The American Civil War Battles

Union Naval Blockade

Union Naval Seizures

Areas of Union Control

  The Western Theatre, 1862

The Western Theatre – 1861 - 1865

Major Battles and Events of the Western Theatre Vicksburg Location: Mississippi Dates: May 18-July 4, 1863 Estimated Casualties: 35,825 total (US 4,550; CS 31,275) Results: Union victory Shiloh State: Tennessee Dates: April 6-7, 1862 Estimated Casualties: 23,746 total (US 13,047; CS 10,699) Results: Union victory Chickamauga Location:Georgia (1863) Dates: September 18-20, 1863 Estimated Casualties: 34,624 total (US 16,170; CS 18,454) Results: Confederate victory Atlanta State: Georgia Dates: July 22, Estimated Casualties: 12,140 total (US 3,641; CS 8,499) Results: Union victory Sherman’s March to the Sea

Shiloh April 6 1862 Confederate soldiers attacked along Tennessee River Federal forces pushed back but made a stand at the “Hornet’s Nest” Confederates surrounded and captured Union soldiers Next morning Union reinforcements outnumbered Confederate forces Confederate General Johnston mortally wounded Grant’s counteroffensive overpowered Confederates who fled the field Bloodiest battle in US history (at the time) with 23,000 dead

William T. Sherman Sherman became one of Lincoln’s most trusted Generals as a result of his performance during the war in the West

Sherman’s March to the Sea Sept 2 1864 Union forces captured Atlanta, the railroad and industrial centre of the Confederacy Nov 15- Dec 21 1864 Union General Sherman led 60,000 Union soldiers 285 miles from Atlanta to Savannah Georgia stole food and livestock & burned houses and barns to demoralize the population Confederate forces fled south Dec 21 entered Savannah which was undefended 1865 continued to pillage to Charleston SC

Sherman’s March, 1864-5

War in Trans-Mississippi Theatre, 1862

Trans-Mississippi Theatre Guerrilla activity turned much of Missouri into a battleground. Missouri had, in total, the third-most battles of any state during the war. The other states of the west, though geographically isolated from the battles to the east, saw numerous small-scale military actions. Battles in the region served to secure Missouri, Indian Territory, New Mexico Territory, and Arizona Territory for the Union. Confederate incursions into Arizona and New Mexico territories were repulsed in 1862 and a Union campaign to secure Indian Territory succeeded in 1863. Late in the war, the Union's Red River Campaign was a failure. Texas remained in Confederate hands throughout the war, but was cut off from the rest of the Confederacy after the capture of Vicksburg in 1863 gave the Union control of the Mississippi River.

War in the Eastern Theatre to 1862

Ulysses S. Grant

Robert E. Lee

Major Battles of the Eastern Theatre Antietam State: Maryland Dates: September 16-18, 1862 Forces Engaged: Armies Estimated Casualties: 23,100 total Results: Inconclusive (Union strategic victory.) Fredericksburg State: Virginia Dates: December 11-15, 1862 Forces Engaged: 172,504 total (US 100,007; CS 72,497) Estimated Casualties: 17,929 total (US 13,353; CS 4,576) Results: Confederate victory Chancellorsville State: Virginia Dates: April 30-May 6, 1863 Forces Engaged: 154,734 total (US 97,382; CS 57,352) Estimated Casualties: 24,000 total (US 14,000; CS 10,000) Results: Confederate victory Gettysburg State: Pennsylvania Dates: July 1-3, 1863 Principal Forces Engaged: 158,300 total (83,289 [US];75,054 [CS]) Estimated Casualties: 51,000 total (US 23,000; CS 28,000) Results: Union victory

Eastern Campaigns, 1864

Antietam McClellan’s Army of the Potomac led an attack on Lee’s forces near Sharpsburg MD Sept 17 1862 effective Confederate counterattack 3rd Union army assault crossed a stone bridge at Antietam Creek Confederate forces were collapsing until reinforcements came from Harper’s Ferry to drive back the Union forces Bloodiest day in US history ended in a draw Confederates retreated so the Union forces counted it as a victory

The End is Near, 1864-1865 Lincoln makes Grant commander of all Union armies – beginning of 1864 Grant made his headquarters with the Army of the Potomac - places Maj. Gen. Sherman in command of most of the western armies. Grant takes up total war. Union forces in the East attempted to maneuver past Lee and fought several battles Grant's battles of attrition at the Wilderness, Spotsylvania, and Cold Harbor resulted in heavy Union losses, but forced Lee's Confederates to fall back again and again. He pinned down the Confederate army in the Siege of Petersburg, where the two armies engaged in trench warfare for over nine months.

Richmond Falls Richmond is the Confederate capital Lee's army, thinned by desertion and casualties, was now much smaller than Grant's. Union forces won a decisive victory at the Battle of Five Forks on April 1, forcing Lee to evacuate Petersburg and Richmond. The Confederate capital fell to the Union XXV Corps, composed of black troops. The remaining Confederate units fled west after a defeat at Sayler's Creek

Appomattox Courthouse Lee’s Confederate army was harried by Union forces arrived April 8, 1865 at Appomattox County, South Side Railroad where supplies awaited Confederate forces were cut off and surrounded by the Union army at Appomattox Courthouse initially the weaker Union cavalry was a problem, but increased Union infantry arrived from the west and south Lee retreated through the village and across the river Lee surrendered his remaining troops to Grant at the McLean House on April 9, 1865 led to the conclusion of the war lenient terms allowed Confederate soldiers to return home and set the stage for further surrenders and attitudes to the Confederate forces