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Civil War
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Lincoln is Elected President
Lincoln is the first Republican president to be elected for office, receiving 180 of the 303 possible electoral votes and 40 percent of the popular vote. -
South Carolina Secedes
South Carolina is the first states to secede from the Union, later followed within two months by Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisianna, and Texas. -
The Confederacy is Formed
The Confederate States of America are created under the presidency of Jefferson Davis. -
Fort Sumter Attacked
The Confederates open fire on Fort Sumter with 50 cannons in Charleston, South Carolina. The Civil War Begins. -
Lincoln Takes Action
President Lincoln issues a Proclamation calling for 75,000 militiamen. Robert E. Lee is offered command of the Union Army and declines the offer. -
The Confederacy Grows
Virginia secedes from the Union, followed within 5 weeks by Arkansas, Tennessee, and North Carolina, thus forming an 11 states Confederacy with a population of 9 million. The Union will soon reach a total of 21 states with a population os over 20 million. -
Robert E. Lee Speaks Out
Lee resigns his commission to the United States army, stating "I cannot raise y hand against my birthplace." Lee then goes to Richmond Virginia and accepts an offer to control its military and naval forces. -
Lincoln's Speech to Congress
Lincoln states that the war is "a Peopl's contest...a struggle for maintaining in the world, that form, and substance of government, whose leading object is, to elevate the condition of men..." Congress then authorizes his request for 500,000 men. -
First Battle of Bull Run
The Union Army suffers a loss at Bull Run. Confederate Genreal Thomas Jackson earns the nickname "Stonewall"as his army resisted Union attacks. With this battle Lincoln realizes the war will be long. -
Out With The Old In With The New
George B.McClellan replaces McDowell as head commander of the Department of the Potomac. -
McClellan Gets Promoted
McClellan is promoted to serving as the general-in-chief of the Union Army. -
Lincoln's Diplomatic Crisis
Two Confederate officials were sailing toward England and were seized by the U.S. Navy. England demands their release, threatening war. Lincoln gives in and orders their release since he did not want another war. -
General Grant gets a Victory
Ulysses S. Grant earns his nickname "Unconditional Surrender" after capturing Fort Henry and Fort Donelson. -
A Death in the Lincoln Family
Lincoln's eleven year old son Willie dies, most likely of contaminated drinking water in the White House. -
Naval Warfare is Changed Forever
The Confederate Ironclad ship 'Merrimac' sinks two wooden Union ships then battles the Union Ironclad 'Monitor' to a draw. Naval warfare was then changed forever, making wooden ships obsolete. -
Attack at Shiloh
Confederate surprise attacks on General Grant's unprepared troops at Shiloh and results with 13,000 Union killed and wounded and 10,000 Confederates, more men than in all previous American wars combined. -
David Farragut Takes New Orleans
17 Union ships under the command of Flag Officer David Farragut take New Orleans, the South's greatest seaport, from up the Mississippi. -
The Battle of Seven Pines
The Battle of Seven Pines; General Joseph E. Johnston's Army attacks McClellan's troops in front of Richmond and nearly defeats them. -
General Lee Replaces Johnston
General Robert E. Lee replaces the wounded Johnston. Lee then renames his force the Army of Northern Virginia. McClellan says Lee is "likely to be timid and irresolute in action." -
Lincoln Resigns as his General-in-chief
Lincoln hands this arduous task over to Henry W. Halleck. -
Second Battle of Bull Run
75,000 men under General John Pope are defeated by 55,000 Confederates under Generals Stonewall Jackson and James Longstreet at the second battle of Bull Run. Once again the Union Army retreats to Washington. Lincoln then relieves Pope. -
Lee Invades the North
Lee invades the North with 50,000 men and heads for Harpers Ferry, located 50 miles northwest of Washington. -
The Battle at Antietam
The bloodiest single day battle in United States history and of the Civil War specifically. -
The Preliminary Emancipation Proclamation
The preliminary copy of the Emancipation Proclamation freeing slaves issued by President Lincoln. -
McClellan is Replaced
Lincoln replaces McClellan with Gen. Ambrose E. Burnside as the new Commander of the Army of the Potomac. Lincoln had grown impatient with McClellan's slowness and even said, "If you don't want to use the army, I should like to borrow it for a while." -
The Battle at Fredericksburg
The Potomac army under General Burnside is defeated at Fredericksburg in Virginia with a loss of 12,653 men. Confederate losses are 5,309. -
The Emancipation Proclamation
Lincoln issues the final Emancipation Proclamation which freed all slaves in territories held by the Confederates and empahsized the enlistment of black soldiers in the military. -
Joseph Hooker becomes Potomac Army General
Lincoln appoints General Joseph Hooker as Commander of the Potomac Army, replacing Burnside. -
Grant Ordered to capture Vicksburg
Grant is placed in command of the Army of the West, with orders to capture Vicksburg. -
Congress Issues a Draft
Congress enacts a draft, affecting male citizens from 20 to 45 years old, but exempts those who pay $300 or provide a substitute. -
The Battle at Chancelorsville
The Union Army under General Hooker is defeated by Lee's much smaller forces at the Battle of Chancellorsville in Virginia. Confederate General Stonewall Jackson is mortally wounded by his own soldiers. Hooker retreats. -
Stonewall Jackson Dies
The South suffers a huge blow as Stonewall Jackson dies from his wounds. -
General Lee Heads Toward Pennsylvania
With 75,000 Confederates, General Lee launches his second invasion of the North, heading into Pennsylvania and soon into Gettysburg. -
The Potomac Army Switches Leaders Yet Again
President Lincoln appoints General George G. Meade as commander of the Potomac Army, replacing Hooker. Meade is the 5th man to command the Army in less than a year. -
The Tides Turn
The tide of war turns against the South as the Confederates are defeated at the Battle of Gettysburg in Pennsylvania. -
The Union Secures the Mississippi
With the Union now in control of the Mississippi, the Confederacy is split in two, cut off from its western allies. -
Anti- Draft Riots in New York
Anti-draft riots in New York City include arson and the murder of blacks by immigrant whites. At least 120 people, including children, are killed. $2 million in damage is caused. The Union soldiers must return from Gettysburg to restore order. -
"Negro Troops" and Robert Shaw
Negro troops of the 54th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment under Robert G. Shaw assault rebels at Fort Wagner, South Carolina. Shaw and 300 men in the regiment are killed. -
Lincoln Meets With Frederick Douglass
Lincoln meets with abolitionist Frederick Douglass who pushes for equality for Union Negro troops. -
Slaughter at Lawrence, Kansas
At Lawrence, Kansas, Confederate William C. Quantrill and 450 pro-slavery followers raid the town and kill 182 boys and men. -
Comfederate Victory at Chickamauga
A Confederate victory by General Braxton Bragg's Army of Tennessee at Chickamauga leaves General William S. Rosecrans' Union Army of the Cumberland trapped in Chattanooga, Tennessee under Confederate siege. -
Grant Gains Responsibility
Lincoln appoints General Grant to command all operations in the western theater. -
Lincoln's Gettysburg Address
President Lincoln delivers his famous two minute Gettysburg Address at a ceremony to dedicate the battlefield as a national cemetery. -
The Rebel Siege of Chattanooga
The Rebel siege of Chattanooga ends as Union forces under Grant defeat the siege army of General Braxton Bragg. During the battle, one of the most dramatic moments of the war occurs when the Union yells "Chickamauga! Chickamauga!" and storm up the face of Missionary Ridge without orders and sweep the Rebels. -
Grant Appointed as Nation's General
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. -
Virginia Showdown
In Virginia, Grant with his army of 120,000 begins advancing toward Richmond to battle Lee's Army of Northern Virginia, now numbering 64,000. This will begin a war that will include major battles at the Wilderness, Spotsylvania, and Cold Harbor. -
Grant Makes a Costly Mistake
A costly mistake by Grant results in 7,000 Union casualties in twenty minutes during an offensive against fortified Rebels at Cold Harbor in Virginia. -
The Union Gets Cold Feet
Union forces miss an opportunity to capture Petersburg and cut off the Confederate rail lines. As a result, a nine month siege of Petersburg begins with Grant's forces surrounding Lee. -
Sherman Battles at Atlanta
At Atlanta, Sherman's forces battle the Rebels now under the command of General John B. Hood, who replaced Johnston. -
McClellan runs for the Presidency
Democrats nominate George B. McClellan for president to run against Republican Abraham Lincoln. -
Sherman Captures Atlanta
Atlanta is captured by Sherman's Army. This victory helps Lincoln's bid for re-election. -
General Sheridan Overcomes Early's Troops
This was a Union victory by Cavalry General Philip H. Sheridan in the Shenandoah Valley over Jubal Early's troops. -
Lincoln is Re-elected
Lincoln is re-elected president, beating his opponent George B. McClellan. -
The March to the Sea
After destroying Atlanta's warehouses and railroad facilities, Sherman, begins a march to the sea with his men. Lincoln approved the idea after getting advise from Grant. -
Hood's Army is Beaten at Nashville
Hood's Rebel Army of 23,000 is crushed at Nashville by 55,000 Federals including Negro troops under General George H. Thomas. -
Sherman Reaches Svannah
Sherman reaches Savannah in Georgia leaving behind a 300 mile path of destruction from Atlanta. Sherman telegraphs Lincoln, offering him Savannah as a Christmas present. -
The Thirteenth Amendment is Approved
The U.S. Congress approves the Thirteenth Amendment to the Constitution, to abolish slavery. The amendment is submitted to the states for ratification. -
The War Will Go On
President Lincoln hosts a peace conference with Confederate Vice President Alexander Stephens at Hampton Roads in Virginia, but the meeting ends in failure, signaling the continuation of the war. -
The Freedmen's Bureau is Established
Provides assistance to emancipated African Americans. Abolished in 1872. -
Lincoln is Innaugurated for a 2nd Term
Lincoln is innaugurated once again at Washington D.C. -
Lee Vs. Grant at Petersburg
The last offensive for Lee's Army of Northern Virginia begins with an attack on the center of Grant's forces at Petersburg. Four hours later the attack is over. -
Trouble in Virginia
Grant's forces begin a general advance and break through Lee's lines at Petersburg. Lee evacuates Petersburg. The Confederate Capital, Richmond, is evacuated. Fires and looting break out. The next day, Union troops enter and raise the Stars and Stripes. -
Lincoln Tours Richmond
Lincoln tours Richmond where he enters the Confederate White House. With "a serious, dreamy expression," he sits at the desk of Jefferson Davis. -
Robert E. Lee Surrenders
Robert E. Lee surrenders his Confederate Army to Ulysses S. Grant at the Appomattox Court House in Virginia. -
Long Awaited Celebration
Celebration breaks out in Washington D.C. -
Lincoln is Assassinated
Lincoln and his wife Mary see the play "Our American Cousin" at Ford's Theater. During the third act of the play, John Wilkes Booth shoots the president in the head. Doctors attend to Lincoln then move him from the theater to a house across the street. He never regains consciousness. -
Lincoln is Promounced Dead
Lincoln dies at 7:22 in the morning. Vice President Andrew Johnson assumes the presidency. -
General Joseph Johnston Surrenders
Confederate General Joseph E. Johnston surrenders to Sherman near Durham in North Carolina. -
Lincoln's Funeral Procession
Lincoln's funeral procession on a filled Pennsylvania Avenue. -
John Wilkes Booth is Killed
John Wilkes Booth is shot and killed in a tobacco barn in Virginia. -
Linoln Laid to Rest
Abraham Lincoln is laid to rest in Oak Ridge Cemetery, outside Springfield, Illinois. -
A Victory Parade
To help boost the nation's morale, a victory parade is held along Pennsylvania Ave. in Washington D.C. -
Slavery is Abolished
The Thirteenth Amendment to the Constitution, passed by Congress on January 31, 1865, is finally ratified. Slavery is abolished -
Civil Rights Act of 1866
Confers citizenship on African Americans and guarantees equal rights. -
Memphis Race Riot
White civilians and police kill 46 African Americans and destroy 90 houses, schools, and four churches in Memphis, Tennessee. -
New Orleans Race Riot
Police kill more than 40 black and white Republicans and wound more than 150. -
Purchasing Alaska
William P. Seward signs a treaty with Russia buying Alaska for 2 cents an acre. -
Alaska Purchase Ratified
The Senate ratifies the purchase of the Alskan territory from Russia. -
Admission and Readmission Into the Union
Congress passes a bill admitting Arkansas, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, North Carolina, and South Carolina into the Union. Virginia, Mississippi, and Texas, having refused to ratify the fourteenth amendment, were refused admission into the Union. -
The U.S. Gains Alaska
Russia turns over Alaska to the United States.