion of the North Following his signal victory at Chancellorsville, Gen. Lee marched his Army of Northern Virginia up the Shenandoah Valley, crossed the Potomac (June 17), and drove north to near Chambersburg, Pa. Confederate advance elements under Richard Ewell, meanwhile were also threatening Harrisburg, Pa. Union Gen. Hooker’s Army of the Potomac, responding to Lee’s invasion, reached Frederick (June 27) in the vicinity of Lee’s army. Hooker, however, resigned the following day over a dispute with his superiors in Washington and Gen. George Meade was appointed in his stead. While both Lee and Meade readied for battle, a chance encounter (July 1) between a Union cavalry division and a Confederate foraging party on the Chambersburg Pike near Gettysburg, Pa., began the fighting in this key battle of the war.
June 1863 Lee’s second invasion of the North Following his signal victory at Chancellorsville, Gen. Lee marched his Army of Northern Virginia up the Shenandoah Valley, crossed the Potomac (June 17), and drove north to near Chambersburg, Pa. Confederate advance elements under Richard Ewell, meanwhile were also threatening Harrisburg, Pa. Union Gen. Hooker’s Army of the Potomac, responding to Lee’s invasion, reached Frederick (June 27) in the vicinity of Lee’s army. Hooker, however, resigned the following day over a dispute with his superiors in Washington and Gen. George Meade was appointed in his stead. While both Lee and Meade readied for battle, a chance encounter (July 1) between a Union cavalry division and a Confederate foraging party on the Chambersburg Pike near Gettysburg, Pa., began the fighting in this key battle of the war.
Gen. R. E. Lee
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Gen. Ewell.
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Gen. Hooker.
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Gen. Meade.
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July 1-3, 1863 Gettysburg, Battle of Union victory at Gettysburg, Pa. This series of battles (July 1–3) between some 88,000 Union and 75,000 Confederate soldiers is considered the turning point of the war. After elements of the two forces met accidentally just outside Gettysburg (July 1), Gen. Meade and Gen. Lee rushed to concentrate their armies at Gettysburg. That first day, Union forces were pushed south of Gettysburg to positions on Cemetery Hill and Culp’s Hill. Confederates occupied Seminary Ridge opposite the Union lines. Confederate Gen. Longstreet did not attack again until late July 2, giving Meade time to solidify his position on Cemetery Ridge. Concerted Confederate attacks failed to dislodge Union troops from Cemetary Ridge or to take strategic high ground at Round Top and Little Round Top, but by day’s end Confederates held Culp’s Hill on the Union right. Meade regained Culp’s Hill with a counterattack the next morning (July 3). Gen. Lee then ordered a massive attack on the Union center. About 15,000 Confederates led by Gen. George Pickett attacked Cemetery Ridge in this now famous charge (July 3), which despite being preceded by a massive Confederate artillery barrage, faltered just as it reached Union lines. The failure of Pickett’s charge, and the defeat of Jeb Stuart’s cavalry in action on the Union flank and rear, marked the close of the battle. Lee was forced to begin his retreat to Virginia late July 4. Meade did not immediately order his forces to pursue. Casualties were about 23,000 Union soldiers and 20,000 Confederates. Gen. Lee never again threatened the North with invasion.
Gettysburg National Military Park Gettysburg travel info Gettysburg Foundation tour info Gen. Meade Memorial
150th Anniversary Battle Reenactment, June 27-30
Gettysburg National Military Park Gettysburg travel info Gettysburg Foundation tour info Gen. Meade Memorial
150th Anniversary Battle Reenactment, June 27-30
Battle lines at Gettysburg.
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Pickett's famous charge at Gettysburg.
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Gen. Lee.
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Gen. Longstreet.
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Gen. Pickett.
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Gen. Early.
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Gen. Meade.
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July 1863 Draft riots in New York City (July 13–16, 1863). The riots were provoked by a new and
unpopular draft act for Union armies. Laborers especially resented a provision that allowed the
rich to buy deferments and also feared that newly freed blacks would take their jobs. The
rioters, mostly foreign-born Americans, ransacked draft stations, burned buildings, looted
stores, and attacked Negroes. Police and state militia finally quelled the riots but not before
some 500–1,000 people had been injured and $1.5–2 million worth of property was damaged.
unpopular draft act for Union armies. Laborers especially resented a provision that allowed the
rich to buy deferments and also feared that newly freed blacks would take their jobs. The
rioters, mostly foreign-born Americans, ransacked draft stations, burned buildings, looted
stores, and attacked Negroes. Police and state militia finally quelled the riots but not before
some 500–1,000 people had been injured and $1.5–2 million worth of property was damaged.
Sept.-Nov. 1863 Chattanooga campaign in the west (Sept.-Nov.). The Army of the Cumberland, under Gen. William Rosecrans initially clashed with a reinforced Confederate force led by Gen. Braxton Bragg at Chickamauga (north of Chattanooga, Tenn., Sept. 19-20). Confederates might have won the day in this bloody battle but for Gen. George Thomas (the “Rock of Chickamauga”), whose troops fought off a Confederate attack with bayonets. Union losses were some 16,000 to about 18,000 Confederate casualties, making this one of the war’s bloodiest battles. Rosecrans retired to Chattanooga after the battle and was besieged there (Sept.-Nov., 1863) by Bragg’s Confederates. Gen. Ulysses Grant became commander of the Union’s western armies (Oct. 16) and promptly replaced Rosecrans with Gen. Thomas. By November, Gen. Grant had mustered some 60,000 men to face Bragg’s 50,000. He began the Union attack late in November with units under Gen. Thomas, Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman, and Gen. Joseph Hooker. On Nov. 24, Hooker cleared Lookout Mountain (Battle Above the Clouds) of Confederates. On Nov. 25, Thomas moved up Missionary Ridge and routed the Confederates there. Bragg was forced to retreat into Georgia and sustained casualties of 7,000 men to the Union’s 6,000. The Union victory at Chattanooga secured Tennessee and set the stage for the Union invasion of Georgia.
Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park
Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park
Battle scene at Chickamauga.
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First shots at Chickamauga.
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Gen. U. S. Grant.
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Gen. Thomas.
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Gen. Hooker.
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Gen. Sherman.
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Gen. B. Bragg
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Nov. 19, 1863 Gettysburg Address Celebrated speech delivered by President Abraham Lincoln to dedicate a new national cemetery at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The speech was delivered just five months after the famous Battle of Gettysburg and begins with the famous “Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation, conceived in liberty...” and ended with the now classic characterization of the US government as a “government of the people, by the people, for the people.”
More info on the address
Late 1863 Confederates built stockade at Camp Sumpter, the notorious Andersonville prisoner of war camp in southern Georgia. Designed for 10,000 prisoners, the population swelled to as many as 32,000 at one time. Nearly 13,000 prisoners died at Andersonville.
Andersonville National Historic Site
More info on the address
Late 1863 Confederates built stockade at Camp Sumpter, the notorious Andersonville prisoner of war camp in southern Georgia. Designed for 10,000 prisoners, the population swelled to as many as 32,000 at one time. Nearly 13,000 prisoners died at Andersonville.
Andersonville National Historic Site
