text: [Themes: edutainment, war]
  
  In the early months of 1862, the Union faced imminent victory over the Confederacy. The newly appointed
  Commander, General George B. McClellan, was able to take Richmond, Virginia, advancing ever-deeper into Confederate territory. Meanwhile, battles in the western theater of war were going well for the Union also. The new General Ulysses S. Grant saw a major victory after taking forts Belmont and Henry, in Kentucky and Tennessee, respectively. Then, with his army of 25,000 Union troops, Grant took on the 12,000 Confederate troops at Fort Donelson and was victorious, earning the nickname "Unconditional Surrender" Grant...
  
  Following his victory at Fort Donelson, General Grant stationed his troops at Shiloh, along the Tennessee River. The Confederate Army, angered at Grant for taking three of their forts in a month's time, decide to take action against the General. On April 6th, 1862, a group of 42,000 Confederates marched on Shiloh.
  
  General Grant weighs his options. The army he commanded was now made up of roughly 49,000 troops, while the Confederate army on the offensive was 42,000 strong. Due to its prime location on the Tennessee River, if Confederate troops were able to take Shiloh, it would put them dangerously close to the Union-controlled Richmond, which was only a few steps away from Washington.
  
  However, if he stayed and fought, there might be countless casualties on both sides, no matter who emerged victorious.
  
  It was a battle of extremes. Either flee and spare the lives of most likely thousands of men, allowing the Confederate troops to take Shiloh (and possibly Richmond after that), or fight back, defending the Union borders, but risking many casualties in the process.
  
  > fight back at Shiloh
  Deciding that losing Shiloh would be too big of a blow for the Union army to take, Grant pushes back at the Confederate army, eventually winning out with numbers and troop positioning.
  
  The victory is bittersweet. By the end of the battle, 23,000 troops lie dead in Shiloh, 10,000 of them Union soldiers, the rest Confederate. The losses are great in the bloodiest battle of the war thus far (more lie dead than in all previous American wars combined), but it pays off. The Union is able to keep Shiloh, as well as their three forts in the Midwest.
  
  Meanwhile, back on the eastern front, the Confederates make another strike at Bull's Run in Virginia. Led by Confederate General Stonewall Jackson, the army which measures 55,000 strong are able to defeat the Union army which has 20,000 more soldiers, causing the army to retreat back to the capitol once more.
  
  Seeing their chance, General Robert E. Lee takes his separate Confederate force and heads north for Harper's Ferry, located only 50 miles northwest of Washington. Understanding the importance of not letting Lee reach the capitol, the Union army of 90,000 under the command of McClellan pursues them.
  
  On September 17th, 1862, the Union forces catch up with Lee's Confederate troops in Antietam, Maryland. What follows is one of the bloodiest battles in U.S. history - by the end of the night, a combined tally of men from both sides determined that nearly 23,000 men lied dead. In the end, however, McClellan and the Union troops manage to win the day, but once again at a very high cost.
  
  "It is well that war is so terrible...we should grow too fond of it." - Robert E. Lee
  
  Following this victory, Lincoln has decided that the time for negotiable peace has passed. If there was any chance at a "peaceful" resolution, it would not present itself until one side had nearly depleted the others, both of resources and troops. Just a few days after the offensive at Antietam, Lincoln issues the preliminary Emancipation Proclamation, freeing all slaves in Union-held states only. The number of slaves in Union territories did not come close to the amount in the Confederacy, but regardless, this gives many blacks a new vigor, and enlistment into the Union army increases drastically.
  
  After the hard-won victory at Antietam, General McClellan was hesitant to go on the offensive into Virginia in order to pursue the Confederates and possibly win the war. Both Lincoln and General Grant, however, were certain that taking the battle into the Confederacy was the right move. McClellan still refused and Lincoln, incensed by his lack of offensive spirit, considered replacing him with someone more inclined to attacking.
  
  Considered as a replacement for McClellan was a Union General by the name of Ambrose Burnside, who was more than willing to take the fight into Richmond, Virginia, as opposed to hanging back for defense. Lincoln weighed his options. McClellan was by no means a bad General, Lincoln decided, but he seems to be too hesitant to take action where it is needed, and that is not a good trait to have if they were to win this war. Still, McClellan had led them to many victories in the past, and it may be wrong to relieve him of command after the dedication he had shown.
  
  On the other hand, General Burnside would take a much more sensible approach to the war, Lincoln decided. It may not always seem favorable, but the reality of war is that it usually ends when one side destroys the other, and Lincoln was not willing to hang back and let it be the Union that fell first. If Burnside was put into McClellan's command, he had a plan to take an offensive force into Richmond.
  
  > keep McClellan in charge
  McClellan is a well-decorated General, Lincoln decides. Taking command away from him after so many victories would
  be injustice. If McClellan decided it would be better to hold their position at Antietam until their army has built up, so be it.
  
  However, as they hold their ground in Maryland, the Confederates recoup from their losses quicker than expected, and march back up to Antietam, with an army now over 95,000 strong.
  
  The Union is unable to stop the Confederates advance through Virginia and up to Washington D.C. The Union army fights a hard fight, but are unsuccessful in fending off the Confederate invaders. D.C. is captured by the slave-states, the White House raided and Lincoln's presidency quickly demolished. All previously free African Americans are auctioned off as slaves, and the Union surrenders shortly after, having only a fraction of an army (and support) left to fight with.
  
  In the end, the Union is destroyed by inaction - both on the battlefield, and off.
  
  I pledge allegiance to the flag of the Confederate States of America.
  
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