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Troop engagements of the American Civil War, 1862 facts for kids

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This page lists the important battles and events that happened in 1862 during the American Civil War. In the first part of the year, the Union army had many wins. They took control of Missouri, northern Arkansas, Kentucky, and western Tennessee. They also captured several areas along the coast. The Confederate army worked hard to protect their capital city, Richmond, Virginia. They even launched attacks into Kentucky and Maryland, but the Union army won those battles too.

History of the Battles

Battles in the East

In the Eastern part of the war, the Union army, called the Army of the Potomac, was led by Major General George B. McClellan. In April, they were moved to Fort Monroe to start an attack on Richmond, Virginia. McClellan thought he had fewer soldiers than the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia. So, he moved very slowly. It took him almost a month to capture the Confederate defenses near Yorktown. Then, it took another month to get close to Richmond.

On May 31, the Confederate general Joseph E. Johnston attacked a small part of the Union army in the Battle of Seven Pines. Johnston's plan did not work because his attacks were not organized. Also, some Confederate groups did not arrive where they were supposed to be. Johnston was hurt during this battle.

To replace Johnston, Confederate President Jefferson Davis chose General Robert E. Lee. Lee started the Seven Days Battles in late June. Even though Lee's attacks were often messy, he still managed to push the Union army back. McClellan had to give up his plan to capture Richmond. Lee was happy he had pushed the Union army away, but he wished he could have destroyed it completely.

Lee then moved his army north to fight the Union Army of Virginia. This army was led by Major General John Pope. Lee wanted to defeat Pope's army before it could join with McClellan's army. McClellan's army was coming to northern Virginia from the Peninsula. During the Second Battle of Bull Run, Lee completely defeated Pope's army.

After this win, Lee invaded Maryland. He hoped to get supplies from Union land. He also hoped that a big Confederate win in the North would make other countries recognize the Confederacy as a real nation. But McClellan attacked Lee through the mountains. Lee had to stop his plan to invade Pennsylvania. Instead, he gathered his army behind Antietam Creek.

Neither side truly won the Battle of Antietam on September 17. But Lee's retreat back to Virginia gave the Union a big win in the campaign. In October and November, Union President Abraham Lincoln wanted McClellan to attack Lee more aggressively. But McClellan refused. He moved slowly and kept asking for more supplies.

Lincoln replaced McClellan on November 7 with Major General Ambrose Burnside. Burnside hoped to cross the Rappahannock River near Fredericksburg, Virginia. He wanted to get between Lee's army and Richmond. But there were delays in getting a special bridge. Burnside could not cross the river until December 11. By then, Lee had gathered his whole army along some ridges near Fredericksburg. On December 13, Burnside attacked the Confederate positions. He lost many soldiers. Two days later, he went back across the river and settled down for the winter.

Thure de Thulstrup - Battle of Shiloh
Battle of Shiloh by Thure de Thulstrup. This painting shows the intense fighting during the battle.

Battles in the West

In the Western part of the war, the Confederate forces were led by General Albert Sidney Johnston. They had to leave Kentucky and much of central and western Tennessee. This happened after they lost Fort Donelson and Fort Henry in February. The Union commander who captured these two forts, Major General Ulysses S. Grant, became a national hero.

Johnston, following a plan from his second-in-command, General P. G. T. Beauregard, gathered as many soldiers as he could near Corinth, Mississippi. He attacked Grant's Army of the Tennessee near Shiloh Church. On April 6, Johnston's army almost pushed the Union army into the Tennessee River. But Johnston was badly wounded during the battle and died. Grant's army got help during the night from the Army of the Ohio, led by Major General Don Carlos Buell. Grant then led a counterattack the next morning. He pushed the Confederates off the field, and they went back to their base at Corinth.

Major General Henry W. Halleck took command of the Union forces in western Tennessee. He moved towards Corinth, where both armies settled in for a month-long siege. Beauregard was worried that the Union army would attack his defenses. So, he secretly left Corinth during the night of May 29–30. Halleck's forces did not find out until the next morning.

Beauregard was soon removed from command because of his health. Jefferson Davis replaced him with General Braxton Bragg. After the Union win at Corinth, Halleck spread his army out. They went across northern Mississippi, western Tennessee, and northern Alabama to protect the railroads. He sent Buell's Army of the Ohio east to capture Chattanooga. But problems with Union supplies stopped Buell from taking the city.

Bragg wondered how to fight back against the Union threat. He got a message from Lieutenant General Edmund Kirby Smith. Smith, who led the Confederate Department of East Tennessee, suggested they combine their forces. They could defeat Buell and take back Kentucky. Bragg moved his soldiers by train starting in late June. He arrived at Chattanooga near the end of July. From there, he moved into Kentucky towards the Ohio River. Buell also moved north. He managed to reach Louisville before Bragg did. From there, he moved south towards Bragg.

The two armies met in a battle near Perryville, Kentucky on October 8. Bragg's forces attacked Buell's left side but did not succeed. Bragg retreated that night and joined with Smith. He planned to stay in Kentucky. But when Buell threatened his escape route, Bragg moved south into Tennessee.

Naval and Coastal Battles

The Union navy, working with the army, captured more coastal areas along the Atlantic coast and Gulf coast. After the Union win at Hatteras Inlet the year before, other parts of the North Carolina coast were captured, including New Berne. In April, Union forces attacked and captured Fort Pulaski in Georgia. This happened after a thirty-hour bombing. This win cut off Savannah from ships that tried to get past the blockade. This meant that Wilmington, North Carolina, was the only major Atlantic port still held by the Confederates.

Several ports in Florida and along the Gulf coast were also captured. These included Apalachicola and St. Augustine in Florida, and Biloxi, Mississippi. In April, a Union group of ships led by Commodore David Farragut sailed past Forts Jackson and St. Philip. These forts were near the mouth of the Mississippi River. This forced New Orleans to surrender. New Orleans was the biggest Confederate port city in terms of people and trade.

Battles West of the Mississippi River

In the area west of the Mississippi River, the Confederates launched several attacks. All of them failed. In late January, Union Major General Samuel R. Curtis moved the Missouri State Guard out of Missouri and into northwestern Arkansas. Because of a lack of supplies, Curtis had to stop his advance near Pea Ridge.

In response to the Union advance, Confederate President Jefferson Davis sent Major General Earl Van Dorn to Arkansas. He was to take command of the Confederate forces there. After he arrived in early March, Van Dorn started his own attack. This led to the two-day Battle of Pea Ridge, which was a Confederate loss. After the battle, he was told to take his army east of the Mississippi River. He was supposed to join the Confederate army at Corinth, Mississippi. But he arrived too late to fight in the Battle of Shiloh.

Battle of Pea Ridge
Battle of Pea Ridge, Ark., by Kurz and Allison. This image shows the battle in progress.

In Texas, Brigadier General Henry Sibley formed a group of cavalry soldiers. He led them into the New Mexico Territory. He planned to drive the remaining Union forces out and then move into Colorado. He wanted to capture the gold and silver mines there. He fought the main Union force in the territory, led by Colonel Edward R.S. Canby, at the Battle of Valverde on February 17. Even though the Confederates won this battle, Sibley could not force Canby to surrender.

Instead, Sibley continued north, leaving Canby behind him. As he moved north along the Rio Grande and the Santa Fe Trail, his group met a Union force. This force included the 1st Colorado Infantry. They met at Glorieta Pass on March 28. The Confederates again pushed the Union force off the field. But during the battle, a Union group burned most of the Confederate supply wagons and their supplies. This meant the Confederates had to retreat back to Texas. They reached Texas by mid-April, having lost over 1,500 men out of their original 3,700.

Key Engagements of 1862

Date Battle Name Armies Involved Soldier Losses Winner (if clear)
January 3 Cockpit Point, Virginia Confederate Department of Northern Virginia, Union Potomac Flotilla none Inconclusive
January 5–6 Hancock, Maryland Confederate Valley District, Department of Northern Virginia, Union garrison 25 total Inconclusive
January 8 Roan's Tan Yard, Missouri Missouri State Guard, Union Department of the Missouri Missouri State Guard 80, Union 11 USA
January 10 Middle Creek, Kentucky Confederate Army of Central Kentucky, Union Army of the Ohio Confederate 65, Union 27 USA
January 11 Lucas Bend, Columbus, Kentucky Confederate CSS Grampus and two steamers, Union U.S.S. Essex none Inconclusive
January 19 Mill Springs, Kentucky Confederate Department No. 2, Union Army of the Ohio. Confederate 350, Union 232 USA
February 6 Fort Henry, Tennessee Confederate garrison, Union navy Confederate 99, Union 47. USA
February 6 Roanoke Island, North Carolina Confederate garrison, Union North Atlantic Blockading Squadron Confederate 2,643, Union 264 USA
February 14–16 Fort Donelson, Tennessee Confederate garrison, Union Army of the Tennessee Confederate 17,000 (including 13,829 prisoners), Union 2,852 USA
February 17 Little Sugar Creek, Arkansas Confederate forces, Union Army of the Southwest Confederate unknown, Union 33 Inconclusive
February 21 Fort Craig or Valverde, New Mexico Confederate Army of New Mexico, Union Department of New Mexico Confederate 187, Union 263 CSA
February 23 Socorro, New Mexico Confederate 5th Texas Mounted Rifles, Union 2nd New Mexico Militia unknown CSA
March 6–8 Pea Ridge, Arkansas Confederate Army of the West and Missouri State Guard, Union Army of the Southwest Confederate 2,000, Union 1,384 USA
March 8–9 Hampton Roads, Virginia Confederate gunboat CSS Virginia, Union gunboats Monitor, Minnesota, Congress, and Cumberland. Confederate 24, Union 409 •Tactical: Inconclusive

Strategic: USA

March 14 New Berne, North Carolina Confederate garrison, Union North Carolina Expeditionary Corps Confederate 609, Union 476 USA
March 23 Kernstown, Virginia Confederate Army of the Valley, Union division, V Corps Confederate 718, Union 590 •Tactical: USA

•Strategic: CSA

March 25 La Villa, Florida Confederate 4th Florida Infantry, Union 4th New Hampshire Infantry Confederate one, Union eight CSA?
March 26–28 Apache Canyon and Glorieta, near Santa Fe, New Mexico Confederate Army of New Mexico, Union Department of New Mexico Confederate 227, Union 132 USA
March 30 Stanwix Station, Arizona Confederate Company A, Arizona Rangers, Union cavalry from California Column Confederate none, Union 1 wounded USA
April 5 – May 4 Yorktown, Virginia Confederate Army of Northern Virginia, Union Army of the Potomac Confederate 300, Union 182 Inconclusive
April 6–7 Shiloh, Tennessee Confederate Army of Mississippi, UnionArmy of West Tennessee, Army of the Ohio and U.S. Gunboats Tyler and Lexington. Confederate 10,699, Union 13,047 USA
April 8 Island No. 10, Tennessee Confederate Department No. 2, Union Army of the Mississippi Confederacy 3,017 (including 3,000 prisoners), Union 51 USA
April 8 Albuquerque, New Mexico Confederate Army of New Mexico, Union Department of New Mexico unknown USA
April 10–11 Ft. Pulaski, Georgia Confederate garrison, Union South Carolina Expeditionary Corps Confederate 1, Union 1 USA
April 14 Fort Pillow, Tennessee Union mortar boats bombard Fort Pillow none CSA
April 14 Las Padillas, New Mexico Confederate detachment from Army of New Mexico, Union New Mexico militia unknown USA?
April 15 Picacho Pass, Arizona Confederate Company A, Arizona Rangers, Union company of 1st California Cavalry. Confederate 6, Union 6. CSA
April 15 Peralta, New Mexico Territory Confederate Army of New Mexico, Union Department of New Mexico Confederate 33, Union unknown USA
April 16–28 Forts Jackson and St. Philip, Louisiana Confederate Department No. 1, Union West Gulf Blockading Squadron Confederate 782, Union 229 USA
April 19 Camden, North Carolina, also called South Mills Confederate garrison, Union detachment from North Carolina Expeditionary Corps Confederate 25, Union 114 CSA
April 25 Fort Macon, North Carolina Confederate garrison, U.S. Gunboats Daylight, Georgia, Chippewa, the bark Gemsbok, and North Carolina Expeditionary Corps Confederate 439, Union 3 USA
April 25 – May 1 New Orleans, Louisiana (surrender to Union forces) Union West Gulf Blockading Squadron none USA
April 29 – May 30 Corinth, Mississippi Confederate Army of Mississippi, Union Army of the Mississippi, Army of West Tennessee, and Army of the Ohio Confederate 1,000, Union 1,000 USA
May 5 Williamsburg, Virginia Confederate Army of Northern Virginia, Union III and IV Corps Army of the Potomac Confederate 1,582, Union 2,283 Inconclusive
May 7 West Point or Eltham's Landing, Virginia Confederate Army of Northern Virginia, Union Army of the Potomac Confederate 48, Union 186 Inconclusive
May 8 McDowell, Virginia Confederate Army of the Valley and Army of the Northwest, Union Mountain Department Confederate 500, Union 256 CSA
May 10 Plum Run Bend, Tennessee Confederate River Defense Fleet, Union Mississippi River Squadron Confederate four ships disabled, Union two ships sunk CSA
May 15 Fort Darling, James River, Virginia Confederate garrison, U.S. Gunboats Galena, Port Royal, Naugatuck, Monitor, and Aroostook. Confederate 15, Union 24 CSA
May 15–17 Princeton, West Virginia Confederate Army of East Kentucky, Union District of the Kanawha, Mountain Department Confederate 16, Union 129 CSA
May 19 Whitney's Lane, Arkansas Confederate Trans-Mississippi Department, Union Army of the Southwest Confederate 150, Union 45 USA
May 23 Front Royal, Virginia Confederate Army of the Valley, Union Department of the Shenandoah Confederate 56, Union 904 CSA
May 23 Fort Craig, New Mexico Confederate detachment Army of New Mexico, Union 3rd U.S. Cavalry Confederate unknown, Union 3 wounded USA
May 25 Winchester, Virginia Confederate Army of the Valley, Union Department of the Shenandoah Confederate 400, Union 2,019 CSA
May 27 Hanover Courthouse, Virginia Confederate brigade, Army of Northern Virginia Confederate 746, Union 355 USA
May 27 Dragoon Springs, Arizona Confederate Company A, Arizona Rangers, Chiricahuas unknown CSA?
May 31 – June 1 Seven Pines and Fair Oaks, Virginia Confederate Army of Northern Virginia, Union Army of the Potomac. Confederate 6,100, Union 5,000 USA
June 5 Tranter's Creek, North Carolina Confederate 44th North Carolina Infantry, Union 24th Massachusetts Infantry 40 total USA
June 6 Memphis, Tennessee Confederate River Defense Fleet, Union Mississippi Flotilla. Confederate 180, Union 1 USA
June 6 Good's Farm near Harrisonburg, Virginia Detachments from Confederate Army of the Valley District and Union Mountain Department Confederate 67, Union 63 CSA
June 7 – 8 Chattanooga I, Tennessee Confederate and Union forces Confederate 3, Union unknown USA
June 8 Cross Keys or Union Church, Virginia Confederate Army of the Valley, Union Mountain Department Confederate 288, Union 684 CSA
June 9 Port Republic, Virginia Confederate Army of the Valley, Union Department of the Rappahannock Confederate 800, Union 800–1,000 CSA
June 16 Secessionville, James Island, South Carolina Confederate Department of South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida, Union Department of the South Confederate 204, Union 683 CSA
June 17 St. Charles, White River, Arkansas Confederate garrison, Union Gunboats Lexington, Mound City, Conestoga, and St. Louis. Confederate 40, Union 160 USA
June 21 Simmon's Bluff, South Carolina Confederate Department of South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida, Union Department of the South none USA
June 26 – July 1 The Seven Days Battles, Virginia : Including engagements known as Oak Grove, Virginia on the 25, Mechanicsville on the 26, Gaines' Mills on the 27, Garnett's and Golding's Farm on the 27 and 28, Savage Station on the 29, White Oak Swamp and Glendale on the 30, and Malvern Hill on July 1. Confederate Army of Northern Virginia, Union Army of the Potomac Confederate 20,614, Union 15,849 Overall: CSA

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Oak Grove:

Inconclusive

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Mechanicsville:

•Tactical: USA

•Strategic: CSA

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Gaines' Mill:

CSA

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Garnett's and Golding's Farm:

Inconclusive

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Savage Station:

Inconclusive

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White Oak Swamp:

Inconclusive

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Glendale:

Inconclusive

----------------

Malvern Hill:

•Tactical: USA

July 3 Evelington Heights, Virginia (near Harrison's Landing) Confederate cavalry from Army of Northern Virginia, Union Army of the Potomac none USA
July 7 Cache River, Arkansas Confederate cavalry, Union Army of the Southwest Confederate 272, Union 63 USA
July 13 Murfreesboro, Tennessee Confederate cavalry, Union garrison Confederate 150, Union 1,200 CSA
July 15 Apache Pass, New Mexico Territory (modern-day Arizona) Apaches, Union California Column unknown USA
August 5 Baton Rouge, Louisiana Confederate Army of West Tennessee, Union Department of the Gulf Confederate 478, Union 371 USA
August 6–9 Kirksville, Missouri Missouri State Guard, Union cavalry. Confederate 368, Union 88 USA
August 9 Cedar Mountain, Virginia Confederate Left Wing, Army of Northern Virginia, Union Army of Virginia Confederate 1,400, Union 2,500 CSA
August 11 Independence, Missouri Missouri State Guard, Union garrison. Missouri State Guard unknown, Union 344 CSA
August 15–16 Lone Jack, Missouri Confederate and Union cavalry Confederate unknown, Union 272 CSA
August 19 New Ulm, Minnesota Dakotas, Union civilians Dakotas unknown, civilians 59 USA
August 22 Big Hill, Kentucky Cavalry from Confederate Department of East Tennessee and Union Army of the Ohio Confederate 16, Union 270 CSA
August 20–22 Fort Ridgely, Minnesota Mdewakanton Dakotas, Union garrison Mdewakanton Dakotas unknown, Union 26 USA
August 23 New Ulm, Minnesota Dakotas, Union civilians, militia Dakotas unknown, Civilians, Minnesota militia 10 killed, 50 wounded USA
August 23–25 Rappahannock Station, Virginia Confederate Army of Northern Virginia, Union Army of Virginia 225 total Inconclusive
August 26–27 Manassas Station, Virginia Confederate Left Wing, Army of Northern Virginia, Union detachments from Army of Virginia and Army of the Potomac Confederate 173, Union 1,144 CSA
August 28 Thoroughfare Gap, Virginia Confederate Right Wing, Army of Northern Virginia, Union detachment, Army of Virginia 100 total CSA
August 28– 30 Second Battle of Bull Run or Manassas, Virginia Confederate Army of Northern Virginia, Union Army of Virginia (with units of Army of the Potomac attached) Confederate 3,353, Union 13,826 CSA
August 30 Richmond, Kentucky Confederate Department of East Tennessee, Union Army of the Ohio Confederate 603, Union 5,600 CSA
August 30 Bolivar, Tennessee Detachments from Confederate Army of the West and Union Army of the Mississippi Confederate 100, Union 87 Inconclusive?
September 1 Chantilly, Virginia Confederate Left Wing, Army of Northern Virginia, Union Army of Virginia and Army of the Potomac Confederate 800, Union 1,300: Inconclusive
September 1 Denmark, Mississippi Detachments of Confederate Army of the West and Union Army of the Mississippi Confederate 288, Union 88 USA
September 2 – 3 Birch Coulee, Minnesota Dakotas, Union Department of the Northwest Dakotas unknown, Union 19 Dakota
September 3 – 6 Fort Abercrombie, Minnesota Dakotas, Yanktons, and Yanktonais, Union Company D, 5th Minnesota Infantry Dakotas unknown, Union five USA?
September 12 – 15 Harper's Ferry, Virginia Confederate Left Wing, Army of Northern Virginia, Union garrison Confederate 286, Union 12,719 (including 12,500 captured) CSA
September 14 Turner's and Crampton's Gap, South Mountain, Maryland Confederate Army of Northern Virginia, Union Army of the Potomac Confederate 2,300, Union 2,325 USA
September 14 – 16 Munfordville, Kentucky Confederate Army of Mississippi, Union garrison Confederate 285, Union 4,148 CSA
September 17 Antietam, Maryland Confederate Army of Northern Virginia, Union Army of the Potomac Confederate 10,300, Union 12,400 •Tactical: Inconclusive

•Strategic: USA

September 19 – 20 Iuka, Mississippi Confederate Army of the West, Union Army of the Mississippi Confederate 594, Union 790 USA
September 20 Blackford's Ford, Sheppardstown, Virginia Confederate Army of Northern Virginia, Union V Corps, Army of the Potomac Confederate 291, Union 363 CSA
September 23 Wood Lake, Minnesota Dakotas, Union Department of the Northwest Dakotas 25, Union 41 USA
September 30 Newtonia, Missouri Confederate and Union cavalry Confederate 78, Union 245 CSA
October 1 – 3 St. John's Bluff, Florida Confederate Department of South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida, Union Department of the South unknown USA
October 3–4 Corinth, Mississippi Confederate Army of West Tennessee, Union Army of the Mississippi. Confederate 4,312, Union 2,520 USA
October 5 Hatchie's Bridge or Davis Bridge, Tennessee Confederate Army of West Tennessee, Union Army of the Mississippi Confederate 337, Union 570 USA
October 8 Perryville, Kentucky Confederate Army of Mississippi, Union Army of the Ohio Confederate 3,396, Union 4,211 •Strategic: USA
October 22 Old Fort Wayne, Indian Territory Confederate cavalry, Union division Army of the Frontier Confederate 60–100, Union 10 USA
October 31–November 2 Bloomfield and Union, Loudoun County, Virginia Cavalry from Confederate Army of the Potomac and Union Army of the Potomac. Confederate 18, Union 12 Inconclusive
November 2 Philomont, Virginia Cavalry from Confederate Army of Northern Virginia and Union Army of the Potomac. Confederate 13, Union 15 USA?
November 27 Yellville, Arkansas Confederate garrison, Union cavalry Army of the Frontier Confederate 60 (all prisoners), Union none USA
November 28 Cane Hill, Arkansas Confederate cavalry, Trans-Mississippi Department, Union 1st Division Army of the Frontier. Confederate 80, Union 44 •Tactical: CSA
December 4 Reed's Mountain, Arkansas Cavalry from Confederate I Corps, Trans-Mississippi Department and Union Army of the Frontier unknown •Tactical: USA

•Strategic: CSA

December 7 Prairie Grove, Arkansas Confederate I Corps, Trans-Mississippi Department, Union Army of the Frontier. Confederate 1,483, Union 1,251 USA
December 7 Hartsville, Tennessee Confederate cavalry, Union detachment from Army of the Cumberland. Confederate 139, Union 2,096 CSA
December 13 Fredericksburg, Virginia Confederate Army of Northern Virginia, Union Army of the Potomac Confederate 5,300, Union 12,600 CSA
December 14 Kinston, North Carolina Confederate brigade, Union Department of North Carolina. Confederate 525, Union 160 USA
December 16 White Hall, North Carolina Confederate cavalry, Union Department of North Carolina 150 total Inconclusive
December 17 Goldsboro Bridge, North Carolina Confederate brigade, Union Department of North Carolina 220 total USA
December 27-29 Chickasaw Bayou, Mississippi Confederate Army of Vicksburg, Union XVII Corps Confederate 187, Union 1,176 CSA
December 30 Parker's Cross Roads, Tennessee Confederate Forrest's Cavalry Corps, Union infantry and artillery Confederate 500, Union 237 CSA
December 31 – January 2 Murfreesboro' or Stone River, Tennessee Confederate Army of Tennessee, Union Army of the Cumberland Confederate 10,000, Union 13,000 USA
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