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Civil War
A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same state or country. The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies. -
The First Battle of Bull Run (First Manassas)
The First Battle of Bull Run (First Manassas) was the first major battle of The Civil War. Union and Confederate Armies fought near Manassas JUnction, Virginia. After fighting on defensive for most of the day, the rebels rallied and were able to break the Union Right Flank, sending the federals into a chaotic retreat into Washington. -
Battle of Shiloh
On April 7, 1862, the Civil War's Battle of Shiloh ended with a United States (Union) victory over Confederate forces in Pittsburg Landing, Tennessee. The two-day conflict was at that point the bloodiest battle in American history, with more than 23,000 dead and wounded. -
Second Battle of Bull Run (Second Manassas)
Despite heavy Confederate casualties, the Battle of Second Bull Run (known as Second Manassas in the South) was a decisive victory for the rebels, as Lee had managed a strategic offensive against an enemy force (Pope and McClellan's) twice the size of his own. -
Battle of Antietam
The Battle of Antietam in the American Civil war, was a decisive engagement that halted the Confederate invasion of Maryland, an advance that was regarded as one of the greatest Confederate threats to Washington, D.C. The Union name for the battle is derived from Antietam Creek. -
Battle of Fredericksburg
The Battle of Fredericksburg was a major defeat for the Union Army. Although the Union vastly outnumbered the Confederates (120,000 Union men to 85,000 Confederate men) they suffered over twice as many casualties. This battle signaled the low-point of the war for the Union. -
Battle of Stones River
Stones River was a hard-fought, bloody engagement, with some of the highest casualty rates of the war. The Union suffered approximately 13,000 troops killed, wounded or captured, while the Confederates had approximately 10,000 casualties. -
Battle of Chancellorsville
Battle of Chancellorsville, in the American Civil War, bloody assault by the Union army in Virginia that failed to encircle and destroy the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia. -
Battle of Vicksburg
The Siege of Vicksburg was a decisive Union victory during the American Civil War that divided the confederacy and cemented the reputation of Union General Ulysses S. Grant. -
Battle of Gettysburg
The Battle of Gettysburg was fought July 1–3, 1863, in and around the town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, by Union and Confederate forces during the American Civil War. The battle involved the largest number of casualties of the entire war and is often described as the war's turning point. -
Battle of Chickamauga
The Confederate army secured a decisive victory at Chickamauga but lost 20 percent of its force in battle. After two days of fierce fighting, the Rebels broke through Union lines and forced the Federals into a siege at Chattanooga. -
Battle of Chattanooga
Battle of Chattanooga, in the American Civil War, a decisive engagement fought at Chattanooga on the Tennessee River in late November 1863, which contributed significantly to victory for the North. Chattanooga had strategic importance as a vital railroad junction for the Confederacy. -
Battle of the Wilderness
Battle of the Wilderness, in the American Civil War, the first battle of Union General Ulysses S. Grant's "Overland Campaign," a relentless drive to defeat once and for all Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia and capture the South's capital at Richmond, Virginia. -
Battle of Spotsylvania Courthouse
Battle of Spotsylvania Court House, Union failure to smash or outflank Confederate forces defending Richmond, Virginia, during the American Civil War. -
Battle of Cold Harbor
Battle of Cold Harbor, disastrous defeat for the Union Army during the American Civil War that caused some 18,000 casualties. The result was Lee's last major victory of the war and a bloodbath for the Union army. -
Battle of Atlanta
Battle of Atlanta, American Civil War engagement that was part of the Union's summer Atlanta Campaign. Union Major Generals William Tecumseh Sherman and James B. McPherson successfully defended against a Confederate offensive from Lieut. John Bell Hood on the eastern outskirts of Atlanta, Georgia.