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Key Events Before and After 1863
1st Half of Civil War & Before -
Lincoln Elected President
Lincoln's election to presidency propelled the Civil War era. Although he won in the electoral college, Lincoln's lack of a popular majority (1.9 million out of 4.7 million votes cast) was an indication of the problems he faced with the newly divided nation. His actions during his presidency propelled the United States to ending Slavery and joining back together the Confederacy and Union. -
South Secedes from the Union
The South Carolina legislature perceived a threat after Abraham Lincoln was elected president. The delegates then 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 Created
The Confederate States of America is formed with Jefferson Davis, a West Point graduate and former U.S. Army officer, as president. The states considered themselves sovereign and would not take part in the Union's orders. -
Battle of Fort Sumter
General P.G.T. Beauregard, in command of the Confederate forces around Charleston Harbor, opened fire on the Union garrison holding Fort Sumter. On April 13, Major Robert Anderson, garrison commander, surrendered the fort and was evacuated the next day. The battle resulted in a Confederate victory; it was the first battle fought in the Civil War. -
Virginia Secedes
Virginia secedes from the Union, followed within five weeks by Arkansas, Tennessee, and North Carolina, thus forming an eleven state Confederacy with a population of 9 million, including nearly 4 million slaves. The Union will soon have 21 states and a population of over 20 million. -
First Battle of Bull Run
This was the first major land battle fought in the Civil War. The significance was in the Confederate victory; it raised expectations for the Union for the rest of the war. When Confederate Gen. Jackson stood his ground against a brigade of Virginians, he received his famous nickname, “Stonewall Jackson.” -
Peninsular Campaign
McClellan, general of the Union Army, decided to attack Richmond, Virginia via the South after continual prodding by Lincoln. He moved his large army down the Potomac, marched on Richmond, and then assumes a defensive position rather than pushing for victory. General Lee took command of Southern troops at this time. The Campaign was so significant that if it didn't occur, Robert E. Lee never would have taken command of the Army of Northern Virginia. -
Battle of Yorktown
Marching from Fort Monroe, Maj. Gen. George B. McClellan’s army encountered Maj. Gen. John B. Magruder’s small Confederate army at Yorktown behind the Warwick River. Magruder’s theatrics convinced the Federals that his works were strongly held. McClellan suspended the march up the Peninsula toward Richmond, ordered the construction of siege fortifications, and brought his heavy siege guns to the front. In the meantime, Gen. Joseph E. Johnston brought reinforcements for Magruder. -
Battle of Antietam
It was the first major battle to take place on Union soil, which meant that the war was no longer just defensive for the South. It is the bloodiest single-day battle in American history, resulting in a strategic Union victory; The significance of this Battle was in the luck of the Union army, who discovered a mislaid copy of Lee’s detailed Battle plans wrapped around 3 cigars; clearly, this led them to victory. -
Battle of Fredericksburg
Burnside, while in command of the Army of the Potomac, sent a corps to occupy Falmouth near Fredericksburg and the rest of the army soon followed. Lee reacted by entrenching his army on the heights behind the town. On December 11, Union engineers laid five pontoon bridges across the Rappahannock under fire. Burnside launched assaults in the 12th and 13th, but finally called off the offensive, recrossed the river, and ended the campaign. -
Emancipation Proclomation
Abraham Lincoln passed this document which proclaimed the freedom of slaves in all ten slave states that were still rebelling. This was a turning point in the Civil War because the Proclomation representated a shift in the objectives of the North. Reuniting the nation was no longer the only goal. It represented a major step toward the ultimate abolition of slavery in the United States and a "new birth of freedom". -
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2nd Half of Civil War & After
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Battle of Chancellorsville
Chancellorsville is known as Lee's "perfect battle" because his risky decision to divide his army in the presence of a much larger enemy force resulted in a significant Confederate victory. The victory, a product of Lee's audacity and Hooker's timid decision making, was tempered by many casualties and the mortal wounding of Lt. Gen. Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson to friendly fire, a loss that Lee said was like "losing my right arm." -
Battle of Vicksburg
In May and June of 1863, Maj. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant’s armies converged on Vicksburg, investing the city and entrapping a Confederate army under Lt. Gen. John Pemberton. On July 4, Vicksburg surrendered after prolonged siege operations. This was the culmination of one of the most brilliant military campaigns of the war. With the loss of Pemberton’s army and this vital stronghold on the Mississippi, the Confederacy was effectively split in half. Grant's successes in the West boosted his reputation -
George G. Meade
President Lincoln appoints Gen. George G. Meade as commander of the Army of the Potomac, replacing Hooker. Meade is the 5th man to command the Army in less than a year. -
Battle of Gettysburg
Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee took his army around Gettysburg, Pennsylvania when approached by Gen. George G. Meade's forces. On July 1, Confederates drove Union defenders through Gettysburg to Cemetery Hill. The next day Lee struck the flanks of the Union line resulting in severe fighting at Devil's Den, Little Round Top, the Wheatfield, Peach Orchard, Culp’s Hill and East Cemetery Hill. Southerners gained ground but failed to dislodge the Union host. -
Union Campaign Begins
The beginning of a massive, coordinated campaign involving all the Union Armies. In Virginia, Grant with an Army of 120,000 begins advancing toward Richmond to engage Lee's Army of Northern Virginia, now numbering 64,000, beginning a war of attrition that will include major battles at the Wilderness (May 5-6), Spotsylvania (May 8-12), and Cold Harbor (June 1-3). -
Lincoln Re-Elected
Abraham Lincoln is re-elected president, defeating Democrat George B. McClellan. Lincoln carries all but three states with 55 percent of the popular vote and 212 of 233 electoral votes. "I earnestly believe that the consequences of this day's work will be to the lasting advantage, if not the very salvation, of the country," Lincoln tells supporters. -
13th Amendment
The U.S. Congress approves the Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution. The amendment is then submitted to the states for ratification. The amendment abolished slavery and involuntary servitude, except as punishment for a crime. It was revolutionary and took effect immediately even though the Civil War wasn't completely over. -
Appomattox Court House
While going to Appomattox station, the Confederates were cut off once again and nearly surrounded by Union troops near the small village of Appomattox Court House. Despite a final desperate attempt to escape, Lee’s army was trapped. General Lee surrendered his remaining troops to General Grant at the McLean House on the afternoon of April 9. -
Lincoln Shot
The Stars and Stripes is ceremoniously raised over Fort Sumter. That night, 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.
