What is Eastern Theater of the American Civil War?
The '''Eastern [[Theater (warfare)|Theater]]''' of the [[American Civil War]] included the U.S. states of [[Virginia]], [[West Virginia]], [[Maryland]], [[Pennsylvania]], the [[District of Columbia]] and the [[coast]]al [[seaport]]s and [[fortification]]s of [[North Carolina]]. There were many battles fought in this area, especially in northern and eastern Virginia. Several battles were fought between the Union [[Army of the Potomac]] and Confederate [[Army of Northern Virginia]]. There was so much fighting in Virginia because the Confederate capital was at [[Richmond, Virginia]]. The Eastern Theatre was the scene of several key battles. These included the [[First Battle of Bull Run]], the bloody [[Battle of Antietam]] and the greatest battle, the [[Battle of Gettysburg]].<ref name=CWE>{{cite web |url=http://civilwarintheeast.com/ |title=The Civil War in the East |author= |date= |website= |publisher=Civil War in the East |accessdate=18 October 2016}}</ref> Only 100 miles separated the two [[Capital city|capital cities]], [[Washington, D.C.]] the [[Union (American Civil War)|Union]] capital and the Confederate capital at Richmond, Virginia.<ref name=CWE/> Between the two lay the [[Shenandoah Valley]], a natural corridor that could hide entire armies. ==Principal commanders of the Eastern Theater== {{Gallery |width=140 |height=140 |lines=3.5 |align=center |File:GenUSGrant.jpg|<center>Lt. Gen.<br/>[[Ulysses S. Grant]],<br/>USA</center> |File:GeorgeMcClellan.jpeg|<center>Maj. Gen.<br/>[[George B. McClellan]],<br/>USA</center> |File:Portrait of Maj. Gen. Irvin McDowell, officer of the Federal Army.jpg|<center>Maj. Gen.<br/>[[Irvin McDowell]],<br/>USA</center> |File:GenJohnPope.jpeg|<center>Maj. Gen.<br/>[[John Pope (military officer)|John Pope]],<br/>USA</center> |File:Ambrose Burnside2.jpg|<center>Maj. Gen.<br/>[[Ambrose Burnside]],<br/>USA</center> |File:Joseph Hooker - Brady-Handy.jpg|<center>Maj. Gen.<br/>[[Joseph Hooker]],<br/>USA</center> |File:George Gordon Meade.jpg|<center>Maj. Gen.<br/>[[George G. Meade]]