The American Civil War unfolded over four years, from 1861 to 1865, with both the Union and the Confederacy locked in a brutal and transformative conflict. Beginning with a symbolic cannonade at Fort Sumter, the war escalated into vast campaigns marked by industrial firepower, strategic shifts, and staggering casualties. This list presents the most pivotal battles in the order they occurred.
Battle of Fort Sumter
Date: 12–13 April 1861
Location: Charleston Harbor, South Carolina
Summary: The war’s first clash. Confederate artillery opened fire on the Union-held fort. After enduring bombardment, Major Anderson surrendered.
Commanders:
- Union: Major Robert Anderson
- Confederacy: General P.G.T. Beauregard
Troop Estimates:
- Union: approx. 85
- Confederacy: approx. 500
Weapons Used:
- Fixed artillery, mortars
Outcome: Confederate victory
Legacy: Provoked national mobilisation. Lincoln called for 75,000 volunteers, and four more states seceded.
First Battle of Bull Run (Manassas)
Date: 21 July 1861
Location: Virginia
Summary: The first major land battle. Confederate reinforcements under Johnston routed inexperienced Union troops.
Commanders:
- Union: Irvin McDowell
- Confederacy: P.G.T. Beauregard and Joseph E. Johnston
Troop Estimates:
- Union: approx. 35,000
- Confederacy: approx. 34,000
Weapons Used:
- Smoothbore and rifled muskets, artillery
Outcome: Confederate victory
Legacy: Ended hopes for a short war. Both sides began to prepare for long-term conflict.
Battle of Antietam (Sharpsburg)
Date: 17 September 1862
Location: Maryland
Summary: The single bloodiest day in American history. Though a tactical stalemate, Lee’s advance was halted.
Commanders:
- Union: George B. McClellan
- Confederacy: Robert E. Lee
Troop Estimates:
- Union: approx. 87,000
- Confederacy: approx. 38,000
Weapons Used:
- Rifled muskets, Napoleons, repeating rifles
Outcome: Strategic Union victory
Legacy: Enabled Lincoln to announce the Emancipation Proclamation.
Battle of Gettysburg
Date: 1–3 July 1863
Location: Pennsylvania
Summary: Lee’s northern invasion was broken. Meade held firm through days of intense combat, including Pickett’s Charge.
Commanders:
- Union: George G. Meade
- Confederacy: Robert E. Lee
Troop Estimates:
- Union: approx. 93,000
- Confederacy: approx. 71,000
Weapons Used:
- Rifled muskets, cannons, sabres
Outcome: Union victory
Legacy: The high-water mark of the Confederacy. A turning point that shifted momentum to the North.
Battle of the Wilderness
Date: 5–7 May 1864
Location: Virginia
Summary: Dense forests neutralised artillery. Fire and confusion reigned in a brutal stalemate.
Commanders:
- Union: Ulysses S. Grant
- Confederacy: Robert E. Lee
Troop Estimates:
- Union: approx. 124,000
- Confederacy: approx. 65,000
Weapons Used:
- Rifles, limited artillery, trench tools
Outcome: Inconclusive
Legacy: Grant refused to retreat, signalling a new war of attrition.
Battle of Atlanta
Date: 22 July 1864
Location: Georgia
Summary: Hood’s offensive failed to dislodge Sherman. The fall of the city was a major blow to the Confederacy.
Commanders:
- Union: William T. Sherman
- Confederacy: John B. Hood
Troop Estimates:
- Union: approx. 34,000
- Confederacy: approx. 40,000
Weapons Used:
- Springfield rifles, siege guns
Outcome: Union victory
Legacy: Secured Georgia for the Union and helped re-elect Lincoln.
Battle of Franklin
Date: 30 November 1864
Location: Tennessee
Summary: A frontal assault led to catastrophic Confederate losses, including many senior officers.
Commanders:
- Union: John Schofield
- Confederacy: John Bell Hood
Troop Estimates:
- Union: approx. 27,000
- Confederacy: approx. 27,000
Weapons Used:
- Entrenched rifles, artillery
Outcome: Union defensive victory
Legacy: Crippled Hood’s forces ahead of Nashville.
Battle of Nashville
Date: 15–16 December 1864
Location: Tennessee
Summary: Thomas crushed Hood’s depleted army in a rare winter assault.
Commanders:
- Union: George H. Thomas
- Confederacy: John Bell Hood
Troop Estimates:
- Union: approx. 55,000
- Confederacy: approx. 30,000
Weapons Used:
- Breechloaders, sabres, field guns
Outcome: Union victory
Legacy: Ended the Army of Tennessee as a viable force.
Battle of Bentonville
Date: 19–21 March 1865
Location: North Carolina
Summary: Johnston’s final attempt to check Sherman failed. Union numerical superiority held firm.
Commanders:
- Union: William T. Sherman
- Confederacy: Joseph E. Johnston
Troop Estimates:
- Union: approx. 60,000
- Confederacy: approx. 21,900
Weapons Used:
- Rifled muskets, howitzers
Outcome: Strategic Union success
Legacy: Johnston’s forces would surrender weeks later.
Battle of Five Forks
Date: 1 April 1865
Location: Virginia
Summary: Sheridan flanked Pickett’s troops, forcing Lee to abandon Petersburg.
Commanders:
- Union: Philip Sheridan
- Confederacy: George Pickett
Troop Estimates:
- Union: approx. 21,000
- Confederacy: approx. 10,600
Weapons Used:
- Spencer carbines, artillery
Outcome: Union victory
Legacy: Opened the final breach in Lee’s defences.
Battle of Appomattox Court House
Date: 9 April 1865
Location: Virginia
Summary: Lee’s final stand. Trapped and outnumbered, he surrendered to Grant in Wilmer McLean’s parlour.
Commanders:
- Union: Ulysses S. Grant
- Confederacy: Robert E. Lee
Troop Estimates:
- Union: approx. 63,000
- Confederacy: approx. 28,000
Weapons Used:
- Rifled muskets, sabres, artillery
Outcome: Union victory and surrender
Legacy: Signalled the collapse of Confederate military resistance. Peace would follow soon after.
Closing Note
Each of these battles reveals the tactical evolutions, human cost, and regional significance of the Civil War. The conflict left deep scars and shaped modern America through both devastation and transformation. The legacy of these encounters still resonates through the nation’s identity, memory, and political landscape.
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