Perhaps the first significant and major battle won by the South was the First Battle of Bull Run. This battle woke up the North and was an indication that the Confederacy would prove to be a dangerous foe.
The first pitched battle won by the Confederates was that of First Bull Run.
The US Civil War Battle of Carthage was an early battle in the US Civil War. It took place in Missouri on July 5, 1861. It was a minor battle won by the Confederates.
Early Civil War battles showed
The usual pattern was of confusion (even confusion over which side whole battalions and even regiments were on); Union attacks on Confederates with poor planning and outdated tactics; Confederates holding on despite losses; and the Union forces falling back but not retreating with heavy losses. This pattern held for nearly every battle in the east for the first two years. Battles in Kentucky and Tennessee, however, resulted in heavy losses for both sides and a fairly steady Union advance.
Almost every Civil War battle was on a creek. There was bound to be one somewhere on the battlefield. The Confederates called the battles after the nearest town; the Yankees named the same battle after the most prominent body of water nearby. So, for instance, the Battle of Antietam is usually known by that Yankee-given name, for Antietam Creek. The Rebels called it Sharpsburg. Another was what the Confederates called the First and Second Battles of Manassas. The Yankees called these Bull Run. A "run" is a big creek in that part of Virginia, the bulls were buffalo seen there by early settlers.
The first pitched battle won by the Confederates was that of First Bull Run.
The US Civil War Battle of Carthage was an early battle in the US Civil War. It took place in Missouri on July 5, 1861. It was a minor battle won by the Confederates.
Early Civil War battles showed
The usual pattern was of confusion (even confusion over which side whole battalions and even regiments were on); Union attacks on Confederates with poor planning and outdated tactics; Confederates holding on despite losses; and the Union forces falling back but not retreating with heavy losses. This pattern held for nearly every battle in the east for the first two years. Battles in Kentucky and Tennessee, however, resulted in heavy losses for both sides and a fairly steady Union advance.
Almost every Civil War battle was on a creek. There was bound to be one somewhere on the battlefield. The Confederates called the battles after the nearest town; the Yankees named the same battle after the most prominent body of water nearby. So, for instance, the Battle of Antietam is usually known by that Yankee-given name, for Antietam Creek. The Rebels called it Sharpsburg. Another was what the Confederates called the First and Second Battles of Manassas. The Yankees called these Bull Run. A "run" is a big creek in that part of Virginia, the bulls were buffalo seen there by early settlers.
First Bull Run/Manassas was the first pitched battle - July 1861. Neither army was anywhere near ready for operations. The Union had the advantage in artillery, and appeared to be winning on account of it. But one Confederate unit was wearing blue uniforms, and the gunners thought they were friend, not foe. This swung the battle in favour of the Confederates. However the Confederates were not able to pursue and destroy the Union army, and the battle had no significant result.
In the early days of the war, the South seemed to win every conflict. The blockade, the capture and control of the Mississippi and New Orleans and U.S.Grant turned the tide. While the South won more battles, the important ones went to the Yankees.
By the time the Battle of Gettysburg happened, the people that thought watching a battle was glorious, figured out it wasn't. There were only spectators in the early battles of the Civil War.
Two significant battles in Tennessee during the Civil War were the Battle of Shiloh, fought in April 1862, and the Battle of Chattanooga, which occurred in late 1863. The Battle of Shiloh, one of the bloodiest early battles of the war, resulted in a Union victory and helped secure control of western Tennessee. The Battle of Chattanooga was crucial for the Union, as it opened the gateway to the Deep South, leading to further military campaigns in Georgia.
The Confederates outnumbered Union forces on several occasions during the Civil War, notably at the First Battle of Bull Run in July 1861, where Confederate troops had a numerical advantage. Another significant instance was during the Battle of Chancellorsville in May 1863, where Confederate General Robert E. Lee's forces, numbering around 60,000, faced a Union army of about 100,000 but managed to achieve a decisive victory despite being outnumbered. However, the Confederates did have numerical superiority in some battles, especially in the early years of the war.
The Battle of Antietam was not a clear victory for neither the Confederate nor the Union armies.
It became clear that the war would last for a long time.