Civil War History Timeline

  • Lincoln Beats McClellan in re-election

    In the 1860 election, Lincoln ended up winning the election against McClellan running for his second term. Lincoln that election ended up with nearly 2 million popular votes.
  • South Carolina secedes from the United States

    After the changes the Union has begun to create regarding slavery, South Carolina and many other slave states grew unhappy with such. South Carolina eventually decided to then remove itself from the states due to their declining rights to slavery.
  • Lincoln's First Inaugural Address

    In his address, he spoke out how he wanted to at least halt the acts of slavery in the states, but not fully eliminate them yet. He also spoke about how he was very against the states seceding the nation in retaliation to his ideas.
  • Confederates on Fort Sumter

    The Confederates pushed up onto Fort Sumter, where they forced the Union to surrender the fort. They didn't, which led to it being bombed.
  • First Battle of Bull Run

    The First Battle of Bull Run was actually the battle of First Manassas. It stood as the first major battle in the Civil War.
  • The Merrimac and the Monitor fight of the Virginia coast

    Also referred to as Battle of Hampton Roads. The battle also marked one of the first naval battles in the war with more modern naval technology.
  • Robert E. Lee Named Commander of Army of Northern Virginia

    Robert E. Lee was employed to lead the army in Virginia under the Confederates. Lee was known well for how he was a good commander with a good army with notable soldier, "Stonewall" Jackson.
  • Battle of Antietam

    The battle was a very interesting battle in how it played out, since Lee's plans were found wrapped in cigars, for the Union to find out about. The battle was also known was the single bloodiest day in American History.
  • Battle of Fredericksburg

    The Battle of Fredericksburg was the largest and also most deadly battle fought in the war, with over 200,000 soldiers present in total. In the end, the Confederates won, with the Union retreating from their loss.
  • Emancipation Proclamation Announced

    The Emancipation Proclamation was a massive event in the history of America. The act alone had freed any enslaved blacks and made slavery illegal.
  • Battle of Gettysburg

    This battle was one of the many battles in the war, and had lasted 3 whole days. The Confederates lost 28,000 troops, while the Union lost 23,000 troops.
  • Confederates Surrender at Vicksburg

    Similarly to what the Confederates did on Fort Sumter, the Union surrounded Vicksburg. They planned 6 other attacks prior, which failed, but after a 2 month struggle, the Confederates lost.
  • Lincoln's Gettysburg Address

    Lincoln gives his famous Gettysburg Address as a dedication to the Gettysburg National Cemetery. The speech lasted about 2 minutes.
  • Jefferson Davis Elected Confederate President

    After seceding from the nation, the Confederate states create a temporary government. That government, which Jefferson Davis was elected as the first President of the Confederacy.
  • Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address

    Lincoln gave his second inaugural address following the beginning of his second term. He gave the speech also 41 days before his untimely assasination.
  • Robert E. Lee Surrenders at Appomattox

    At Appomattox, Robert E. Lee surrenders him and his 28,000 men to Ulysses Grant and his army. This event was the event that effectively ended the Civil War entirely.
  • Lincoln Assasination

    On April 15, 1865, whilst watching a play, Lincoln was shot in the back of the head by one of the actors on scene. The actor which had shot him was John Wilkes Booth
  • John Wilkes Booth Killed

    John Wilkes Booth was the actor responsible for killing President Abraham Lincoln whilst at a play. He died 11 days later where he was shot in a barnhouse and died soon after.