I realize that there probably isn’t any general agreement over this question. It’s like asking “What were the ten most important books of the 20th century” or “What were the ten most important technological breakthroughs of the 19th century”.
Even so, I’d like some feedback from those of you who actually know something about the history of the war. Please tell me which ten battles you consider the most important as well as a brief statement justifying your choice (e.g. “Gettysburg. Represented high water mark of Southern military effort, generally considered turning point of the war”). Please, no bickering or the mod will take it over to Great Debates. Hey, I know I’m asking a lot, so thanks in advance to all of you who respond.
1st Manassas (First battle of Bull Run)-defeated Union hopes that the rebellion could be quickly smashed.
Antietam-Not only was it the costliest battle in US history, it also stopped an invasion of the north, and gave Lincoln the opportunity to issue the Emancipation Proclamation
Gettysburg-for the reasons in the OP
Shiloh-Pretty much put paid to Beauregard’s army, smashed the chance of a Confederate counterattack up the Mississippi.
Battle of Island #10/New Madrid-secured the upper Mississippi, destroyed any chances Missouri could have come in on the side of the Confederacy
New Orleans-Secured the lower Mississippi, took the Confederacy’s largest and most famous city, shut off the Mississippi as a Confederate transport area
Appomatox Court House-Surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia. Virtual end of the war.
Atlanta-Left Georgia and the Carolinas open to a Union advance.
Chancellorsville-One of the major Confederate victories, Death of T.J. “Stonewall” Jackson
Fort Wagner/Morris Island-First major battle fought by a Negro regiment. Proved that black troops could fight.
Generally I’m with Captain Amazing, but we need to add:
The Seven Days—kept the Confederacy alive when it was on the verge of an early demise, and brought Lee to command of the South’s principal force in the critical theater.
Nashville—put and end to any hope and vestige of the Confederacy in the West.
Champion’s Hill and Black River Bridge—sealed the fate of the Vicksburg army.
Five Forks—broke the siege of Petersburg and forced Lee’s retreat to Appomattox Court House.
DDG I did not dig too deeply into that site, but I didn’t get the impression that that list constituted someone’s idea of the “most important battles.”
As a Fredericksburg, VA native I’m a little biased - I’ve walked along Sunken Road, stood on the banks of the Rappahannock and looked up into the heights, and seen the tens of thousands of luminairies in the national cemetary lit on Memorial Day each year. It was at Fredericksburg that Lee said, upon seeing the Union soilers mowed down like grass before the blade, “It is good that war is so terrible, lest we grow too fond of it.”
I’m suprised no has mentioned the capture of Fort Donelson and Fort Henry. These protected the Cumberland and Tennessee rivers. Without them the North could not have launched the capaigns in the west of '62 and '63.
I also second:
1st Bull Run/Manassas - Denied the Union a quick war.
Gettysburg - Stopped Lee, who never got on the offensive again.
Vicksburg - Split the South, denying the flow of vital materiel and opened the Mississippi to the Midewest (in my opinion the turning point of the war).
Atlanta - The death knell for the South. After this it was only a matter of time.
and
Seven Days - The rise of Lee who would control the War in East until '64.
Bruce Catton has sold me on the pivotal importance of Antietam. As has already been mentioned, it gave Lincoln the opportunity to issue the Emancipation Proclamation. And the issuing of the EP, according to Catton, turned the tide of public opinion in Britain against recognizing the South.
Recognition by Britain, the dominant sea power of the era, would have made a diplomatic settlement to the war almost inevitable, resulting in the perpetuation of the CSA. Without that recognition, the South was on its own against the much greater resources of the North.
I’ll think about #s 2-10; there are several battles (e.g. Vicksburg, Gettysburg, The Seven Days, Shiloh, Five Forks) that must be in there, but I’d have to think about the order, and the last few spots.
Since nobody explained the reference to Picacho Peak, AZ, I’ll give it a try. The South had a lot of sympathizers in the West, and Sibley’s Texans had invaded NM in order to swing north and take the CO goldfields for the Confederacy. Battles were fought in AZ and Glorieta Pass, in NM, which saved the western states for the North. The Rebs lost bigtime at Glorieta Pass, and barely made it back to TX alive. So I would call this one of the more important battles.
1.) Gettysburg: Probably marked the turning point of the war as most historians seem to agree.
2.) Vicksburg: The North gained control of the Mississippi.
3.) Atlanta: This battle sealed the South’s fate. Catton seemed to imply the South might have pulled out a victory had Atlanta remained firm & Lincoln lost the election. But Jeff Davis had to replace Joe Johnson with Hood.
4.) Antietam. Not only did Lincoln issue the Emancipation Proclamation, but Lee might have carved up the North had his orders not been discovered.
5.) Shiloh. Brought Grant to prominence, killed Albert Sydney Johnston (a distant relative of mine if you can believe my mother) and solidified Northern gains in the West.
6.) Perryville. Ended Southern threats against Cincinnati & Louisville.
7.)Chancellorsville. One of the greatest tactical masterpieces of all time. Definitely Lee’s finest hour.
8.) New Orleans. Losing this was a major blow and probably ended any realistic hopes of England bailing out the Confederacy.
9.) Petersburg. This sealed the Confederacy’s fate.
10.) The Monitor vs. the Virginia. The battle decided little about the war’s outcome, but did mark the first use of ironclad ships, something that became immensely important in the succeeding years.
and it allowed Sherman to break out and head toward Atlanta.