While America's Civil War was fought on Confederate battlefields, Chicago played a crucial role in the Union's struggle toward victory. The Hoofs and Guns of the Storm takes you through a whirlwind of 19th century events that created the foundation for modern-day Chicago. While America's Civil War was fought on Confederate battlefields, Chicago played a crucial role in the Union's struggle toward victory. The Hoofs and Guns of the Storm takes you through a whirlwind of 19th century events that created the foundation for modern-day Chicago.