Va/Us timeline By jakebenjamins Nov 6, 1860 Abraham lincoln is elected president. Apr 12, 1861 First shots of civil war are fired at Fort Sumter Jul 21, 1861 Battle of Bull Run Period: May 31, 1862 to Jun 1, 1862 Battle of Seven Pines Sep 17, 1862 Battle of Antetam Dec 13, 1862 Battle of Fredericksburg Jan 1, 1863 The Emancipation Proclamation goes into effect. Period: Jul 1, 1863 to Jul 3, 1863 Battle of Gettysburg Sep 1, 1864 Fall of Atlanta, Georgia. Apr 2, 1865 The Fall of Petersburg and Richmond. Apr 9, 1865 - Battle of Appomattox Court House and Surrender, Appomattox Court House, Virginia. Apr 14, 1865 President Abraham Lincoln is assassinated by actor John Wilkes Booth