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Civil War Timeline
Civil War Timeline -
Cooper Union Address
Abraham Lincoln delivered a speech at Cooper Union in New York City. The speech was a powerful argument against the spread of slavery and it sparked his presidential campaign. -
Pony Express Established
The Pony Express postal system of using horse and rider relay teams is launched. -
Democratic National Convention
The Democratic National Convention was held in Baltimore, Maryland. The delegates were unable to decide on a nominee. -
Republican National Convention
The Republican National Convention is held in Chicago, Illinois. Abraham Lincoln wins the presidential nomination. Hannibal Hamlin of Maine wins the vice presidential nomination. -
Democrats Reconvene
The Democrats reconvene in Baltimore to select their nominees for president and vice president. Stephen A. Douglas was nominated for president and Herschal V. Johnson was nominated for vice president. -
William Hardee is Replaced by John Reynolds
Lieutenant Colonel William Hardee is replaced by Major John F. Reynolds at West Point. -
Presidential Election of 1860
Abraham Lincoln, the Republican nominee, was elected president with 180 electoral votes and 1,865,908 popular votes. He defeated Democratic Party nominee Senator Stephen Douglas who had 12 electoral votes and 1,380,202 popular votes, Southern Democratic Party nominee John Breckinridge who had 72 electoral votes and 848,019 popular votes, and Constitutional Union Party nominee John Bell who had 39 electoral votes and 590,901 popular votes. -
James Chesnut Jr. Resigns from the Senate
James Chesnut Jr. becomes the first Southerner to resign from the Senate. -
Crittenden Compromise
Senator John Crittenden proposes the Crittenden Compromise, which would have allowed states south of the Missouri Compromise line to determine for themselves whether they would enter the Union as a slave state or a free state. -
South Carolina Secedes from the Union
South Carolina issued an Ordinance of Secession and became the first state to secede from the Union. -
Star of the West is Unable to Reach Fort Sumter
A Union merchant ship, Star of the West, is fired upon by forces at Morris Island and Fort Moultrie as it tries to deliver supplies to Fort Sumter. A mile and half away from Fort Sumter, Star of the West is forced to withdraw. -
Founding of The Confederate States of America
Delegates from South Carolina, Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, and Louisiana, the six states who first seceded from the Union, met in Montgomery, Alabama to formally establish the Confederate States of America. -
Abraham Lincoln's Presidential Inauguration
Abraham Lincoln was inaugurated as the president of the United States. In his speech he attempted to make peace with the South but also warned that he would enforce federal law in seceded states and would not allow the Union to be separated. -
Fort Sumter Surrendered
Fort Sumter was a federal outpost in Charleston Harbor, South Carolina. It was besieged by Southern militia and the federal troops there were struggling from a lack of supplies. Abraham Lincoln decided that he would send three ships to resupply the fort. In response to this militia commander P.G.T. Beauregard demanded that the fort be surrendered. Major Robert Anderson, who was in command of the fort, refused. Beauregard then opened fire on the fort and Anderson was forced to surrender that day. -
Lincoln Summons Troops
President Abraham Lincoln issued a proclamation calling on state militias to produce a sum of 75,000 troops to suppress the rebellion and called on all citizens to support the effort. -
Battle of Cheat Mountain
Confederate General Robert E. Lee direct his first offensive of the Civil War against Union Brigadier General Joesph Reynolds on the summit of Cheat Mountain and in Tygart Valley. The battle lasted for three days, starting on September 12 and ending on September 15, 1861. The Confederate attacks were uncoordinated and the Union troops came out victorious. -
First Battle of Bull Run
The First Battle of Bull Run was the first major land battle of the Civil War. Thirty-five thousand Union troops had marched from Washington D.C. to strike twenty thousand Confederate troops near the town of Manassas, Virginia along the river known as Bull Run. The Confederates were victorious and forced the Union troops to retreat back to Washington D.C. -
McClellan Replaces Scott
President Abraham Lincoln named George Brinton McClellan general in chief of the Union army. He replaced the aging Winfield Scott. -
Jefferson Davis Becomes President of the Confederacy
Jefferson Davis ran unopposed for the presidential position in the Confederate States of America and his election simply confirmed the decision of the Confederate Congress. -
Trent Affair
Confederate diplomats James Mason and John Slidell were aboard the Trent, a British mail steamer, with the mission of seeking support for the Confederacy in the Civil War from England and France. Captain Charles Wilkes of the USS San Jacinto intercepted the vessel and Mason and Slidell were sent to prison. The British were outraged at the interception and demanded the release of Mason and Slidell and an apology. These terms were met and an armed conflict with Britain was avoided. -
Battle of Fort Henry
Desiring to gain control of supply lines and rivers west of the Appalachian Mountains, Union Brigadier General Ulysses S. Grant and Commodore Andrew Foote decided to attack Fort Henry in Tennesse with a heavy naval bombardment. After the attack, Confederate Brigadier General Lloyd Tilghman evacuated the majority of his troops to nearby Fort Donelson in secret before surrendering to the Union troops. The victory allowed the Union to control the Columbia and Tennessee rivers. -
Fort Donelson Captured by the Union
Only a week after the capture of Fort Henry, Union Brigadier General Ulysses S. Grant began to assault nearby Fort Donelson, located on the Cumberland River in Tennessee. After failing to break through Grant's lines, the Confederate forces under Brigadier General John Floyd surrendered the fort. This would be one of the Union's first major victories in the Civil War. -
Battle of the Ironclads
The Battle of the Ironclads was the first battle between iron-fortified naval vessels in history. The Confederates' CSS Virginia engaged with the Union's USS Monitor. After both ships exchanged fire and suffered direct hits which failed to penetrate their respective iron shells, the CSS Virginia hit the USS Monitor's pilothouse. The captain of the USS Monitor, Union Lieutenant John L. Worden was temporarily blinded by the hit and the CSS Virginia escaped. -
Battle of Shiloh
The Battle of Shiloh is also called the Battle of Pittsburg Landing, and it occurred in Shiloh, Tennessee. A Confederate force led by Joseph E. Johnston launched a surprise attack on Ulysses S. Grant's Union forces and drove them back to Shiloh Church and then further towards Pittsburg Landing. With reinforcements having arrived in the form of Don Carlos Buell's army, Grant launched a successful counterattack, forcing the Confederates to retreat to Corinth, Tennessee, and emerging the victor. -
Robert E. Lee Replaces Joseph E. Johnston
Jefferson Davis names Robert E. Lee as commander of the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia. He replaced the wounded Joseph E. Johnston. -
Battle of Gaine's Mill
The Battle of Gaine's Mill was the third of the Seven Days' Battles at the climax of Union General George McClellan's Peninsula Campaign with the goal of capturing Richmond. Confederate General Robert E. Lee went on the offensive and broke through the Union line led by Brigadier General Fitz John Porter, forcing the Union troops to retreat. -
Harpers Ferry Captured by the Confederates
After being fired upon by artillery with little ammunition at Harpers Ferry, Virginia, Nelson A. Miles surrendered to Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson. Jackson took the city and 12,000 Union soldiers as prisoners. -
Second Battle of Bull Run
The Second Battle of Bull Run or the Second Battle of Manassas occurred along the river known as Bull Run near Manassas, Virginia as did the first one. A large Union force commanded by John Pope was waiting for George McClellan's Army of the Potomac to join him in an attack. Confederate General Robert E. Lee decided to attack first and his men seized supplies from a supply base at Manassas. Afterward, they burned the depot and the Confederates forced Pope to retreat back to Washington D.C. -
Battle of Antietam
The Battle of Antietam, also known as the Battle of Sharpsburg, took place at Antietam Creek near Sharpsburg, Maryland. It turned out to be the bloodiest one-day battle in American military history. The Union Army of the Potomac led by General George McClellan decisively defeated Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia. McClellan opted not to pursue the retreating soldiers, which resulted in his firing. This would be Lee's last attempt to invade the North. -
Lincoln Removes McClellan
An agitated relationship would come to an end when Abraham Lincoln fires General George Brinton McClellan. Lincoln was frustrated with his cautiousness and failure to aggressively engage with Confederate General Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia. -
Joseph Hooker Replaces Ambrose Burnside
Abraham Lincoln places Joseph "Fighting Joe" Hooker in command of the Army of the Potomac. He replaces Ambrose Burnside. -
Conscription Act
The United States Congress passed a conscription act that required all male citizens and aliens intending on becoming citizens between the ages of 20 and 45 to register. Being exempt from the draft could either be purchased for $300 or acquired through finding a substitute draftee. This was the first wartime draft of U.S. citizens in American history. -
Battle of Chancellorsville
The Battle of Chancellorsville occurred in Chancellorsville, Virginia between Union forces led by General Joseph Hooker and Confederate forces led by Robert E. Lee. Facing a numerical disadvantage, Lee was able to lead his troops to victory over the course of seven days but lost key subordinate "Stonewall" Jackson to friendly fire. -
West Virginia Enters the Union
West Virginia becomes the 35th state to enter the United States and the first to enter when the terms slave and free no longer applied. -
Battle of Gettysburg
The Battle of Gettysburg occurred in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania and lasted for three days. The advancing Confederate Army of Northern Virginia commanded by General Robert E. Lee clashed with the Union Army of the Potomac commanded by General George G. Meade. The Union army was victorious and the Confederates were forced to retreat back to Virginia. With 23,000 casualties for the Union and 28,000 for the Confederates, this was the bloodiest battle fought on American soil. -
Vicksburg Captured by the Union
After a campaign that last over a year, Union General Ulysses S. Grant was finally able to capture Vicksburg, Mississippi. Grant's men constructed 15 miles of trenches, trapping General John C. Pemberton and his troops inside the perimeter. Conditions rapidly deteriorated for Pemberton and he eventually surrendered. -
New York Draft Riots
The government's attempt to enforce the draft resulted in intense rioting. Protesters torched government building and fought with troops. About 300 were injured and 119 killed in the riots. The protests were sparked by the provision for exemptions from the draft through paying $300, as it favored wealthy citizens. -
Battle of Chickamauga
Confederate General Braxton Bragg's Army of Tennessee defeated a Union force commanded by General William Rosecrans. After being pushed out of Chattanooga earlier that month, the Confederates receive reinforcements and launch a successful counterattack along the banks of Chickamauga Creek. -
Emancipation Proclamation
After the Union victory in the Battle of Antietam, Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation on September 9, 1863. It declared the all slaves in states still in rebellion against the Union on January 1, 1863 would be freed. This proclamation added another dimension to the war in fighting for the freedom of the slaves in addition to the preservation of the Union. -
Gettysburg Address
President Abraham Lincoln was invited to deliver a speech at the official dedication ceremony for the National Cemetery of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. Lincoln was not the main orator of the ceremony and his 273-word speech was ridiculed at first in some audiences but would soon be remembered as one of the most important speeches in American history. -
Union Officers Escape from Prison
One hundred and nine Union officers led by Colonel Thomas Rose escape from Libby Prison on the banks of the James River in Richmond. Fifty-nine reached Union lines. -
Ulysses S. Grant Named Lieutenant General
At this point the highest rank in the Union military was major general. There was a seniority system among the major generals that was based on when the rank was confirmed by the U.S. Senate, but there was no head commander. President Abraham Lincoln wanted Ulysses S. Grant to be in charge of all the Union armies so Congress revived the rank of Lieutenant General, which was last held by George Washington, and Lincoln approved of it. -
Battle of the Wilderness
Union General Ulysses S. Grant is beaten badly in the field by Confederate General Robert E. Lee. Grant advances to Spotsylvania Court House instead of retreating. -
Battle of Spotsylvania Court House
Confederate General Robert E. Lee and Union General Ulysses S. Grant battle for days in an inconclusive battle near Spotsylvania Court House. -
Battle of Pickett's Mill
In the Battle of Pickett's Mill or the First Battle of Cold Harbor, Union Major General Oliver O. Howard found 10,000 Confederate troops entrenched near Pickett's Mill and ordered an assault on them. The Union troops came out defeated. -
Second Battle of Cold Harbor
Forced to delay when Winfield Hancock Union corps did not arrive on schedule, General Ulysses S. Grant was disastrously defeated by Confederate General Robert E. Lee and his troops who had had time to entrench. -
Atlanta Captured by the Union
After a fighting a series of battles, bombarding with artillery, and cutting off railroad supply lines, General William Tecumseh Sherman was successful in capturing Atlanta, Georgia. The Confederate general in place there, John Bell Hood, evacuated the city on September 1, 1864. The mayor of Atlanta surrendered the next day. -
Presidential Election of 1864
Republican candidate Abraham Lincoln defeated Democrat George B. McClellan to be re-elected as president of the United States. Lincoln received 2,220,846 popular votes and 212 electoral votes while McClellan received 1,809,445 popular votes and 21 electoral votes. -
Sherman's "March to the Sea"
Beginning on November 15, and lasting until December 21, 1864, Union General William T. Sherman led about 60,000 soldiers on a march 285 miles long: from Atlanta to Savannah, Georgia. Along the way, they stole food and livestock and burned houses and barns belonging to civilians in an attempt to scare Georgians into abandoning the Confederate cause. -
Battle of Nashville
A Union army commanded by General George Thomas swarmed over Confederate trenches around Nashville and nearly destroyed them. -
Fort Fisher Falls
On December 24, 1864, Union ships attacked Fort Fisher. The next day, a small force unsuccessfully attempted to capture it. Then on January 13, 1865, Union forces began a three-day bombardment of Fort Fisher, a Confederate fort which protected the vital port of Wilmington, North Carolina. On the third day (January 15), 9,000 infantry led by General Alfred Terry attacked the fort and it proved to be too much for the Confederates handle. -
Peace Meeting
President of the U.S. Abraham Lincoln, U.S. Secretary of State William Seward, C.S. Vice President Alexander Stephens, Confederate Assistant Secretary of War John Campbell, and Confederate Senator Robert M.T. Hunter met aboard the River Queen to discuss peace terms. The meeting was unsuccessful however. -
Freedman's Bureau Created
President Abraham Lincoln signed a bill creating the Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands. This bureau oversaw the transition of African American slavery to freedom. -
Abraham Lincoln's Second Presidential Inauguration
Abraham Lincoln was inaugurated as the president of United States for his second term. In his inaugural address he spoke on the war and slavery and talked about his hopes for peace. -
Battle of Fort Stedman
Confederates broke the Union line at Petersburg and Confederate General John B. Gordon captured Fort Stedman. The Confederates then attempted to hit the federal supply base at City Point. The Union troops cut off their advance and recaptured Fort Stedman and regrouped. -
Battle of Appomattox Court House
In retreat from the Union's successful Appomattox Campaign, the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia was lacking food and supplies and many soldiers were deserting. They became surrounded by Union forces and mounted a last-ditch effort in the Battle of Appomattox Court House. The battle only lasted for a few hours and in resulted in the Confederates' surrender. -
General Robert E. Lee Surrenders
After the loss in the Battle of Appomattox Court House, Confederate General Robert E. Lee sent a message to Union General Ulysses. S. Grant, stating his willingness to surrender. The two generals met in the parlor of the Wilmer McLean home to agree to the terms of surrender. This effectively ended the Civil War. -
Andrew Johnson Becomes President
After the death of Abraham Lincoln, Andrew Johnson, who was the vice president, assumed office. -
Abraham Lincoln's Assassination
President Abraham Lincoln was assassinated while in the audience of a play in Ford's Theatre in Washington D.C. The man responsible for the assassination was John Wilkes Booth, a famous actor and Confederate sympathizer. -
13th Amendment Ratified
The 13th amendment to the U.S. Constitution was ratified and it abolished slavery in the U.S. -
Lincoln's Birthday
The first formal observation of Abraham Lincoln's birthday is held in Washington D.C. -
Congress Buys Ford's Theatre
Congress buys Ford's Theatre for $10,000. It was to be used as the Army Medical Museum and the office of the Surgeon General and War Department Records. -
Civil Rights Act of 1866
The Civil Rights Act of 1866 declared that all people born in the United States are citizens without regard to race, color, or any previous condition. -
Epidemic in New York
Cholera epidemic began in New York when an infected passenger arrives there. -
Winfield Scott Dies
Winfield Scott, who served a general during the Civil War, dies at West Point, New York. -
Freedman's Bureau Act of 1866
This act extended the temporary lifespan of the Freedman's Bureau two years and gave the U.S. the responsibility of protecting the civil rights of black Americans in the former Confederate States. -
Ulysses S. Grant Promoted
Ulysses S. Grant was promoted to "general of the armies" and William Sherman assumed the rank of Lieutenant General. -
David Farragut is Promoted
Congress created the rank of Admiral and David Farragut is promoted to that rank -
Investigation of Ku Klux Klan
The U.S. Secret Service began an investigation into the Ku Klux Klan. -
Proclamation 157
President Andrew Johnson issues a proclamation declaring that the United States is at peace with Texas. -
Blacks in Washington D.C. Granted Suffrage
The U.S. Congress overruled a veto by President Andrew Johnson on a bill that allowed blacks in Washington D.C. to vote. -
Nebraska Becomes a State
Nebraska became the 37th state of the United States. -
Tenure of Office Act
The Tenure of Office Act denied the right of the president to remove officials who had been appointed with the consent of Congress. -
First Reconstruction Act
The Reconstruction Act of 1867 temporarily divided the South into five military districts and instructed how governments with universal male voting were to be organized. It also required the ratification of the 14th amendment. -
Military Rule Over Mississippi
Federal army restores military rule to Mississippi under the 2nd Reconstruction Act. -
Virginia Disobeys Reconstruction Act
Virginia rejects thousands of votes cast by blacks, which violated the Reconstruction Act. -
Command Assumed Over the 5th Military District
General Phillip Sheridan takes charge of the 5th military district of the South which encompasses Louisiana and Texas. He designates New Orleans as his headquarters. -
Second Reconstruction Act
The Second Reconstruction Act stated that military commanders held responsibility to register voters and and hold elections in their territories. It required that every voter recite the recitation oath swearing their support of the Constitution and obedience to the law. It also stripped any Southern office holders of their jobs if they had not taken the oath. Also under this law, a majority of votes cast was needed ratify the Constitution. -
Alaska Purchase
The United States purchased Alaska from Russia for $7.2 million. The treaty was negotiated by Secretary of State William Seward. -
Seceded States Join Union
Congress passed a bill admitting Arkansas, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, North Carolina, and South Carolina back into the Union.
