War in the West
BY CJ Jones
In the West, the major Union goal was to control the Mississippi River and its tributaries, the smaller rivers that flow into a larger river. With control of the river, Union ships on the Mississippi could prevent the states of Louisiana, Arkansas, and Texas from supplying the rest of the Confederacy. The battle for the rivers began in February 1862 when Union forces captured Fort Henry on the Tennessee River. The assault was led by commander Andrew Foote and, army general Ulysses S. Grant. The Confederates in Fort Donelson realized that they had no chance of winning the battle, so they asked Grant what terms he would give them to give up the fort. so the Confederates made a Unconditional surrender.
Iron Clads
On March 8, 1862, the Merrimack, renamed the Virginia, attacked a group of Union ships off the coast of Virginia. The north's wooden warships could not damage the confederate ship-shells simply bounced off its iron sides. The north though, had an ironclad ship of its own, the monitor, and this ship rushed toward Virginia. On march 9, the two ironclad met in battle. Neither ship could sink the other. Although the battle historic because it was the first battle between metal-covered ships.
New Orleans
A few weeks after shiloh, the North won another important victory. On April 25, 1862, Union naval forces captured New Orleans, Louisiana The largest city in the south.