Civil War States: Virginia

Stories of great battles in the Civil War abound, but a must-see on the list of historic battle sites is the Manassas National Battlefield, where two major clashes between the North and South occurred. In 1861, Union and Confederate soldiers fought at Bull Run, confident that the War would come to a quick end. But after hundreds of men were killed on the first day of fighting, both sides realized such notions were incorrect. In 1862, the armies met on the same field in the Battle of Second Manassas; 3,300 men were killed.

Manassas was the site of wrecked railroads and military fortifications. Browse hundreds of Civil War photographs taken at Manassas and many other Civil War locations at the Library of Congress Web site.

Malvern Hill, Cold Harbor and Gaines' Mill are three notable Civil War sites in Virginia. In Gaines' Mill alone, 15,000 men were killed, wounded or captured in just one day of battle. Thousands more were killed in other locations in the many other days of the war. Listen to a podcast tour of these battlefields and many others in Civil War history.

Richmond, the capital of Virginia, was not immune from the violence that swept the state. Soldiers fought all around the city, and many were held captive there in real and makeshift prisons, or treated in one of many hospital locations. Explore the Civil War Richmond Web site, which posts several written accounts of the war in Richmond; browse historic photographs; study several maps of the city at the time; and learn about several other locations important to the war effort.

Two notable cemeteries in Virginia are historically tied to the Civil War. First is the Hollywood Cemetery in Richmond, where major figures like Presidents James Monroe and John Tyler, as well as other Civil War personages, have been laid to rest. Read the history of the cemetery to learn about others buried at these grounds who were important to the war effort, and take the virtual tour to see some of the monuments at the Hollywood Cemetery.

Arlington National Cemetery, founded by Major General Montgomery C. Meigs, Quartermaster General during the Civil War, is perhaps one of the best-known military burial grounds in the United States. Nearly four million visitors come to the cemetery every year; almost 100 weekly graveside services are held there during a year. Browse the lists of important historical figures buried at Arlington (dating back to the American Revolutionary War) and learn about the Tomb of the Unknowns, a monument to soldiers who have died in past wars but whose remains have never been identified.