The most compelling aspect of the Civil War are the battles that were fought.  Brief and exceptionally violent, especially by today's standards, the battles of the American Civil War stand out in our history for the bravery of the men involved and the number of casualties inflicted.

It is difficult to understand how men could march towards each other, often facing certain death at the hands of their foe. 

The Civil War was no longer a battle of the swift, or the fittest.  Advances in technology had ushered an age of modern and efficient warfare which all but eliminated the chivalry of ages past.  The accounts of the battles here are brief, providing information on the forces involved and the outcome. 

The Official Record of the War of the Rebellion contains the reports of the soldiers involved.  A reading of the several reports from each battle provide insight into what each commander witnessed and his own perspective on the battle.  Taken together, these reports provide the reader with an overview of what transpired.  Understanding that the author often wished to praise his men, or cover his own faults, it is still the best picture of events we have.