AN ACCURATE NAME FOR THE WAR OF 1861
The War of 1861 is commonly, but erroneously, called "The Civil War."
By definition, a civil war involves two or more factions within a single nation battling over which faction will rule the nation.
Not since the French and Indian War (1754-1763) has there been a civil war fought between Caucasians on the American continent north of the Rio Grande.
Examples of civil wars:
☞ The English Civil War (1642-1651) pitted Parliamentarians (Roundheads) against Royalists (Cavaliers) over who would govern England.
☞ The French and Indian War (1754-1763) was, in part, a war between the British and the French, fought in Canada over who would control Canada. (What is now the nation of Canada was then a group of British and French colonies.)
☞ The Russian Civil War (1917-1922) was a series of battles between the Red Army (Bolsheviks) and the White Russians (anti-Bolsheviks) over who would rule Russia.
☞ The Irish Civil War (1922-1923) was fought between pro-Treaty forces and anti-Treaty forces over whether Ireland would be a dominion within the British Empire or a republic to itself.
☞ The Spanish Civil War (1936-1939) saw La Banda Republicana battling La Banda Nacional to determine who would rule Spain.
☞ The Rwandan Civil War (1990-1994) involved Hutus fighting Tutsis for control of Rwanda.
In the War of 1861, as in the War of 1776, the fighting was not between two or more factions within a single nation fighting for control of that nation; rather, it was the Confederate States of America vs. the United States of America -- two separate nations -- fighting over the question of independence for one of the nations.
The War of 1861 was an almost exact replay of the War of 1776:
In the 1770s, Virginia, the two Carolinas, Georgia, and nine other States seceded from the British Empire.
In the 1860s, Virginia, the two Carolinas, Georgia, and nine other States seceded from the United States of America.
In the 1770s, the British Empire could have simply let the seceding States go in peace.
In the 1860s, the United States of America could have simply let the seceding States go in peace.
In the 1770s, the British Empire did not want to lose the seceding States, so they attacked.
In the 1860s, the United States of America did not want to lose the seceding States, so they attacked.
In the War of 1776, the British Empire's objective in fighting was to force the seceded States to rejoin the British Empire.
In the War of 1861, the United States of America's objective in fighting was to force the seceded States to rejoin the United States of America.
In the War of 1776, the seceding States' objective in fighting was in response to being invaded by British forces.
In the War of 1861, the seceding States' objective in fighting was in response to being invaded by United States forces.
In both wars, one side was battling for independence while the other side was battling to prevent independence.
Since the War of 1776 is often referred to as The War for American Independence, a very-much-to-the-point name for the War of 1861 is The War for Southern Independence.