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U.S Civil War Timeline
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Jefferson Davis in Favor of Secession
Jefferson Davis comes out in favor of secession for the first time. -
Lincoln gives his Cooper Institute speech against the spread of slavery
The speech examined the views of the 39 signers of the Constitution. Lincoln noted that at least 21 of them -- a majority -- believed Congress should control slavery in the territories and not allow it to expand. Thus, the Republican stance of the time was not revolutionary, but similar to the Founding Fathers, and should not alarm Southerners -
Lieutenant Colonel William Hardee is Replaced
Lieutenant Colonel William Hardee is replaced by Major John F. Reynolds as commander of cadets at West Point. -
Abraham Lincoln elected President of the United States
Abraham Lincoln from Illinois wins the 1860 election by obtaining 180 electoral votes. Lincoln won 39% of the popular vote and would become Chief of Party for the Rebublicans. -
The South Carolina legislature calls a convention to consider whether the State should secede from the Union
South hold a meeting to discuss their future in the Union. -
Organizational Meeting
In Preston County, Western Virginia holds its first organizational meeting, expressing a desire to "adhere to the Union". -
Robert Anderson makes request for reinforcements
Robert Anderson makes his third request for reinforcements at Fort Moultrie. -
James Buchanan sends a distressed State of the Union message to Congress
Outgoing President James Buchanan sends a distressed State of the Union message to Congress. In it he states that secession is unconstitutional, says the federal government lacks the authority to prevent it and calls for a constitutional amendment allowing Southern states to retain slaves as property. -
General Don Carlos Buell visits Robert Anderson at Fort Sumter.
Under orders from Secretary of War John Floyd, General Don Carlos Buell visits Robert Anderson at Fort Sumter. Buell tells Anderson he may occupy any fort that he wants to if he is attacked or feels he is about to be attacked. -
South Carolina secedes
The South starts to secede from the union. South Carolina is the first. -
Artillery fires on the Star of the West from Morris Island
Artillery fires on the Star of the West from Morris Island as it crosses into the main entrance channel to Charleston Harbor. As the ship comes about, Fort Moultrie opens fire, also with cannon shot. A mile and a half from Fort Sumter, the ship withdraws. -
Forming of the Confederate States of America
The Convention of Seceded States adopts a provisional constitution forming the Confederate States of America. -
Texas as a Confederate State
Texas accepted as a state by the provisional government of the Confederate States of America. -
Washington Peace Proposal
The U. S. Congress rejects the Washington Peace Conference proposals. -
The 13th Amendment
The U. S. Congress passes a proposed 13th Amendment stating that the Congress will not abolish or interfer with slavery where it exists. The amendment is never ratified. -
Fort Sumter
Beginning at 4:30 am on the 12th and continuing until the morning of the 13th, Confederate batteries along the shore of Charleston Harbor fire on Fort Sumter under the command of Major Robert Anderson. Anderson arranges a surrender with Texas Senator Louis Wigfall on the morning of the 13th. -
Kentucky is Neutral
Kentucky declares its neutrality in the War Between The States. -
New Flag
North Carolina Secession Convention votes to unfurl a new flag, a blue field with red and white bars with an insignia and two dates: May 20th, 1775 (Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence) and May 20th, 1861 (Secession from the United States) -
First Major Battle-Bull Run
About 25 miles southwest of Washington the first major battle of the Civil War pits Irvin McDowell [US] against P. G. T. Beauregard [CS] and Joe Johnston [CS]. -
Stonewall Jackson's victory.
Stonewall Jackson destroys the West Virginia side of Dam Number 5 on the Potomac River, disrupting the C&O Canal and impacting the Union's ability to repair the B&O Railroad. -
General Ulysses S. Grant Demands the Unconditional Surrender
General Ulysses S. Grant demands the unconditional surrender of the garrison from an old friend, Simon Bolivar Buckner. -
Duel with Confederate ships at English Turn
After a duel with Confederate ships at English Turn, Commadore Farragut's fleet weighs anchor at New Orleans and demands the surrender of the largest city and most important port in the South. By the time Farragut arrives the city was partially on fire. -
Robert Lee Commander of the Army of Northern Virginia
Jefferson Davis replaces wounded Army of Northern Virginia commander Joseph E. Johnston with Robert E. Lee. -
Jackson Takes Prisoners
Stonewall Jackson takes 12,000 prisoners. -
Battle of Antietam
Battle of Antietam (Union)
Army of the Potomac under McClellan [US] defeats the Army of Northern Virginia under Lee [CS], resulting in the bloodiest day in American history. -
Emancipation Proclamation
Following the preemptive strike at Antietam President Lincoln issues the Emancipation Proclamation, freeing slaves in states or portions of states still in rebellion on January 1, 1863. -
General Nelson Dies
General William A. Nelson gets into an altercation with General Jefferson C. Davis at the Galt House in Louisville, Kentucky. Davis returns later with a gun and shoots and kills Nelson. -
Republicans lose seats in Congress
For the first time since the party was founded, Republicans lose seats in Congress. -
Lincoln Denying Resignations
Salmon Chase offers his resignation. Lincoln rejects both Seward's and Chase's resignations. -
Ford's Theater gutted
Ford's Theater gutted by fire. -
The Emancipation Proclamation
The Emancipation Proclamation goes into effect. -
The Cherokee Nation
The Cherokee Nation rescinds its declaration of secession and abolished slavery, reversing its earlier course -
Ford's Theatre
Work begins on rebuilding Ford's Theater after a fire. -
Battle of Chancellorsville
Battle of Chancellorsville General "Fighting Joe" Hooker's Army of the Potomac is defeated by Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia as it crosses the Rappahannock on the way to Richmond Union: 17,268 -
Battle of Gettysburg
Battle of Gettysburg begins. -
Vicksburg
John Pemberton, commander of Confederate forces at Vicksburg asks Ulysses S. Grant for terms. Grant demands an unconditional surrender. Pemberton refuses. Late in the evening, Grant offers excellent terms and Pemberton accepts. -
Last Day of Gettysburg
General Robert E. Lee [CS] advances into Pennsylvania where he meets George Meade [US]. First battling north of the city, by the second day Union forces had retreated south, forming a strong line as men arrived almost continuously. On the third day, the infamous Pickett's Charge marked the end of the Confederates hope for a victory The bloodiest three days in American history -
Battle of Chickamauga
General Braxton Bragg [CS] tries to split General William Rosecrans [US] forces as they try to return to the safety of Chattanooga. A second day breakthrough at the Brotherton Cabin forces the federals into a retreat, halted only by the Rock of Chickamauga, General George Thomas on Snodgrass Hill The bloodiest two days in American history cost the Federals 1,657 dead, 9,756 wounded, and 4,757 missing for a total of 16,170 casualties out of 58,000 troops. The Confederate losses were 2,312 dead, -
Battle of Brown's Ferry
Battle of Brown's Ferry Troops under William Hazen [US] secured a beachhead on the southern bank of the Tennessee River. "Baldy" Smith [US] built a pontoon bridge over the Tennessee and Joseph Hooker [US] took the Little Tennessee Valle -
Gettysburg Address
At the dedication of the National Cemetery in Gettysburg President Lincoln delivers a two-minute speech. Immediately following the speech he calls it a "flat failure." The speech is known today as the Gettysburg Address. -
Battle of Missionary Ridge, Chattanooga
Battle of Missionary Ridge, Chattanooga Three Union armies attacked the Army of Tennessee atop Missionary Ridge, east of downtown Chattanooga. Patrick Cleburne stopped William Tecumseh Sherman from the north, although outnumbered 10 to 1. Joe Hooker was seriously delayed by burnt bridges and failed to hit the southern end of Bragg's line near Rossville, Georgia. Thomas' Army of the Cumberland struck the center, breaking Bragg's line and forcing a retreat. Sheridan, ordered to pursue, was stopp -
Battle of the Wilderness
Battle of the Wilderness Ulysses S. Grant [US] is badly beaten on the field by Robert E. Lee [CS] but rather than retreat, Grant advances to Spotsylvania Court House. Union: 17,666 Confederate: 7,750 -
Battle of Spotsylvania Court House
In an inconclusive battle, General Ulysses S. Grant [US] and Robert E. Lee [CS] battle for days southwest of Fredericksburg Union 18,399
Confederate 9,000 -
Memphis
Ordered to pursue and destroy General Nathan Bedford Forrest, General John Sturgis leaves Memphis with a force of 8,100 men -
Battle Of Cold Harbor
Robert E. Lee [CS] defeats General Ulysses S. Grant [US] and General George Meade [US] -
Mobile Bay
18 Union ships sail past the entrance to Mobile Bay. The C. S. S. Tennessee, prize ironclad of the Confederate Navy awaited the attack. As the U. S. S. Tecumseh sinks Admiral David Farragut orders "Damn the torpedoes, go ahead." His flag vessel Hartford took the lead. The ships destroyed the Confederate fleet -
Discussion Of Peace
On the River Queen five men, US President Abraham Lincoln, US Secretary of State William Seward, CS Vice-president Alexander Stephens, along with John Campbell and RMT Hunter discuss peace terms at the Hampton Roads Conference near Fort Monroe. The conference was a failure. -
Lincoln's Second Term
Lincoln outlines his second term talking directly to the Confederate people "...with malice toward none; with charity for all..." Andrew Johnson, replacing Henry Hamlin as Vice-president gives a rambling, drunk speech. He had been given too much whiskey as medicine by a doctor. -
Battle of Fort Stedman
Battle of Fort Stedman Confederates break Union line at Petersburg General John B. Gordon captured Fort Stedman, a Union outpost on the line around besieged Petersburg, eventually punching a hole 3/4 of mile wide. Confederate units then made a desperate attempt to hit the federal supply base at City Point. With overwhelming force the federal troops turned back the advance, recaptured the fort and retook the lines -
Battle of Five Forks
Battle of Five Forks George Pickett [CS] could not withstand the federal envelopment move around Petersburg that began here. -
Mississippi
Mississippi conventions passes an ordinance voiding the secession ordinance of 1861. -
Connecticut
Connecticut holds a vote to legalize black suffrage in the state: For: 27,217 Against: 33,489 -
The Ku Klux Klan
The Ku Klux Klan is organized at the law offices of Thomas M. Jones in Pulaski, Tennessee. The name derives from the Greek word kykos (circle) and was suggested by John B. Kennedy, who anglicized it to Ku Klux. James R. Crowe added the word Klan because of the predominant Scottish-Irish population of the area -
Abraham Lincoln's Birthday
The first formal observation of President Lincoln's birthday is held in Washington, D. C. President Andrew Johnson attends -
Cholera
Cholera epidemic begins in New York when an infected passenger arrives in New York. -
General Of The Armies
Congress establishes "general of the armies" and Ulysses S. Grant is immediately promoted to 4-star general and put in this position. William Tecumseh Sherman assumes the rank of Lt. General. -
Ku Klux Klan Investigation
The U. S. Secret Service begins an investigation into the Ku Klux Klan. -
14th amendment
New Jersey ratifies the 14th Amendment -
Military Rule
Federal army restores military rule to Mississippi (2nd Reconstruction). -
Votes Rejected
Alexandria, Virginia rejects thousand of votes cast by Negroes, who were granted universal suffrage under the Reconstruction Act. -
5th Military District
General Philip Sheridan assumes command of the 5th Military district encompassing Louisiana and Texas. He designates New Orleans as his headquarters. -
Rconstruction
Congress passes the 2nd Reconstruction Act over Andrew Johnson's veto. -
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 -
Russia
Russia turns over Alaska to the United States
