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The list of American Civil War (Civil War) generals has been divided into five articles: an introduction on this page, a list of Union Army generals, a list of Union brevet generals, a list of Confederate Army generals and a list of prominent acting Confederate States Army generals, which includes officers appointed to duty by E. Kirby Smith, officers whose appointments were never confirmed or completed and State militia generals who were in combat or otherwise on active duty.
The American Civil War (April 1861 – May 1865)[1] pitted the forces of the northern "Union" or "Free" states against those of the southern "Confederate states".[2] Long simmering sectional antagonisms and differences were brought to a head by the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States in November 1860 and led to the Civil War. These centered on the possible abolition of slavery but included competing understandings of federalism, party politics, expansionism, sectionalism, tariffs, economics, values, and social structures
A longer than usual introduction is desirable for these lists because a description of the leadership of the small pre-Civil War U.S. Army and what became of those leaders not only shows that many inexperienced men had to become Civil War generals, but that more men with some military training and experience were available than may be commonly believed. The identification as generals of some officers who served in the Civil War armies is disputed and controversial, as some generals or groups of generals have some background or service details in common.[3]
- ^ The dates of the declaration by South Carolina of its secession from the union of the United States (December 20, 1860), several subsequent seizures of federal forts and property by Confederate state forces in early 1861 and the capture and arrest of United States Army soldiers, especially in Texas, before the bombardment and surrender of the U.S. Army garrison at Fort Sumter in the harbor of Charleston, South Carolina (April 12–14, 1861) all could be considered as the starting date of the Civil War. Since the Fort Sumter affair was the first military action of consequence between the opposing forces, however, the dates of the attack on and surrender of the fort are commonly considered the start dates of the Civil War. General Robert E. Lee surrendered the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia and General Joseph E. Johnston surrendered his remaining force in April 1865. The last notable fighting of the war took place at Palmito Ranch in Texas and there were a few skirmishes in Missouri in May 1865. Confederate President Jefferson Davis was captured and most remaining Confederate forces surrendered in May 1865. The last actions of the CSS Shenandoah, a few minor skirmishes and the final surrenders of Confederate forces, including those of the Cherokee Brigadier General Stand Watie occurred in June 1865, which give some basis for consideration of that month as the final month of the war.
- ^ The Union forces are often referred to as "Federal" forces. The Confederate forces are often referred to as "Rebel" forces.
- ^ The inclusion of additional details concerning the generals and thumbnail photos of many of the generals lengthen the two separate articles with the lists of generals has added to the size of the articles but they allow many interesting or similar details about the generals to be specified in only two lists in a more accessible format.