-
After Lincoln was elected as President he was seen as a threat to the southerners rights to own slaves. The South thought that if Lincoln got rid of slavery their economy would fall apart. So after calling a convention South Carolina voted to be removed from the United States of America. They were followed by six more states Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, and Texas–and the threat of secession by four more Virginia, Arkansas, Tennessee, and North Carolina.
-
At a convention in Montgomery, Alabama, and the seven seceding states created the Confederate Constitution, a document similar to the United States Constitution, but with greater stress on the power of each state. Jefferson Davis was named temparary president of the Confederacy until elections could be held.
-
Lincoln's Inaguration was on March 4. Lincoln said he had no plans to end slavery in those states, but he also said he would not allow secesion.
-
President Lincoln planned to send supplies to Fort Sumter, he alerted the state in advance, in an attempt to avoid hostilities. South Carolina, however, feared a trick; the commander of the fort, Robert Anderson, was asked to surrender immediately. Anderson offered to surrender, but his offer was rejected, and on April 12, the Civil War began with shots fired on the fort. Fort Sumter eventually was surrendered to South Carolina. -
Residents of the western counties of Virginia did not wish to secede along with the rest of the state. This section of Virginia was admitted into the Union as the state of West Virginia on June 20, 1863.
-
To blockade the coast of the Confederacy effectively, the federal navy had to be improved. In July, the effort to improve their navy had made a difference in making an effective blockade. The South responded by building small, fast ships that could outmaneuver Union vessels.
-
Demand from the Public Preshured General Winefeild Scott into attacking the Confederates with unprepared troops. They attacked on July 21, and it was initially successful, but the introduction of Confederate reinforcements resulted in a Southern victory and a chaotic retreat toward Washington by federal troops.
-
On January 27, President Lincoln issued a war order authorizing the Union to launch a unified aggressive action against the Confederacy, but General McClellan ignored the order.
-
On March 8, President Lincoln who was impatient with General McClellan's inactivity issued an order that reorganized the Army of Virginia and relieving McClellan of supreme command. McClellan was given command of the Army of the Potomac, and ordered to attack Richmond. This marked the beginning of the Peninsular Campaign.
-
Confederate General Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson, who had the commanding forces in the Shenandoah Valley, attacked Union forces in late March, forcing them to retreat across the Potomac. As a result, Union troops were rushed to protect Washington, D.C.
-
Union General McClellan defeated Confederate General Lee at South Mountain and Crampton's Gap in September, but they did not move fast enough to save harpers ferry. Which fell to the Confederate General Jackson on September 15, along with a great number of men and a large amount of supplies.
-
Due to recruiting difficulties, an act was passed making all men between the ages of 20 and 45 liable to be called for military service. Service could be avoided by paying a fee or finding another person to do it. The act was seen as unfair to the poor and riots in working class sections of New York City broke out in protest. A similar act in the South provoked a the same reaction.
-
Union General Hooker crossed the Rappahannock River to attack General Lee's forces. Lee split his army, attacking a surprised Union army in three places and almost completely defeating them. Although they beat them the casualties where very high for the confederates.
-
Confederate General Lee decided to take the war to the enemy. On June 13, he defeated Union forces at Winchester, Virginia, and continued north to Pennsylvania. General Hooker, who had been planning to attack Richmond, was instead forced to follow Lee. -
An encounter between Union and Confederate forces began the Battle of Gettysburg. In the fighting that happened, a general called Meade had greater numbers and better defensive positions. He won the battle, but failed to follow Lee as he retreated back to Virginia. Militarily, the Battle of Gettysburg was the high water mark of the Confederacy, it is also significant because it ended Confederate hopes of formal recognition by foreign governments.
-
Grant again attacked Confederate forces at Cold Harbor, losing over 7,000 men in twenty minutes. Although Lee suffered fewer casualties, his army never recovered from Grant's continual attacks.
-
Confederate General Jubal Early led his forces into Maryland to relieve the pressure on Lee's army. Early got within five miles of Washington, D.C., but on July 13, he was driven back to Virginia.
-
Transportation problems and successful blockades caused severe shortages of food and supplies in the South. Starving soldiers began to desert Lee's forces, and although President Jefferson Davis approved the arming of slaves as a means of augmenting the shrinking army, the measure was never put into effect.
-
The Lincoln administration was determined to make the capital safe from attack by ringing the city with a chain of forts manned by substantial garrisons of artillerists and other troops
-
General Lee's troops were soon surrounded, and on April 7, Grant called upon Lee to surrender. On April 9, the two commanders met at Appomattox Courthouse, and agreed on the terms of surrender.