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Lincoln Elected
Election of Republican candidates made southern states feel as if slavery were being threatened. -
South Carolina Secedes
First state officially secedes. Union is formally broken. -
Confederacy Is Formed
South Carolina, Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, & Texas unite to create a new nation. First capital is in Montgomery, AL and Jefferson Davis is elected president. -
Lincoln's First Inaugural
Lincoln officially takes over as President Of The United States. -
Fort Sumter Is Attacked
First shots fired. Crisis moved from politics to bloodshed. -
First Battle Of Bull Run
Union army under Irvin McDowell marches on Richmond, met at Bull Run near Manassas, VA by Confederate Army under P.G.T Beauregard. Strong confederate victory. Showed that the war would not be over quickly. -
Battle of Shiloh
Confederate Army under Albert Sidney Johnson attacks surprise attack on Union under Ulyssess S Grant at Pittsbugh Landing, TN. Union holds on at Hornet's Nest, Albery Sidney Johnson is killed. Strong Union victory. Union first major battle. Bloodiest in American military to that point. Showed how bloody the war would be. -
Seven Days Battles
Series around Richmond, VA where Confederate Army under Robert E Lee defended Richmonf for Union Army under George B. McClellan. Moderate Confederate Victory. Robert E. Lee's first battle in command of Confederate Army, made Union army abandon its campign to capture Richmond. -
Second Battle Of Bull Run
Confederate Army under Robert E Lee fought Union Army under John Pope around Manassas, VA. Strong Confederate victory. Disorganized and demoralized Union Army and open up the way for the invasion of the north. -
Battle Of Antietam
Union Army under George B McConfederate Army under Robert E. Lee at Sharpsburg, MD. Battle is the bloodiest single day of combat in American military history with more than 22,000 casualties. Slight Union victory. Ended Lee's invasion of Maryland and forced him to retreat to Virgina. Allowed Lincoln to issue Emancipation Proclamation. -
Emancipation Proclamation
Arbraham Lincoln freed all slaves in the states that were in rebellion against the Union as of January 1st, 1863. It broadened the Union's war efforble for freedom.t by making not only about keeping the Union together but now also about freeing the slaves. More than 3 million slaves were made eligi -
Battle Of Fredricksburg
The Army Of The Potomac (Union) under the command of Ambrose E. Burnside attachd the Army of Northern Virgina (Confederate) under Robert E. Lee at Fredricksburg. The result was strong Confederate victory. The battle was fought over several at various spots around Fredricksburg, VA which is betweeen Washington and Richmond. The Union sufferered major causalties trying to cros the Rhappahannock River and trying to capture Marye's Heights. -
Battle Of Stones River
The Army of Tennessee (Confederate) under Braxton Bragg attacked the Army of The Cumberland under William Rosecrans (USA) at Murfeesboro, TN. The armies fought for 3 days. The battle was moderate Union victory. Bothed suffered heavy casulaties with about 23,000 casualties combined. The Union repuled wo confederate attakcks and forced the Confederates from middle Tennessee. The victory gave the Union morale boost after Fredicksburg. -
Battle Of Chancellorsville
The Army Of Northern Virgina (Confederate) under Robert E. Lee attacked the Army of The Potomac (Union) under Joseph Hooker, The battle took place in and around Chancellorsville, VA. Lee divided his much smaller army and sent a large part of it on a flanking attack under Stonewall Jackson. The attack was a sucess and Hooker was forced to retreat but Jackson was killed by freindly fire. Lee said losing Jackson was like losing his right arm. The battle a strong Confederate victory . -
Siege Of Vicksburg Starts
Union Army of the Tennessee under Ulysess S. Grant traps the Confederate Army Of Vicksburg commanded by John Pemberton in the city of Vicksbug after a series of manuvers and battles. Loss of Vicksburg would mean that the Confederates would lose control of the MIssissippi River. -
Battle Of Gettysburg
The Army of Northern Virginia under Robert E. Lee attacked the Army of the Potomac under George Meade at Gettysburg, PA. The Confederates had invaded the north in the hopes of making the Union give up the war. The battle started accidentally when the Confederates attempted to get shoes. The battle grew into the largest battle of the war, lasting 3 days, and creating over 46,000 casualties on both sides. It was amajor victory and is believed to be the turning point of the war. -
Siege Of Vicksburg Ends
After nearly 2 months of being under siege Vicksburg finally surrenders to the Union Army. Major Union victory which gave them control of the Mississippi River. The resulted in the Conferacy being cut in two with west half no longer having access to troops Annaconda Plan. -
Battle Of Chickamaugua
The Army of Tennessee (CSA) under Braxton Bragg attacked the Army of the Cumberland (USA) under William Rosecrans at Chickamaugua, GA. The battle was strong Confederate victory and it ended the Union's offensive to capture Georgia. Condfederate troops under James Longstreet were transferred by train from the Army of Northern Virgina. After Union army retreated to Chatanooga where the Confederates beseiged them. -
Gettysburg Address
Address president Abraham Lincoln given the comissioning of a war cemetary at the site of the Battle of Gettysburg. It considered to be one of the greatest speeches in american history although it lasted only 2 minutes. The speech defined the was a struggle for human equality. -
Battle Of Chattanooga
The Union Army of the Tennessee under Ulysess S. Grant attacks the Confederate Army of Tennessee under Braxton Bragg. Union routs the Confederates beseging Chattanooga lifting the siege of Chattanooga. Major Union victory. Opened the Tennessee river and ended the Army of Tennessee as a serios offensive threat. As a result of his victory Grant is given command of the Army of the Potomac and Sherman is given command of the Army of Tennessee. -
Battle Of The Wilderness
The Army of the Potomac (Union) under US Grant tried to move through the a wild region of Spotslyvania, VA called "The Wilderness" but was attacked by part of the Army Of Northern Viginia commanded by Robert E. Lee. The battle was inconclusive but instead of retreating as it had after other battles the Army of The Potomac kept advancing. -
Battle Of Spotsylvania
Army of the Potomac under US Grant moving southeast from the Battle Of The Wilderness tried unsuccessfully to drive the Army Of Norther Virginia under Robert E Lee off of Laurel Hill. Fighting continued until May 21st but over the battle was inclusive despite heavy casualties. Almost 32,000 casualties occured. Again instead of retreating the Union advanced while the Confederates were ground down by casulaties the could afford. -
Lincoln Relected
Lincoln's re-election ends south's hope of a change in the administration and set the stage for the end game of the war. -
Sherman's March To The Sea Starts
Sherman starts his march from Atlanta, GA. His plan is to practice total war, living off the land, and destroying everything in his army's way. -
Battle Of Franklin
Army of Tennessee under John Bell Hood attacks the Army of the Ohio under John M. Schofield at Franklin, TN in order to prevent them from withdralwsing to Nashville. The battle as one the worst defeats of the war for the Confederacy with 14 generals amoung the casualties. It was strong Union victory that ended the power of the Army of Tennessee. -
Sherman's March To The Sea Ends
Sherman arrives in Savannah, GA having destroyed everything between Altanta and Savannah. The war in the west is effectively over. -
Lincoln's Second Inauguration
Lincoln offically starts his second term. His speech indicates that wants the south fully back into the Union rather than punishing them as a conquered enemy. -
Surrender At Appomatox
Robert E Lee surrunders the Army of Northern Virgina to US Grant at Appomatox Courthouse in Virgina after unsuccessfully trying to break through the Union line in order to join forces with Joe Johnston in North Carolina. The surrender effectively ended the war in Virgina and triggering a series of surrenders across the south. -
Lincoln Is Assasinated
While attending a showing of the the play Our American cousin at Ford's Theatre in Washington, DC, Lincoiln is shot by well actor and Confederate sympathizer John Wilkes Boothe. Lincoln dies the next day and is succeded by Andrew Johnson. -
Official End To The Civil War
Confederate Jefferson Davis is captured in Gerogia as attempted to escape to Mexico.
