Atlas Trail
The Armies That Fought America's Wars
From the Continental Army's ragged volunteers at Yorktown to the Union Army's might at Gettysburg, this trail follows the commanders, forces and weapons of the American Revolutionary War and the American Civil War.
Stop 1 of 10.
Wars
The war that raised the Continental Army and, with French help, won American independence.
Stop 2 of 10.
Commanders
Commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783.
Stop 3 of 10.
Armed Forces and Units
The centralized standing force Congress raised in 1775 to fight the war.
Stop 4 of 10.
Weapons Systems
The long-barreled rifle that gave American riflemen an edge in accuracy over the smoothbore musket.
Stop 5 of 10.
Battles and Campaigns
The decisive 1781 siege that ended major fighting and forced Britain to negotiate peace.
Stop 6 of 10.
Wars
Eight decades later, the Union and the seceding Confederacy fought the costliest war in American history.
Stop 7 of 10.
Commanders
Commanding General of the Union Army, who led it to victory in 1865.
Stop 8 of 10.
Armed Forces and Units
The regular, volunteer and conscripted force, roughly 2.1 million strong, that preserved the United States.
Stop 9 of 10.
Weapons Systems
The Minie-type rifled musket that armed most Union infantry.
Stop 10 of 10.
Battles and Campaigns
Widely regarded as the war's turning point.
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