-
Civil War Timeline
-
Mississippi Senator Jefferson Davis presents resolutions as to why slavery should be all territories. He also gave his reason as to why the nation should protect slaveholders.
-
Lincoln gives the Cooper Union Address, in which he validated the Federal government banning slavery in new territories. This was Lincoln's most influential speech and many people believe it won him the presidency.
-
The Pony Express begins going from Saint Louis, Missouri to Sacremento California. It had 119 stations that were each 12 miles apart. They made it possible for more letters to be delivered in a more timely manner.
-
The former members of the American and Whig parties meet in Baltimore and form the Constitutional Union Party, They elect John Bell to be their candidate for president and Edward Everett as a candidate for vice president.
-
Grace Bedell an 11-year-old girl, writes to Lincoln. In her letter, she tells him that a beard would make his face look better because it is so thin. Lincoln immediately decides to let his whiskers grow out.
-
Abraham Lincoln, who had declared "Government cannot endure permanently half slave, half free..." is elected president, the first Republican receiving 180 of 303 possible electoral votes and 40 percent of the popular vote.
-
Seven senators and twenty-three representatives issue a manifesto urging southern secession. It also recommends forming a Southern Confederacy.
-
South Carolina becomes the first state to secede from the Union. The first of many states to secede.
-
The South Carolina Congressmen resign due to secession. However, their names remain on the roll because the Union still does not acknowledge secession.
-
South Carolina issues their "Declaration of the Immediate Causes Which Induce and Justify the Seccession of South Carolina from the Federal Union". This was South Carolina's version of the "Declaration of Independence".
-
Mississippi becomes the second state to secede from the Union. Exactly one month and eleven days later Mississippi follows in the footsteps of South Carolina.
-
Florida becomes the third state to secede from the Union. Just one day after the secession of Mississippi Florida jumps into seccession.
-
Alabama becomes the fourth state to secede from the Union. Another state seceding just one day after the previous state.
-
Georgia becomes the fifth state to secede from the Union. Exactly eight days after Alabama secedes Georgia secedes.
-
Louisiana becomes the sixth state to secede from the Union. Exactly seven days after Gerogia.
-
Texas becomes the seventh state to secede from the Union. Not too long after Louisiana secedes.
-
Abraham Lincoln is officially sworn in as the 16th president of the United States of America and he will serve one full term.
-
Virginia becomes the eighth state to Secede from the Union. Just a couple of months after Texas.
-
Arkansas becomes the ninth state to secede from the Union. Just one month after Virginia.
-
North Carolina becomes the tenth state to secede from the Union. Just fourteen days after Arkansas.
-
Tennesse becomes the eleventh and final state to secede from the Union. One month after North Carolina.
-
Calling for all for U.S naval and land forces to begin a general advance by Feb 22, George Washington's birthday.
-
Grant Captures Fort Henry, ten days later after Fort Donelson. Grant earns the nickname "Unconditional Surrender Grant".
-
His eleven-year-old son Willie dies from fever, probably caused by polluted drinking water in the White House.
-
Seventeen Union ships under the command of Flag-officer David Farragut move up the Mississippi River then take New Orleans, the South's greatest seaport.
-
General Joesph E. Johnston's Army attacks McClellan's troops in front of Richmond and nearly defeats them. But Johnston is badly wounded.
-
Lee then renames his force the Army of Northern Virginia. McClellan is not impressed, saying Lee is "likely to be timid and irresolute in action".
-
Lee attacks McClellan near Richmond resulting in heavy losses for both armies. McClellan then begins a withdrawal back toward Washington.
-
Seventy-five thousand federals under General John Pope are defeated by 55,000 Confederates under General Stonewall Jackson and General James Longstreet at the second battle of Bull Run in northern Virginia.
-
The bloodiest day in U.S military history as General Robert E. Lee and the Confederate Armies are stopped at Antietam in Maryland by McClellan and numerically superior Union forces. By nightfall 26,000 men are dead, wounded, or missing. Lee withdraws to Virginia.
-
Preliminary Emancipation Proclamation freeing slaves issued by President Lincoln.
-
At Waynesboro, Georgia forces the Union prevent Confederate troops from interfering with General Sherman's plan to destroy part of the South by matching to Savannah, Georgia. Union suffers three times as many casualties as the Confederacy.
-
Lincoln signs the National Banking Act, making it a law. It put someone in charge of controlling currency and it led to the creation of local banks.
-
The National Conscription Act is signed forcing able-bodied males aged 18 to 35 into joining the Union Army, The signing of this act led to the week-long New York Draft Riots.
-
This is the largest battle of the Civil War, taking place in a field in Gettysburg, Pennyslvania. General Meade's Union forces turn back Lee's Confederates during this battle. There were 28,000 Confederate casualties and 23,000 Union casualties. This is a Union Victory.
-
This battle took place from May 1st to May 4th, ending in a Confederate victory. Both sides lost many of their soldiers, the Union casualties were 17,500 men and the Confederate casualties were 13,000. The most devestating Confederate loss was General Stonewall Jackson.
-
Following his shameful defeat at Gettysburg, General Lee sends a letter of resignation to Confederate President Jefferson Davis. Davis refuses the request.
-
This battle took place in Lawrence, Kansas, the site of much previous violence over the issue of slavery. William Qauntrill's raiders kill over 200 men and boys. The north views this as one of the most vicious atrocities of the war.
-
Lincoln declares Thanksgiving a national holiday to be celebrated the last Thursday in November.This holiday is to celebrate the colonists and Native Americans coming together and sharing their resources. This is ironic because during Lincoln's time the Natives were still being treated with disrespect.
-
Lincoln appoints General Grant to command all operations in the western theater.
-
Lincoln's speech dedicating the military cemetary at Gettysburg. The address is not very long but considered the most influential speech. It boosted Northern morale and made them feel like there was a purpose behind the war.
-
John Hunt Morgan, a confederate calvary leader, and some of his men escape the Ohio state prison. They escape by cutting a hole in a cell and crawling through the ventilation system. They return safetly to the South and Morgan picks up his calvary activities. Later in the war he is killed by the Union army.
-
The first 500 prisoners of war arrive at the Confederate prison camp, Andersonville. This was the harshest prison camp of the Civil War. Many of the men held there did not survive because of the brutal conditions faced there.
-
Congress passes the Coinage Act of 1864. This act states the the inscription "In God we Trust" must be on all coins that are to be used as US currency.
-
The New York World and the New York Journal of Commerce publish an article stating that Lincoln has drafted 400,000 more soldiers into the Union army, The public decided it was not true when they found that only two papers had published the news.
-
The Arlington National Cemetary is established by Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton. It is created using 200 acres land from Robert E Lee's home, Arlington House.
-
Lincoln signs away the fee that someone could pay to avoid being drafted into the Union Army.
-
Confederate spy Belle Boyd is arrested by Union forces. He is held at the Old Capital Prison in Washington D.C.
-
Helena, Montana is founded by four prospectors. They create it after finding gold at Last Chance Gulch, it is their last attempt at finding gold after weeks of looking in the Rockies.
-
Lincoln is re-elected in 1864. His victory is overwhelming because of how many votes he received over George B. McClellan.
-
A group of Confederate operatives that call themselves the Confederate Army of Manhattan set fires in more then 20 places. This is their unsuccessful attempt at burning New York down.
-
At Waynesboro, Georgia forces the Union to prevent Confederate troops from interfering with General Sherman's plan to destroy part of the South by matching to Savannah, Georgia. Union suffers three times as many casualties as the Confederacy.
-
The Confederate forces capture Fort Stedman from the Union forces. About 2,900 of Lee's men are killed and 1,000 are captured during the counter attack.
-
Confederate President Davis and his cabinet fled the Confederate capital, Richmond, Virginia as Union forces near it. The very next day it is captured by the Union.
-
General Lee surrenders to General Grant at Appomattox courthouse. This marks the end of the Civil War.
-
John Wilkes Booth shoots President Lincoln at Fords Theater during a performance of My American Cousin. Lincoln is pronounced dead early the next morning. In addition, William Seward and his family are attacked by Booth's co-conspirator, Lewis Powell.
-
John Wilkes Booth is captured in a barn in Virginia at the Garret's farm. He is shot and killed by Boston Corbett.
-
General Granger arrives in Texas and tells them about the Emancipation Proclamation. It is now celebrated as holiday called Juneteenth.
-
The four conspirators in Lincoln's assassination are hanged. These men are Davide Harold, George Atzerodt, Lewis Payne, and Mary Surratt. John Surratt escapes to Canada and later makes his way to Egypt so he does not pay for his involvement in Lincoln's death.
-
Major Henry Wirz is hanged. He was the leader of the atrocious war camp, Andersonville. He becomes the only soldier hanged for war crimes.
-
The 13th Amendment is ratified by three-quarters of the states. This amendment permenantly abolishes slavery in the United States.
-
Jonathan Shank and Barry Ownby form the Ku Klux Klan to resist reconstruction as well as to repress the freed African Americans.
-
The last issue of the Liberator is published. The newspaper has now becomes unnecessary because the slaves have been freed.
-
The first day light bank robbery takes place in Liberty, Missouri. This was carried out by Jesse James and his gang, although no one is quite sure where Jesse James fits into this event.
-
The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals is founded in New York by Henry Bergh.
-
Congress approves the minting of a five cent piece, know as the nickel. This eliminates the half dime.
-
The 14th amendment is ratified. This gives civil rights to all the freed African Americans.
-
Following the Civil War Tennessee becomes the first state readmitted to the Union.
-
Congress passes the legislation making General of the Army a rank. Ulysses S. Grant is the first to hold that title.
-
The Atlantic Cable is established allowing transatlantic telegraph communication for the first time.
-
The first train robbery takes place. The Reno brothers get away with $13,000.
-
Jesse James and his gang robs a bank in Lexington, Missouri. They get away with $2,000.
-
African American males are given the right to vote in Washington D.C. Congress over came President Johnson's veto to give the African Americans this right.
-
Jesse James robs a bank in Savannah,Missouri. The attempt failed with one casualty.
-
The first reconstruction act sets up five military districts in the South, each under the control of a military commander. The Army Appropriations Act is passed, lessening Johnsons' control on the army. The final act passed is The Tenure Office Act which states that Johnson cannot remove cabinet members without the Senate's consent.
-
African Americans stage a ride on streetcars in New Orleans to protest segregation.
-
President Andrew Johnson announces the purchase of Alaska. This would be the second to last state added to the United States of America.
-
Johnson vetoes the third reconstruction act which spells out election procedures in the South and reasserts congressional control over the Reconstruction. Congress overrides Johnsons' veto.
-
Johnson suspends Stanton as Secretary of War after the two clash over reconstruction plans. Johnson places Ulysses S. Grant in the position.
-
The United States officially takes possesion of Alaska from Russia. $7.2 million is paid for it.
-
Former Minnesota farmer Oliver Hudson Kelley founds the Order of the Patrons of Husbandry. Today this order is known as the farmers organization Grange.
-
Congress looks into impeaching Johnson for his lack of effectiveness and unwillingness to follow through with reconstruction.
