How many battles were there and what is a "battle"? For instance, was Vicksburg a "battle" or a "siege with a series of battles"? Most historians would consider Petersburg to be a siege with a series of battles (Ft. Stedman, Battle of the Crater, etc.). What about naval battles (Kearsarge vs. Alabama, Monitor vs. Virginia, Battle of Mobile) or sieges that involved a number of assaults (Ft. Fisher, Battery Wagner)? One person's skirmish is another person's battle is another person's engagement is another person's campaign. In short, I don't think there is a consensus on an absolute number of battles in the US Civil War except that it would exceed over 100 by a vast margin.
