General McDowell ordered the

Union army to attack. The two

inexperienced armies ran into

many difficulties. The Union plan

was far too complex for the

young soldiers to implement and

the Confederate army had

troubles communicating.

However, the superior number 

of the Union began to push the

Confederates back. It looked

like the Union was going to win

the battle. One famous part of the battle occurred at Henry

House Hill. It was on this hill that

Confederate Colonel Thomas

Jackson and his forces held

back the Union troops. It was

said that he held the hill like a

"stone wall." This earned him the

nickname

"Stonewall" Jackson.

He would later become one of

the most famous Confederate

generals of the war. While

Stonewall Jackson held off the

Union attack, Confederate

reinforcements arrived from General Joseph Johnston who

had been able to avoid Union

General Robert Patterson to join

the battle. Johnston's army

made the difference pushing

back the Union army. With a final

cavalry charge led by

Confederate Colonel Jeb Stuart,

the Union army was in full

retreat. The Confederates had

won the first major battle of the

Civil War.

the Confederate army attacked

the Union army at Pitts burg

Landing. Many of the soldiers

from both sides were new

recruits and the Union lines

quickly broke. The initial attack

of the Confederates was very

successful.

of September 17 1862 while the

Union army under General

Joseph Hooker, has attacked the

Confederate army on the left

flank. During the day the battle

would continue. The Union

would attack first then the

Confederates would

counterattack. The fighting was fierce and the day would be one

of the bloodiest in American

history.Despite being heavily

outnumbered the Confederate

army continued to hold their

ground throughout the day.

General McClellan was cautious

and never committed his entire

force, while Robert E. Lee had

his entire army engaged in battle

in order to hold off the Union

soldiers.

Union began to assemble the

pontoon bridges. They came

under heavy fire from the

Confederates, but eventually the

brave engineers and soldiers

completed the bridge.

Throughout the next day the

Union army crossed the bridge

and entered the city of

Fredericksburg. The

Confederate Army was still dug

into the hills outside of the city On December 11. 1862, the

Union began to assemble the

pontoon bridges. They came

under heavy fire from the

Confederates, but eventually the

brave engineers and soldiers

completed the bridge.

Throughout the next day the

Union army crossed the bridge

and entered the city of

Fredericksburg. The

Confederate Army was still dug

into the hills outside of the city The

Confederate Army was still dug

into the hills outside of the city.

On December 13, 1862, General

Burnside and the Union Army

were ready to attack. Burnside

thought he would surprise the

Confederates by attacking them

head on at their strength.

Although the Confederates were

surprised at the strategy of the

Union Army, they were very

ready for them. The frontal

approached Vicksburg. The

Confederate Army of General

Pemberton were dug in. They

were going to be nearly

impossible to defeat while hiding

behind the defenses of the city.

Over the first couple of days,

Grant tried to break into the city

by overwhelming them with his

superior numbers. It didn't work.

Many Union soldiers lost their

lives and the Confederates still

held the city.