The Famous Civil War Battles Quiz

Estimated Completion Time
3 min
The Famous Civil War Battles Quiz
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About This Quiz

The American Civil War pitted family against family and led to some of the most famous armed conflicts in the history of the world. How much do you know about battles of this civil war?
How many casualties occurred at the Battle of Fort Sumter, the first battle of the war?
zero
11
28
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

After a lot of bluster, Union forces surrendered the Charleston fort.

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During which battle did Thomas Jonathan Jackson earn his famous nickname?
Battle of Ball's Bluff
Battle of Phillipi
First Battle of Bull Run
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Jackson and his men held off an unexpected attack by Union troops; he became known as "Stonewall" Jackson.

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Why did the Confederacy adopt a new battle flag after the First Battle of Bull Run?
All of their flags were accidentally set on fire during the battle
They had a hard time identifying the old one from afar.
They decided that their flag was ugly.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

During the battle, they couldn't tell if reinforcements were theirs or the Union's.

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Which battle is sometimes referred to as the "Bull Run of the West?"
Battle of Cheat Mountain
Battle of Wilson's Creek
Battle of Dry Wood Creek
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

It took place in western Missouri and the Confederates pulled off another stunning victory.

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At which battle did a black unit famously fight off a Confederate attack?
Battle of Plains Store
Battle of Salem Church
Battle of Milliken's Bend
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Union forces, which included freed slaves, prevented the Confederates from cutting off a crucial supply line.

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In which state did the Battle of Gettysburg take place?
Maryland
Pennsylvania
Virginia
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

This battle is often called the most important turning point of the war.

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Before which battle did Union troops find a detailed Confederate battle plan tucked in a box of cigars?
Battle of Prairie Grove
Battle of Antietam
Second Battle of Corinth
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

But Union leaders were slow to act on the information missed a chance to strike a fatal blow.

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Which Union commander led Union troops at the Battle of Gettysburg?
Joseph Hooker
Ulysses Grant
George Meade
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

He received his crucial command just days before the attack by the Confederates.

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About how many military engagements were there during the war?
5,000
8,000
12,000
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Many were just skirmishes; others seemed nearly apocalyptic.

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After which battle did Ulysses S. Grant become a major general for his important victory?
Battle of Round Mountain
Battle of Fort Donelson
Battle of Mill Springs
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

It's also where he got his nickname, "Unconditional Surrender Grant."

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How many men did the Confederates lose at the Battle of Fort Donelson?
12,000
4,000
1,200
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

It was the first major victory of the war for the Union; most of the Confederate losses were due to their surrender.

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In which body of water did the Battle of Island Number Ten take place?
Potomac River
Missouri River
Mississippi River
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Union forces trapped the Confederates on a river island and forced thousands to surrender.

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In total, about how many soldiers fought in the Battle of Gettysburg?
180,000
60,000
45,000
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The battle featured a clash of huge forces amassed on both sides.

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At which battle did the Confederacy lose its last large army?
Battle of Atlanta
Battle of Gettysburg
Battle of Appomattox Courthouse
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Gen. Lee surrendered his army, essentially ending the South's ability to wage war.

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Why is The Battle of Hampton Roads so famous?
It nearly turned the tide of the war in favor the South.
It featured a clash of new naval technologies.
It was the first battle in which the Union used repeating rifles.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Two ironclad ships, the CSS Virginia and the USS Monitor, fought to a draw but sparked an immediate change in warship design.

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How many total casualties were there at the Battle of Spotsylvania Court House?
13
10,000
32,000
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

It was one of the costliest battles of the war for both sides, and it had an inconclusive end.

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How many casualties did the Confederates suffer during the Battle of Gettysburg?
about 27,000
about 18,000
about 7,000
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Union suffered almost as many. More casualties occurred here than at any other battle during the war.

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Which battle is sometimes called the "Gettysburg of the West?"
Battle of Glorieta Pass
Battle of New Madrid
Battle of Roan's Tan Yard
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Confederates won the battle but were unable to secure the Southwest for themselves due to supply line problems.

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Union Gen. Meade took criticism from President Lincoln for not pursuing the Confederates following which battle?
Battle of Mansfield
Battle of Pine Bluff
Battle of Gettysburg
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Gen. Lee's forces were pinned by the rain-swollen Potomac River on one side and Meade could potentially have ended the war right there.

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Union forces had access to the entire Mississippi River after the end of which military action?
Siege of Vicksburg
Battle of Champion Hill
Battle of Stones River
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The decisive Union victory sent the Confederates scurrying back to Eastern strongholds.

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Which battle is often considered the most pivotal in the Western theater of the war?
Battle of Grand Gulf
Battle of Chancellorsville
Battle of Champion Hill
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Confederate defeat soon led to a major (and terrible) confrontation at Vicksburg.

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The Battle of Pittsburg Landing is better known as what?
The Battle of Shiloh
Battle of Drewry's Bluff
Battle of Gaines' Mill
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

This large-scale battle featured tens of thousands of soldiers on each side.

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During the Battle of Shiloh, Union Brig. Gen. Prentiss and his men made a critical stand that became known as what?
The Iron Wall
The Hornet's Nest
The Devil's Den
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Their ferocious resistance eventually collapsed but they bought the rest of the army time to regroup and ultimately win the battle.

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Which battle pitted the South's Robert E. Lee versus the Union's Joseph Hooker?
Battle of Champion Hill
Battle of Chancellorsville
Battle of Gettysburg
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

This Confederate victory was the second bloodiest day of the entire war.

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How long did the Confederates hold out during the Siege of Vicksburg?
three months
40 days
three weeks
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Food shortages in Vicksburg became so dire that people resorted to eating shoe leather.

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Which battle still stands as the single bloodiest day in the history of American warfare?
Battle of Gettysburg
Battle of Shiloh
Battle of Antietam
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

By the end of the battle, nearly 23,000 men were dead, wounded or missing.

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How long did the Battle of Gettysburg last?
three days
three weeks
nearly a month
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

For such a monumental battle, it was a relatively short-lived event.

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Which victory gave President Lincoln the political capital to sign the Emancipation Proclamation?
Battle of Antietam
Battle of Gettysburg
Battle of Fredericksburg
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Union did win the battle but an overabundance of caution cost them a chance to destroy Gen. Lee's army.

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President Lincoln relieved Gen. Hooker of duty just days before which battle?
Battle of Gettysburg
Siege of Vicksburg
Siege of Port Hudson
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Hooker's poor showing at the Battle of Chancellorsville led Lincoln to believe he couldn't handle such important tasks.

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How did Stonewall Jackson die at the Battle of Chancellorsville?
Shot by one of his own men
He fell off of his horse.
He refused to surrender and was bayoneted.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

He was killed by friendly fire; his death was a tremendous blow to Southern military prowess.

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