Battles of the American Civil War

Engraving depicting fighting during the American Civil War

Hulton Archive / Getty Images
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By
Kennedy Hickman
Ken 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.
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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

Western Theater

  • August 10: Battle of Wilson's Creek, Missouri
  • November 7: Battle of Belmont, Missouri

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

Western Theater

1863

Eastern Theater

Trans-Mississippi Theater

  • January 9-11: Battle of Arkansas Post, Arkansas

Western Theater

1864

Eastern Theater

Trans-Mississippi River

Western Theater

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 Carolina
  • March 19-21: Battle of Bentonville, North Carolina
  • April 2: Battle of Selma, Alabama
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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 May 1, 2025).