Major Battles of the Civil War
By: Morgan Merritt
Battle of Bull Run
The Battle of Bull Run occurred on July 21, 1861 and it was the first battle of the Civil War. It was a union army,consisting of 28,000 men fighting 33,000 confederates. This battle took place in Bull Run Creek, Manassas VA and proved that this would not be a one sided war for either side, as was predicted. The battle spurred a sense of victory in the South, pushing them on, and in the North a feeling for revenge.
Shiloh(Pittsburgh Landing)
This battle was what General Grant described, "it would have been possible to walk across the clearing in any direction stepping on dead bodies without a foot touching the ground" Nearly 100,000 troops had faced each other and almost 24,000 ended as casualties. This battle occurred April 6-7, 1862, and made the leaders realize that the Civil War would not end quickly.
Antietam Creek- Sharpsburg Maryland
This battle was as deadly as the Battle of Shiloh. It occurred September 16-18, 1862, in Washington County, Maryland. As a result of this it was the incredible loss of life. No other single day of American history before or since has been so deadly.
The Siege of Vicksburg
This was another deadly battle. It occurred May 18-July 4, 1863 in Warren County, Mississippi on the Mississippi River. With the loss of Pemberton's army and this vital stronghold on the Mississippi, the Confederacy was effectively split in half. Grant's successes in the West boosted his reputation, leading ultimately to his appointment as General-in-Chief of the Union armies.
The Battle of Hampton Roads: The Ironclads
The Battle of Hampton Roads was the first battle of iron-armored battleships and it occurred March 9, 1862. It was history's first duel between ironclad warships and the beginning of a new era of naval warfare.
The Battle of Gettysburg
This battle occurred July 1-3, 1863 in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. This battle was between the Union and Confederate forces.
The Battle of Chancellorville
This battle occurred April 30-May 6, 1863. This was considered to be Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee's greatest victory during the American Civil War.