Battlefield America: The Civil War

On April 6, 1862, a pivotal moment unfolded in the dense forests of Tennessee, marking one of the bloodiest and most shocking battles in U.S. history.

In 1862, contrast emerged between the Union's control of the Confederate's western half and the east. Lee prepared an incursion into Union territory.

At the end of the civil war's second year, 1862, Union forces control all but one stretch of the major waterways surrounding Vicksburg, Mississippi.

Union and Confederate armies fought in a bloody battle. Victories had bolstered Union forces, but the Confederates earned a hard-fought victory.

The year 1864 marked the fourth year of the war, and after major Union victories, President Abraham Lincoln looked to bring a swift end to the war.