The Civil War generals who led their men onto the major battlefields of the war reflected a range of virtues and vanities that affected the war's outcome. In the main, most were courageous; some too cautious and others too aggressive. Many were political appointees, and the few who were not competent, were quickly replaced. Nevertheless, even the best tacticians, fearless leaders, were capable of mistakes that cost lives and turned the tide of battle against them.
We feature, below, the Civil War generals and leaders, most responsible for the strategies and tactics of each battle. Although, other officers were involved in the elements of the battle, they served in secondary commands, significant, but not reported below.
| 1861 | |||
| Apr 12 Cas. |
Maj. Robert Anderson 2 |
Fort Sumter, S.C. |
G P.G.T. Beauregard 0 |
| July 21 Cas. |
MG Irvin McDowell 2896 |
Bull Run, VA. (1) |
G P.G.T. Beauregard G Joseph E. Johnston 1982 |
| Oct 21 Cas. |
MG George B. McClellan 1000 |
Ball’s Bluff, VA. |
Col. Nathan Evans 155 |
| 1862 | |||
| Mar 9 Cas. |
Capt. John L. Worden 369 |
Hampton Roads, VA. Monitor vs Merrimac (sea battle) |
Catesby ap Roger Jones 96 |
| Apr 5 Cas. |
MG George B. McClellan 182 |
Lee's Mill, VA. |
MG John B. Magruder G Joseph E. Johnston 1982 |
| Apr 6 Cas. |
MGs Ulysses S. Grant Don Carlos Buell 13,047 |
Shiloh, TN. |
Gs Albert S. Johnston(died) P.J.T. Beauregard 10,699 |
| Apr 29 Cas. |
MG Henry Halleck 0? |
Corinth, MS (1) |
G P.J.T. Beauregard 0? |
| May 5 Cas. |
MG George B. McClellan 2283 |
Williamsburg, VA. |
G Joseph E. Johnston 1682 |
| May 25 Cas. |
MG Nathaniel P. Banks 2019 |
Winchester, VA. (1) |
LtGThomas(Stonewall)Jackson 400 |
| June 26 Cas. |
MG George B. McClellan BG FitzJohn Porter 722 |
Mechanicsville, VA |
G Robert E. Lee LtG D.H. Hill 1484 |
| June 27 Cas. |
As above 6837 |
Gaines’ Mill, VA |
As above 7993 |
| June 30 Cas. |
MG George B. McClellan 3797 |
Frayser’s Farm, VA |
G Robert E. Lee 3673 |
| Aug 28 Cas. |
MG John Pope 10,000 |
Bull Run, VA (2) |
G Robert E. Lee 8300 |
| Sept 12 Cas. |
Col Dixon S. Miles 12,636 |
Harpers Ferry, VA (1865 West Virginia) |
LtG Thomas (Stonewall) Jackson 286 |
| Sept 17 Cas. |
MG George B. McClellan 12,401 |
Antietam, MD. |
G Robert E. Lee 10,316 |
| Oct 3 Cas. |
MG William Rosecrans 1,000 |
Siege of Corinth,MS (2) |
G P.J.T. Beauregard 1,000 |
| Dec 11 Cas. |
MG Ambrose E. Burnside 12,653 |
Fredericksburg, VA. (1) |
G Robert E. Lee 5377 |
| 1863 | |||
| Apr 30 Cas. |
MG Joseph Hooker 17,197 |
Chancellorsville, VA. |
G Robert E. Lee Lt G Stonewall Jackson 13,303 |
| May 3 Cas. |
MG John Sedgwick 1100 |
Fredericksburg, VA. (2) |
MG Jubal Early 700 |
| May 18 Cas. |
MG U.S. Grant 4835 |
Vicksburg, MS |
LtG John C. Pemberton 3202 |
| July 1 Cas. |
MG George G. Meade MG John E. Reynolds 23,055 |
Gettysburg, PA |
G Robert E. Lee 23,231 |
| Sept 19 Cas. |
MG William Rosecrans 16,170 |
Chickamauga, GA |
G Braxton Bragg 18,454 |
| Nov 23 Cas. |
MG William Rosecrans MG George Thomas MG William T. Sherman G U.S. Grant 23,055 |
Chattanooga, TN |
G Braxton Bragg G Joseph E. Johnston 6667 |
| 1864 | |||
| May 8 Cas. |
Lt G U.S. Grant MG George G. Meade MG John Sedgwick (died) 18,000 |
Spotsylvania Court House, VA. |
G Robert E. Lee 12,000 |
| May 31 Cas. |
Lt G U.S. Grant MG George G. Meade 23,055 |
Cold Harbor, VA. |
G Robert E. Lee 4595 |
| June 9 Cas. |
G U.S. Grant 16,170 |
Petersburg,VA. (continuing siege) |
G Robert E. Lee |
| July 22 Cas. |
MG William t. Sherman MG James P. McPherson (died) 3641 |
Atlanta, GA. |
Lt G John Bell Hood 5500 |
| Aug 2 Cas. |
Adm David Farragut MG Gordon Granger 329 |
Mobile Bay, AL |
Adm Franklin Buchanan BG Richard L. Page 5500 |
| Sept 19 Cas. |
MG Philip Sheridan 5020 |
Winchester, VA.(3) |
LtG Jubal Early 3610 |
| Oct 19 Cas. |
As above 5764 |
Cedar Creek, VA. |
As above 2910 |
| Oct 23 Cas. |
MG Samuel P. Curtis 1500 |
Westport, MO. |
MG Sterling Price 1500 |
| Nov 30 Cas. |
LtG John M. Schofield 2326 |
Franklin/Nasville,TN |
LtG John Bell Hood 6252 |
| 1865 | |||
| Jan 13 Cas. |
MG Alfred H. Terry Adm David D. Porter 1341 |
Fort Fisher, NC. (2) |
G Braxton Bragg MG Robert Hoke Col William Lamb 583 |
| Feb 3 Cas. |
MG Francis Preston Blair MG John A. Logan 124 |
Rivers Bridge, S.C. |
MG Lafayette McLaws 97 |
| Feb 11 Cas. |
LtG John M. Schofield Adm David D. Porter 305 |
Wilmington, NC |
G Braxton Bragg 845 |
| Feb 17 Cas. |
MG Henry W. Slocum MG William T. Sherman ? |
Columbia, SC |
MG Lafayette McLaws LtG Wade Hampton ? |
| Mar 19 Cas. |
As above 1527 |
Bentonville, NC. |
G Joseph E. Johnston 2606 |
| Apr 1 Cas. |
MG Philip Sheridan 830 |
Five Forks, VA. |
MG George E. Pickett 2950 |
| Apr 2 Cas. |
G Ulysses S. Grant 3500 |
Petersburg, VA. (3) |
G Robert E. Lee LtG A.P. Hill (died) 4250 |
| Apr 5 Cas. |
BG Henry E. Davis Jr 158 |
Amelia Court House, VA. |
BG Martin Gary MG Fitzhugh Lee 100 |
| Apr 6 Cas. |
MG Philip Sheridan 1148 |
Sayler’s Creek, VA |
LTG Richard S. Ewell Mg John B. Gordon 7700 |
| Apr 7 Cas. |
MG Andrew A. Humphries 665 |
Cumberland Church, VA. |
Robert E. Lee 255 |
Civil War Generals coding:
Maj Major
Col Colonel
BG Brigadier General
MG Major
General
LtG Lieutenant General
G General-Commander
of an Army
Casualties—Killed, Wounded, Captured, Missing
Source of Casualties for Civil War Generals - Wikipedia
American Wars | What Caused the Civil War | Civil War Generals