Humanities › History & Culture Battles of the American Civil War Print Hulton Archive / Getty Images History & Culture Military History Civil War Battles & Wars Key Figures Arms & Weapons Naval Battles & Warships Aerial Battles & Aircraft French Revolution Vietnam War World War I World War II American History African American History African History Ancient History and Culture Asian History European History Genealogy Inventions Latin American History Medieval & Renaissance History The 20th Century Women's History View More By Kennedy Hickman Kennedy Hickman Military and Naval History Expert M.A., History, University of Delaware M.S., Information and Library Science, Drexel University B.A., History and Political Science, Pennsylvania State University Kennedy Hickman is a historian, museum director, and curator who specializes in military and naval history. He has appeared on The History Channel as a featured expert. Learn about our Editorial Process Updated on July 03, 2019 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. The battles below are arranged by year, theater, and state. 1861 Eastern Theater April 12-14: Battle of Fort Sumter, South Carolina June 3: Battle of Philippi, Virginia June 10: Battle of Big Bethel, Virginia July 21: First Battle of Bull Run, Virginia October 21: Battle of Ball's Bluff, Virginia Western Theater August 10: Battle of Wilson's Creek, Missouri November 7: Battle of Belmont, Missouri At Sea November 8: The Trent Affair, at Sea 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 5: Battle of Williamsburg, Virginia May 8: Battle of McDowell, Virginia May 25: First Battle of Winchester, Virginia May 31: Battle of Seven Pines, Virginia June 8: Battle of Cross Keys, Virginia June 9: Battle of Port Republic, Virginia June 25: Battle of Oak Grove, Virginia June 26: Battle of Beaver Dam Creek (Mechanicsville), Virginia June 27: Battle of Gaines' Mill, Virginia June 29: Battle of Savage's Station, Virginia June 30: Battle of Glendale (Frayser's Farm), Virginia July 1: Battle of Malvern Hill, Virginia August 9: Battle of Cedar Mountain, Virginia August 28-30: Second Battle of Manassas, Virginia September 1: Battle of Chantilly, Virginia September 12-15: Battle of Harpers Ferry, Virginia September 14: Battle of South Mountain, Maryland September 17: Battle of Antietam, Maryland December 13: Battle of Fredericksburg, Virginia 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 December 7: Battle of Prairie Grove, Arkansas 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 September 19: Battle of Iuka, Mississippi October 3-4: Second Battle of Corinth, Mississippi October 8: Battle of Perryville, Kentucky December 26-29: Battle of Chickasaw Bayou, Mississippi December 31-January 2, 1863: Battle of Stones River, Tennessee 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 3: Battle of Gettysburg: Pickett's Charge, Pennsylvania July 11 & 18: Battles of Fort Wagner, South Carolina October 13-November 7: Bristoe Campaign, Virginia November 26-December 2: Mine Run Campaign, Virginia Trans-Mississippi Theater January 9-11: Battle of Arkansas Post, Arkansas Western Theater Fall 1862-July 4: Vicksburg Campaign, Mississippi May 12: Battle of Raymond, Mississippi May 16: Battle of Champion Hill, Mississippi May 17: Battle of Big Black River Bridge, Mississippi May 18-July 4: Siege of Vicksburg, Mississippi May 21-July 9: Siege of Port Hudson, Louisiana June 11-July 26: Morgan's Raid, Tennessee, Kentucky, Indiana, & Ohio September 18-20: Battle of Chickamauga, Georgia October 28-29: Battle of Wauhatchie, Tennessee November-December: Knoxville Campaign, Tennessee November 23-25: Battle of Chattanooga, Tennessee 1864 Eastern Theater February 16: Submarine H.L. Hunley Sinks USS Housatonic, South Carolina February 20: Battle of Olustee, Florida May 5-7: Battle of the Wilderness, Virginia May 8-21: Battle of Spotsylvania Court House, Virginia May 11: Battle of Yellow Tavern, Virginia May 16: Battle of New Market, Virginia May 23-26: Battle of North Anna, Virginia May 31-June 12: Battle of Cold Harbor, Virginia June 5: Battle of Piedmont, Virginia June 9, 1864-April 2, 1865: Siege of Petersburg, Virginia June 11-12: Battle of Trevilian Station, Virginia June 21-23: Battle of Jerusalem Plank Road, Virginia July 9: Battle of Monocacy, Maryland July 24: Second Battle of Kernstown, Virginia July 30: Battle of the Crater, Virginia August 18-21: Battle of Globe Tavern, Virginia September 19: Third Battle of Winchester (Opequon), Virginia September 21-22: Battle of Fisher's Hill, Virginia October 2: Battle of Peebles Farm, Virginia October 19: Battle of Cedar Creek, Virginia October 27-28: Battle of Boydton Plank Road, Virginia Trans-Mississippi River April 8: Battle of Mansfield, Louisiana October 23: Battle of Westport, Missouri Western Theater May 13-15: Battle of Resaca, Georgia June 10: Battle of Brice's Cross Roads, Mississippi June 27: Battle of Kennesaw Mountain, Georgia July 20: Battle of Peachtree Creek, Georgia July 22: Battle of Atlanta, Georgia July 28: Battle of Ezra Church, 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 February 5-7: Battle of Hatcher's Run, Virginia March 25: Battle of Fort Stedman, Virginia 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 16: Battle of Averasborough, North CarolinaMarch 19-21: Battle of Bentonville, North CarolinaApril 2: Battle of Selma, Alabama Cite this Article Format mla apa chicago Your Citation Hickman, Kennedy. "Battles of the American Civil War." ThoughtCo, Apr. 5, 2023, thoughtco.com/civil-war-battles-2360895. Hickman, Kennedy. (2023, April 5). Battles of the American Civil War. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/civil-war-battles-2360895 Hickman, Kennedy. "Battles of the American Civil War." ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/civil-war-battles-2360895 (accessed March 19, 2024). copy citation