What is considered the first strategic move made by the North in the Civil War? I vote for Illinois Governor Yates sending militia to Cairo, Illinois, April 21–22, 1861.
Ed Hamilton, Danville Illinois
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Dear Mr. Hamilton,
“Strategic move” sounds rather open to interpretation, but I’d say a good candidate would be April 19, 1861. On that day President Abraham Lincoln ordered a U.S. Navy blockade of all ports from South Carolina to Texas. On the same date—two days after Virginia seceded—Union forces occupied Harpers Ferry and seized its armory.
Sincerely,
Jon Guttman
Research Director
World History Group
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