Thecampaigns of theAmerican Civil War are categorized in various ways. TheU.S. Army Institute of Heraldry has identified 25 campaigns that are used for streamers, decorative devices attached to unit flags that denote participation in historic battles or campaigns. (An alternative campaign categorization is that of theNational Park Service, charged with maintaining Civil War battlefields and other historic sites. This categorization is more detailed and inclusive than the Army heraldry version, particularly for actions outside theEastern Theater andWestern Theater; seeCategory:Campaigns of the American Civil War.)
The Civil War campaign streamers are equally divided with blue and gray. Units that received campaign credit as aConfederate unit (only applicable to some currentArmy National Guard units from Southern states) use the same ribbon with the colors reversed. Blue refers to Federal service and gray to Confederate. Joined they represent the unification of the country after the Civil War.
The following inscriptions in yellow, shown in all capital letters, are authorized on the streamers:
| Campaign[1] | Effective dates of campaign | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Sumter | April 12–13, 1861 | |
| Bull Run | July 16–22, 1861 | ("First Manassas" for Confederate service) |
| Henry &Donelson | February 6–16, 1862 | |
| Mississippi River | February 6, 1862 - July 9, 1863 | |
| Peninsula | March 17 - August 3, 1862 | |
| Shiloh | April 6–7, 1862 | |
| Valley | May 15 - June 17, 1862 | |
| Manassas | August 7 - September 2, 1862 | ("Second Manassas" for Confederate service) |
| Antietam | September 3–17, 1862 | ("Sharpsburg" for Confederate service) |
| Fredericksburg | November 9 - December 15, 1862 | |
| Murfreesborough | December 26, 1862 - January 4, 1863 | |
| Chancellorsville | April 27 - May 3, 1863 | |
| Gettysburg | June 29 - July 3, 1863 | |
| Vicksburg | March 29 - July 4, 1863 | |
| Chickamauga | August 16 - September 22, 1863 | |
| Chattanooga | November 23–27, 1863 | |
| Wilderness | May 4–7, 1864 | |
| Atlanta | May 7 - September 2, 1864 | |
| Spotsylvania | May 8–21, 1864 | |
| Cold Harbor | May 22 - June 3, 1864 | |
| Petersburg | June 4, 1864 - April 2, 1865 | |
| Shenandoah | August 7 - November 28, 1864 | |
| Franklin | November 17–30, 1864 | |
| Nashville | December 1–16, 1864 | |
| Appomattox | April 3–9, 1865 |
