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South Carolina secedes from the Union. Followed within two months by Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana and Texas.
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February 1st - The Texas Legislature votes to secede from the Union. In a general election, held on February 23, 1861, voters ratified secession by a better than three to one margin. In the Texas Declaration of Secession it states
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The Confederate States of America is formed with Jefferson Davis, a West Point graduate and former U.S. Army officer, as president.
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March 4th - Abraham Lincoln inaugurated as sixteenth president of the United States
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March 6th - The Confederate Congress authorizes an army of volunteers.
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President Lincoln issues a Proclamation of Blockade against Southern ports.
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April 12th, 4:30 am - South Carolina's Fort Sumter is fired upon by the Confederates - The War Begins
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April 15th - In Washington, President Lincoln issues a proclamation announcing an "insurrection," and calls for 75,000 troops to be raised from the militia of the several States of the Union.
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-The Union Army under Gen. Irvin McDowell suffers a defeat at Bull Run 25 miles southwest of Washington. Confederate Gen. Thomas J. Jackson earns the nickname "Stonewall," as his brigade resists Union attacks. Union troops fall back to Washington. President Lincoln realizes the war will be long
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President Lincoln appoints George B. McClellan as Commander of the Department of the Potomac, replacing McDowell.
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An incredibly bloody battle. Tens of thousands of men died. By the end of the bloodbath, Grant had won
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The taking of Yorktown with 320 casualtys
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resulted in more than 23,000 casualties—the bloodiest single day of battle of the entire war. Lee was forced to retreat back to Confederate territory.
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Battle of Gettysburg in early July. At the end of a bloody three-day struggle in which more than 50,000 died, Lee was once again forced to retreat. The battle was a resounding victory for the North and a catastrophe for the South.
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Lee was losing in the North, Grant was besieging the city of Vicksburg, Mississippi, in the West. Eventually, the trapped Confederates caved in to Grant’s demand for an unconditional surrender. This major victory at the Battle of Vicksburg gave the Union control of the Mississippi River and thus split the Confederacy in half.
