1. Battle of Gettysburg (1863) – The largest and most significant battle of the Civil War, fought over three days in Pennsylvania. It marked a turning point as the Union repelled General Robert E. Lee’s invasion of the North.
   • Monument: Gettysburg National Military Park includes numerous monuments and the iconic Gettysburg Address Memorial, where President Lincoln delivered his famous speech.

https://www.battlefields.org/learn/civil-war/battles/gettysburg

1. Battle of Antietam (1862) – Known as the bloodiest single day in American history, this battle in Maryland halted Lee’s first invasion of the North and gave President Lincoln the opportunity to issue the Emancipation Proclamation.
   • Monument: Antietam National Battlefield preserves the site, with monuments like the Maryland State Monument.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Antietam

1. Battle of Fort Sumter (1861) – The first battle of the Civil War, where Confederate forces fired on the Union garrison in Charleston Harbor, South Carolina, signaling the start of the conflict.
   • Monument: Fort Sumter National Monument in Charleston commemorates this first clash of the war.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Fort_Sumter

1. Battle of Shiloh (1862) – A major battle in Tennessee where Union forces under General Ulysses S. Grant repelled a surprise Confederate attack, leading to heavy casualties on both sides.
   • Monument: Shiloh National Military Park includes multiple monuments and the Confederate Burial Trench Monument.

https://www.battlefields.org/learn/civil-war/battles/shiloh

1. Siege of Vicksburg (1863) – A key Union victory in Mississippi that gave the North control of the Mississippi River, splitting the Confederacy in two and boosting Grant’s reputation as a military leader.
   • Monument: Vicksburg National Military Park contains the Illinois State Memorial and other significant monuments.

https://www.history.com/topics/american-civil-war/vicksburg-campaign#siege-of-vicksburg

1. Battle of Bull Run (First Manassas) (1861) – The first major land battle of the Civil War, fought in Virginia. Confederate forces under General Stonewall Jackson earned an early victory, dispelling Northern hopes for a quick war.
   • Monument: Manassas National Battlefield Park preserves the site, with monuments like the Stonewall Jackson Statue.

https://www.battlefields.org/learn/civil-war/battles/bull-run

1. Battle of Chancellorsville (1863) – A brilliant Confederate victory in Virginia, where General Robert E. Lee, despite being outnumbered, decisively defeated Union forces. However, Stonewall Jackson was mortally wounded.
   • Monument: Chancellorsville Battlefield, part of the Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park, includes Jackson’s Memorial.

https://www.history.com/topics/american-civil-war/battle-of-chancellorsville

1. Battle of Fredericksburg (1862) – A crushing Confederate victory in Virginia, where Union forces suffered heavy losses attempting to storm fortified Confederate positions.
   • Monument: Fredericksburg Battlefield and National Cemetery honors the fallen, with several memorials on-site.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Fredericksburg

1. Battle of Fort Donelson (1862) – A pivotal early Union victory in Tennessee, where Ulysses S. Grant earned the nickname “Unconditional Surrender” for his terms to the Confederate defenders.
   • Monument: Fort Donelson National Battlefield features the Confederate Monument and historic earthworks.

https://www.nps.gov/fodo/planyourvisit/thebattleforfortdonelson.htm

1.  Battle of Chickamauga (1863) – One of the bloodiest battles in the Western Theater, fought in Georgia. The Confederates won, but Union forces eventually regrouped and took Chattanooga.
   • Monument: Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park includes hundreds of monuments and memorials, like the Wilder Brigade Monument.

https://www.battlefields.org/learn/civil-war/battles/chickamauga

1.  Battle of Atlanta (1864) – Part of General William T. Sherman’s Atlanta Campaign, this battle led to the fall of Atlanta, a major Confederate industrial and railway center, helping to secure Lincoln’s re-election.
   • Monument: The Atlanta Cyclorama & Civil War Museum commemorates the battle and Sherman’s campaign.

https://www.britannica.com/event/Atlanta-Campaign

1.  Appomattox Court House (1865) – The site where General Robert E. Lee surrendered to General Ulysses S. Grant, effectively ending the Civil War.
   • Monument: Appomattox Court House National Historical Park preserves the site and includes monuments commemorating the surrender and reunification.

https://www.battlefields.org/learn/articles/10facts-appomattox-court-house

These battles and monuments capture key moments in the Civil War’s progress, highlighting turning points, strategic victories, and symbols of the conflict’s start and end.