Campaigns of the American Civil War

Union Forces campaign streamer

Confederate Forces campaign streamer

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 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 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:

Campaign[1]	Effective dates of campaign	Notes
Sumter	April 12–13, 1861
Bull Run	July 16–22, 1861	("First Manassas" for Confederate service)
Henry & Donelson	February 6–16, 1862
Mississippi River	February 6, 1862 - July 9, 1863
Peninsula	March 17 - August 3, 1862
Shiloh	April 6–7, 1862
Valley	May 15 - June 17, 1862
Manassas	August 7 - September 2, 1862	("Second Manassas" for Confederate service)
Antietam	September 3–17, 1862	("Sharpsburg" for Confederate service)
Fredericksburg	November 9 - December 15, 1862
Murfreesborough	December 26, 1862 - January 4, 1863
Chancellorsville	April 27 - May 3, 1863
Gettysburg	June 29 - July 3, 1863
Vicksburg	March 29 - July 4, 1863
Chickamauga	August 16 - September 22, 1863
Chattanooga	November 23–27, 1863
Wilderness	May 4–7, 1864
Atlanta	May 7 - September 2, 1864
Spotsylvania	May 8–21, 1864
Cold Harbor	May 22 - June 3, 1864
Petersburg	June 4, 1864 - April 2, 1865
Shenandoah	August 7 - November 28, 1864
Franklin	November 17–30, 1864
Nashville	December 1–16, 1864
Appomattox	April 3–9, 1865

References

1. "Listing of the Campaigns of the U.S. Army Displayed on the Army Flag". U.S. ARMY CENTER OF MILITARY HISTORY. March 13, 2014. Archived from the original on November 14, 2014. Retrieved June 2, 2014.