A Civil War Timeline from 1861 to the Assassination of President Lincoln in 1865 by Ray Harris
By stcolumbanus
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Period: to
Timespan of the Civil War
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Lincoln elected as President and South Carolina voted to be removed from the Union followd by ten other states.
Abraham Lincoln elected as President and on December 20th 1860 South Carolina voted to be removed from the Union known as the United States of America. This lead to six more states to be removed Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisianna, and Texas. Then four more states voted to be removed Virginia, Arkansas, Tennessee, and North Carolina. http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/cwphtml/tl1861.html -
Birth of the Confederate constitution
Eleven states formed the Confederate states of America and developed a Confederate constitution at a convention in Alabama. Jefferson Davis, a west point graduate and former United States Army officer who was appointed provisional president of the Confederacy until elections could be held. The South wanted to sieze southern federal forts. On March 4, 1861 Abraham Lincoln is sworn in as the 16th President of the United States. http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/confederate-constitution-ad -
Shots fired at Fort Sumter
At 4:30am General P.G.T Beauregard, commander of the Confederate troops enter the Charleston Harbor surrounding Fort Sumter was asked to surrender immediately, but refused. General Beauregard opened fire with 50 cannons upon Fort Sumter in Charleston, South Carolina. On April 13th Major Robert Anderson surrendered the fort and this became the beginning of the Civil War. http://www.civilwar.org/battlefields/fort-sumter.html -
The Battle of Bull Run
The Battle of Bull Run is considered to be the first major land battle of the Virginian armies. On July 16,1861 Brigadier General Irvin McDowell of the Union marched his army from Washington to Virginia to battle the Confederate army. McDowell attacked the Confederates left flank on Matthews Hill by crossing at Sudley Ford. The Union was able to drive the Confederates back to Henry Hill. After a long day of fighting the Confederates under the lead of Brigadier General Thomas Jackson. (continued) -
Brigadier Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson (continued from Bull Run)
recieved reinforcements and rapidly shattered the Union army. By July 22,1861 the defeated, inexperienced Union troops retreated back to the safety of Washington. The Confederate troops led by Brigadier General Barnard Bee stated Jackson's troops stood against the Union forces "like a stone wall" this is how Thomas Jackson became known as Stonewall Jackson. http://www.civilwar.org/battlefields/bullrun.html
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The Battle of Antietam (continued)
both sides and there was one last push by the Union at the bridge at Antietam Creek. Even though this battle ended in a draw President Abraham Lincoln declared this battle a victory because the Conferderate army retreated.
http://www.civilwar.org/battlefields/antietam.html
http://www.civilwar.org/education/history/biographies/robert-e-lee.html
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The Battle of Antietam
Tha Battle of Antietam is knon as the bloodiest single day in American military history. Under the command of General George McClellan of the union led his troops (The Army of the Potomac) against a powerful attack against the Confederate troops led by Robert E. Lee near Sharpsburg, Maryland. The vicious attack swept back and fourth between the Union aznd Confederate troops taking them through Miller's Cornfield and the West Woods. By the later part of the day the struggle had taken a toll on -
The Battle of Gettysburg
Even though the Batttle of Gettysburg did not end the the war more men fought and died during this war than in any other battle in American History.General Lee had 75,000 men in his Army of Northern Virginia and General Meade had 97,000 men that made the Union Army of the Potomac. This famous battle of the Civil War lasted three days and ended with the Confederate Army feeling the impact of the Union Army's -
The Battle of Gettysburg (continued)
overpowering them. Despite their efforts the Confederate Army could not regain their strength and General Lee decided to retreat. http://www.civilwar.org/battlefields/gettysburg.html -
The Gettysburg Address
On November 19,1863 at the dedication of the Soldiers' National Cemetery at Gettysburg. Abraham Lincoln was the second person to speak at the dedication at one of the battle sites of the Civil War in Gettysburg. Despite the length of his speech, which was written by Lincoln himself, only lasted about two minutes. However this short speech soon became a masterpiece though Lincoln thought it may not be remembered it is still being read 149 years later. http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/232 -
The Battle of Sayler's Creek: Setting the Stage for Appomattox
The Battle of Sayler's Creek fought on April 6, 1865 was the beginning to the end of the Civil War. Robert Lee marched his army theough the night to rendezvous in Amelia Court House, Virginia where he expected to get supplies and food for his men. He was going to then lead his troops south to North Carolina. lee arrived at Amelia on April 4 and found trains loaded with munitions but none had food for his men. General Ulysses Grant and his Union army where in heavy persuit of the Confederates. -
The Battle of Sayler's Creek: Setting the Stage for Appomattox (continued 2)
Lee reassembeled his army at Farmville and was able to partially provide provisions for his men before being forced out and headed west where they were eventually cornered at Appomattox.
http://militaryhistory.about.com/od/civilwarintheeast/p/battle-of-saylers-creek.htm -
The Battle of Sayler's Creek: Setting the Stage for Appomattox (continued 1)
Lee departed Amelia and marched around the Union to avoid any attack with the goal of getting his tired and hungray troops to Farmville where he knew supplies would be waiting. The Union began attacking the Confederates at dusk as they crossed the "double Bridges" over Sayler's Creek. There were many casualties, the Conferderate's lost about 7,700 kiled, wounded, and captured. The Union lost around 1,150. The Confederate army lost about a quater of its remaining army. -
Surrender at Appomattox
After the retreat in Gettysburg General Lee and his Army of Northern Virginia headed west to the village of Appomattox. This is where the well positioned Union Army cornered the Confederate Army and forced General Lee to raise a white flg. UzSS Grant and Lee meet to discuss the terms of the surrender which bought the Civil War to an end. http://militaryhistory.about.com/od/civilwarintheeast/p/American-Civil-War-Surrender-At-Appomattox.htm -
The Assassination Of President Abraham Lincoln (continued)
to authorities after being shot. Many believed that Booth did not act alone and their where actually at least four conspirators involved in the assassination of Lincoln.Later that day Booth died on April 26,1865 and his conspirators were hanged in the gallows in the old penitentiary on July 7, 1865.
http://www.american-presidents-history.com/abraham-lincoln-assassination.html
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/alhtml/alrint
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The Assassination of President Abraham Lincoln
On the evening of April 14, 1865 President Abraham lincoln went to see a special performance of the comedy "Our American Cousin" with the First Lady Mary Todd Lincoln at the Fords's Theater. While there a man by the name of John Wilkes Booth snuck up behind President Lincoln and shot him in the back of the head at point blank range. Booth then jumped over the balcony and escaped through a back door which began a massive man hunt that lasted for twelve days before he was cornered and surrendered
