Favorite battle

[rbasin]

The battle or battle of the North Anna in 1864. There was a chance here to disable the Army of the Potomac.

And the Siege of Corinth. Union capture of Corinth changed the theatre.

 

[dlavin]

Antietam.

But it's weird to have a "favorite" with all the carnage

 

[Buckeye Bill]

* The Battle Mill Springs
* The Battle of Davis Bridge
* The Battle of New Market
* The Battle of Wilson's Creek
* The Battle of Pea Ridge
* The Battle of Resaca

 

[rbasin]

* The Battle Mill Springs
* The Battle of Davis Crossroads
* The Battle of New Market
* The Battle of Wilson's Creek
* The Battle of Pea Ridge
* The Battle of Resaca

All fairly small battles which did have some significance. Except Resaca.
Many large battles didn't.

 

[P.B. Speegle]

For me it would be Gettysburg and Antietam because I live close enough to have visited them multiple times.

That's exactly why I chose those two battles. I like to study battles that are easily accessible for me to visit and explore. For me I learn so much more by visiting the actual sites than reading alone.

 

[Pollaco]

Antietam in the East, Vicksburg in the West. But here lately the coastal battles of Texas such as Galveston + Indianola have interested me.

 

[Andy Cardinal]

That's exactly why I chose those two battles. I like to study battles that are easily accessible for me to visit and explore. For me I learn so much more by visiting the actual sites than reading alone.

I agree completely.

 

[Buckeye Bill]

All fairly small battles which did have some significance. Except Resaca.
Many large battles didn't.

I tend to gravitate towards the conflicts which do not receive the notoriety as the Battles of Gettysburg, Shiloh and Antietam. Don't get me wrong.... I love the NPS venues in Gettysburg, Shiloh and Antietam. But there is more to the American Civil War than these three battles. In my humble opinion, get out and explore other sites. There is something special about learning and touring the lesser known battles and battlefields.

Bill

 

[P.B. Speegle]

On a side note, I'm curious to know how everyone got interested in the Civil War and how old you where when you started to study it seriously and read more intensively about it. For me when I found out I had family who fought in the 15th Texas infantry during the war that's when my interest really started, but I didn't start studying it sreiously until I was about 24. I'm 25 now.

 

[rbasin]

On a side note, I'm curious to know how everyone got interested in the Civil War and how old you where when you started to study it seriously and read more intensively about it. For me when I found out I had family who fought in the 15th Texas infantry during the war that's when my interest really started, but I didn't start studying it sreiously until I was about 24. I'm 25 now.

About 7-ish? when I got the American Heritage book on the ACW.

 

[Michael W.]

In the Eastern Theatre: Gettysburg.
The Western Theatre: Stones River.
The Trans-Mississippi Theatre: Pea Ridge. A fantastic tactical battle to study.

 

[Buckeye Bill]

On a side note, I'm curious to know how everyone got interested in the Civil War and how old you where when you started to study it seriously and read more intensively about it. For me when I found out I had family who fought in the 15th Texas infantry during the war that's when my interest really started, but I didn't start studying it sreiously until I was about 24. I'm 25 now.

In 1863 while I served in General Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia.

~ Colonel Brian Williams

 

[Michael W.]

On a side note, I'm curious to know how everyone got interested in the Civil War and how old you where when you started to study it seriously and read more intensively about it. For me when I found out I had family who fought in the 15th Texas infantry during the war that's when my interest really started, but I didn't start studying it sreiously until I was about 24. I'm 25 now.

I was in high school when the Civil War obsession started. I had to put it aside when I started paramedic training, got back into it afterword, took my first paid vacation to Gettysburg, and was hooked forever.

 

[RebelWeber]

I don't know that I have a favorite but for uniqueness I have to pick the Battle of Harpers Ferry the largest single surrender of US troops prior to World War II

 

[Rank and File]

It's not one battle, but a Campaign. McClellan had the South in dire straits on the Peninsula in'62, and except for the fact he got cold feet, the war could have ended then and there, and maybe saved 400,00-500,000 lives. Yo pick one battle, I'd go with Gaines Mill.

 

[Borderruffian]

I imagine most here will neither understand nor favor my favorite battle. This is partly because it is waaaay west of most of the big, pitched battles of the Eastern war. In addition, it is just purely difficult to understand. With that in mind, my favorite battle is the one waged in my home state of Missouri with home boys (plenty of them pretty rough and brutal) against the Kansas Jayhawker home boys (who were plenty rough and brutal in their own right.)

It is so complicated to figure out the war out here. Our ancestors were so busy just trying to survive. This overall theater of war (guerrilla versus jayhawker) is my favorite theater to study and discuss. I know I will have few followers in this matter.

Likewise. Personally the Tate House fight is my favorite.

 

[P.B. Speegle]

In 1863 while I served in General Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia.

~ Colonel Brian Williams

View attachment 209383

That's amazing, how did you survive for so long?

 

[P.B. Speegle]

I

About 7-ish? when I got the American Heritage book on the ACW.

I was in elemtary school when I got a DK kids book on the war.

 

[Andy Cardinal]

I tend to gravitate towards the conflicts which do not receive the notoriety as the Battles of Gettysburg, Shiloh and Antietam. Don't get me wrong.... I love the NPS venues in Gettysburg, Shiloh and Antietam. But there is more to the American Civil War than these three battles. In my humble opinion, get out and explore other sites. There is something special about learning and touring the lesser known battles and battlefields.

Bill

I agree Bill.... I have very much enjoyed my visits to many other sites, major & minor.

 

[Eleanor Rose]

I got interested when I was teaching 8th grade Social Studies in 1993. We took our students on a field trip to see the newly released movie, Gettysburg. I've been hooked ever since.