civil war timeline By facebooker_100001065308081 Jul 21, 1861 1st battle of bull run Mar 28, 1862 grant takes supreme command Sep 17, 1862 battle of antietam Dec 11, 1862 battle of fredericksburg Jan 1, 1863 signing proclamation Jul 1, 1863 battle of gettysburg Nov 19, 1863 lincoln delivers gettysburg address Sep 2, 1864 sherman burns atlanta Nov 15, 1864 sherman reaches the sea Jan 31, 1865 abolishing slavery Mar 4, 1865 lincoln 2nd speech Apr 9, 1865 appomattox court house