The American Civil War was brutal, and the number of casualties were numerous. The domestic conflict was driven
by strife and slavery, leaving many dead and injured. There were battles in the Civil War that at the time would
seem like they were the worst that the war had to offer before another battle killed even more people. The countless
lives lost for such a crisis of desperation can barely be justified, but that did not matter at the time. (The 10 Largest and Bloodiest American Civil War Battles)
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Some of the big name battles everyone may have heard about in history books are important, but it is important to gain some context as to the brutality of them. Though it’s best understood that there were numerous skirmishes beyond the lives lost in massive battle, considering they were often turning points in the war. Many loved ones would
question if their loved ones would ever return from the deadly war, and these are just the beginning. I’m going
to be listing the top 10 bloodiest battles of the American Civil War.
10 Bloodiest Civil War Battles
1. Gettysburg
The Battle of Gettysburg was a battle that occurred during the Gettysburg campaign between July 1-3 of 1863.
It started with Robert E. Lee leading his army for the second invasion of the North to take the battles away
from Virginia and win and battle above the Mason-Dixon line to help end the war. General George Meade of the
Union would be ordered to cut off the Confederate Lee from entering Washington D.C.. Lee would cross the Potomac
and reach Gettysburg by July 1st. The two armies would collide north of Gettysburg, leaving the Union to retreat
south of the town.
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During the second day of battle, other generals such as General James Longstreet of the Confederates were highly
involved, fighting occurring at Devil’s Den, Little Round Top, the Wheatfield, the Peach Orchard, and Cemetery Ridge.
General Winfield Scott of the Union helped move reinforcements to stop the Confederate advances, culminating
in assaults on East Cemetery Hill and Culp’s Hill. The Confederates gained ground, although the Union still
held a strong defensive position.
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The last day of battle involved resumed battle on Culp’s Hill, leaving Lee confident of his position to win the
battle and Longstreet commanding an infantry assault against the center of the Union position on Cemetery Ridge.
George Pickett and his men held strong numbers on the Confederate side, but it was not enough to avoid massive
losses to rifle and artillery fire. This would end up making Lee withdraw back into Virginia, leaving a total
of 51,000 dead, wounded, captured or missing during the three-day battle.
2. Chickamauga
The Battle of Chickamauga was a battle that occurred during the Chickamauga Campaign between September 18-20 of 1863. It started with the Union hoping to push the Confederate Army of Tennessee out of Chattanooga. The Union had consolidated their forces, pushing General Braxton Bragg and his men out of the city and leaving him in Georgia to later follow the Unions led by General William Rosecrans north. They fought in a skirmish at Davis’ Crossroads, the next day having Braxton meeting Confederate general John Bell Hood, his forces, and others. On the morning of the 18th, hoping to take back Chattanooga, Bragg marched to Chickamauga Creek to wedge his troops between Chattanooga and the Federal Army.
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This would lead to skirmishes and a prepared Union army, union forces arrived and the Battle of Chickamauga
beginning shortly after dawn on September 19th. The Confederates gained ground, but the Union defense was too
strong, leaving the Confederate Army to wait for Longstreet and General Leonidas Polk to help take charge.
The next day, the Confederate Army was able to strike past a gap created by mistake by the Union, leaving
the Union resistance to be pushed off the field.
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George H. Thomas took command of the Union forces on Horseshoe Ridge and Snodgrass Hill, creating a defensive
perimeter and holding firm in spite of an assault of Confederates. The Union would ultimately withdraw and avoid
further confrontation, Braggs occupying the heights surrounding Chattanooga and blocking Federal supply lines.
The battle ended with over 34,000 casualties, reaching the highest losses of any battle in the Western theater.
10 Bloodiest Civil War Battles
3. Spotsylvania Court House
The Battle of Spotsylvania Court House was a battle that occurred during the Overland Campaign between May 9-21of 1864. It all started when General Ulysses S. Grant ordered the Army of the Potomac to march towards Spotsylvania Court House. The ideas was to cut Lee’s army off of Richmond, leaving the Confederates controlled by General J.E.B. Stuart to stop them. A small battle occurred for control of Brock Road, leaving Lee to withdraw to Laurel
Hill.
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The Confederates had backup, leaving them General Richard Anderson to come aid, along with the First Corps, to
go back up Lee at Laurel Hill. The Union, looking to drive the Confederates away, tried to drive the opposing army
away to no avail, leaving Union General John Sedgwick dead. Over the next two days, Grant would oppose Lee, leaving
Yankee forces to retreat back across Po River during a counter at Block House Bridge. On May 10th, the Union
made small ground, leading to, on May 12th, a bloody battle between Grant and Lee known as the “Bloody Angle.”
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The next several days involved consolidating their lines of attack against each other, leaving both Lee and
Grant stuck, eventually leading to Grant attacking Lee but being repulsed on May 18th. On the 19th, Grant helped
turn back a probe sent by Lee as Grant had men move towards Fredericksburg Road. The next day they both withdrew
from their position, heading towards North Anna River and leaving over 30,000 casualties.
4. Chancellorsville
The Battle of Chancellorsville was a battle that occurred during the Chancellorsville Campaign between
April 30 and May 6 of 1863. Union General Joseph Hooker made a plan to trap Lee at Fredericksburg, having
superior numbers. He outmaneuvered Lee at the end of April, starting by approaching the Chancellorsville
road intersection and trying to confuse and trap Lee. On May 1st, Lee divided his smaller army along the
Orange Turnpike at Orange Plank Road towards Hooker, hoping to stall Hooker.
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The two forces met near Zoan Church miles away from Chancellorsville, creating a pushback of Union forces
after hours of fighting at the turnpike, leaving the Union to fall back to Chancellorsville. Lee and Stonewall
Jackson ended up battling them near the crossroads in Chancellorsville, in spite of Lee having smaller numbers.
Jackson then attacked the Federal army back two miles by attacking from his right and rear on May 2nd, leaving
them shattered, Jackson would later be mortally wounded before the Confederates gained Chancellorsville.
Union General Sedgewick would prove further resistance before the Unions were pushed back again, halting
the Yankee threat and the number of casualties being over 30,000.
10 Bloodiest Civil War Battles
5. Wilderness
The Battle of The Wilderness was a battle that was a part of the Overland Campaign between May 5-7 of 1864.
Grant started by moving his Union men from Culpeper County to Rapidan River fords in Virginia, building pontoon
bridges and leaving them to enter the forbidding woodland known as the Wilderness. They kept marching, having
disagreements among generals about their ability to fight in the woodland before they were attacked in the
open. The confederates caused a large toll in casualties, leaving back up by more Union forces to lead to
more casualties.
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The Union forces ran into the Confederates on the Orange Turnpike, later fighting in close-range at the intersection
of Orange Plank Road and Brock Road before ending in exhaustion that night. On May 6th, fighting continued, which
led to Confederate reinforcements saving them and forcing the Union back a little. In spite of some success
Confederate general Longstreet was injured before Lee took charge, leaving the Confederates pushing to claim
their spot but being destroyed as the Union reclaimed their territory. Grant told General Meade to leave for
Spotsylvania Court House, leaving nearly 30,000 casualties in their wake.
6. Stones River
The Battle of Stones River was a battle during the Stones River Campaign that occurred between December 31, 1862 – January 2, 1863. The battle started between Bragg and Rosecrans, leaving the Union troops to withstand an assault before retreating to a defensive position. These attacks would last for two days, before, on January 2nd, 1863,
another assault was repelled by Union artillery fire. This would eventually end in a Southern retreat, leaving
around 23,000 casualties in it’s wake.
Bloodiest Civil War Battles
7. Antietam
The Battle of Antietam was a battle during the Maryland Campaign that occurred on September 17th, 1862. The
battle was fought between Robert E. Lee and George McClellan, starting by facing off in a cornfield owned by
a man named David Miller. The fighting began, the Confederates fight one offensive after another, ultimately
turning the cornfield in a mass grave with over 15,000 casualties after just eight hours.
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The Confederates would line up in a along “Sunken Road” to hold position against the Union, amassing 5,500
troops, later to turn into bloody lane. The Union would push past this, leaving over 5,000 Confederate
casualties before Confederate reinforcements pushed them back after fewer than 500 Southern soldiers lost Lower Bridge after 3 hours of defense. The end result was around 23,000 casualties, further resulting in Lee taking his men
back to Virginia.
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8. Second Bull Run
The Second Battle of Bull Run was a battle during the North Virginia Campaign that occurred between August 29-30 of 1862. It took place in northern Virginia. Union forces that were commanded by John Pope awaited for George McClellan to arrive with his army in a combined offensive. Robert E. Lee attacked first and sent his Confederate forces to hit the Federal supply base at Manassas, establishing hidden positions in the woods.
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This attack was led by Stonewall Jackson, the Confederacy seizing supplies and burning the supply depot. Later
on, the forces clashed with the Union led by John Pope. Federal soldiers clashed with Jackson, leading to the
Confederates to hold their ground. This led to numerous casualties before Longstreet led a counterattack on the Union, with Lee’s arriving army, forcing the Union to withdraw their army to Washington. The battle led to over 20,000
casualties, leaving a moral battered Union alongside it.
10 Bloodiest Civil War Battles
9. Fredericksburg
The Battle of Fredericksburg was a battle during the Fredericksburg Campaign that occurred between December
11-15 of 1862. The battle involved nearly 200,000 combatants, the most out of any Civil War battle. The
Union Army of the Potomac was freshly commanded by Ambrose Burnside, ordering more than 120,000 troops to
cross the Rappahannock River. They made a two-pronged attack against the Confederates commanded by Robert
E. Lee. Lee held a commanding force of 80,000, defending and turning back the Union assault and standing
upon a high position. The end result was left nearly 20,000 casualties and further morale loss among the Union.
10. Cold Harbor
The Battle of Cold Harbor was a battle during the Overland Campaign that occurred between May 31 and June 12 of 1864. The battle was between Union general Grant and Confederate general Lee. The battle took place near Richmond, Virginia, arriving at the strategic crossroads of Old Cold Harbor.
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The Yankees seized the intersection, Grant later tried to launch an assault along the Confederate front on
June 2, but reinforcements did not arrive on schedule and giving Lee’s men time to entrench. Grant later
launched an attack the next day, leaving numerous dead and only few trenches met. Grant later pulled out of
Cold Harbor nine days later, continuing an attempt to flank Lee’s army and leaving over 15,000 casualties
behind.
Bloodiest Civil War Battles
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