Major Events of the Civil War

Abraham Linciln elected president of U.S.

Nov 6, 1860

South Carolina secedes from the Union

Dec 20, 1860

Confederacy formed

Feb 9, 1861

Seven states form Confederacy, write their own constitution, and plan for an independent nation.

Lincoln inaugurated

Mar 4, 1861

Fort Sumpter attacked

Apr 12, 1861

First Battle of Bull Run

Jul 21, 1861

Gen. McDowell leads 30,000 men against Gen. Johnston's 22,000 Southern troops to crush the rebels. However, South scores victory as Union troops flee back to Washington in disarray. McDowell is replaced by Gen. McClellan

Grant captures Fort Henry and Fort Donelson

Feb 6, 1862

Peninsular Campaign begins

Mar 1, 1862

Confederate "Merrimac" battles Union "Monitor"

Mar 8, 1862

First ironclad battle in history. It ends in a draw as the Merrimac withdraws after daylong exchange of fire. Union blockade of South is kept.

Confederate surprise attack union troops at Shiloh

Apr 6, 1862

13,000 Union killed and wounded and 10,000 Confederates.

Union moves up Mississippi Riv. and take New Orleans

Apr 24, 1862

Second Battle of Bull Run

Aug 29, 1862

Confederate armies are stopped at Antietam

Sep 17, 1862

Emancipation Proclomation issued

Sep 22, 1862

With victory at Antietam, Lincoln announces that all slaves in the rebelling states would be free.

Army of the Potomac suffers defeat at Fredericksburg

Dec 13, 1862

Battle of Chancellorsville begins

May 1, 1863

The Union Army is defeated by Lee's smaller forces at the Battle of Chancellorsville in Virginia. Confederate Gen. Stonewall Jackson is mortally wounded by his own soldiers. Union retreats. Union losses are 17,000 killed, wounded and missing.

Confederates are defeated at the Battle of Gettysburg

Jul 3, 1863

The tide of war turns against the South.

Vicksburg surrenders to General Grant

Jul 4, 1863

Rebel siege of Chattanooga ends

Nov 23, 1863

Grant promoted and given command of all Union troops

Mar 9, 1864

Union forces miss an opportunity to capture Petersburg

Jun 15, 1864

Union forces miss an opportunity to capture Petersburg and cut off the Confederate rail lines. As a result, a nine month siege of Petersburg begins with Grant's forces surrounding Lee.

Atlanta captured by the Union

Sep 2, 1864

Lee surrenders

Apr 9, 1865

Lee, refusing to see his troops suffer any further, surrenders to Grant. Southern troops given generous terms of surrender.