hi ralph, you may have stumbled into a quesiton I have been asking many years now. What actually constitutes a Battle, or engagement, from a skirmish.

I have asked this question of two different West Point instructors, neither could give me a definative answer.

I have always considered Honey springs a battle.

a few points to think about. How many men have to be engaged to be called a battle? Or is their any set number?
Now many branches of the service have to be involved? Artillery, Infantry, Cav. ect.?

I also assume that more than one political group has to be involved.

The O.R.s seem to interchange the two erms battle and engagements.

curtis