Bring the Civil War to the End

1864-1865: Bringing the War to an End

American Battlefield Trust

End of 1863

With success at Gettysburg and Vicksburg the war is going in favor of the Union forces,
but three years of war has taken its toll on the nation. The upcoming presidential election
could determine, more than any battle, the fate of the nation.

Ulysses S. Grant defeats
the Confederate defenses
of Vicksburg in July 1863.

November 1863,
Lincoln gives the
Gettysburg Address.

Robert E. Lee retreats
from Gettysburg, PA in
July 1863 and returned

to Virginia.

Multiple Choice

How long has the Civil War lasted so far?

• 1 year

• 3 years

• 5 years

• 10 years

Bringing the War to an End

March 10, 1864
Abraham Lincoln appoints
General Ulysses S. Grant as
commander of ALL U.S. forces
- for the first time one
commander will be in charge of
the entire Union Army.

Bringing the War to an End

General Grant moves

himself to the

Eastern front to move

on the Confederate

capital, Richmond,

Virginia.

Union General
William T. Sherman
will move towards the
capture of Atlanta.
Atlanta is a railroad
hub and a city that
manufactures a
number of goods for
the Confederacy.

Atlanta Campaign

Watch the Atlanta Campaign In4
https://www.battlefields.org/learn/videos/atlanta-campaign

Open Ended

What was significant about the Atlanta Campaign?

Bringing the War to an End

While the war rages on and battles are being
fought, the presidential election of 1864 is

underway.

Election of 1864

Abraham Lincoln runs for re-election in his campaign against his former General,
GeorgeB.McClellan.

A poster of

the

Democrat

ticket.

A poster of
the
Republican
ticket.

Election of 1864

Watch the Election of 1864 In4
https://www.civilwar.org/learn/videos/election-1864

Open Ended

Why was the Election of 1864 so important?

Lincoln Wins the Election

America chose, through the
election of Abraham
Lincoln, to continue fighting
the war.

Lincoln gives his Second Inaugural
Address March 4, 1865

Confederate Surrender

April 2, 1865
Union breaks through the defenses of Petersburg.

April 3, 1865
Union troops take over Richmond, the Confederate
capital.

April 9, 1865
Confederate General, Robert E. Lee surrenders at
Appomattox, Virginia.

Later in April, on the western front, Confederate
General Joseph Johnston surrenders to General
William T. Sherman.