Fort Monroe, Virginia, has been a major post of the U.S. Army for over 166 years. Fort Monroe is the largest stone fortication in the United States, moated and covering sixty-three acres and cost nearly two million dollars. It was the crown jewel of America’s defense and was built at a great expense following the British invasion during the War of 1812 and named after President James Monroe. Fort Monroe was a vital piece in America’s defense and history. Fort Monroe also known as “Freedom’s Fortress” is located near Hampton, VA. Which was at that time a small pretty village on the water’s edge. In 1860 the town and surrounding county had about 3,100 whites, 2,400 enslaved persons, and 200 free persons of color. It was designed by Simon Bernard, it was at one time aide de camp to Napoleon Bonaparte and was completed by 2nd Lt. Robert E. Lee from 1831-1834.This citadel was erected at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay on a 565-acre peninsula that was carved by the James river and York rivers known as Old Point Comfort. Within the moated walls of the fort, a large parade ground is bordered by buildings and a striking collection of mature oak trees . One particular Tree at Fort Monroe, known as the Algernourne Oak, is estimated to be nearly 500 years old. These trees are witnesses to events that shaped both our nation and millions of individuals’ lives: Old Point Comfort saw critical events that led to both the beginning of slavery in England’s American Colonies and the end of
The importance of this raid lay in the fact that they captured much-needed cannons and gunpowder.
The Battle of Gettysburg was the most decisive battle for the North, and it lasted for a total of three days. It began on July 1 and ended on July 3, 1863. The Confederacy was going on the offensive and was beginning to venture into Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Washington D.C. They encountered Union troops as they advanced towards Harrisburg where they planned to cut off Union supply lines and to steal provisions that they needed. The Battle of Gettysburg became the bloodiest multi-day battle ever fought in United States history. At the end of the Battle of Gettysburg, the Union claimed victory, and they would use this psychological advantage throughout the rest of the Civil War.
Fort Sumter is located in Charleston, South Carolina. The fort is in Charleston's harbor. The fort was not even complete when war broke out. This was a big turning point for the United States of America. It separated the north from the south and in some cases it separated families. This war would impact how the United States saw slavery. It is the most deadly war that the United States has every seen in its history.
The Battles of Lexington and Concord are the initial battles of the revolutionary war. In the Revolutionary war Britain descovers that the terrnosity of the Americans will not so easily be silenced. Hundreds of British troops, exstimated to be around 700, marched from Boston to Lexington on the evening of April 18, 1775, with secret orders to capture any weapons availble to the American militia. Thanks to the efforts of Paul Revere and William Dawes, who rode from Boston to Lexington in the middle of the night. Colonial leaders John Handcock and Samuel Adams were warned of the intentions of the oncoming redcoats. The British red coats clashed witlh American militia at Lexington on April 19, 1775.
White and his men dropped anchor off the Outer Banks of North Carolina and rowed toward the island. Crewman sounded familiar tunes on trumpets to alert the colonists, but not a single human figure was seen. The landing party made its way through the woods to the settlement at the island’s northern end. Bracing himself for the worst, White entered the clearing where he had parted from the colonists, including his daughter, Eleanor Dare and his granddaughter, the first child born in the colonies, Virginia Dare (Davis, 2009). He found the settlement deserted, weeds and vines sprouting where houses had once stood. The houses themselves had been carefully dismantled and removed. Gone, too, were the fort’s small cannon; buried chests were found, containing some of the colonists’ possessions. All the evidence suggested a planned and orderly withdrawal (McGill, 2009).
“Five hundred men moved silently toward the gates that would shut out life and hope for most of them forever. Quarter of a mile from the railroad we came into a massive palisade with great squared logs standing upright in the ground. Fires blazed up and showed us a section of these and two massive wooden gates with heavy iron hinges and bolts. They swung open as we stood there and we passed through into the space beyond. We were at Andersonville.” – Private John McElroy.
As Sir Washington was heading back from delivering the message, he saw a point of land at an intersection of Allegheny and the Monongahela form the Ohio, where he thought would be a brilliant idea to build a fort. Dinwiddie agreed to his suggestion therefore building Fort Prince George, but ended with the French coming and taking over changing the name to Fort Duquesne. Washington ended up moving to the Great Meadows where he and his troops decided in building a fort that would be called, Fort Necessity. Three days within encampment, Washington and 40 men went looking for a group of French that were seen about seven miles away from Chestnut Ridge. When finding the French they were made prisoners, killed the commander Joseph Coulon de Villiers, and several others were killed as well, especially since it was a surprise attack they surrendered. George Washington won that encounter but the French weren’t about to give up yet. Not to long after, French troops were sent out from Fort Duquesne and defeated the British which left the French in charge of the west Allegheny Mountains. In 1755, General Edward Braddock came from Britain to America as commander in chief I order to help Britain gain Fort Duquesne back. Again the British had failed, loosing men as well as General Braddock who passed away four days after the
After suffering a major loss at the battle of Shiloh, general Ulysses S. Grant of the Union army led his army south to Vicksburg, Mississippi. Vicksburg was a major Confederate stronghold that held a large supply of supplies essential to war efforts. The Union controlled a small strip of land beside the Mississippi river, right between Vicksburg and Port Hudson. Taking the stronghold would be vital for the Union to claim control over the Mississippi river, which would be a massive strategic advantage.
The Battle of Fredericksburg falls in a long list of failures of the Army of the Potomac during the first year of the American Civil War. Following the Battle of Antietam the Northern Army had the opportunity to defeat Lee’s army. However, Northerners, were shocked by Lee’s escape following this battle on 17 September 1862, and were further upset by Major General George B. McClellan’s procrastination in pursuing Lee and allowing General J.E.B. Stuarts daring cavalry raid into Pennsylvania around Gettysburg (10-12 October 1862). McClellan’s failure to pursue Lee’s Army is mainly due to his own lack of confidence, believing that he doesn’t have enough men or material in order to defeat the Army of Virginia. President Lincoln had finally
A battle that had a decisive outcome in the year of 1862 for both the Confederates and the Union, has since disappeared, an island eroded by the weather, with only a small marker to remember its significance about three miles away from its actual location. The battle of Island No. 10 is often overlooked in Civil War history, with very few publications covering the topic compared to other Civil War events. Even though the battle for this island was a significant one, it is not well known throughout the history community, and this could partly be contributed to the fact that it was fought in between two of the largest battles that occurred in the western theater of the war: Fort Donelson and Shiloh. It is an unfamiliar and surprisingly important
Tonight is our last night in Valley Forge. General Washington says we’re moving out sometime tomorrow. The British had left Philadelphia and there are plans for us to zone in. After being stationed here for six months, I can’t say that I’ll miss it. If the British army had seen us during the first few winter months, they would have assumed that their work was all but done. They would only have to wait until all fourteen-hundred of us all died off or packed up and went home. The winter in Valley Forge was tough; there was a limited amount supplies and illness was common, but General Washington kept us together and Baron von Steuben helped turn us into an army to look out for.
Many countries have tried but failed to capture this area. Both French and British armies tired but failed the Germans were too strong. This area was known as Vimy Ridge, which has many high hills and was located in France. The Germans had captured this area since September 1914, the Germans started to build artillery proof bunkers and trenches. Germanys had the advantage in every battle; Germanys had their bases on top of the long hills. Which lead them to look down on their enemies, which was easier for Germanys to kill their target. After countries failing to capture Vimy Ridge, Canada decided they were going to attempt to fight for Vimy Ridge. For the first time Britain asked for generals to lead Canada to victory for the battle of Vimy Ridge. Sir Julian Byng and Major Arthur Currie were asked to lead the Canadian Military to win the battle of Vimy Ridge. After months of practicing a strategy Canada was ready. April 1917, Canada went to battle with Germany for Vimy Ridge. This became one of the most devastating battles ¬in Canadian history. Canadians should remember that Vimy Ridge was not their triumph alone. British artillery and the elite 51st Highland Division helped make victory possible (Desmond Morton, Significance of Vimy Ridge). Vimy Ridge is considered a defining moment in Canadian history because, it was Canada’s first time using a general to plan tactics and strategy’s, Canada was the only country that succeeded on capturing Vimy Ridge, lastly all Canadian
“The fort was built in an irregular pentagon design which is still considered one of the finest examples of Napoleonic military architecture in existence; the Pentagon in our nation’s capital is modeled after it. It was unusual in that it was erected over a sandy foundation with little solid rock underneath, but it never settled or sagged. The armament for it was formidable: three hundred and twelve seacoast and garrison guns, six field pieces, and one hundred and thirty-four other heavy guns, all to be manned by a garrison of twelve hundred men. The design also provided for a complete three hundred and sixty degree defensive pattern, thus eliminating the possibility of land attack. During the years, muzzle loading cannons gave way to rifled cannons which in turn were replaced by “disappearing” twelve inch guns. There was even a “torpedo” launching casemate.” (Hamilton, Harlan. Throg Neck Light. 3)
I visited the Fort Snelling State Park (FSSP) in three different weeks. I found it as it’s a very beautiful, interesting, marvelous, and enormous area of habitat. It has 3,711 acres and 911,435 annual visitors. Naturalist is always there to interpret and explain about natural habitat. The prairie and forest are home to multi of wildlife, including deer, fox, white-tailed, woodchucks, turkeys, and coyotes. Turtles can be seen enjoying and relaxing in the sun along the lake, park, and the river.
The wild west wind came down through the fields, rousing the deer from their reverie, and swaying the bee-studded flowers. From its highest bough to the loose sand on its mighty roots, the ancient tree quivered lightly, yet was untroubled by the breeze. Many a storm had passed over the tree, yet no rain had managed to drown those fathomless roots, no hail had managed to bite the iron bark.