Campaigns of the American Civil War
Campaigns of the American Civil War are classified in different ways. The U.S. Army Institute of Heraldry lists 25 campaigns that are used for campaign streamers—decorative ribbons on unit flags that show participation in specific battles or campaigns. A different system comes from the National Park Service, which maintains Civil War battlefields and other historic sites. Their categorization is more detailed and includes actions outside the main Eastern and Western theaters.
Campaign streamers are equally split between blue and gray. Blue represents Federal service and gray represents Confederate service. Some current Army National Guard units from Southern states may wear the same ribbon with the colors reversed if they earned Confederate credit.
Together, blue and gray symbolize the unification of the country after the Civil War. The streamers also feature yellow inscriptions in all capital letters.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 07:58 (CET).