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American Civil War
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Abraham Lincoln Elected
Abraham Lincoln is elected president. He is the first Republican, receiving 180 of 303 possible electoral votes and 40 percent of the popular vote. -
The South Secedes
When Abraham Lincoln, a known opponent of slavery, was elected president, the South Carolina legislature perceived it as a threat. The delegates called a state convention and voted to remove the state of South Carolina from the union. The secession of South Carolina was followed by the secession of six more states; Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, and Texas. -
Confederate States of America is Formed
The Confederacy is formed with Jefferson Davis, a West Point graduate and former U.S. Army officer, as president. -
Abraham Lincoln Sworn In
Abraham Lincoln inagurated as the 16th President of the United States of America. -
Attack on Fort Sumter
At 4:30 a.m. Confederates under General Pierre Beauregard open fire, with 50 cannons, upon Fort Sumter in Charleston, South Carolina. The Civil War begins. -
Lincoln's Call of Duty
President Lincoln issues a Proclamation calling for 75,000 militiamen and scheduling a special session of Congress for July 4. -
More States Secede
Virginia secedes from the Union, followed within five weeks by Arkansas, Tennessee, and North Carolina. -
Robert E. Lee Resigns from the US Amy
"I cannot raise my hand against my birthplace, my home, my children." - Robert E. Lee Lee is offered command of the military and naval forces of Virginia. He accepts. Thus paving the path for the http://tinyurl.com/38ksyh8 to be created. -
Thomas Stonewall Jackson
A Lieutenant General of the Confederate army. His death during the war caused a severe set back drop in Southern moral. He helped win the First Battle of Bull Run. His victory showed that the Civil War will not be a short war. -
First Battle of Bull Run
The Union Army under Gen. Irvin McDowell suffers a defeat at Bull Run 25 miles southwest of Washington. Confederate Gen. Thomas J. Jackson earns the nickname "Stonewall," as his brigade resists Union attacks. Union troops fall back to Washington. President Lincoln realizes the war will be long. -
George B. McClellan Appointed
President Lincoln appoints George B. McClellan as Commander of the Department of the Potomac, replacing McDowell. -
Merrimack Attacks
The Confederate Ironclad 'Merrimack' sinks two wooden Union ships then goes on to battle the Union Ironclad 'Monitor' to a draw. This changes history, making wooden ships a thing of the past. -
Shiloh
Confederate surprise attack on Gen. Ulysses S. Grant's unprepared troops at Shiloh on the Tennessee River results in a bitter struggle with 13,000 Union killed and wounded and 10,000 Confederates, more men than in all previous American wars combined. -
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Gen. Lee invades the North
Lee invades the North with 50,000 Confederates and heads for Harpers Ferry, located 50 miles northwest of Washington. -
Antietam
The bloodiest day in U.S. military history as General Robert E. Lee and the Confederate Armies are stopped at Antietam in Maryland Union forces. By nightfall, 26,000 men are dead, wounded, or missing. Lee then leaves to Virginia. -
Fredericksburg
Army of the Potomac under Gen. Burnside suffers a costly defeat at Fredericksburg in Virginia with a loss of 12,653 men after 14 attacks on the well entrenched Rebels on Marye's Heights. "We might as well have tried to take hell," a Union soldier remarks. Confederate losses are 5,309. -
Emancipation Proclamation
President Lincoln issues the final Emancipation Proclamation freeing all slaves in territories held by Confederates and emphasizes the enlisting of black soldiers in the Union Army. -
Chancellorsville
As a result of Robert E. Lee's "brilliant" and "daring" tactics, the Union Army is defeated at the Battle of Chancellorsville in Virginia. Confederate Gen. Stonewall Jackson is mortally wounded by his own soldiers. Hooker retreats. Union losses are 17,000 killed, wounded and missing out of 130,000.
The Confederates, 13, 000 out of 60,000. -
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Battle of Gettysburg
The tide of war turns against the South as the Confederates are defeated at the Battle of Gettysburg in Pennsylvania. It is significant due to the fact that the battle was fought in the north for the first time during the civil war. -
Chickamauga
A decisive Confederate victory by Gen. Braxton Bragg's Army of Tennessee at Chickamauga. It left Gen. William S. Rosecrans' Union Army of the Cumberland trapped in Chattanooga, Tennessee under Confederate siege. -
Gettysburg Address
Lincoln effectively summed up the consequences of the war in ten sentences. The potentially decisive Battle of Gettysburg was the backdrop of this proclamation and was attended by fifteen thousand people. The carefully crafted speech lasted only a little over two minutes, but dlivered the ideals of human equality and democracy being a government of, for and by the people. -
Chattanooga
The Rebel siege of Chattanooga ends as Union forces defeat the siege army of Gen. Braxton Bragg. During the battle, one of the most dramatic moments of the war occurs. Yelling "Chickamauga! Chickamauga!" Union troops avenge their previous defeat at Chickamauga by storming up the face of Missionary Ridge without orders and sweep the Rebels from what had been though to be an impregnable position. "My God, come and see 'em run!" a Union soldier exclaimed. -
Genral Grant Appointed Commander
President Lincoln appoints Gen. Grant to command all of the armies of the United States. Gen. William T. Sherman succeeds Grant as commander in the west. -
Cold Harbor
A costly mistake by General Grant results in 7,000 Union casualties in 20 minutes during an offensive against fortified Rebels at Cold Harbor in Virginia. -
Lee Surrenders
Gen. Robert E. Lee surrenders his Confederate Army to Gen. Ulysses S. Grant at the village of Appomattox Court House in Virginia. Grant allows Rebel officers to keep their sidearms, horses, and mules. -
Assassination of Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln and his wife Mary see the play "Our American Cousin" at Ford's Theater. At 10:13 p.m., during the third act of the play, John Wilkes Booth shoots the president in the head. Doctors attend to the president in the theater then move him to a house across the street. He never regains consciousness. -
John Wilkes Booth Killed
John Wilkes Booth is shot and killed in a tobacco barn in Virginia.
