Most important battles of the civil war

1. Vicksburg - Absolutely the most significant. The Union victory at Vicksburg split the south and sealed its eventual defeat. After Vicksburg the Union controlled the Mississippi River from it's headwaters in Wisconsin all the way down to the Gulf of Mexico.

2. Gettysburg - Lee's Army of Northern Virginia's high water mark. The loss of Lee's senior leadership was appalling and these men could never be replaced. Lee never went on the offensive again.

3. Atlanta - The victory came just before the election and ensured Lincoln a second term. With Lincoln reelected, and Democrat candidate George McClellan defeated, it was clear that no settlement would be reached. The war would be prosecuted to the end.