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South Carolina, Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana and Texas secedes from Union
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The seceded states became the Confederate States of America with Jefferson Davis as president.
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Abraham Lincoln becomes the 16th President of the United States of America.
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Confederates attack Fort Sumter in Charleston, South Carolina; The Civil War begins.
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Virginia, Arkansas, Tennessee, and North Carolina secede from the Union, forming an eleven state Confederacy.
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Lincoln issues a Proclamation of Blockade against Southern ports.
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General Robert E. Lee joins the Confederates
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Confederate General Thomas J. Jackson defeats General Irvin Mcdowell and the Union Army at Bull Run.
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Lincoln replaces McDowell with George B. McClellan
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General Ulysses S. Grant captures Fort Henry and ten days later Fort Donelson
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The Confederate Ironclad ship sinks two wooden Union ships and naval warfare changed forever
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Confederates surprise attack General Grant. He and his troops were unprepared at Shiloh on the Tennessee River which resulted in a battle with 13,000 Union killed/wounded and 10,000 Confederates killed/wounded.
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17 Union ships move along the mississippi river then take New Orleans which is the South's greatest seaport
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General Johnston's Army nearly defeats McClellan's troops in front of Richmond
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Lee attacks McClellan near Richmond but McClellan retreated back toward Washington. The attack resulted in high losses for both of their armies armies.
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55,000 Confederate soldiers led by General Stonewall Jackson and General James Longstreet defeat 75,000 Federals under General John Pope in northern Virginia. Lincoln fires Pope
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With 50,000 Confederates, Lee attacks the North and heads for Harpers Ferry. The Union army pursues Lee under the command of McClellan with 90,000 troops
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Lee gets stopped by McClellan and his forces at Antietam in Maryland and by night 26,000 men were dead, injured, or missing. Lee retreated to Virginia. Known as "The bloodiest day in U.S. military history".
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Lincoln replaces McClellan with General Ambrose E. Burnside as the new Commander of the Army of the Potomac because McClellan failed to follow up on his victory
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Army of the Potomac under General Burnside is defeated at Fredericksburg Virginia. 12,653 men were lost by the Union and 5,309 from the Confederates.
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Lincoln issues the Emancipation Proclamation which freed all slaves in territories held by Confederates. The war was now to preserve the Union and to abolish slavery.
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Lincoln replaces Burnside with General Joseph Hooker as Commander of the Army of the Potomac
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General Grant is gets orders to capture Vicksburg and is placed in command of the Army of The West
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The U.S. Congress makes male citizens from age 20 to 45 join the war but those who pay $300 or provide a substitute dont have to.
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The Union Army under General Hooker is defeated by Lee and his smaller forces in Virginia because of Lee's smart and risky strategies. General Stonewall Jackson was wounded badly by a teamate and Hooker retreats. The Union had 17,000 soldiers killed, wounded and missing out of their original 130,000. The Confederates had 13, 000 out of 60,000 killed wounded or missing.
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Stonewall Jackson died from his wounds and South feels impact of his loss
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Lee issues his second invasion of the North going into Pennslyvania leading to Gettysburg with 75,000 Confederate soldiers.
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Lincoln replaces Hooker with General George G. Meade as commander of the Army of the Potomac
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Confederates are defeated in Pennsylvania. The tide of war changes
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General Grant beats the Confederates at Vicksburg and the Union takes control of the last Confederate stronghold on the Mississippi River. The Confederacy is now split in 2 and cut off from its western allies.
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Confederate victory by General Braxton Bragg at Chickamauga leaves General William S. Rosecrans Union Army trapped in Chattanooga under Confederate control.
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Lincoln gives a short Gettysburg Address at a ceremony to dedicate the battlefield as a National Cemetery
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Union forces under General Grant end the Confederate siege of General Braxton Bragg and his army at Chickamauga. Avenging their previous defeat Union soldiers made fun of and ridiculed the opposing army
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Lincoln puts General Grant in command of all the armies of the United States.
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7,000 Union casualties in twenty minutes, was a result from a mistake by Grant during an offensive against well prepaired Confederate soldiers at Cold Harbor in Virginia.
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Union forces miss a chance to capture Petersburg and cut off the Confederate rail lines so they wouldnt be able to escape or carry in support. Resulting, a nine month siege of Petersburg begins because of Grant's forces surrounding Lee.
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Sherman's Army captures Atlanta.
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Abraham Lincoln won his reelection for Presidency and promises a quick and speedy end to the war
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William Sherman reaches Savannah leaving behind a 300 mile long path of destruction.
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Congress approves the Thirteenth Amendment t to abolish slavery. Submitted for ratification.
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Grants forces penetrate through Lee's army and Lee retreated leaving the Confederate capitol of Richmond Virginia defenseless. Grant pursued and the Union army seized the capitol.
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General Lee surrenders to Grant at the village of Appomattox Court House in Virginia.
