The Civil War 1861-1865

This war, also known as the War Between the States, and the War of Secession, began April 12, 1861, when Fort Sumter in Charleston, South Carolina, was attacked by Southern troops. It took 4 long and bloody years to complete, and finally ended when Robert E. Lee surrendered his devastated army on April 19, 1865 to Ulysses S. Grant in Virginia.

The Civil War claimed more American lives than any other war in history. It turned brother against brother in some families. The Southern states were trying to defend and maintain their way of life, including slavery. The Northern states abhorred and wanted to abolish slavery. The horrific bloodshed has left a legacy of grief and bitterness that has yet to entirely disappear. The struggle for civil rights and individual freedom reaches into the 21st Century.