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The Pony Express, an overland mail service, began. It offered anywhere from an eight to a ten day delivery and operated between St. Joseph, MO and Sacramento, CA.
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Texas' representative, John H. Reagan, published a letter in which it stated the desire of the North to "strike down the sovereignty and equality of the States".
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Abraham Lincoln is elected the 16th president of the United States of America
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A convention is called by South Carolina to take place on December 17, 1860. This convention would decide whether or not South Carolina should secede from the Union.
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Major Robert Anderson notifies Lincoln that Fort Sumter is being threatened in Charleston
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The South Carolina convention takes place, and is unanimously decided to secede from the US.
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Senator John Crittenden, pro-union, from Kentucky, proposes the Crittenden Compromise. It would have allowed south states of the Missouri Compromise decide whether or not they wanted to enter free or not. This compromise however, was unsuccessful.
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South Carolina is officially the first state to secede from the nation. They set an example for the other southern states to follow.
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The Ordinance of Secession is offically approved by South Carolina's convention.
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The South Carolina Secession Convention declares that a convention must be held in Montgomery, Alabama, to create a new constitution just for the South Confederacy.
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The Confederate States of America is formed and Jefferson Davis is the president.
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Abraham Lincoln's inauguration day, he is officially sworn in as the 16th president of the United States.
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The first incident begins with the Confedorates firing fifty cannons on Fort Sumter under General Pierre Beauregard.
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Viriginia secedes from the Union, Arkansas, Tenessee, and north Carolina followed five weeks after
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Lincoln issues a Proclamation of Blockade. This will create a blockade against the Southern ports to stop importing and exporting in the South.
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Robert E, Lee resigns his commission in the United States Army. He goes to Richmond, Virginia and offered command of the military and naval forces in Virginia.
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After Lincoln gave a speech to Congress about war, they authorize a call for 500,000 men.
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Under General Irvin McDowell, the Union suffered their first defeat at Bull Run. Confederate General Thomas Jackson earned his nickname of "Stonewall".
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Lincoln appoints George B. McClellan as the Commander of the Department. McClellan replaced McDowell.
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After the resignation of Winfield Scott, Lincoln appoints McClellan as general-in-chief of all Union forces.
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General Ulysses S. Grant had a victory in Tennessee and captured Fort Henry. He later captured Fort Donelson and earned the nickname “Unconditional Surrender” Grant.
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Under David Farragut’s command, 17 Union ships move up the Mississippi River and then the South’s greatest seaport, New Orleans. While sailing through a Rebel mine field Farragut says “Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead!”
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The Battle of Seven Pines begins, General Joseph E. Johnston’s Army attacks the troops under command of McClellan in front of Richmond. He almost defeats them, however, Johnston was badly wounded.
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Since Johnston was badly wounded, General Robert E. Lee takes command and renames the his force the Army of Northern Virginia. However, McClellan is not intimidated by Lee.
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The Seven Days Battles begins as General Lee attacks McClellan near Richmond. Both armies, as a result of the attack, suffer heavy losses. McClellan flees from the scene and heads back to Washington.
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President Lincoln, after four months as his own general-in-chief, hands down the task to General Henry W. (Old Brains) Halleck.
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The bloodiest single day battle in U.S. military history is taken place. It is the Battle of Antietam, General Robert E. Lee and the confederate Armies were stopped at Antietam, Maryland by McClellan and his Union troops. By the end of the day, 26,000 men had died, were wounded, or missing.
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President Abraham Lincoln issues the preliminary Emancipation Proclamation in preparation for the actual one.
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After many withdrawals from almost successful battles, Lincoln replaces McClellan with General Ambrose E. Burnside as the new Commander of the Army of the Potomac. Lincoln grew very impatient with McClellan’s slowness.
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General Burnside’s Army of the Potomac suffers a bad defeat at Fredericksburg in Virginia. He lost 12,653 men after 14 frontal assaults on well entrenched Rebels on Marye’s Heights. The Confederate lost 5,309 men.
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The final Emancipation Proclamation is issued by President Lincoln which frees all slaves in territories where Confederacy is in charge. Black soldiers, he emphasizes, are encouraged to enlist in the Union Army.
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With Burnside gone, president Lincoln appoints Joseph (Fighting Joe) Hooker as commander of the Army of the Potomac.
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U.S. Congress enacts a draft that affects men aged 20-45, however, if any of those men pay $300 or substitute they can be exempt. This was known as a bounty.
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The South suffers a major death that devastates them as Stonewall Jackson dies from his wounds.
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General Lee and his 75,000 Confederates head to the North to launch their second invasion there. They start to Pennsylvania in a campaign that will eventually lead to Gettysburg.
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For the fifth time, Lincoln changes the commander of the Army of the Potomac by replacing Burnside. Taking his place is General George G. Meade.
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The three day Battle of Gettysburg, starting July 1st and ending July 3rd of 1863, is known as the turning point of the Civil War. The South Confederates are defeated by the North Union.
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After a six week siege, Vicksburg surrenders to General US Grant and the Army of the West. The Union is now has control of the Mississippi, and the Confederacy is divided into two.
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President Lincoln meets up with the abolitionist Frederick Douglass, where together they push for full equality of the ‘Negro troops’ in the Union.
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The famous Gettysburg Address is delivered by President Lincoln at a ceremony that was dedicating the Battlefield as a National Ceremony.
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Located in Georgia and was one of the largest prison camps there. It was the most harshest and under Confederate control. Union troops were kept there and many died due to poor sanitary conditions.
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The penny was changed and was authorized the minting of the two cent coin when Congress passed the Coinage Act of 1864. "In God We Trust"
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Grant makes a costly mistake that, in a total of twenty minutes, results in 7,000 Union casualties. It was against fortified Rebels at Cold Harbor in Virginia.
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Sherman’s forces fight against the Rebels in Atlanta who were under the command of General John B. Hood who replaced Johnston.
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In Lincoln’s run for president for his second term, George B. McClellan is nominated to run as well against him by Democrats.
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Sherman’s army captures Atlanta and Sherman telegraphs Lincoln informing him of their latest achievement. This capture helps Lincoln get his spot for another term in office immensely.
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In 1864 President Lincoln ran for office again and ended up winning his second term. He defeated McClellan and won with 55% of the popular vote.
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General William Techumseh Sherman and his troops marched from Atlanta to Savannah, burning and destroying everything in their path. He hoped it would make the South stop fighting back.
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The Confederate Army of Manhattan set fires in hotel in New York and tried to burn down New York. It was a major source for Union, however, their attempt failed.
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Sherman reached Savannah, Georgia leaving behind a path of 300 miles that were completely destroyed. He telegraphs Lincoln and offers him, as a Christmas present, Savannah.
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The Thirteenth Amendment is approved by the U.S. Congress. It stated that all slavery in the United States would be banned or abolished.
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A peace confernce was arranged by President Lincoln with Confederate Vice President Alexander Stephens. Although they met and discussed peace, the meeting was a fail and war would continue.
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During the final days of the Civil War, the Battle of Fort Stedman was fought in Petersburg, Virginia and the Union won. Confederate general, John B. Gordon, and his troops had many casualties.
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While Grant was advancing in Petersburg, Confederate General Ambrose P. Hill is killed. Lee flees Petereburg and Richmond, the next day the Union goes into Richmond with stars and stripes.
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At the Appomattox Court House, Lincoln got what he wanted. Confederate General Lee surrendered to Grant, however, Lincoln demanded they still remain friendly. This ended the Civil War.
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While attending a "Our American Cousin" at Ford's Theatre with his wife, Licoln was shot by John Wilkes Booth and died th next day.
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John Wilkes Booth, Lincoln's assassin, is thrown in a tobacco barn in Virginia. The barn is lit on fire and after Booth refusing to surrender, he shot to death.
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General Granger goes to Texas to inform the people about the Emancipation Proclamation. On June 19th a new holiday is celebrated in honor of the freedom. It was most meaningful to the African Americans in the south.
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The Thirteenth Amendment is officially ratified by three-quarters of the states. This means that in every states current and future would be free states.
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In Pulaski, Tennessee some Confederate veterans created the Ku Klux Klan. It supported the non-reconstruction and attempt to subdue free African Americans. They created violent acts towards the them.
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William Lloyg Garrison writes his last issue of "The Liberator" since the slaves are free, he does not need to encourage freedom of slaves anymore.
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The New Freedmen's Bureau bills are passed by Congress, they help the free slaves with food. housing, education, healthcare, and job contracts with landowners. Johnson vetoed the bills and Congress could not override it.
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President Johnson announced that the rebellion was over, he also said that peace exists with the states that had seceded from Union.
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For $100,000 Congress bought Ford's Theatre for housing the Army Medical Museum, the office of the Surgeon General, and War Department record.
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The Civil Rights Act of 1866, assured citizenship and the same rights as whites to any male in the U.S., black or white.
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Tennessee was the first state from the C.S.A to return back to Union after the Civil War.
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President Johnson officially announced that the Civil War was over and issued a proclamation of peace with Texas.
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Frederick Douglass becomes the first black delegate that went to a National Convention.
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In Philadelphia a fire breaks out in the ship-yard and destroyed the ships that were used in the Civil War.
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South Carolina rejects the 14th amendment on the sixth anniversary of its secession. The amendment supported civil rights for all freed African Americans.
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African American can now vote in Washington D.C.thanks to the fifteenth amendment.
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Five military districts in the South are set up under The First Reconstruction Act. Each district is controlled by a military commander.
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After the fifteenth amendment allowing African Americans to vote, their votes were being rejcted in Alexanderia, Virginia.
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The Second Reconstruction Act is passed by Congress, and it overrode Johnson's veto. The Union army, during this period, would go into southern states and make sure that black's rights weren't being taken away.
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President Andrew Johnson declares the purchase of Alaska, it is the second to last state added to the U.S.
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Arkansas, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, North Carolina, and South Carolina were all admitted back into the Union through a bill passed by Congress. However, Virginia, Mississippi, and Texas would not rejoin the Union because they refused to ratify the 14th amendment.
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The Third Reconstruction Act is vetoed by President Johnson, however, Congress does not agree with his veto and overrides it.
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Ulysses S. Grant is made a temporary Secretary of War after removing Edwin Stanton by president Johnson. Stanton and Johnson did not agree on the issue of Southern states' admission.
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For $7.2 million, The United States officially has possession of Alaska given to them by Russia.
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Congress thinks about impeaching Johnson because of the lack of effectiveness with following through with reconstruction.
