Allison Lassieur - At Battle in the Civil War: An Interactive Battlefield Adventure

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The Civil War (18611865) was a major conflict in American history. It was fought with the most modern weapons and tactics the world had ever seen. The weapons killed men by the thousands. When the war ended, nothing was the same.

In this book youll explore how the choices people made helped to win, or lose, the Civil War. The events youll experience happened to real people.

Chapter One sets the scene. Then you choose which path to read. Follow the links at the bottom of each page. After you finish one path, go back and read the others. Use your devices back buttons or page navigation to jump back to your last choice. Then try a different link for a new adventure.

YOU CHOOSE the path you take through history.

For four years the Civil War tore the country apart. When it was over, everything had changed.

It was a war over states rights and slavery. In the South, slavery flourished. Wealthy planters owned hundreds of slaves. In the North, slavery was illegal. Many people were against slavery and wanted it abolished everywhere.

In 1860 Abraham Lincoln was elected president. He said he would not end slavery in states where it already existed. But the southern slave states didnt believe him. One by one they left the Union and formed the Confederate States of America. This divide led to the Civil War.

Abraham Lincoln felt it was his presidential duty to preserve the Union at all costseven if that meant going to war.

Neither side was ready for war. They scrambled to raise armies. Factories rushed to make the most modern weapons and artillery.

Over the war years, a single Union foundry produced more than 2,000 cannons and 3 million shells.

The North had five times more factories than the South. In 1860 only 3 percent of the firearms in the United States were made in the South.

But the South had strengths too. They had a great number of trained officers. At the time there were eight military colleges, and only one was in the North. They were also fighting in their own territory, giving them home field advantage.

Both armies had infantry, artillery, and cavalry brigades. The infantry were the foot soldiers. Most Civil War soldiers on both sides were infantrymen. The artillery soldiers fired and maintained the big guns. Cavalrymen rode into battle on horseback and served as guards, spies, and scouts.

Youll never forget November 6, 1860. On that day, Abraham Lincoln was elected president. In the North, people celebrated. In the South, people rebelled. They hated President Lincoln for one reason: his belief against slavery. Many southerners owned slaves. They were afraid that Lincoln would make slavery illegal.

Soon after, southern states began to secede. The first to leave the Union was South Carolina. In just a few weeks, six other southern statesMississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, and Texashad seceded. They called themselves the Confederate States of America.

When the war began, the North and South had armies of almost equal size.

On April 12, 1861, Confederate forces bombed the Union-held Fort Sumter in South Carolina. The battle raged for 34 hours before the Confederates won. After the battle, Virginia, Arkansas, North Carolina, and Tennessee joined the Confederacy. Both sides realized they had a real war on their hands.

One day a poster appears in the towns general store. Volunteers! it screams in huge black letters. To arms! Your country calls! All those who desire to join with us in serving our country, now is the time! The poster says that all recruits should report to the store the next day.

The Confederate States of America began accepting soldiers for their army on April 1, 1861. The Union called for volunteers on April 15.

No one on either side thinks the war will last very long. So youd better sign up quick, before you miss out. Everyone you know is joining up and leaving home. Your mother weeps and begs you not to go, but you cant stay home. The thought of battle, with guns blazing and cannons exploding, is thrilling!

People are already signing up when you arrive at the store. You know almost everyone. Old men, young boys, and farmers are ready to fight. You wonder if there will be any men left in town by the end of the day. Two officers sit behind a table. One of them is the towns mayor.

Men between the ages of 18 and 45 were the ideal age to enlist.

Were forming an infantry company of 100 men, the mayor says. Ill be your captain.

Well join up with nine other Alabama companies to make one infantry unit, the other officer says. The pay is $11 a month. Make your mark here. There are several X marks on the paper from people who dont know how to read or write. You know how, so you proudly scrawl your name. Suddenly someone claps you on the shoulder. Its your friend Clem.

Were soldiers now! he says happily. Lets go shoot some Yankees!

The officer behind the table laughs. You cant do that without a gun, he says. Later, there might be enough money for army weapons. For now, though, you have to bring your own.

You have no rifle. The idea of going home and facing Mother again is not good.

Your mothers tear-stained face greets you at the door. She disappears into her bedroom and comes out with a bundle wrapped in a blanket. Inside is a rifle.

This was your daddys gun when he fought in the Mexican-American War, she says. Its an 1841 rifle musket. Its old, but it still works. Theres also a Bowie knife and a small pistol. She puts them all in your pack, along with ammunition. She clutches the pack to her chest for a moment before giving it to you.

You cant look back as you step off the porch. All the excitement of going to war drains away with your mothers tears. Is this what happened when your father went to war? What went through his mind as he turned his back on his family? Was his choice this hard?

The dusty road into town seems to lead to glory and excitement. Staying means facing people who will call you a coward. But maybe there are worse things than being called a coward. You turn around.