num_pages: 23
description: The text of this guide to the major battles of Americas Civil War (equivalent in length to a physical book of approximately 30 pages) was prepared by the U.S. Department of the Interiors National Park Service which sponsors the American Battlefield Protection Program. Learn about 23 major battles of the Civil War: Antietam First Bull Run (First Manassas) Second Bull Run (Second Manassas) Chancellorsville Chattanooga Chickamauga Cold Harbor Fair Oaks (Seven Pines) Fort Donelson Fort Henry Franklin Fredericksburg (Maryes Heights) Gettysburg Kennesaw Mountain Mobile Bay Nashville Perryville Petersburg Shiloh (Pittsburg Landing) Spotsylvania Court House Stones River (Murfreesboro) Vicksburg and Wilderness. Also includes an introductory articleby historian Edward Egglestonthat briefly describes the causes campaigns military leaders and results of the war. Sample passage: FREDERICKSBURG Other Name: Maryes Heights Location: Spotsylvania County and Fredericksburg Virginia Dates: December 1115 1862 Principal Commanders: Maj. Gen. Ambrose E. Burnside (North); Gen. Robert E. Lee (South) Estimated Casualties: 17929 total (North 13353; South 4576) Description: On November 14 Burnside now in command of the Army of the Potomac sent a corps to occupy the vicinity of Falmouth near Fredericksburg. The rest of the army soon followed. Lee reacted by entrenching his army on the heights behind the town. On December 11 Union engineers laid five pontoon bridges across the Rappahannock under fire. On the 12th the Federal army crossed over and on December 13 Burnside mounted a series of futile frontal assaults on Prospect Hill and Maryes Heights that resulted in staggering casualties. Meades division on the Union left flank briefly penetrated Jacksons line but was driven back by a counterattack. Union generals C. Feger Jackson and George Bayard and Confederate generals Thomas R.R. Cobb and Maxey Gregg were killed. On December 15 Burnside called off the offensive and recrossed the river ending the campaign. Burnside initiated a new offensive in January 1863 which quickly bogged down in the winter mud. The abortive Mud March and other failures led to Burnsides replacement by Maj. Gen. Joseph Hooker in January 1863. Result: Confederate victory
language: English
title: A Guide to the Major Battles of the Civil War
publisher: A. J. Cornell Publications