Events with tag - Battlefield

August 2, 217 BC

Battle of Cannae

The Battle of Cannae was one of history's most significant military engagements, where Carthaginian forces under Hannibal defeated a larger Roman army using the revolutionary double envelopment strategy. The battle resulted in devastating Roman losses and changed military tactics forever.

June 10, 1861

Dorothea Dix Appointed as Army Nurses Superintendent

Dorothea Dix made history by becoming the first woman to serve in a high-ranking federal position when she was appointed as Superintendent of Army Nurses for the Union Army during the American Civil War.

July 21, 1861

Matthew Brady's Civil War Photography

Matthew Brady transformed wartime documentation by pioneering battlefield photography during the American Civil War, receiving special permission from President Lincoln to capture the conflict through his lens. His work marked the first systematic attempt to document American warfare through photography.

July 27, 1861

McClellan's Appointment as Union Commander

General George B. McClellan, at age 34, was appointed commander of the Union Army during the American Civil War. Following successful campaigns in western Virginia, he took command of the Army of the Potomac on July 27, 1861, and was later promoted to General-in-Chief of all Union armies.

April 6, 1862

Battle of Shiloh

A pivotal two-day battle of the American Civil War fought on April 6-7, 1862, near Pittsburg Landing, Tennessee, resulting in a crucial Union victory and over 23,000 casualties.

December 11, 1862

Battle of Fredericksburg

A devastating Civil War battle fought from December 11-15, 1862, where Confederate forces under Robert E. Lee decisively defeated Union forces led by Ambrose Burnside, resulting in massive Union casualties during repeated unsuccessful assaults on Marye's Heights.

May 18, 1863

Battle of Vicksburg

The 47-day siege of Vicksburg (May 18 - July 4, 1863) was a decisive Union victory in the American Civil War. Under General Ulysses S. Grant, Union forces captured this Confederate stronghold, gaining control of the Mississippi River and effectively splitting the Confederacy in two.

June 29, 1863

Custer Becomes Youngest Union General

George Armstrong Custer made history by becoming the youngest brigadier general in the Union Army at age 23, marking one of the most remarkable promotions in American military history.

July 1, 1863

Battle of Gettysburg

The Battle of Gettysburg (July 1-3, 1863) was the bloodiest battle of the American Civil War, resulting in over 50,000 casualties. This decisive Union victory under Major General George Meade against Confederate General Robert E. Lee's forces marked a turning point in the war.

September 19, 1863

Battle of Chickamauga

A major Civil War battle fought near Chickamauga Creek, Georgia, between Union forces under Major General William Rosecrans and Confederate troops led by General Braxton Bragg, resulting in over 34,000 casualties and a Confederate victory.

May 31, 1864

Battle of Cold Harbor

A devastating Civil War battle fought from May 31 to June 12, 1864, near Mechanicsville, Virginia, resulting in massive Union casualties during Grant's Overland Campaign. The battle marked a significant turning point when Union forces suffered over 12,000 casualties against Confederate defensive positions.

April 9, 1865

Battle of Appomattox Court House

The Battle of Appomattox Court House was the final major military engagement of the American Civil War, where Confederate General Robert E. Lee surrendered his Army of Northern Virginia to Union General Ulysses S. Grant on April 9, 1865, effectively ending the Civil War.

November 11, 1865

First Woman Receives Medal of Honor

Dr. Mary Edwards Walker made history as the first and only woman to receive the Medal of Honor for her extraordinary service as a civilian surgeon during the Civil War. Her medal was presented on November 11, 1865, at the War Department in Washington, D.C.

May 21, 1881

Establishment of American Red Cross

Clara Barton founds the American Red Cross in Washington, D.C., establishing the first major humanitarian organization in the United States focused on disaster relief and emergency response.