Civil War Locations and Battles

The American Civil War lasted four long years, from 1861 to 1865.  President Abraham Lincoln described the war in this way:
"...this war of ours, in its magnitude and duration, is one of the most terrible. . . . It has destroyed property, and ruined homes. . . . It has carried mourning to almost every home, until it can almost be said that 'the heavens are hung in black.'"

The Civil  War would cost he nation more than a million wounded, 620,000 of them died.  This death toll remains the highest of any war fought by the nation.  Clearly, the stakes for both the Union and Confederate armies had been high for them to withstand such horrible losses and devastation.  The enslaved African Americans of this nation held the  highest stakes: continued enslavement if the Confederacy won and freedom if the Union won.

Where were the important locations and battles of this war?  This is the question addressed in this web quest.  Understanding the geography of our most costly war creates a foundation for  understanding the significance of this war.