Civil War Battles: A Nation Forever Changed
The battles of the Civil War were fought across the United States from the East Coast to as far west as New Mexico. Beginning in 1861, these battles made a permanent mark upon the landscape and elevated to prominence small towns that had previously been peaceful villages. As a result, names such as Manassas, Sharpsburg, Gettysburg, and Vicksburg became eternally entwined with images of sacrifice, bloodshed, and heroism. It is estimated that over 10,000 battles of various sizes were fought during the Civil War as Union forces marched towards victory. The battles of the Civil War are largely divided into the Eastern, Western, and Trans-Mississippi Theaters, with the bulk of the fighting taking place in the first two. During the Civil War, over 200,000 Americans were killed in battle as each side fought for their chosen cause.
Civil War Battles: By Year & Theater
1861
Eastern Theater
April 12-14 - Battle of Fort Sumter - South Carolina
June 3 - Battle of Philippi - Virginia
July 21 - First Battle of Bull Run - Virginia
August 28-29 - Battle of Hatteras Inlet Batteries - North Carolina
October 21 - Battle of Ball's Bluff - Virginia
November 8 - The Trent Affair - at Sea
Western Theater
November 7 - Battle of Belmont - Missouri
1862
Eastern Theater
March 8-9 - Battle of Hampton Roads - Virginia
March 23 - First Battle of Kernstown - Virginia
April 5 - Siege of Yorktown - Virginia
April 10-11 - Battle of Fort Pulaski - Georgia
May 31 - Battle of Seven Pines - Virginia
July 1 - Battle of Malvern Hill - Virginia
August 28-30 - Second Battle of Manassas - Virginia
September 1 - Battle of Chantilly - Virginia
September 15 - Battle of South Mountain - Maryland
September 17 - Battle of Antietam - Maryland
December 13 - Battle of Fredericksburg - Virginia
Western Theater
January 19 - Battle of Mill Springs - Kentucky
February 6 - Battle of Fort Henry - Tennessee
February 11-16 - Battle of Fort Donelson - Tennessee
April 6-7 - Battle of Shiloh - Tennessee
April 12 - Great Locomotive Chase - Georgia
April 24/25 - Capture of New Orleans - Louisiana
June 6 - Battle of Memphis - Tennessee
October 8 - Battle of Perryville - Kentucky
December 31-January 2, 1863 - Battle of Stones River - Tennessee
Trans-Mississippi Theater
February 21 - Battle of Valverde - New Mexico
March 7-8 - Battle of Pea Ridge - Arkansas
March 26-28 - Battle of Glorieta Pass - New Mexico
1863
Eastern Theater
May 1-6 - Battle of Chancellorsville - Virginia
June 9 - Battle of Brandy Station - Virginia
July 1-3 - Battle of Gettysburg - Pennsylvania
July 11 & 18 - Battles of Fort Wagner - South Carolina
Western Theater
Fall 1862-July 4 - Vicksburg Campaign - Mississippi
May 12 - Battle of Raymond - Mississippi
May 18-July 4 - Siege of Vicksburg - Mississippi
May 21-July 9 - Siege of Port Hudson - Louisiana
September 18-20 - Battle of Chickamauga - Georgia
November 23-25 - Battle of Chattanooga - Tennessee
Trans-Mississippi Theater
January 9-11 - Battle of Arkansas Post - Arkansas
1864
Eastern Theater
February 16 - Submarine H.L. Hunley Sinks USS Housatonic - South Carolina
May 5-7 - Battle of the Wilderness - Virginia
May 8-21 - Battle of Spotsylvania Court House - Virginia
May 16 - Battle of New Market - Virginia
May 31-June 12 - Battle of Cold Harbor - Virginia
June 9, 1864-April 2, 1865 - Siege of Petersburg - Virginia
July 24 - Second Battle of Kernstown - Virginia
July 30 - Battle of the Crater - Virginia
August 18-21 - Battle of Globe Tavern - Virginia
October 19 - Battle of Cedar Creek - Virginia
Western Theater
May 13-15 - Battle of Resaca - Georgia
July 22 - Battle of Atlanta - Georgia
August 5 - Battle of Mobile Bay - Alabama
August 31-September 1 - Battle of Jonesboro (Jonesborough) - Georgia
November 15-December 22 - Sherman's March to the Sea - Georgia
November 29 - Battle of Spring Hill - Tennessee
November 30 - Battle of Franklin - Tennessee
December 15-16 - Battle of Nashville - Tennessee
1865
Eastern Theater
January 13-15 - Second Battle of Fort Fisher - North Carolina
April 1 - Battle of Five Forks - Virginia
April 6 - Battle of Sayler's Creek (Sailor's Creek) - Virginia
April 9 - Surrender at Appomattox Court House - Virginia
Western Theater
March 19-21 - Battle of Bentonville - North Carolina
Civil War 101: An Overview to the War Between the States
