A Timeline of the Major Battles of the American Civil War

The American Civil War took place from 1861 to 1865, with the northern states, known as the Union, trying to keep the United States from falling apart, and the southern states, known as the Confederacy, attempting to break away from the United States in order to protect their institution of slavery, which they viewed as a foundation of the southern economy and culture.

With that in mind, here is a chronological order of some major battles and key events of the American Civil War:

1. Fort Sumter (April 12-14, 1861) – The conflict began with the Confederate bombardment of Fort Sumter in Charleston Harbor, South Carolina.

2. First Battle of Bull Run (First Manassas) (July 21, 1861) – The first major land battle of the war took place in Virginia.

3. Battle of Shiloh (April 6-7, 1862) – Was a significant battle in Tennessee that resulted in high casualties.

4. Seven Days Battles (June 25 – July 1, 1862) – A series of battles around Richmond, Virginia, as part of the Peninsula Campaign.

5. Battle of Antietam (September 17, 1862) – One of the bloodiest single-day battles in American history, was fought in Maryland.

6. Battle of Fredericksburg (December 13, 1862) – A Union defeat in Virginia.

7. Battle of Gettysburg (July 1-3, 1863) – A major turning point in the war, fought in Pennsylvania.

8. Siege of Vicksburg (May 18 – July 4, 1863) – Union forces captured Vicksburg, Mississippi, a crucial Confederate stronghold.

9. Battle of Chickamauga (September 19-20, 1863) – A significant battle in Georgia.

10. Battle of Chattanooga (November 23-25, 1863) – Union victories at Lookout Mountain and Missionary Ridge in Tennessee.

11. Battle of the Wilderness (May 5-7, 1864) – This was the beginning of Ulysses S. Grant’s Overland Campaign in Virginia.

12. Siege of Petersburg (June 1864 – April 1865) – A prolonged campaign around Petersburg, Virginia, which is just south of Richmond, which was the capital of the Confederacy.

13. Sherman’s March to the Sea (November – December 1864) – General William T. Sherman’s devastating campaign through Georgia using “scorched earth” tactics.

14. Battle of Appomattox Court House (April 9, 1865) – This is when Confederate General Robert E. Lee finally surrendered to General Ulysses S. Grant, effectively ending the war.

These are just some of the major battles and events of the American Civil War. This was obviously much more complex and multifaceted than what was listed here, with many other smaller engagements and developments.