1The American civil war is recognized as the fiercest war in the American history. The war which took place between 1961 and 1965 was between the Southern and Northern States of America. McPherson (1997) found that the contributing factors to the war included the controversy over 6state’s rights versus the authority of the national government, expansion of the western states and abolishment of the slave trade. While the northern was against the slave trade, the southern were for it. As a result, when Abraham Lincoln who was for was anti-slavery was elected as the republican president in 41860, seven Southern states withdrew from the Union and formed the confederate states of America. Additionally, four more states withdrew after the war began. The following four years were characterized by intense conflicts and brutal battles including Manassas, Antietam, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, and Vicksburg. Moreover, 620, 000 soldiers lost their lives and millions of people were injured (Linderman, 2008). Eventually, by April 1886, most of the confederate generals had surrendered. Consequently, President Johnson declared an end to the war. The Confederate President Jefferson Davis was later captured. Notably, the Union army was led by many commanders throughout the course of the multiple battles against the Confederates who were lead by Robert Lee in the American civil war; which resulted to the reuniting of the American states and the abolishment of the slave trade. During the mid-19th century, America was going through a period tremendous growth. The northern region was more inclined to manufacturing and industry. On the other hand, the southern region was specialized in agriculture, which utilized slave labor. The northern states were aggressively opposing the extension of the slave trade in the new western states. As a result, the southerners were worried about losing the slave labor, which would lead to the collapse of their agriculture-based economy. In 1954, the congress passed the Kansas-Nebraska Act which allowed slavery in the new states. The northern states retaliated by forming the Republican Party whose main agenda was the abolishment of slavery. Moreover, the 1859 attack on Harper’s ferry by John Brown who was an anti-slavery supporter aggravated the suspicion of the southerners against the northerners. The tension between the two regions was heightened by the election of the abolitionist President Ibrahim Lincoln in 1960. As a result, South Carolina, Mississippi, Georgia, Louisiana, Florida, Texas, and Alabama 1withdrew from the union, to form the confederate states of America (Potter, 1977). The civil of America began in 12th of April 1861 when the confederate army claimed the union held fort Sumter (Keegan, 2011). The Confederate armies were the first to open army, ordering the American defense force to lower the American flag as a sign of surrender. President Lincoln hit back by deploying more troops led by Major Robert Anderson to the scene. However, the major surrendered after two days of ambush leaving the port under the authority of the confederate army led by Pierre G.T. Beauregard. McPherson (1997) found that; after this surrender, 5the southern states of Virginia, Arkansas North Carolina, and Tennessee seceded from the United States to join the confederate states of America. By the end of 1961, several minor battles had occurred. Among them was the first Manassas in which; the Confederate troops headed by Thomas Jonathan alias “Stonewall” Compelled the union army to retreat towards Washington. This was a signal for a long battle ahead, and as a result, both parties increased their reinforcement. Accordingly, more intense battles were witnessed at the beginning of 1862. According to Kaufman (2009), Winfield Scott who was a supreme commander of the federal troops was highly esteemed by the troops. However, his reluctance to advance against the confederate armies made President Lincoln to replace him with George B. McClellan. Subsequently, McClellan and his Army of the Potomac advanced to up the cape between the York and James Rivers. On the 4th may 1862, McClellan’s army managed to capture the Yorktown. However, Confederate armies led by Robert Lee successfully forced the army of the Potomac to retrieve. As a result, McClellan asked for more reinforcement. However, President Lincoln declined his request and instead withdrew the troops back to Washington. Consequently, Lincoln replaced McClellan with Henry Halleck. However, McClellan remained the commander of the Army of the Potomac. According to Keegan (2011), Lee divided his troops and left one group under the leadership of Joseph Johnston while he led the other group. He commissioned Johnston’s group to advance to Manassas where the Union troops were being led by John Pope. On 29th August 1962, the battle of second Manassas began. On the first day, the union troops were able to overcome their adversaries. However, Lee’s army merged with Johnston’s army and they overcame the Union troops, forcing them to retreat towards Washington. Upon this victory, Lee organized his troops in preparation to instigate their attack on the northern states. However, on the 14th of September, McClellan reorganized his army and advanced to ambush the Confederate armies at Maryland. McClellan’s troops won the battle, forcing the Confederate armies to retrieve towards the Antietam Creek. On the 17th of September, McClellan’s troops attacked the Confederate armies in what turned out to be a most devastating battle of Antietam. 12,410 Union soldiers and 13,724 confederate soldiers lost their lives (Linderman, 2008). McClellan and his troops emerged victorious, while the confederate troops withdrew towards Virginia. However, McClellan’s failure to take advantage of the situation compelled President Lincoln and supreme commander Halleck to replace him with Ambrose Burnside. Burnside’s first attack on the Confederate side on 13th December resulted in heavy casualties from his side. Conversely, the Confederate emerged victoriously. As a result, he was instantly replaced by Joseph Hooker On first 3January 1863, President Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation which freed all the slaves in the northern states. As a result, the Confederates were deprived of their labor forces. In addition, many black soldiers joined the war on the union’s side. On the 1st of May, Lee’s troops ambushed the Union troops forcing them to withdraw towards Chancellorsville. In the Chancellorsville battle, the Union lost 17000 soldiers and 13000 confederate soldiers lost their lives in the battle (Davis, 2003). However, Lee was determined to invade the northern states. As a result, he instigated another attack on June attacking the federal troops who were being led by General George Meade in Pennsylvania. During the three days fierce battle, the Confederate troops were not able to penetrate the Union center. Conversely, they incurred many casualties. Although Meade did not counterattack, Lee’s troops escaped to Virginia, ending the Confederate attack on the North. In the meantime, the federal forces under the command of Ulysses S. Grant won the Vicksburg battle. Conversely, Confederate army emerged victorious in Chickamauga compelling Grant to request for reinforcement (McPherson, 1997). In March 1864, Grant replaced Halleck as the supreme commander. Grant led the army of Potomac towards Lee’s army in northern Virginia. On the other hand, William T. Sherman was placed in control of the west. According to Davis (2003), the Union suffered heavy casualties in the Battle of the Wilderness which was fought in May 1864. Also, the fighting at Spotsylvania, Cold Harbor, and Petersburg yielded many casualties for the Union armies. However, Grant managed to put Petersburg under siege for nine months. On the other hand, Sherman overcame the Confederate armies and captured Atlanta, Charleston, Columbia and Carolina by April 1965. Heidler, Heidler, and Coles, (2000) found that, just when the Union was about to realize victory, president Lincoln was assassinated on 14th April by John Booth; who was a southern sympathizer. He was succeeded by President Andrew Johnson. Meanwhile, Lee’s forces captured the Union-held Fort Stedman on the 25th of March 1965. However, the Union troops retaliated forcing the Confederate army to escape. Subsequently, Grant pursued and encompassed them, forcing Lee to surrender at Appomattox on 9th April 1965. Similarly, Joseph Johnston who was heading the Confederate troops in the west surrendered to Sherman on the 26th of April 1865 bringing the war to an end. Notably, after Lee’s surrender, most of the Confederate generals surrendered their armies. On 9th of May 1865, President Johnson officially declared an end to the war. Jefferson Davis was captured the following day. Subsequently, the states of America reunited to form the new slave-free America. In conclusion, the American civil war was sparked by dissimilarities in opinions regarding slavery, federal authority and states’ right between the northern and the southern states. When Lincoln became the Republican President, seven northern 2states withdrew from the Union and formed the Confederate states of America. The war began when the Confederate troops claimed the Union-held Fort Sumter. What seemed as a short-term conflict resulted in many battles; among them the first and second Manassas, Antietam, Chancellorsville, and Gettysburg. 620,000 soldiers lost their lives and the infrastructure of the southern states was highly damaged. While the Confederate troops were under the supreme leadership of Lee, the Union troops were headed by several commanders throughout the course of the war until Grant led them to victory. Lee’s surrender to Grant was followed by consecutive surrenders from the other Confederate generals. Towards the end of the war, President Lincoln was assassinated by a southern sympathizer. He was succeeded by President Johnson who officially declared an end to the war on 9th may 1865. Subsequently, a new slave- free America was formed.