Aftermath of the Civil War Project by Leah Matthews

Telegraph - 1861

lematthews1 — 2024-11-13 13:04:02 UTC

Samuel Morse invented the telegraph in 1844, but during the Civil War, 15,000 miles of telegraph cable were used for military purposes. This advanced the way the public was able to get news about the war, and caused the government to be able to communicate with each other quickly.

Union Army Balloon Corps - 1861

lematthews1 — 2024-11-13 13:23:26 UTC

The Balloon Corps was established to provide for aerial reconnaissance, in which aerial balloons surveyed the Confederate Army territory so that the Union could take effective action (Gould).

Ironclads - 1861

lematthews1 — 2024-11-14 13:07:34 UTC

Ironclads were invented to cover the upper parts of wooden ships with iron (thus called "Ironclads.") The famous Battle of the Ironclads was fought between the Monitor and the Virginia ships.

Battle of the Ironclads - Mar 8, 1862 – Mar 9, 1862

lematthews1 — 2024-11-14 13:07:52 UTC

The Battle of the Ironclads was an important naval battle because it was the first naval battle of ironclad warships during the Civil War. This battle was fought between the USS Monitor and the CSS Virginia ships, and featured ironclad technology, with the boats being armored with iron. This battle resulted in a draw.

Submarines - 1862

lematthews1 — 2024-11-14 13:08:14 UTC

While the first submarines were not created during the Civil War, ships such as the Hunley (a Confederate submarine) operated during the American Civil War. In addition, the 1862 Alligator was the first submarine of the U.S. Navy.

Torpedo-Boats (David Class) - 1863

lematthews1 — 2024-11-14 13:08:52 UTC

The David class of torpedo-boats was created by the South. Created by St. Julien Ravenel, "the CSS David was operated by four men and was equipped with a long spar on the bow containing one hundred and thirty-five pounds of gunpowder" (American Battlefield Trust). Torpedo-boats continued to be created until the end of the war.

Spar-Torpedo - 1863

lematthews1 — 2024-11-14 13:10:08 UTC

A spar-torpedo is attached onto a torpedo-boat by a long pole, with a bomb being placed at the end of the pole. This is seen in boats such as the CSS David, and these torpedoes were strongly utilized by the Confederate Army (MSW).

Battle of Mobile Bay - Aug 5, 1864 – Aug 23, 1864

lematthews1 — 2024-11-14 13:12:02 UTC

Mobile Bay was one of the last open Confederate Ports, and with an Army and Navy force, the Union was able to secure a victory. Union Admiral Farragut famously said, “Damn the Torpedoes, full speed ahead” after one of his ships hit a torpedo (American Battlefield Trust).

Land Mines - 1860

lematthews1 — 2024-11-14 13:13:11 UTC

Land mines were first utilized for warfare when the Civil War started. Confederate soldiers would use landmines to defend their cities, and could either be command-operated or victim-activated (Rutherford).

The Signal Corps - March 1863

lematthews1 — 2024-11-14 13:13:41 UTC

The Signal Corps became a branch in the U.S. Army during the Civil War. The Signal Corps was a signal system using flags and torches. This improved communication within the Army when telegraphs were not able to be used. However, the Confederate Army soon adopted a Confederate Signal Service, so using codes coordinating the different flag movements became necessary so that the other side did not catch on to valuable information.

Limelights - 1863

lematthews1 — 2024-11-14 13:14:02 UTC

While limelights had already been around before the Civil War, they were improved upon for warfare use. In more depth, "the lights, also known as calcium lights or Drummond lights, used calcium oxide, better known as lime, to create a bright, glowing light" (McCormick). This was used by the Union to expose Confederate fort.

Gatling Guns - 1862

lematthews1 — 2024-11-14 13:17:10 UTC

Richard Jordan Gatling invented the Gatling Gun and was a powerful hand-operated machine gun. When creating the gun, Gatling decided to create "a cluster of 10 barrels, each of which, when rotated by a crank, was loaded and fired once during a complete rotation" (Britannica).

Battle of Petersburg - Jun 9, 1864 – Mar 25, 1865

lematthews1 — 2024-11-14 13:17:30 UTC

This battle would eventually lead to the South losing the war. The Union ended up winning, even with Ulysses S. Grant’s assault on Robert E. Lee’s armies at Petersburg failing to capture the Confederacy’s supply center.

William's Gun - 1862

lematthews1 — 2024-11-15 12:56:26 UTC

Captain D.R. Williams created the William's Gun to give the Confederacy an edge over the Union. This gun is classified as a 1-lb cannon.

Battle of Seven Pines - May 31, 1862 – Jun 1, 1862

lematthews1 — 2024-11-15 12:56:47 UTC

This battle resulted in heavy losses for both sides and ended with Confederate commander Joseph E. Johnston being wounded. As a result, General Robert E. Lee replaced Johnson as commander of the Confederate army.

Battle of Antietam - September 17, 1862

lematthews1 — 2024-11-15 12:58:04 UTC

While this battle only lasted one day, it was one of the most intense, and proved the strength of the Union's army. The Union victory would lead to Abraham Lincoln issuing the preliminary Emancipation Proclamation.

Start of the Civil War - April 12, 1861

lematthews1 — 2024-11-18 14:06:04 UTC

The Civil War starts, with slavery being the main issue, as the South had seceded from the Union due to supporting the continuation of slavery.

End of the Civil War - April 9, 1865

lematthews1 — 2024-11-18 14:09:29 UTC

The Civil War ends with a Union victory, and Confederate General Robert E. Lee surrendering his troops.

The HL Hunley Sinks an Enemy Ship -February 17, 1864

lematthews1 — 2024-11-18 22:34:47 UTC

A Confederate submarine named the HL Hunley sunk a Union submarine (USS Housatonic.) The Confederate Lieutenant George E. Dixon "...was in command of Hunley, and the crew of eight successfully attacked Housatonic. Ramming the ship with the spar torpedo, it exploded and sank in five minutes" (American Battlefield Trust).