P. G. T. Beauregard

Recorded sideConfederate States

Recorded resultvictory

Confederate victory; Union garrison surrendered the fort

Confederate batteries ringing the harbor could concentrate fire on the isolated, undermanned fort, which had no relief and limited ammunition, making surrender inevitable.

What followed

The opening engagement of the American Civil War; the Confederate bombardment and Union surrender triggered Lincoln's call for volunteers and the outbreak of full-scale war.

Recorded sideConfederate States

Recorded resultvictory

Confederate victory; disorganized Union retreat toward Washington

Confederate reinforcements arriving by rail from the Shenandoah Valley and a firm stand on Henry House Hill (where Jackson earned the name "Stonewall") blunted the Union assault and turned the tide into a rout.

What followed

The first major land battle of the war; the Confederate victory shattered Northern hopes of a quick, easy end and revealed to both sides that the conflict would be long and costly.

Recorded sideConfederate States

Recorded resultdefeat

Union victory; Confederate assault stalled and was driven back on the second day

A surprise Confederate assault nearly overran Grant's army on April 6, but a stubborn Union defense (the Hornet's Nest) bought time; the overnight arrival of Buell's Army of the Ohio gave Grant the numbers to counterattack and recover the field on April 7.

What followed

Shocked both nations with its unprecedented bloodshed and demonstrated the war's scale; secured Union momentum in the Western Theater and the loss of Confederate commander Albert Sidney Johnston.