Major Battles of the Civil War

Major Battles of the Civil War Battle Date Location Significance Battle of Fort Sumter April 12–13, 1861 Charleston, P.G.T. Beauregard fires on the federal South Carolina fort in Charleston Harbor. This is the first battle of the Civil War. First Battle of Bull Run July 21, 1861 Manassas, The Union army under Irvin McDowell Virginia loses to the Confederates under Beauregard, J.E. Johnston, and “Stonewall” Jackson. Battle of Fort Henry February 6, 1862 western U.S. Grant and gunboats under Andrew Tennessee Hull Foote take the fort and gain control of the Tennessee River. Battle of Fort Donelson February 11–16, western Grant takes the fort, accepts the 1852 Tennessee surrender of the Confederate army, and gains control of the Cumberland River. Battle of Shiloh April 6–7, 1862 Pittsburg Albert Sidney Johnston and Beauregard Landing, attack Grant. He defeats them. Tennessee The Seven Days Battles June 25–July 1, Henrico County, George B. McClellan leads Union 1862 Virginia forces in this series of battles over several days. Robert E. Lee leads the victorious Confederate forces. Second Battle of Bull August 27–30, Manassas, Jackson, Lee, and James Longstreet Run 1862 Virginia defeat John Pope’s Army of Northern Virginia. Battle of Antietam September, 17, Antietam Creek, McClellan ends Lee’s invasion of the 1862 Maryland North. This was the bloodiest day of the war. Almost 23,000 soldiers die. Battle of Fredericksburg December 13, Fredericksburg, This is the most one-sided battle of the 1862 Virginia war. The Union army suffered huge losses. This ends the Union army’s invasion of the Confederate capital of Richmond, Virginia. Battle of Chancellorsville April 30–May 6, Chancellorsville, Lee defeats Joseph Hooker’s Army of 1863 Virginia the Potomac. Friendly fire kills “Stonewall” Jackson. Battle of Vicksburg May 18–July 4, Vicksburg, U.S. Grant and the Union army cross the 1863 Mississippi Mississippi River and drive the Confederate army back to Vicksburg. Battle of Gettysburg July 1–3, 1863 Gettysburg, Lee loses to George G. Meade, Pennsylvania Pickett’s Charge fails, and the South’s second invasion of North ends. Battle of July 18– Charleston, This engagement involves the all-black Fort Wagner/Morris September 7, 1863 South Carolina 54th Massachusetts Regiment under Island Colonel Robert G. Shaw. Fort Wagner never falls to the Union. Battle of Chickamauga September 19–20, Chickamauga, Confederate Braxton Bragg defeats 1863 Georgia William S. Rosecrans. George Thomas of the Union army becomes known as the “The Rock of Chickamauga.” Battle of Chattanooga November 23–25, Chattanooga, U.S. Grant defeats Braxton Bragg and 1863 Tennessee relieves Union forces besieged in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Battle of the Wilderness May 5–9, 1864 Northern Both sides suffer heavy losses, but the Virginia battle is inconclusive. Battle of May 8–21, 1864 Spotsylvania The battle is inconclusive. Grant still Spotsylvania Court Court House, tries to force his way through Lee and House Virginia his Army of Northern Virginia. Battle of Cold Harbor May 31–June 12, Hanover This is one of the bloodiest battles of 1864 County, Virginia the war. Thousands of Union soldiers are killed in a hopeless frontal attack. Siege of Petersburg June 15, 1864– Petersburg, This battle involved ten months of March 25, 1865 Virginia trench warfare. Grant leads the Union forces in an unsuccessful assault on Petersburg. The Union army then constructs trench lines that eventually extend over thirty miles around the eastern and southern borders of Petersburg. Lee and his Confederates retreat. Battle of Mobile Bay August 2–23, 1864 Mobile Bay, The Union shuts down one of the last Alabama two Confederate ports. This success helps Abraham Lincoln’s re-election campaign. Battle of April 8, 1865 Appomattox Union forces stop Lee’s final attempt to Appomattox Station County, Virginia resupply. Battle of April 9, 1865 Appomattox Lee’s forces are surrounded. He Appomattox Courthouse Courthouse, surrenders to Grant. Virginia.

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