Here lie the corpses of men who fought in the Battle of the Peninsula Campaign, who became decomposed, and only show bones and clothing. They lay dismembered from the values they fought for and failed. There are three men in the picture, well at least 2 and a half.

The picture was taken on April 15, 1865 where the battle was fought. It was spring, but a dark time for the Confederacy. Defeats had come everywhere, from Mississippi River to the North Carolina Coast. The commander and Chief Major General George B. McClellan transported the prevailing Union Navy to the Peninsula Campaign. This move was leading to proceed toward Richmond, Virginia.

There are many notice points you might not detect in the picture. For instance, the ribcage without any other bones attach. One might infer an explosion might have happened. Also, the solider that is in one piece could have been hit from behind; the enemy might have snuck up on him.

The picture was taken on the battlefield of Gaines Mill, Richmond, Virginia. The men were unburied which means either the South photographed them or the North did and neither of them told the general about the deaths so they did not get buried.

The battle was immense and brutal. While the soldiers can’t be acknowledged, we can again infer that they are one of the many men that were killed and left in their present condition.

Sources:

www.CivilWar.com

www.peninsulacampaign.org

Yesterday was a horrible day of death at the Battle of Gettysburg. Some worry has been floating around that the battle will continue for many days. It all started yesterday when Robert E. Lee and his confederate army hid and waited for the expected arrival of John Buford and his army. Little did Lee know that General Heth and his army would get involved and things were going to get ugly!

It was morning yesterday July 1, 1863 when Lee, Buford, and Heth caught up together and shots were fired. The Battle of Gettysburg officially began. The fight raged on for about an hour when the rebels were stunned and outnumbered. Reinforcements arrived after a short fallback, and the war raged on once again.

After harsh attack, the union soldiers ran to acquire more cover from the reinforcement confederate soldiers. They spotted a brown splintery wooden fence that looked as if it would give them further cover. The Union soldiers sprinted towards the fence. Most never made it to the fence and died feet in front of it. Dead Union soldiers lined the wooden fence for about a mile. What a rotten sight and smell it was from one day of battle.

Now that yesterday’s battle is over, death is on everyone’s mind. Even though the Rebels won yesterday’s battle, 6’000 Rebel soldiers lost their lives. The Union finished the day out with 8,900 casualties. That included 3,500 who were captured by the victorious Rebels.

Before the Battle of Gettysburg yesterday, it looked as if the Union had the Civil War in their hands over the rebels. After yesterday’s Rebel win it is clear that the Rebels are still in this war.

The Battle of Gettysburg is for sure one of the bloodiest battles thus far in this Civil War; also not to mention one of the saddest.

Sources:

http://www.us-civilwar.com/gettysburg.htm

http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/gtburg.htm

The Intrepid was a soaring hero in the Battle of Fair Oaks just the past two days. The colossal hydrogen balloon sailed over Darbytown Road. Using this, the Union has obtained information about the Confederate positions. This battle, located in Virginia, was a bloody one. We have estimated over a thousand soldiers died on the battle field.

Shown in the photograph is the Intrepid at work. Holding Thaddeus S.Lowe in its basket. He transmitted reports to the Union. Lowe started observations around noon reporting movements. At two o'clock, he sighted battle lines forming. Cannonading immediately commenced. He remained at an altitude of about one thousand feet to watch the titanic struggle. The Union was updated hourly on the whereabouts of the Confederates soldiers. These observations made by Lowe may be crucial to the Union forces.

In combination with movements against Boydton Plank Road, Benjamin Butler attacked the Richmond defenses along Darbytown Road. They marched north to Fair Oaks where it was repulsed by the Confederates. Confederate forces responded, taking about 600 prisoners. Meanwhile, the Richmond defenses remained intact.

The presence of these spy balloons are forcing the Confederates to be more secretive and cautious with their camps. They are either blacking out their bases or setting up fake encampments and gun encampments. Observers have been noticing and reporting the dummy sites over the past few weeks.

Sources:

http://www.civilwar.com/content/view/1879/39/

http://www.centennialofflight.gov

Want to know where the Civil War started? Fort Sumter, on April 12,1861- April 14,1861 not to long. It was the bombardent and surrender of Fort Sumter. It is bcated near Charleston, South Carolina. Most the Confederates we’re in Fort Sumter.

In this photograph I took, the soldiers we’re preparing for battle. Most of the looked distressed and worried. They we’re missing their love ones all we’re optimistic, that they we’re going to come home. But yet some knew they we’re not all going to make it. They just did not know what was going to happen next... but we know what all know what they did want, just to make it out alive.

In this photograph there are soldiers digging trenches. They look as if they are resting before going into war. Some are laying down in the trench and others are working and loading the canons. You can tell most look like they do not want to be there.

Cut and paste your next paragraph here.

Sources:

Type source 1 in correct format

Type source 2 in correct format

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In Virginia, on the battlefield of Cold Harbor, all corpses of bodies were just picked up yesterday, April 18, 1865. Many of the corpses were missing a limb. Hip amputations had mortally rates of around 83%. Surgeons during the battle of Cold Harbor didn’t even perform careful hand washing before operation. The wait for a treatment could be a day, maybe even two, and that wasn’t out of the ordinary. The doctors were wore dirty, white aprons, usually with blood splatters all over them.

An anodyne is a medicine used in the Civil War time that relieves pain. The most common Civil War surgery was the dreadful amputation. The closer to the body the amputation was done, the more the increase in the wound being mortal. When the amputation was finally done on the poor soldier, it was not done antiseptically. Antiseptically means numbed.

. Weather Haven Field hospitals were used around the world, and were the ideal for remote-site operations in areas that lack medical infrastructure. Injuries to be dealt with were dreadful and the fault of the soft lead, Minnie ball.

This photograph was officially taken on July 19, 1863. That date was two years after the Civil War began. The photograph was obviously taken in the United States; a more specific place was in a large, vast area full of dirt and a little bit of grass.

In the picture, there are just about one hundred or more tents set up. Most of the tents have wounded soldiers getting cures or getting amputations. The people in our picture are soldiers that are wounded waiting for their amputation. Before this picture was taken, the battle of Cold War was occurring.

Sources:

www.civilwar.com

www.history.com

The battle at Pennsylvania, Adams Country, Gettysburg began at 1pm July 1st, 1863. This battle is considered the greatest battle between the Union and The Confederates of the Civil War. These soldiers did not lose their lives for no reason. They fought for slavery, rights, economics, politics and tariffs. These were concerns both sides strongly believed in.

In this picture, African American slaves are collecting and burying the grotesque remains of brave soldiers who were once friends and family members. After the three days of battle at Gettysburg many lost there lives. The age of the descended soldiers ranged anywhere from 17 to 21 and even in the 50’s. More men died in these three days of battle than in any other during the Civil War. Over all, more than 100,000 men died in the Civil War.

In the battle at Gettysburg the numbers were high. With General Robert E. Lee leading the Confederates with 75,000 men, and General George G. Meade leading the Union with 97,000 men. As you can see from the photo which I witnessed, the Union and Confederate soldiers clashed with unspeakable, misery-led brutality. The 2nd day at Gettysburg was considered by many to be the bloodiest day between the three days of battle.

Lee had been marching to Pennsylvania for supplies for his soldiers and the army’s met by chance. Even though Meade was going to inspect Lee, there was no intention for a battle to break out. Two divisions of the Confederates headed back to Gettysburg. They ran into Federal cavalry at Willoughby Run, and the skirmish began! Lee quickly rushed 25,000 men and the Union at the time had less that 20,000 men. Meade thought it would be ideal to battle Lee at Getty’s Burg. Immediately, 100,000 men came to his defense.

Lee decided to attack the Unions Army’s defensive position at the southern end of the Cemetery Ridge. He felt there were fewer defenses at this position. On the second day of battle, Longstreet was quite slow in getting his troops ready in their positions and did not attack until 4pm July 2nd, 1863. This had given the Union Army even more time to strengthen their positions. At the end of the day, Lee thought the battered Union soldiers were nearly beaten and would collapse under one final push. In the end, out of 75,000 confederate soldiers, 28,000 men were lost. For the Union on the other hand, only 25,000 men out of 88,000 had passed away. Lee was forced to abandon his dead and leave. The Union won the battle of Getty’s Burg.

Sources:

http://www.brotherswar.com/Gettysburg_Day_1.htm

http://www.civilwar.com/content/veiw/1806/39

http://www.gettysbg.com

Yesterday, Wednesday September 17, 1862 the Battle of Antietam War broke out in Maryland. This battle was one the bloodiest battles in American history. Robert E Lee took over command of the confederate forces near Richmond. He took full responsibility in leading the soldiers to war. Even though outnumbered 2 to 1, Lee committed his entire force while the Union commander McClellan sent in less than ¾ of his army enabling Lee to fight Federals to a standstill. The whole Southern U.S. was relying on his actions in this grueling battle.

Tom Brady, a famous photographer in the 1860s, captured the photograph of Confederate soldiers. These men covered/protected other soldiers in the battle field as they were being attacked by Union soldiers. These men served a very important part in this epic battle. .

The trees in the background of the photo gave Union soldiers a great camouflage to seek and destroy confederate soldiers in the battle. Most men in the bunker were resting while the battle wasn’t taking place. A tent gave shade for few soldiers which gave them a comfortable canopy while the battle was not in action. .

. There were many Confederate soldiers in the picture. These men while resting in a pit surrounded by walls which provided them with a shelter from bullets heading in their direction. As you can see from this picture the men did personal activities such as reading, writing, and craftsmanship or occasionally eating their daily meals. This kept them entertained when the battle wasn’t engaged.

This gruesome battle of Antietam lasted 12 twelve hours. The commander of the Confederates (Robert E lee) led his troops to a brutal and disappointing defeat resulting in withdraw at Antietam. 23,000 soldiers that were engaged in this battle were killed, wounded, or captured. This tragic Battle caused many families depression and sorrow.

Sources:

http://homepages.dsu.edu/jankej/civilwar.htm

The Bloodiest Day, the Battle of Antietam By: Ronald H. Bailey

As the sun set over the battle field in Olustee Florida, yesterday Feb.20. 1,860 Union soldiers lay dead next to only 946 Confederates. It had been a day-long battle that had all started with an attempted invasion by the Union.

Shown in the picture to the left are dead Union soldiers. These soldiers were under the command of Maj. General Quincy A. Gillmore during his attack on Olustee. This picture is only a small example of the combined total of 2,806 soldiers that were killed in this battle.

In the beginning of February Maj. General Quincy A. Gillmore launched an expedition into Florida in the hopes of severing Rebel supply routes and recruiting black solders for his army. His army had won the first two battles as he began to move through the state, and he had almost accomplished his goal when he arrived in Olustee.

Yesterday, General Gillmore of the Union approached Olustee where he would find General Joseph Finegan’s 5,000 battle-ready rebels waiting. General Finegan held his ground but did not attack saying, “We’ll see what they do, and then we’ll destroy them!”

General Gillmore and his Union forces attacked, but were easily held back by General Finegan’s Confederate soldiers. The battle raged on all day, then the Union line began to break and General Gillmore commanded his soldiers to retreat. Finegan and his Rebels pursued the fleeing Union troops all the way to Florida’s border with Georgia. Only a small number of Union soldiers escaped.

This loss is a huge set back for the Union and a Victory for the Confederates. Yesterday reminded the Union not to underestimate the Rebels and it proved that either side could come out of this war on top. Sources:

www.civilwar.com/content/view/1660

www.cwc.isu.edu/

In the morning sunrise on the destructed bridge of Elizabeth river, a horrific battle had just ended on November 23rd, 1861. The union ships were blockading and fighting day after day against the confederate ports to prevent trade. The union shut off heavy cannons directed at the bridge creating much disastrous debris. The North and South continued to bicker and debate about trade routes for 14 months, and stood up for what they honestly believed was finest for the nation as a whole.

The snapshot shown was taken by Stewart Renders on February 22nd, 1861. During this period, the battle of Elizabeth River in Trenton, New Jersey finally came to a conclusion. Most towns of the Union were untouched; hosting only two battles there, while the southern confederates were completely left in ruins; hosting the majority of the battles.

The famous Appalachian Mountains are surrounding the city in the picture (along the back behind the buildings). The Elizabeth River, acting as a border, separated the Confederates from the Union. In the middle of the River, stranded confederates are on rafts, rowing for resources. Thanks to the Union, the average of trading between the confederate ports declined over 90%.

This battle never picked up the pace, due to the mass of the ships. Dangerously heavy, the ship would force down deep under the water if a mild storm occurred. Nothing had been tested on board; therefore nobody was certain whether the she would hold out during fierce battles. The courageous British and French made this powerful vessel mainly of oak and the proudly named it, the Virginia.

In contrast, the Northern ship was mainly steel and well prepared with plenty of weapons on board. Poking though the portholes, 8 cannons are ready to blow. Lying on the ship, a bow gun and a stern gun are well-equipped as well. Ten months of ongoing hard work of 1,500 men just in order to create the northern ship. Its top speed is 5mi/hr while taking the soldiers 1/2hr 40 min to simply turn this Metal Monster. The union made sure this ship would withstand anything she attempted. One sailor saying, Go on with your old Metallic Coffin. She will never amount to anything else. Shortly after that phrase, the Union decided to name the ship The Merrimac. Many sailors thought of the Merrimac, as their coffin.

Sources:

Book: The Coastal War/Chesapeake Bay to Rio Grande. Written by Peter M. Chaiten and the editors of Life-Time Books

http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/cwphtml/cwphome.html

The smell of the dead was fading away. Their lifeless bodies where left to rot for three years. All that was left of them were the skeletons in their uniforms ready to fight once more. This was all that remained of the battle of Cold Harbor

Three years after the encounter, their remains were picked up by burial parties. Most family of the dead will not know where their loved ones are buried. Some people were buried together in a 6 foot by 6 foot hole; others were buried were they had died

The men you see in this photograph walk around the ghostly scene, picking up the corpses of the soldiers. They worked long hours and for little pay. As you see, one of the men can fit the remains of five soldiers on to one stretcher. While attempting to be respectful, efficiency was of more importance.

How did this all start? Well, it all happed on June 2, 1862 when the two forces formed their lines. General Robert E. Lee led the attack for the Confederates and General McClellan led the Union forces. The Union forces were able to hold of the Confederates for the first couple of days; however, Lee was able to outmaneuver McClellan’s forces

The battle ended on June 12 with General Robert E. Lee gaining victory in the fight, allowing him to continue his campaign north. The travesty here, however, is that the men who were dying or dead were left to rot and decay until now; one-thousand, ninety five days later.

Sources:

http://www.getty.edu/art/gettyguide/artObjectDetails?artobj=64649

http://rmc.library.cornell.edu/7milVol/plate94.html

Last night at Mobile Bay, Alabama, Union ships took action on southern ports. Mobile Bay had to be taken from Confederate control so the U.S. Navy’s West Gulf Blockading Squadron could make way for a large scale land assault on Mobile. The North needed the South to be unable to receive supplies to carry on the war.

General E.R.S. Canby led a massive land attack that forced the Confederates to evacuate the city. This was a major defeat for the Confederates. As of today they only have one major seaport left open. Now, the entire Gulf Coast, East of the Mississippi, is closed to all traders. Inside Fort Morgan, General Page was outraged that the federalists slipped past. They are now regrouping for their next attack.

General E.R.S. planned to invade Fort Morgan after passing through a Confederate mine field. These ships are now closing in on the fort. “Cargo is in a huge backup” said one farmer “It is causing our business to slow down and putting our families in danger.”

If ports remain closed the South will be forced to withdraw from the war. The Confederate States of America will not be able to produce enough weapons and ammunition to support the troops in the war. So far, most of the battles have been fought on Southern soil. It is crucial for the Southern economy to make way to northern boundaries in order to boost production of essential battle materials. If the South is unable to enhance this production they will lose their laborers, and their economy will crumble.

Sources:

www.ego.net/us/nc/ilm/history/cw.htm

The Costal War/Chesapeake Bay to Rio Grande By: Peter M. Chaitin