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Southern States Begin To Secede From the Union
The states of South Carolina secedes the union. Over the next two months they will be followed by the states of Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas -
Civil War is Formally Begun
Southern Forces fire on Fort Sumter, SC and the civil war begins. -
Additional 4 Southern States Secede
After the war breaks out Virginia, Arkansas, North Carolina and Tennessee secede the Union and join the Confederacy. Richmond, VA is named as the Confederate Capital. -
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Union Naval Blockade of the South
Abraham Lincoln, 16th president orders a blockade of the south. This reduces the Confederacy's supplies and is a very significant decision by the end of the war. -
West Virginia Formed
Most Virginians in the west did not support the states decision to secede from the Union. They decided to split from main chunk of Virginia, create their own state and remain loyal to the Union -
First Battle of Bull Run
This was the first significant land battle between Confederate and Union ships. Union troops had been order to march from Washington D.C. down to seize the Confederate capital of Richmond. The end result was a victory for the Confederacy, however they could not pursue the fleeing Union army. -
Battle of Shiloh
Another significant land battle in Northern Mississippi. The Union had a plan to combine two armies under Ulysses S. Grant and Don Carlos Buell, to destroy the Confederate army under Albert S. Johnson. Grant's forces arrived early, and Johnson launched a surprise attack. The battle ended when Buell arrived, which prompted the Confederate army to withdraw. -
Battle of Fredericksburg
Robert E. Lee's Confederate army inflicted massive losses on Burnside's Federal Army. Burnside has attempted to begin a long campaign and take Richmond, however under Lee's command Confederate forces hampered their crossing of a nearby river and won a significant victory in the subsequent battle. -
Battle of Chancellorsville
Federal General Hooker had devised a plan to pry Lee and his army out of their defences at Fredericksburg. Although Lee was outnumbered 2 to 1, he created a plan which involved splitting his forces to counter this. Subsequently, Lee managed to win another significant Confederate victory and overturn the odds once again. This prompted him to launch another invasion of the North, but he had lost his famous lieutenant Stonewall Jackson in the fighting. -
Battle of Gettysburg
Here, Robert E. Lee's army was attempting to break through Federal General Meade's lines, which were protecting the route to the northern cities of Baltimore, Philadelphia and more. Lee attacked Meade's lines 3 times, but could not break them decisively, before having to pull back fearing a counter-attack from the reinforced union contingency. Although this attack never came, Lee had to withdraw his forces and end his plans of invasion. -
Battle of Atlanta
Union General Sherman fight Confederate General Hood for control of the important Georgian city of Atlanta. Sherman outnumbered Hood 2-1, but found taking the city difficult. Although the Union was victorious, it was only on September the 2nd that they managed to win full control of the city. -
End of Civil War - Appomattox Court House Surrender
Here, General Robert E. Lee surrendered to Union General Ulysses S. Grant in what proved to be the end of the conflict. Lee's army had been chased and harried for miles by Grant's forces, before being eventually surrounded. Seeing his hopeless situation, Lee gave in to Grant's demands and, being the most senior Confederate general, effectively ended the Civil War, telling all other active troops and generals to stand down.