Civil War Time Line

By CatalinaRenner

  • July 21, 1861 – First Battle of Bull Run

    The first major land battle of the Civil War. Confederate forces defeated the Union troops near Manassas, Virginia, shattering hopes for a short war.

  • April 12–14, 1861 – Fort Sumter

    Union forces were attacked by Confederates in Charleston Harbor, South Carolina. This marked the official start of the Civil War. It rallied both the North and South to prepare for a long conflict.

  • March 8–9, 1862 – Battle of the Ironclads

    First battle between iron-armored warships, USS Monitor vs CSS Virginia. It changed naval warfare and made wooden warships obsolete.

  • August 28–30, 1862 – Second Battle of Bull Run

    Confederate forces under Lee defeated Union troops, boosting Southern morale and allowing Lee to plan an invasion of the North.

  • April 6–7, 1862 – Battle of Shiloh

    Union forces under Ulysses S. Grant defeated Confederates in Tennessee. One of the bloodiest early battles, it gave the Union momentum in the Western theater.

  • September 17, 1862 – Battle of Antietam

    Bloodiest single day in U.S. history. Union forces halted Lee’s invasion into Maryland, allowing Lincoln to issue the Emancipation Proclamation.

  • December 13, 1862 – Battle of Fredericksburg

    Union troops suffered heavy losses attacking Confederate positions. It demonstrated the high cost of frontal assaults against entrenched forces.

  • April 30–May 6, 1863 – Battle of Chancellorsville

    Lee’s greatest tactical victory, defeating a larger Union army. Confederate General Stonewall Jackson was mortally wounded, a major loss for the South.

  • June 9, 1863 – Battle of Brandy Station

    The largest cavalry battle of the war. Union cavalry challenged Confederate dominance and signaled growing strength.

  • July 1–3, 1863 – Battle of Gettysburg

    Turning point of the war. Lee’s invasion of the North failed, and Confederate forces suffered massive losses, ending Southern momentum.

  • May 18–July 4, 1863 – Siege of Vicksburg

    Union forces captured Vicksburg, Mississippi. Control of the Mississippi River split the Confederacy and gave the Union a strategic advantage.

  • November 15–December 21, 1864 – Sherman’s March to the Sea

    Union General Sherman led troops from Atlanta to Savannah, destroying infrastructure and supplies. This “total war” strategy broke the Southern will to fight.

  • April 9, 1865 – Battle of Appomattox Court House

    Confederate General Lee surrendered to Union General Grant in Virginia. This effectively ended major combat in the Civil War.

  • Work cited

    “Battle of Fort Sumter.” Encyclopaedia Britannica, 12 Apr. 1861, https://www.britannica.com/event/Battle-of-Fort-Sumter
    “First Battle of Bull Run.” History.com, 21 July 1861, https://www.history.com/topics/american-civil-war/first-battle-of-bull-run
    “Battle of the Ironclads.” Study.com, https://study.com/learn/lesson/major-battles-civil-war-timeline.html