Troop engagements of the American Civil War, 1861
The following is a list of engagements that took place in 1861 during the American Civil War.
History
The war started on April 12 when Confederate forces commanded by General P. G. T. Beauregard opened fire on the Union garrison of Fort Sumter in the harbor of Charleston, South Carolina; after a thirty-four-hour bombardment, the Union garrison surrendered. There had been no casualties during the bombardment; but the following day while the Union garrison commander, Major Robert Anderson, was firing a fifty-gun salute, there was an explosion that resulted in one man being killed and five wounded. United States president Abraham Lincoln issued a proclamation calling for the states to raise 75,000 volunteers for ninety days to suppress the South; in response to the proclamation, an additional four states seceded and joined the Confederacy, pledging troops to the volunteer forces it was raising.In the Eastern Theater, there were two major campaigns in Virginia. The first, the Western Virginia Campaign, started in May. Union forces commanded by Major General George B. McClellan invaded western Virginia and drove the Confederate forces from the area following a series of small skirmishes. Although these fights involved only a few hundred men on either side, the newspaper coverage of the campaign turned McClellan into a national hero. After McClellan was transferred to command the Army of the Potomac, Confederate General Robert E. Lee was assigned to drive the Union forces out of the state but failed to do so at Cheat Mountain and in the Kanawha Valley; Lee was subsequently transferred to other duties in November. The other major campaign ended with the First Battle of Bull Run on July 17, when Union forces commanded by Major General Irvin McDowell attacked the Confederate Army of the Potomac, commanded by Brigadier General P.G.T. Beauregard; although initially successful, Confederate reinforcements from the Shenandoah Valley routed McDowell and forced him back to Washington, D.C. McDowell was replaced by McClellan, who renamed his force the Army of the Potomac and spent the rest of the year training his men and stockpiling supplies, despite pressure from the Union government to launch an offensive as soon as possible. There were several minor skirmishes in Virginia during the remainder of the year, the most significant being the Battle of Ball's Bluff, due to the death of Colonel Edward Baker, a senator from Oregon. Outrage in Congress over his death led to the creation of the Joint Committee on the Conduct of the War, which was used by the Radical Republicans in Congress in an attempt to prosecute the war according to their views.
In the Western Theater, there were several skirmishes in the border state of Kentucky but no major battles. Kentucky, with divided sympathies, attempted to declare itself neutral; however, Confederate Major General Leonidas Polk sent a force to occupy Columbus, Kentucky, saying it was necessary for the defense of the Mississippi River. The Kentucky legislature then requested Union help in driving the Confederates out of the state, at which point both armies set up defensive positions all through the state. The governor and most of the legislature were Unionists, but a pro-Confederate state government, with some members of the legislature, was organized in Russellville; both armies then began recruiting efforts. Along the Atlantic seacoast and Gulf coast, Union forces captured several coastal areas for use as naval ports for the Union blockade, including Port Royal, South Carolina and the Outer Banks of North Carolina. Lincoln declared on April 19 a blockade of the Confederate coastline and ports; this required the Union navy to build hundreds of ships to enforce the blockade, growing from forty-two ships in April to a total of 264 ships at the end of the year.
In the Trans-Mississippi Theater, most of the fighting took place in Missouri between the pro-secessionist Missouri State Guard, commanded by Major General Sterling Price, and the Union Department of the West. Union forces under the command of Brigadier General Nathaniel Lyon drove the Missouri State Guard and the pro-secessionist portion of the state government into the southwestern part of the state, where it united with the Confederate Western Army commanded by Brigadier General Benjamin McCulloch. There, on August 10 in the Battle of Wilson's Creek, Lyon attacked the combined forces of Price and McCulloch and was defeated, with Lyon being killed during the battle. McCulloch returned to Arkansas, while Price moved north, attempting to recapture the state from Union forces. Another Confederate offensive took place in the New Mexico Territory, where a Confederate cavalry battalion moved into the southwestern part of the territory and captured Fort Filmore, forcing the surrender of the Union garrison. A secessionist convention in Mesilla declared the southern portion of the territory to be the Confederate Territory of Arizona and raised several militia companies, which fought several skirmishes with both the Union forces remaining in the territory and the Apache tribes.
Engagements
| Date | Engagement | Military units | Losses | Victor |
| –14 | Fort Sumter, South Carolina | Confederate artillery, Union garrison of Fort Sumter | - | CSA |
| Evacuation of Fort Sumter, South Carolina | Union garrison of Fort Sumter | Union One soldier was killed and five others wounded by a premature explosion of a cannon in firing a salute to the United States flag. | USA | |
| Riots in Baltimore, Maryland | Union 6th Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Militia, 26th Pennsylvania Infantry, pro-secessionist crowd | Union 34; civilians 4 killed, unknown wounded | USA | |
| Camp Jackson, located just west of St. Louis, Missouri | Missouri State Guard, Union Department of the West | Missouri State Guard 639, Union none | USA | |
| Riots in St. Louis, Missouri | Union forces and pro-secessionist crowd | Union 4 killed, prisoners 3 killed, civilians 28 killed | USA | |
| –19 | Sewell's Point, Virginia | Confederate artillery, Union naval squadron | 10 total | Inconclusive |
| – June 1 | Aquia Creek, Virginia | Confederate artillery, Union naval squadron | 10 total | Inconclusive |
| Fairfax Court House, Virginia | detachments from Confederate Army of the Potomac and Union Department of Northeastern Virginia | Confederate 1 killed, 2 wounded, 5 captured, Union 1 killed, 4 wounded, 3 captured | Inconclusive | |
| Arlington Mills, Virginia | small Confederate infantry squad; two Union infantry companies | Confederate 1 wounded; Union 1 killed, 1 wounded | Inconclusive | |
| Philippi, West Virginia | Confederate infantry, Union Department of the Ohio | Confederate 6, Union 5 | USA | |
| Big Bethel, Virginia | Confederate and Union infantry | Confederate 8, Union 76 | CSA | |
| Hooe's Ferry, Virginia | Confederate Farmer's Fork Grays, Union schooner Christina Keen | none | CSA? | |
| Vienna, Virginia | Detachments from Confederate Army of the Potomac and Union Department of Northeastern Virginia | Confederate none reported, Union 8 killed, 4 wounded | CSA | |
| Boonville, Missouri | Missouri State Guard, Union Western Department | Missouri State Guard 70, Union 12 | USA | |
| Camp Cole, Missouri | Missouri State Guards, Union Missouri Home Guards. | Missouri State Guard 32, Union 125 | CSA | |
| Matthias' Point, Virginia | Confederate garrison, Union gunboats Pawnee and Freeborn. | Confederate none, Union 5 | CSA | |
| Hoke's Run, West Virginia | Confederate Army of the Shenandoah, Union Army of the Shenandoah | Confederate 25, Union 73 | USA | |
| Carthage, Missouri | Missouri State Guard, Union Department of the West | Missouri State Guard 74, Union 44 | CSA | |
| Neosho, Missouri | Confederate cavalry, Union detachment of 3rd Missouri Infantry | Confederate none, Union 137 | CSA | |
| Laurel Hill or Bealington, West Virginia | Confederate Army of the Northwest, Union Department of the Ohio | Confederate unknown, Union 8 | USA | |
| Rich Mountain, West Virginia | Confederate infantry, Union Department of the Ohio | Confederate 88, Union 74 | USA | |
| Corrick's Ford, West Virginia | Confederate Infantry, Union Department of the Ohio | Confederate 620, Union 10–53 | USA | |
| Barboursville or Red House, Virginia | Confederate infantry, Union Department of the Ohio | unknown | USA | |
| Beverly, West Virginia | Confederate Army of the Northwest, Union Department of the Ohio | Confederate 553, Union none | USA | |
| Corrick's Ford, West Virginia | Confederate infantry, Union Department of the Ohio | Confederate 620, Union 10–53 | USA | |
| Scarrytown, West Virginia | Confederate Army of the Kanawha, Union Department of the Ohio | Confederate unknown, Union 47 | CSA | |
| Bunker Hill, Virginia | Confederate Army of the Shenandoah, Union Army of the Shenandoah | unknown | CSA? | |
| Blackburn's Ford, Virginia | Confederate Army of the Potomac, Union Department of Northeast Virginia | Confederate 70, Union 83 | CSA | |
| Manassas, Virginia | Confederate Army of the Potomac and Army of the Shenandoah, Union Department of Northeast Virginia | Confederate 1,897, Union 2,708 | CSA | |
| Forsyth, Missouri | Missouri State Guard, Union Department of the West | Missouri State Guard 15, Union 3 | USA | |
| Mesilla, New Mexico Territory | Confederate battalion from 2nd Texas Mounted Rifles, Union Southern Military District, Department of New Mexico | Confederate none, Union 9 | CSA | |
| Fort Fillmore, New Mexico | Confederate battalion from 2nd Texas Mounted Rifles, Union Southern Military District, Department of New Mexico | Confederate none, Union 500 | CSA | |
| Dug Springs, Missouri | Missouri State Guard, Union Department of the West | Missouri State Guard 6, Union 10 | USA | |
| Curran Post Office, Missouri | Confederate Western Army, Union Department of the West | unknown | Inconclusive | |
| Athens, Missouri | Confederate Missouri State Guard, Union Home Guards and 21st Missouri Infantry | Confederate 28, Union 11 | USA | |
| Hampton, Virginia | Confederate cavalry, Union 20th New York. | Confederate 9, Union unknown | USA? | |
| Lovettsville, Virginia | Confederate and Union forces | Confederate 6, Union unknown | USA? | |
| Wilson's Creek, Missouri | Missouri State Guard and Confederate Department No. 2, Union Department of the West | Confederate 464, Missouri State Guard 758, Union 1,317 | CSA | |
| Potosi, Missouri | Confederate cavalry, Union Missouri Home Guards. | Confederate 5, Union 5 | USA | |
| Palmyra, Missouri | Confederate and Union forces | unknown | USA? | |
| Mason's Hill, Virginia | detachments from Confederate Army of the Potomac and Union Department of the Potomac | unknown | USA | |
| Kessler's Cross Lanes, West Virginia | Confederate infantry, Union Department of the Ohio | Confederate 40, Union 132 | CSA | |
| –29 | Hatteras Inlet, North Carolina | Confederate garrison of Fort Hatteras and Fort Clark, Union North Carolina Expedition | Confederate 670, Union 3 | USA |
| Lexington, Missouri | Confederate cavalry, Union Missouri Home Guards. | unknown | CSA | |
| Munson's Hill, Virginia | Confederate detachment, Department of Northern Virginia, Union detachment, Army of the Potomac. | Confederate unknown, Union 5 | USA | |
| Dry Wood Creek, Missouri | Missouri State Guard, Union Department of the West | Missouri State Guard unknown, Union 14 | CSA | |
| Bailey's Cross Roads, Virginia | detachments of Confederate Army of the Potomac and Union Department of the Potomac | Confederate none, Union 8 | CSA | |
| Carnifax Ferry, West Virginia | Confederate infantry, Union Department of the Ohio | Confederate 32, Union 158 | USA | |
| Lewinsville, Virginia | detachments of Confederate Army of the Potomac and Union Department of the Potomac | Confederate none, Union 18 | CSA | |
| –15 | Cheat Mountain, West Virginia | Confederate infantry, Union Department of the Ohio | Confederate 100, Union 71 | USA |
| –20 | Lexington, Missouri | Missouri State Guard, Union garrison of Lexington, Missouri | Missouri State Guard 100, Union 3,500 | CSA |
| Blue Mills Landing, Missouri | Missouri State Guard, Union 3rd Iowa Infantry | Missouri State Guard 70, Union 56 | CSA | |
| Barbourville, Kentucky | Confederate Department No. 2, Union Kentucky home guard | Confederate 5, Union 15 | CSA | |
| Alamosa, New Mexico Territory | Confederate cavalry, Union Department of New Mexico | Confederate none, Union 10 | CSA | |
| Hunter's Farm, Missouri | Confederate Missouri State Guard, Union Department of the West | Confederate 10, Union unknown | USA | |
| near Fort Craig, New Mexico Territory | Confederate and Union cavalry | Confederate 10, Union 10 | CSA? | |
| Pinos Altos, New Mexico Territory | Confederate Arizona Guards and civilians, Chiricahua, Minibreno, and allied Apaches | Confederate and civilians 12, Apaches 30 | CSA | |
| Greenbrier River, West Virginia | Confederate infantry, Union Department of the Ohio | Confederate 52, Union 43 | Inconclusive | |
| Santa Rosa Island, Florida | Confederate brigade, Union garrison of Fort Pickens | Confederate 87, Union 67 | USA | |
| Head of the Passes, Louisiana | Confederate naval squadron, Union detachment of West Gulf Blockading Squadron | none | CSA | |
| Fredericktown | Missouri State Guard, Union garrison | Missouri State Guard 62, Union unknown | USA | |
| Ball's Bluff, Virginia | Confederate Army of the Potomac, Union Army of the Potomac | Confederate 149, Union 1,000 | CSA | |
| Camp Wildcat, Kentucky | Confederate Department No. 2, Union Army of the Ohio | Confederate 53, Union 43 | USA | |
| Springfield, Missouri | Missouri State Guard, Union infantry | Missouri State Guard 133, Union 85 | USA | |
| –7 | Port Royal, South Carolina | Confederate Department of South Carolina, Union South Atlantic Blockading Squadron | Confederate 40, Union 31 | USA |
| Belmont, Missouri | Confederate Department No. 2, Union Department of the West | Confederate 641, Union 607 | USA | |
| –9 | Ivy Mountain, Kentucky | Confederate Department No. 2, Union Army of the Ohio | Confederate 263, Union 30 | USA |
| Round Mountain, Oklahoma | Confederate and Union Indians | Confederate 10, Union unknown | CSA | |
| Brownsville, Kentucky | Confederate detachment from Department No. 2, Union Department of the Cumberland | Confederate 1, Union 12 | CSA | |
| Hunter's Mills, Virginia | Confederate Department of Northern Virginia, Union Army of the Potomac | unknown | CSA | |
| Chusto-Talasah, Oklahoma | Confederate and Union Indians | Confederate 52, Union 412 | CSA | |
| Camp Allegheny, West Virginia | Confederate infantry, Union Department of the Ohio | Confederate 146, Union 137 | Inconclusive | |
| Rowlett's Station, Kentucky | Confederate Department No. 2, Union Army of the Ohio | Confederate 91, Union 40 | Inconclusive | |
| Dranesville, Virginia | Confederate cavalry from Army of the Potomac, Union detachment from Army of the Potomac | Confederate 230, Union 71 | USA | |
| Chustenahlah, Oklahoma | Confederate and Union Indians | Confederate 40, Union 211 | CSA | |
| Mount Zion Church, Missouri | Missouri State Guard, Union Department of the West | Missouri State Guard 210, Union 72 | USA | |
| Sacramento, Kentucky | Confederate and Union cavalry | Confederate 5, Union 23 | CSA |