The Civil War is referred to as the "Second American Revolution" by many historians. It put a stop to the scourge of slavery while strengthening the North's economic position over the South. Here are some of the most important us civil war maps that show the war's roots, and how the war changed the United States of America.

The fight of Chaffin's Bluff took place near Fort Harrison, among confederate fortifications. This was the Confederate line's strongest point, and it was near Richmond, Virginia, the Confederate capital. Union soldiers traversed wide fields and rushed down trench lines to seize Fort Harrison by mid-morning (10.00 AM) on September 29, 1864. 

Defenders of Confederate sought cover behind a second line. Union soldiers were subjected to severe confederate rifle and artillery fire, and once inside the fort, they lost command and were disorganised due to internal injuries.

On September 29, 1864, the combat of Chaffin's Bluff, also known as the Battle of Chaffin's Firm Tool, took place along Confederate fortifications near Fort Harrison and Fort Johnson in Virginia. 

It was part of the Union Potomac Army's relentless endeavour to wrest Richmond, Virginia, from Confederate control, known as the Richmond Petersburg campaign.

Antietam was a bloody battle in a beautiful setting. When a confederate battle plan was discovered wrapped around three cigars, it gave Union leader George B. McClellan a huge edge. With a 2:1 numerical advantage, this should have been decisive, but McCellan's extreme caution squandered it.

To know more click here.

Confederate leader Robert E. Lee fired Joseph E. Johnston as commander of the Army of Tennessee in the run-up to Atlanta because of his repeated refusal to face numerically superior Union forces. At Peach Tree Creek, his replacement, John B. Hood, demonstrated the required aggression - and was defeated.

Visit www.themaparchive.com for more historical details.

The battle of Auburn, Virginia was fought between Confederate cavalry and Union soldiers on October 13-14, 1863. After the fight of Gettysburg, the 2nd and 3rd corps had separated from the main Union brigade, which was advancing northwards. On the Old Carolina RD, the 3 corps under colonel Charles Collis came into general Lunsford Lomax's Confederate cavalry reconnaissance detachment, and a brief skirmish ensued.

Ball's Bluff battle was a comedy of errors for the union. A troop of the Corps of Observation was despatched across the Potomac to reconnoitre and 'spotted' a line of trees that turned out to be a rebel encampment. Senator Baker had ordered his brigade across the river by the time the error was detected, and with just four small boats for the job, they quickly became log jammed.

You can explore a huge collection of the Civil war maps online with just a few clicks. Visit  The Map Archive to buy maps online.