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Southern States Secede
The seven southernmost states seceded first. South Carolina, Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, and Texas were the first states to secede. Then, Virginia, Arkansas, North Carolina, and Tennessee seceded next, after the battle of Fort Sumter. -
Lincon's Inauguration
Two forts that belong to the south were still on the union's land. After his inauguration, the confederacy threatened to attack if the north did not give up Fort Sumter. -
Viginia Secedes
Viginia did not want to fight against the south. Losing Virginia was bad for the Union, Virginia was the most industrialized and brought crucial ironworks and navy yard. Western Virginia was anti-slavery and soon seceded from Virginia to create West Virginia. -
First battle of Bull Run
Bull Run was the first major battle of the war. 30,000 Union troops met up with Confederate troops at Bull Run near the Confederate capitol at Richmond. The battle was an up and down one. The Union made a strong push but the Confederates held on, and this got General Thomas J. Jackson his nickname of stonewall Jackson. Later that day, more Confederates came and the south won their first battle. The Union retreated back to washington D.C. -
The Trent Affair
In an attempt to get British and French help in the Civil War, the Confederate sent James Mason and John Slidell on a British ship called the Trent. On their way back to Britain, they were stoped by an American captain named Charles Wilkes, and he arrested them. Britain then threatened the Union by sending 8,000 troops to Canada. Lincoln quickly freed them both and publicly declared the Wilkes acted without order. -
Confederacy Forces a Draft
The need for a draft was caused by heavy casualities and desertions. The law said that all able-bodied white men between the ages of 18 and 35. People that could afford it were allowed to hire replacements to take their spots. Planters that owned 20 or more slaves were exempt for the draft. Later, the Confederates changed the age limit to 17-50 because of the large amounts of deaths. -
African-American Soldiers
At first, only white men were allowed to fight in the war. But in 1862, a law was passed to allow African-Americans to fight. By the end of the war, about 10 percent of the union army was black. Most were former slaves from both Confederate and Union states. Blacks were treated badly. They served in separate regiments and many did not pass the rank of captain. They only recieved $10 a month and no clothing allowance, while whites recieved $13 a month and $3.50 clothes allowance. -
Second Battle of Bull Run
After General Joseph E. Johnston died, Robert E. Lee took command. Lee and the Confederate army won a convincing victory in the Second battle of Bull Run. -
Lincoln Fires McClellan
Lincoln fired McClellan because of his cautious attitude. McClellan could have ended the weakened Confederates, but instead, he did nothing. He allowed the men to retreat and Lincoln fired him soon after that. -
Emancipation Proclamation
The Proclamation did not have any effect early because it applied only to the Confederates. The Proclamation did not apply to land in the south controlled by the union or slave states still in the union. The Proclamation had more of a symbolic impotance in the war. The Proclamation also allowed blacks to now enlist in the army. The proclamation gave the south a big reason to keep fighting strong, because if they lost, slavery was no more. -
Union Forces a Draft
The Union's draft law stated that men between the age of 20 and 45 had to serve for three years. It also allowed people who could afford it, hire substitutes. They could alos pay $300 dollars to avoid the draft. -
Battle of Gettysburg Continued Again......
aurd, but they were met by more Union troops and were defeated in the Battle of Gettysburg. -
Battle of Gettysburg
Gettysburg was the bloodiest battle of the war. The union lost 23,000 men to death or injuries and the Confederacy lost 28,000 to death or injury. It started when the Confederates heard there were shoes in Gettysburg, they went to go find them and were caught up against a few union brigades, the fighting brought reinforcements, and the Confederacy took Gettysburg. Rebels overran union troops, and when they ran low on ammo, a bayonet charge was ordered. The rebels were tired and surrendered. -
Battle of Gettysburg Continued....
The Union lost little land as their army still stood. On the last day, Lee was very confident that he could take gettysburg on the third day. The two armies had been firing at each other for a while and when Union fire ceased, Lee ordered for all the troops to attack the center of Union lines. All of a sudden, the Union fired rapidly and the Confederates had to make a quick and painful retreat back down the hill. As a last effort, Lee tried sending his troops around the back to catch them off g -
Draft Riots
White men were mad that they had to fight in the war to free slaves. The white rioters destroyed draft offices, republican newspapers, and antislavery leader's homes. They killed men that could pay the $300 commutation fee and killed blacks. They had killed 100 people by the end of the riots. -
Fort Pillow
Confederate troops massacred over 200 black soldiers and a few white soldiers that were being held as prisoners. The soldiers begged for their lives as the Confederate troops killed them. -
Lincoln Elected to Second Term
Lincoln was not the favorite going in. He was criticized for the war's length, the casualty rates, and union losses. George McClellan and John C. Fremont were his opponents. Lincoln had never believed he would win this election. Later on he would win the election with help of absentee votes by Union soldiers. -
General Robert E. Lee Surrendered
Lee and Grant met at Appomattox Court House in Virginia. The terms of the treaty were generous. He allowed the Confederate soldiers to go home with their personal items, horses, and thre days of food and officers could keep their side arms. The most deadliest American war was officially over.
