The "tide of war" seemed to favor Confederates in 1861, but is now beginning to change.
Of 29 engagements so far in 1862, Confederates won only five, and three of those were minor skirmishes in New Mexico Territory.
Union leaders are beginning to think the time has come to strike a decisive blow, and they have just the man to lead it, the hero of West Virginia, George McClellan.
Summary of Civil War Engagements as of May 3, 1862:
Engagements in Confederate states:
| State | Union Victories | Confederate Victories | Inconclusive | Total Engagements |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Carolina | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| Virginia | 5 | 11 | 7 | 23 |
| North Carolina | 4 | 1 | 0 | 5 |
| Florida | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Louisiana | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| Tennessee | 3 | 1 | 0 | 4 |
| Arkansas | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| Georgia | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Mississippi | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Total Engagements in CSA | 19 | 15 | 9 | 43 |
Engagements in Union states/territories:
| State | Union Victories | Confederate Victories | Inconclusive | Total Engagements |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maryland | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| West Virginia | 9 | 2 | 2 | 13 |
| Missouri | 11 | 9 | 1 | 21 |
| New Mexico | 4 | 8 | 0 | 12 |
| Kentucky | 4 | 3 | 2 | 9 |
| Oklahoma | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| Total Engagements in Union | 29 | 25 | 6 | 60 |
| Total Engagements to date | 48 | 40 | 15 | 103 |
Virginia Engagements. 1861 - 1862 to date
| Date | Engagement | Military Units | Losses | Victor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 18-19 | Sewell's Point, VA | Union naval squadron vs Confederate shore artillery | 10 total | inconclusive |
| May 29- June 1 | Aquila Creek, VA | Union naval squadron vs Confederate shore artillery | 10 total | inconclusive |
| June 1 | Fairfax Court House, VA | detachments from CSA & USA armies | 8 on each side, 1 each killed | inconclusive |
| June 1 | Arlington Mills, VA | detachments from USA ( ~200 McDowell) & CSA (~9 Bonham) armies | Union 2-total (1 killed); CSA 1 wounded | inconclusive |
| June 10 | Big Bethel, VA | Union (Butler) -3,500, CSA (Magruder) -1,400 | Union 71-total (18-killed); CSA: 10-total (1-killed) | CSA (CSA outnumbered) |
| June 15 | Hooe's Ferry (near Mathias Point) VA | Union schooner Christina Keen; CSA Farmer's Fork Grays | none -- Christina Keen captured and burned | CSA |
| June 17 | Vienna, VA | Detachments from both Union & CSA armies | Union: 12-total (8 killed); CSA: none reported | CSA |
| June 27 | Matthias' Point, VA | Union gunboats ~50 vs. Confed garrison ~500 | Union: 1-killed, 4-wounded; CSA none | CSA |
| July 18 | Blackburn's Ford, VA (pre-Manassas) | Union Department of NE Virginia (McDowell, Richardson) -3,000 vs. Confederate Army of VA (Beauregard, Longstreet) -5,100 | Union: 83-total; CSA 70-total | CSA |
| July 21 | Bull Run/Manassas, VA | Union Department of NE Virginia (McDowell, Patterson) -54,000 (18,000 engaged) vs. Confederate Army of VA (Beauregard, Longstreet) -34,000 (18,000 engaged) | Union: 2,708-total (481-killed); CSA 1,897-total (387-killed) | CSA |
| Aug 7 | CSA burned Hampton, VA | Union (Butler) vs. Confederate Cavalry (Magruder) | Union unknown; Confederates unknown | CSA |
| Aug 8 | skirmish at Lovettsville, VA | Union vs. Confederate | Union unknown; Confederates 6-total | USA |
| Aug 25 | Mason's Hill, VA | Union (Lowe's observation balloon) vs. Confederate Army NVA (Longstreet, Stuart) | Union unknown; Confederates unknown | USA |
| Aug 31 | Munson's Hill, VA | Union Army of the Potomac vs. Confederate Dept of Northern VA | Union 5-total; Confederates unknown | USA |
| Sep 3 | Bailey's Cross Roads, VA | Union & Confederat detachments | Union 8-total; Confederates none | CSA |
| Sep 11 | Lewinsville, VA (McLean, Fairfax County) | Union 79th NY Highlanders (Stephens ~1,800) & Confederate 1st & 13th VA (JEB Stuart ~400) | Union 12-total (3-killed); Confederates none | CSA (CSA outnumbered) |
| Oct 21 | Ball's Bluff, VA | Union MA, NY, MI, MN & CA Infantry, RI Artillery (Stone -1,720) & Confederate VA & MS Infantry, VA cavalry & artillery (Evans -1,709) | Union 1,002-total, including Lt. Oliver Wendell Holmes (223-killed including US Senator Edward Baker R-OR)), Confederates 155-total (36-killed) | CSA |
| Nov 26 | Skirmish at Hunter's Mills, VA | Union 3rd PA Cavalry (Bell ~94) & Confederate 1st NC Cavalry (Ransome ~120) | Union 33-total (1-killed), Confederates unknown 0? | CSA |
| Dec 20 | Drainsville, VA | Union Pennsylvania Volunteers (Ord ~5,000) & Confederate VA, KY & NC Volunteers (Stuart ~4,000) | Union 71-total (?-killed), Confederates 230-total (?-killed) | USA (1st larger Union victory in VA) |
| Jan 3, 1862 | Cockpit Point, VA | Union gun boats (Wyman ) & Confederate shore battery (French ~50) | none | Inconclusive |
| Mar 8-9 | Hampton Roads, VA | Union Navy (Marsten, Worden, USS Monitor +11 ships) & Confederate Navy (Buchanan, Jones CSS Virginia +5 ships) | Union 369 total (261 killed, 7 ships sunk), Confederate 24 total (7- killed) | Inconclusive (Strategic USA) |
| Mar 23 | Kernstown, VA | Union Army of Potomac V Corps (Kimball ~9,000) & Confederate Stonewall Division (Jackson ~4,200) | Union 590 total (118-killed), Confederate 718 total (80- killed) | USA tactical, CSA strategoc |
| April 5 - May 4 | Yorktown, VA | Union Army of the Potomac (McClellan ~103,000) & Confederate Army (Magruder, JE Johnson ~72,000) | Union 182-total (unkn-killed), Confederate 300-total (unkn killed) | Inconclusive, Confederates retreated |
In Tennessee there have been two recent battles, one a major Union victory (Shiloh), the other a minor skirmish (Ft. Pillow), Confederate victory:
Tennessee 1862 Engagements
| Date | Engagement | Military Units | Losses | Victor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 6 | Fort Henry, TN | Union Army of TN + West Flotilla (Grant, Foote ~15,000) & Confederate Army of Cent KY (Tilghman ~3,200) | Union 40-total, Confederates 79-total (15 killed) | USA |
| Feb 14-16 | Fort Donelson, TN | Union Army of the Tennessee + Mississippi River Squadron (Grant, Foote 24,531) & Confederate Army of Central KY + garrison (Floyd, Pillow, Buchner 16,171) | Union 2,691-total (507-killed), Confederates 13,846-total (327-killed) | USA |
| April 6-7 | Shiloh, TN | Union Army of West Tennessee (Grant, Buell ~63,000) & Confederate Army of Mississippi (AS Johnson, Beauregard ~40,335) | Union 13,047-total (1,754-killed), Confederate 10,699-total (1,728-killed) | USA |
| April 14 | Fort Pillowi, TN | Union mortor boats bombard Fort Pillow | none | CSA |
In New Mexico territory, after winning several battles Confederates have now lost the last four, while winning a skirmish in Arizona:
New Mexico 1861-'62 Engagements
| Date | Engagement | Military Units | Losses | Victor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| July 25 | Mesilla, New Mexico | Union Department of the New Mexico (~300) vs. Confederate 2nd Texas Mounted Rifles (~380 +artillery ) | Union: 9-total (2-killed); Confederates: 19-total (13-killed) | CSA |
| July 27 | Fort Fillmore, NM | Union Department of the New Mexico (~500) vs. Confederate 2nd Texas Mounted Rifles (~300) | Union: 500-total (surrendered); Confederates: none | CSA (CSA outnumbered, Union surrendered) |
| Sep 25 | Alamosa, NM | Union Dep of NM (Minks ~100 cavalry)& Confederate cavalry (Coopwood ~112) | Union 33 (4-killed); Confederates 9-total (2-killed) | CSA (Union surrendered) |
| Sep 27 | Fort Craig, NM | Union Haspel's cavalry ( ~100) & Confederate cavalry | Union 10-total; Confederates 10-total | CSA |
| Sep 27 | Pinos Altos, NM | Union allied Apaches (Cochise ~300) & Confederate Arizona Guards (Mastin ~15 +cannon) | Union Apaches 30-total (10 killed); Confederates 14-total (7-killed, incl. Mastin) | CSA (CSA outnumbered) |
| Feb 21, 1862 | Valverde, NM | Union Dept of NM (Canby, McRae ~3,000) & Confederate Army of NM (Sibley, Green ~2,290) | Union 432-total (68-killed), Confederates 187-total (36-killed) | CSA (CSA outnumbered) |
| Feb 22 | Socorro, NM | Union 2nd New Mexico & Confederate 5th Texas | None | CSA |
| Mar 26-28 | Apache Canyon, Glorieta Pass NM | Union US & CO Infantry (Slough ~1,300) & Confederate Texas cavalry (Slurry ~1,100) | Union 147-total (51-killed), Confederate 222 total (50- killed) | USA strategic, tactical draw |
| Mar 30 | Stanwix Station, AZ | Union CA cavalry (Calloway -272) & Confederate AZ Rangers (Swilling -10) | Union 1-total (0-killed), Confederate none | USA |
| April 14 | Las Padillas, NM | Union NM militia, Confederate Army of NM | unknown | USA |
| April 15 | Peralta, NM | Union NM & CO Inf., Confederate Texas Cav (Green | Union 4-total (1-killed), Confederate 30-total (5-killed) | USA |
| April 15 | Picacho Pass, AZ | Union CA cavalry (Carleton -13), Confederate AZ rangers (Henry -10) | Union 4-total (1-killed), Confederate 30-total (5-killed) | CSA |
In Louisiana, Union forces have won two recent battles:
Louisiana 1861 - '62 Engagements
| Date | Engagement | Military Units | Losses | Victor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 12 | Head of the Passes, Louisiana | Union Navy Blockading Squadron , (Pope 5-ships) & Confederate "Mosquito Fleet" (Hollins 10 boats & fire rafts) | none 4 ships damaged | CSA (Union surprised routed) |
| April 16-28 | Forts Jackson & St. Philip, LA | Union W. Gulf Squadron (Farragut), Confederate Dept #1 (Duncan) | Union 229-total, Confederate 782-total | USA |
| April 25 - May 1 | New Orleans, LA | Union W. Gulf Blockading Squadron (Farragut, "Beast" Butler ~5,000), Confederate Dept #1 (Lovell) | None | USA |
In North Carolina since March the Union won two, Confederates one:
North Carolina 1861-'62 Engagements
| Date | Engagement | Military Units | Losses | Victor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 28 | Hatteras Inlet, NC | Union NY 9th & 20th Infantry (Butler -935) plus 7 US Navy ships (including Harriet Lane & Pawnee) vs. Confederate NC 17th Infantry (Barron ~900) | Union 3-total (1 killed); Confederates 715-total (4 killed, 691 captured) | USA |
| Feb 6, 1862 | Roanoke Island, NC | Union Dept of NC + Blockading Squagron (Burnside, Goldsborough ~10,000) & Confederate Wise Legion (Wise ~3,000) | Union 264-total (37-killed), Confederates 2,643-total (23 killed) | USA |
| Mar 14 | New Bern, NC | Union Blockading Squadron (Bernside, Rowen ~11,000 +14 gunboats) & Confederate Dept of NC (Branch ~4,000) | Union 471 total (90-killed), Confederate 578 total (64- killed) | USA |
| April 19 | Camden, NC | Union NC Exped (Reno ~3,000)., Confederate garrison (Wright ~1,000) | Union none, Confederate 28-total (6-killed) | CSA |
| April 25 | Fort Macon, NC | Union NC Dept., NAtlantic Blockading Squadron (Parke, Lockwood ~2,649)., Confederate Ft. Macon Garrison (White ~450) | Union 15-total (2-killed), Confederate 424-total (8-killed) | USA |
The only Georgia battle so far was a Union victory:
Georgia 1862 Engagements
| Date | Engagement | Military Units | Losses | Victor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 10-11 | Fort Pulaski, GA | Union Dept of the South, S. Atlantic Squadron (DuPont, Hunter ~10,000 +51 ships) & Confederate Dept of SC, GA, FL, Savanah River Squadron (RE Lee, Tatnall ~385 + 5 ships) | Union 5-total (1-killed), Confederate 368-total (5-killed) | USA |
The Siege of Corinth Mississippi has just begun, engaging an impressive list of generals on both sides:
Mississippi 1862 Engagements
| Date | Engagement | Military Units | Losses | Victor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 29 - May 30 | Corinth, MS | Union Army of the Mississippi (Halleck, Grant, Thomas, Buel ~120,000), Confederate Army of the Mississippi (Beauregard, Bragg, Van Dorn ~65,000) | Union 1,000+ total, Confederates 1,000+ total | USA |