Civil War Timeline By GeorgeM2027 Mar 20, 1854 Republican Party is formed May 30, 1854 Kansas-Nebraska Act passed May 29, 1858 Richmond becomes the capital of the Confederacy Jul 13, 1859 New York City draft riots Jan 31, 1860 Congress passes the 13th Amendment Apr 12, 1860 Confederate forces fire on Fort Sumter Nov 6, 1860 President Lincoln elected president Dec 20, 1860 South Carolina votes to secede from the US Feb 9, 1861 Jefferson davis elected president of confederacy Mar 4, 1861 Lincoln gives his second inaugural address Apr 27, 1861 Lincoln suspends habeas corpus Jul 4, 1861 Confederates surrender at Vicksburg Jul 21, 1861 First Battle of Bull Run is fought Mar 8, 1862 The Merrimac and the Monitor fight of the Virginia coast Apr 6, 1862 Battle of Shiloh Jun 1, 1862 Robert E. Lee is named commander of the Army of Northern Virginia Sep 2, 1862 Atlanta is captured Sep 17, 1862 battle of antietem Dec 11, 1862 Battle of fredereksburg Jan 1, 1863 Emancipation Proclamation is announced Apr 30, 1863 Battle of Chancellorsville Jul 1, 1863 Battle of gettysburg Nov 19, 1863 Lincoln gives his Gettysburg Address Nov 8, 1864 Lincoln beats mclellen in order to be re elected Nov 15, 1864 Sherman begins his March to the Sea: Mar 3, 1865 Freedmen’s Bureau is created Apr 3, 1865 Richmond falls to the Union Army Apr 9, 1865 Robert E. Lee surrenders at Appomattox Apr 15, 1865 President Lincoln assasinated Apr 26, 1865 John Wilkes Booth is killed