Top Battles of the Civil War
 *Fort Sumter - April 10th, 1861
In a harbor in Charleston, SC
Key Individual for Union - Lincoln
Key Individuals for Confederacy - Jefferson Davis and General Beauregard
This was the first battle of the civil war marking the beginning of conflict
between the states.
(The Union didn't surrender the garrison to show they would not back
down, so the Confederacy bombarded the island.)
Confederate Victory
* indicates on VA SOL USI.9E
 *First Battle of Manassas/Bull Run – July 21st, 1861
Manassas Creek, Virginia
Key Individuals for Confederacy - General P.G.T. Beauregard and General
“Stonewall” Jackson
Key individual for the Union – General Irwin McDowell
This set the precedent of how the war was going to be. Union soldiers
thought the war would be over quick, and people lined the hilltops to
watch the battle. The untrained Union army of 35,000 was turned back by a
Confederate force of just 25,000 and 2,300 reinforcements, showing the
war was not going to be as easy as thought. General Thomas “Stonewall”
Jackson earned his nickname here by standing firm and rallying others.
Confederate Victory
* indicates on VA SOL USI.9E
 Sharpsburg/Antietam – September 17, 1862
The Bloodiest One Day Battle in American History
Key individual for the Union – General George B. McClellan
Key Individuals for Confederacy – Robert E. Lee
23,000 soldiers were killed, wounded or missing after twelve hours of savage
combat on September 17, 1862. The Battle of Antietam ended the Confederate
Army of Northern Virginia's first invasion into the North and led to Abraham
Lincoln's issuance of his Emancipation Proclamation, even though the battle
was tactically inconclusive. (This discouraged the British and French governments
from potential plans for recognition of the Confederacy.)
 *Gettysburg July 1-3 1863
Gettysburg, Pennsylvania
Key individual for the Union- George G. Meade
Key individual for the CSA- Robert E. Lee
Was the turning point of the Civil War for the Union as General Lee was defeated
with such losses that he would be on the defensive for the rest of the war.
Union Victory
* indicates on VA SOL USI.9E
 *Siege of Vicksburg May 18th - July 4th, 1863
Located in Vicksburg, Mississippi
Key individual for the Union – General Ulysses S. Grant
Key individual for the CSA- John C. Pemberton
Split the Confederacy in two along the Mississippi River, giving the Union
full control of the River. Combined with the loss at Gettysburg the previous
day the loss of Vicksburg severely damaged the Confederates morale.
Union Victory
* indicates on VA SOL USI.9E
 *Appomattox April 9th, 1865
Appomattox Court House, VA
Key individual for the Union-General Ulysses S. Grant
Key individual for the CSA- Robert E. Lee
General Lee's final Battle. He surrenders at 4 p.m. the day after his ragged,
hungry forces are completely surrounded; the next day giving his farewell
address. This led to a domino effect of surrenders among the remaining
CSA generals in other areas.
Union Victory
* indicates on VA SOL USI.9E