Campaigns of the American Civil War



The campaigns of the American Civil War are categorized in various ways. The U.S. Army Institute of Heraldry has identified 25 campaigns that are used for streamers, decorative devices attached to unit flags that denote participation in historic battles or campaigns. (An alternative campaign categorization is that of the National Park Service, charged with maintaining Civil War battlefields and other historic sites. This categorization is more detailed and inclusive than the Army heraldry version, particularly for actions outside of the Eastern Theater and Western Theater; see Category:Campaigns of the American Civil War.)

The Civil War campaign streamers are equally divided with blue and gray. Units that received campaign credit as a Confederate unit (only applicable to some current Army National Guard units from Southern states) use the same ribbon with the colors reversed. Blue refers to Federal service and gray to Confederate. Joined together they represent the unification of the country after the Civil War.

The following inscriptions in yellow, shown in all capital letters, are authorized on the streamers:


 * Sumter 1861
 * Bull Run 1861 ("First Manassas" for Confederate service)
 * Henry & Donelson 1862
 * Mississippi River 1862-1863
 * Peninsula 1862
 * Shiloh 1862
 * Valley 1862
 * New Mexico Campaign
 * Manassas 1862 ("Second Manassas" for Confederate service)
 * Antietam 1862 ("Sharpsburg" for Confederate service)
 * Fredericksburg 1862
 * Murfreesborough 1862-1863
 * Chancellorsville 1863
 * Gettysburg 1863
 * Vicksburg 1863
 * Chickamauga 1863
 * Chattanooga 1863
 * Wilderness 1864
 * Atlanta 1864
 * Spotsylvania 1864
 * Cold Harbor 1864
 * Petersburg 1864-1865
 * Shenandoah 1864
 * Franklin 1864
 * Nashville 1864