American Civil War

The American Civil War was a significant event in the United States of America long before the Great War.

Background
During the war, a draft was implemented, a poster of which can be found in the ruins of Washington D.C. New technology also developed during the war; over one million .58 caliber percussion cap Type 1861 Springfield rifle-muskets were produced as the standard infantry armament.

The Colonel Kelly monument commemorates the leader of the 1st Virginia Infantry, having been appointed colonel in May of 1861 and being gravely wounded in the Battle of Philippi a month later. This battle was the first land conflict of the war, taking place near Philippi, Virginia. On June 3, 1861, the Union planned a pre-dawn assault on the Confederates, which resulted in their retreat. A battlefield cemetery was subsequently established on the site. The Arlington Cemetery was also founded as a national cemetery for war casualties.

At the end of the war, President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation, which freed the slaves, and subsequently presented the Gettysburg Address. In Washington D.C., Hannibal Hamlin shares information about Lincoln and his role in the emancipation, when inquiring about the Lincoln Memorial. In Appalachia, recreations of battles were held at Prickett's Fort.

In Point Lookout, Maryland, the natural bio-gas that is released from the ground comes from the bodies of soldiers who were buried and covered in lye during the Civil War. Several war items can be found in the area, such as Confederate hats.