The previous period, though abounding in battles, so-called, were really skirmishes of detached bodies without any well defined plan. It covered much of the surface of all the Border States, but especially Virginia and Missouri, and was a trial of bravery and strategy in which both parties learned how to fight, and of what metal their opponents were made. The Second Period covered about eleven months—from the advance of the Federal armies on the South in West and East, in Feb., to the close of the year.
This period is defined in its commencement, by the surrounding of the southern territory on nearly all sides by the union forces, both naval and military; and the inauguration of aggressive movements both by sea and land; and in its close by the failure of the two southern Generals, Bragg in the West, and Lee in the East, in the endeavor to break through this beleaguering line. It was an immense and desperate conflict.
In the West it began by the attack of Grant on Fts. Henry and Donelson, followed up by the battle of Pittsburg Landing, and various other operations in Tennessee and Mississippi; the advance of McClellan on Richmond, and his campaign in the Peninsula, his failure and return to Washington; the strengthening of the Southern Army, and the advance of Lee northward into Maryland and his defeat there. The disasters to the union army in Virginia served to check the successes of the Western Army under Grant, Sherman, Buell, Rosecranz and others; the Confederate forces in the West were increased under Bragg, who checked the advance of U. S. troops eastward at Chattanooga, and he himself assumed the offensive, by invading Kentucky. He was compelled to retreat again to Chattanooga. Thus there was an alternation of great successes and great reverses on both sides.
The union Army commenced with about 600,000 men, and the Southern with about 400,000. They both largely added to these during the campaign.
Meanwhile the navy was not idle. A foothold was gained in South Carolina, and in North Carolina, as well as at Norfolk, Virginia, the mouth of the Mississippi was opened by Admiral Farragut, and New Orleans captured. The compression of a vast naval and land force was applied in all directions, even west of the Mississippi. Missouri had been quieted by driving the organized forces into the border of Arkansas, and inflicting on them a heavy blow at Pea Ridge. This, however, was not followed up; the disasters to the union cause in Virginia, and the rebound of the Confederates in East Tennessee, requiring concentration.
The South had shown the most determined bravery, and great steadiness in disaster; and activity, and ability in making the most of circumstances.[659] The speed with which she collected other levies and armies and used them within the campaign greatly impressed the authorities and people of the Federal government. They were convinced that the blacks left at home to till the ground, or employed in the fortifications and other labor of the war, contributed much to the strength of the South; enabling them to concentrate all their resources on a given point with extreme rapidity, and to use all their best fighting material. After so vast an outlay, to see their immense armies defied and the Northern States threatened with invasion was discouraging. Hitherto slavery had not been interfered with much, in deference to the sentiment in the Border States, and the views of the democratic party. The union administration determined to weaken the South by abstracting as much as possible of the slave element from it and to use it themselves. The issue of the Proclamation of Emancipation marks a Third Phase of the War.
1862.
 
Feb. 3—The Federal government decides to treat crews of privateers taken in arms, not as pirates, but as prisoners of war.
” 5—Jesse D. Bright, of Indiana, expelled from the U. S. Senate.
” 6—Com. Foote, acting in concert with Gen. Grant, advances up the Tennessee river in Ky., and captures Fort Henry.
” 8—Gen. Burnside and Com. Goldsborough capture forts, forces and war material on Roanoke Island, in Albemarle Sound, N. C.
” 10—Gunboats of Confederate government taken or destroyed.
” 12—Gen. Grant invests Ft. Donelson, on Cumberland river, Ky.
” 13—Gen. Curtis advances to Springfield, Mo.
U. S. Congress determine to construct 20 iron clad gunboats.
” 15—Bowling Green, Ky., evacuated by Southern forces.
” 16—Gen. Grant captures Ft. Donelson, with 13,300 prisoners.
” 18—Gen. Curtis drives Confederates out of Missouri into Arkansas.
Confederate Congress assemble at Richmond Va.
” 19—Jefferson Davis and A. H. Stevens elected permanent President and Vice-President of Confederate States for six years.
” 21—Defeat of union forces at Clarksville, New Mexico.
” 23—Nashville, Tenn., occupied by union forces.
” 27—Columbus, on the Mississippi, in Ky., evacuated by Confederates.
Mar. 2—Severe encounter between union gunboats and Confederate battery at Pittsburg Landing, Tennessee. union success.
” 3—Gen. Beauregard assumes command of Southern army in Mississippi.
” 6-8—Gen. Curtis defeats Gen. McCullough at Pea Ridge, Ark. Curtis’ army 22,000, McCullough’s 35,000. McCullough killed.
” 9—First trial of Monitors. The formidable Merrimac, a Confederate iron clad vessel, conquered by the Monitor.
” 11—Gen. McClellan’s command confined to the army of the Potomac.
” 12—Com. Dupont takes possession of Jacksonville, Florida.
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” 13—Confederates evacuate New Madrid, Mo., in haste, leaving $1,000,000 of military stores.
” 14—Newburn, N. C., captured by Gen. Burnside. Immense stores taken.
” 18—Confederate fortifications at Acquia Creek, Va., evacuated.
” 23—Battle of Winchester, Va. Southern forces defeated.
” 28—Fight at union Ranch, New Mexico. union troops 3,000, Texans 1,100. Result undecided.
Apr. 6-7—Battle of Pittsburg Landing, or Shiloh. First day’s battle fought by Beauregard and Johnston, Confederate Generals, with 40,000 available troops, by Gen. Grant with 33,000. He was supported by gunboats in the Tennessee river. Attack and defense desperate, and the slaughter fearful. The second day Beauregard had no more than 20,000 effective men. Grant was reinforced by Buell, and his effective force was 45,000. It was great honor to union troops not to recognize defeat on the 6th, and highly creditable to Confederates to make a desperate stand and inflict an immense loss on Federals on the 7th. They were almost annihilated but retreated without immediate pursuit.
” 8—Island No. 10, Mississippi river, captured.
” 11—Ft. Pulaski captured by Gen. Hunter, commands entrance to Savannah, Geo. Gen. Mitchell occupies Huntsville, Ala.
” 12—Gen. Mitchell captures 2,000 prisoners at Chattanooga, East Tennessee.
” 16—Slavery abolished in the District of Columbia, by U. S. Congress.
” 18—Gen. McClellan’s advance attacked on the Peninsula, Va.
” 19—Successes of union Gens. Burnside and Reno, in North Carolina.
” 25—Com. Farragut, passing the forts, captures New Orleans.
” 28—Forts Jackson and St. Philip, at mouth of Mississippi below New Orleans, surrender.
” 29—Gen. Mitchell defeats Confederates at Bridgport, Ala.
May 1—union cavalry captured at Pulaski, Tenn.
” 3—Yorktown evacuated by Southern troops. Occupied by McClellan.
” 5—Battle of Williamsburg, Va. Lasts all day. unionists successful.
” 7—Southern Gen. Lee attacks McClellan’s army but is repulsed.
” 8—union Gen. Milroy repulsed at McDowell’s, Va., after a five hour’s fight.
” 9—Pensacola, Fla. evacuated by Southern forces.
” 10—Norfolk, Va., occupied by union forces. The Merrimac, Gosport Navy Yard, and vast quantities of stores destroyed by retreating Confederates.
” 15—The Agricultural Department created by Congress.
” 12—Natchez, on the Mississippi river, surrendered to Farragut.
” 17—union forces drive Confederates over the Chickahominy, Va.
” 24—Southern success at Front Royal, Va., over Col. Kenley.
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” 25—Gen. Banks, defeated at Winchester, Va., retreats across the Potomac.
” 27—Confederates defeated at Hanover, Va.
” 30—union troops occupy Corinth, Mississippi.
” 31—Battle of Fair Oaks. union troops repulsed.
June 1—Battle of............