A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

A

abolition: the end of something, such as slavery abolitionist: a person who was against slavery; a person who wanted slavery to be against the law ammunition: bullets and other things used in guns and cannons amputation: the taking off of an arm, leg, or other body part; done by a doctor; done a lot during the Civil War artillery: a part of the army that used cannons and other large weapons; or the cannons themselves

B

battery: a group of military cannons, guns, and other weapons used together, or a military unit that fires such weapons battle: a fight, often during a war blockade: placing Navy ships in front of an enemy’s harbors and river openings; kept ships with goods from entering and leaving border states: the slave states between the North and the South that stayed in the Union during the Civil War brigade: a military group, usually made up of five smaller groups and led by a general

C

camp: ground on which an army pitches its tents cannon: a large, heavy gun; it was often put on wheels, not carried by hand capital: the city where the leaders of a country meet casualty: a soldier hurt, killed, taken by the enemy, or missing in action 1

cavalry: a group of soldiers trained to fight on horseback, often used to look out ahead and keep the army safe Confederacy: the government set up by the southern states that seceded from the Union in 1860 and 1861, called the Confederate States of America Confederate: having to do with the government set up by the southern states that seceded from the union in 1860 and 1861, called the Confederate States of America Confederate States of America: the country started by the states that seceded from the United States of America corps: a large military group made up of three smaller groups

D

Davis, Jefferson: president of the Confederate States of America desertion: the act of a soldier leaving the military without asking first dispatch: news, often sent from someplace far away division: a military group made up of three or four brigades dysentery: a sickness causing stomach pain and fever; it was the number one killer during the Civil War

E

Emancipation Proclamation: the order that freed slaves in the Confederacy as of January 1, 1863

F

Federal: a member of the Union army, or having to do with the northern United States during the Civil War free state: a state that did not let people own slaves front: the place where armies are fighting fugitive slave: a slave who runs away from his or her master 2

G

Grant, Ulysses S.: general in command of the Army of the Tennessee during the Vicksburg Campaign, later commander of all of the Union armies, later president of the United States (1869-1877)

I

infantry: a group of soldiers trained to fight on foot

L

Lee, Robert Edward: Confederate commander, known for his smart war plans and for being a good leader Lincoln, Abraham: the U.S. president during the Civil War; the 16th president of the United States

M

Mason-Dixon Line: the line between Pennsylvania and Maryland; seen as the line between the North and the South military: a country’s armies

N

North, The: Union states

O

officer: in the military, a commander of soldiers

P

prisoner of war: soldier caught by the enemy and placed in an enemy camp

R

ration: the food one soldier was given rebel: someone who breaks away from people in charge or usual ways; during the Civil War, a member of the Confederate army 3

rebellion: the act of rebelling or breaking away from people in charge or usual ways; during the Civil War, the act of breaking away from the Union rebellious: during the Civil War, having to do with rebels (Confederates) or the Confederacy reinforcement: extra soldiers that come to help retreat: to have to move back or away from a battle or fight

S

scurvy: a sickness caused by not getting enough vitamin C; there weren’t many fruits and vegetables at camps, so many soldiers got scurvy during the Civil War secede: to leave; pull out; the southern states that became known as “Confederate” states had seceded from the Union secession: the act of seceding, or leaving segregation: keeping people of different races apart siege: a military blockade of a town or other place, used to make the army there give up; a plan in which the enemy circles or pins down an army slave: a person who is owned by another person slave state: a state that let people own slaves slavery: owning a person soldier: someone who is in the military South, the: Confederate states surrender: to give up a fight sympathizer: someone who often sides with a cause

T

telegraph: a message sent by wire 4

theater: land where military action took place troops: groups that fight for their country; soldiers Typhoid fever: a very bad sickness; it was easy to catch; it killed many soldiers during the Civil War

U

Union: the United States of America, or the northern states during the Civil War

W

weapon: something that can be used to hurt someone (such as a gun or cannon)

Y

Yankee: a slang word for a member of the Union army

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