The pages of Life they turn so fast
With many items of interest to see
I must confess my thoughts often turn
To what happened in the past and now forms History
In 1861 in the U S of A
Abraham Lincoln became President by election
His very first task Seccession by the Southern States
Met by him and the Republican Party with their rejection
The Confederate States of America was formed
In an area where slavery was rife
Confederates backing their thoughts with Arms
To try and strengthen the Southern way of life
There hopes were founded on European support
That “KingCotton” would encourage foreigners to intervene
But no other country would give their support
Which ultimately set the Civil War scene
On April 12th 1861 hostilities began
When Fort Sumpter came under Confederate attack
Lincoln applied to each State to supply Armed soldiers
To fight and take the Fort back
Then four more States joined the Confederate force
Bringing their total State strength to eleven
Fighting a bloody battle in the name of the Confederate cause
More nearer to Hell than Heaven
The Union soon controlled the Border States
And retaliated on the River with a Naval blockade
Severing any connection of Sea borne assistance
Crippling the economy and the Cotton Trade

The Maryland Campaign spelt defeat for Confederates
At the famous Battle of Antietam in 1862
Dissuading any support from British intervention
Stopping any shipping getting through
Many young men volunteered to fight for the North and the South
But after the first year both sides needed more fighting men
So they brought in a form of conscription of men aged 18 – 40
To strengthen their armies again
The Union had an army of 16,000 soldiers
Of the Confederate numbers I’m not too sure
But I do know that before the conflict was finished
More than 750,000 men died in this war
It was said that dissenters fled the Northern States to Canada
Some were Army deserters it would seem
As a show of resentment for the war and conscription
And the Confederates suffered the same with defectors extreme
European Irish immigrants were conscripted as well
Even recruiting ex Negro slaves too
For such was the loss of life from battle
Many fighting men were needed toi see the War through
Robert E Lee led the Confederates Northward
But the Gettysburg Battle ended that advance
The Confederate Army split by the Mississippi
Causing any success to have less chance
William T Sherman marched east to the Sea to capture Atlanta
Destroying everything with his “scorched earth” policy
Relentlessly following Confederate Forces towards Richmond
Where the Civil War was to reach finality
At Appomattox Court House Lee surrendered to Grant
On April the 9th in 1865
Bringing to an end an horrific conflict
Perhaps relief to the soldiers that did survive
The eventual outcome of this War was abolishment of slavery
Then the giving of rights to the slaves that were freed
Hoping that all the death and destruction was warranted
To know that the Abolition would succeed.