Battles of the Civil War

Fort Sumter

Apr 12, 1861

Charleston Harbor, South Carolina
April 12-14,1861
Brig General P.G.T Beauregard
Surrendered the fort and evacuated the next day

The first major battle of the civil war, and first shots fired in the American War.

1st Battle of Bull Run

Jul 21, 1861

Manassas, Virginia
July 21,1861
Irvin McDowell
Shocking victory led by Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson.
Was the first major land battle in the armies.

Ft. Henry

Feb 6, 1862

Fort Henry, Tennessee
February 6,1862
Ulysses S. Grant in the western theater
North won
First most important victory for the Union

Ft.Donelson

Feb 11, 1862

Fort Donelson, Tennessee
February 11-16,1862
Ulysses S. Grant
South won
The union captured the fort near the Kentucky border, the avenue for the invasion of the south

Shiloh

Apr 6, 1862

Shiloh, Tennessee
April 6-7,1862
Albert Sidney Johnston
North won
Was an major battle in the Western Theater

Capture of New Orleans

Apr 25, 1862

Fought past Forts Jackson and St.Philip
April 25-May 1,1862
David G. Farragut
Union victory
The union was unopposed in its capture

Seven Days

Jun 25, 1862

Henrico County,Virginia
June 25-July 1,1862
Robert E. Lee
Confederate counter offensive which drove the union away
Series of battles in the Peninsula Campaign

Murfreesboro

Jul 13, 1862

Murfreesboro, Tennessee
July 13, 1862
Nathan Bedford Forrest
Confederates destroyed the unions supplies and tore up the railroad track in the area.
Consequence of the raid was the diversion of the union forces

2nd Battle of Bull Run

Aug 28, 1862

Manassas,Virginia
August 28-30,1862
Robert E.Lee
2nd defeat for union troops in the area of the 1st bull run
Confederate victory set the stage for the general’s first invasion of the North

Antietam

Sep 16, 1862

Sharpsburg,Maryland
September 16-18,1862
George B. Mcclellan
Turned back Robert E. Lee’s first Northern invasion
Bloodiest single day in American History

Fredericksburg

Dec 11, 1862

Fredericksburg, Virginia
December 11-15,1862
Feger Jackson
Resulted in lopsided slaughter of Federal troops
Poor coordination of attacks by the union commanders

Chancellorsville

Apr 30, 1863

Chancellorsville, Virginia
April 30-May 6,1863
Joseph Hooker
A costly victory
Principle engagement of the Chancellor campaign

Vicksburg

May 18, 1863

Vicksburg, Mississippi
May 18-July 4,1863
Ulysses S. Grant
Surrendered after prolonged siege operations
After Federal assaults repulsed the commander settled into siege warfare.

Gettysburg

Jul 1, 1863

Gettysburg, Pennsylvania
July 1-3 1863
Robert E. Lee
The largest battle ever fought on the North American continent
Turning point in the Civil War

Chattanooga

Nov 23, 1863

Chattanooga, Tennessee
November 23-25,1863
Ulysses S. Grant
It opened the road to Atlanta for federal armies
Thinly stretched Confederates were driven from the ridges above the town by a charge from the Army of the Cumberland

Wilderness

May 5, 1864

Spotsylvania County, Virginia
May 5-7, 1864
Ulysses S. Grant
Confederates claimed a tactical victory
Battle showed the North’s largest army wouldn’t retreat after a reverse

Cold Harbor

May 31, 1864

Hanover County, Virginia
May 31-June 12,1864
Ulysses S. Grant
Confederate victory
Casualties suffered in under an hour in a frontal assault on Confederate lines

Atlanta

Jul 22, 1864

Atlanta, Georgia
July 22, 1864
George B. McClellan
Union victory
Credited as the turning point that allowed Abraham Lincoln to be re-elected as president

Fayetteville, NC

Mar 5, 1865

Fayetteville, NC
March 5, 1865
Joseph Wheeler
Inconclusive
Battle during the Carolina's Campaign

Bentonville

Mar 19, 1865

Johnstonville,NC
March 19-21,1865
Braxton Bragg
Union victory
Last battle between the armies of union general William T. Sherman and Confederate Joseph E. Johnston.