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Abraham Lincoln is elected Presidnt
Abraham Lincol was elected as the 16th President of the United States over a divided democratic party. He only won 40% of the popular vote, and no electoral college votes form southern states. However, handily defeated John C. Breckenridge, John Bell, and Stephen Douglas -
Attack on Ft. Sumter
Confederat Brig. Gen. Beauregard demanded the garrison at the Ft. in Charelston harbor to surrender. Garrison Commander Anderson refused. So, on April 12th confederate batteries opened fire on the fort, which was unable to repel effectively. At 2:30pm Commander Anderson surrendered the fort. Was the first engagment of the Civil War. -
First battle of Bull Run
Was the first major battle of the armies of Virgina. Union forces under command of Brig. Gen Irvin McDowell marched against the confederates positioned behind Bull Run creek beyond Centreville. On July 21st, McDowell attacked the confeds at Matthew's hill. The confederates were evntually driven back to Henry's hill. The confeds broke the Union right flank the next day, giving the name "Stonewall" to Thomas Jackson. On the 22nd, the shattered Union forces retreated back to Washington. -
Battle of Pea Ridge
On the night of Mar. 6th, Confederat Maj. Gen. Earl Van Dorn set out to attack Union forces at Pea Ridge. However, Union forces under Maj. Gen Samuel R. Curtis attacked first. After intense fighting, Van Dorn was able to hold the Elkhorn Tavern-Telegraph Road area. Curtis regrouped his army and attacked the tavern with well placed artillery, slowly forcing the rebels back. Running out of ammo , Van Dorn decided to abandon the battlefield. The Union controlled Missouri for the next 2 years. -
Battle of Shiloh
Confederates under Gen. Albert S. Johnson attacked Union forces stationed along the Tennessee River. The Union troops were unprepared for the attack ande ended up falling back to a point called "The Hornets Nest." Confederate troops eventually surrounded the Union forces, killing or capturing most. Gen. Johnson was mortally wounded and replaced P.G.T Beauregard. The Union held until dark and went on a counteroffensive the next day with fresh supplies. The confeds retreated from the field. -
Seige of Vicksburg
Maj. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant and his forces converged on Vicksburg. Trapping the city and the confed. army under Lt. Gen John C. Pemberton. On July 4th, Vicksburg surrendered after a long seige of operations. Was a culmination of one of the most brilliant acts of the war. With the loss of the strongpoint on the Mississippi, the confederacy was split in two. Grant's success in the West boosted his reputation, ultimately leading to his promotion to General-In-Chief of the Union army. -
Battle of Seven Pines
Confederate Gen. Johnson attempted to attakc a federal force by the Chickamahony River. The attack succeeded, causing the Union forces to fall back. One June 1st, the confeds continued their assault of the Federals, who without last minute reinforcements would have been defeated. Confederate Gen. Johnson was wounded, causeing the the command job of the Army of Northern Vigina to fall to Robert E. Lee. -
Second battle of Bull Run
Confederate Brig. Gen. Jackson ordered an attack on the Federals front passing in front of him at Warrenton Turnpike. Fighting lasted for several hours but lasted in a stalemate. Union Brig. Gen. Pope attacked the next day, with heavy casualties on both sides. Pope was eventually driven back to Bull Run creek. Lee ordered the confederate forces to pursue. This was the decisive battle of the Campaign in Northern Virgina. -
Battle of Antietam
23,000 soldiers were killed after 12 hours of fighting on this day. It also stopped Robert E. Lee and the Army of Northern Virgina's first attempt to invade the north. Gave President Lincoln enough momentum to issue the Emancipation Proclimation. -
Lincoln issues Emancipation Proclimation
The proclimation stated that all slaves of the southern states were free. Lincoln had no actual way of enfocing this law, so the document itself was viewed as more of a motivation or spiritual symbol. Was issued after the Union victory at Antietam, so it didnt look like it was used as an act of desperation. -
Battle of Fredricksburg
Was one of the largest and eadliest of the war. Featured the 1st majorly apposed river crossing in American military history. Also fought in the urban environment of Fredricksburg, 1st of the war. Union Maj. Gen Ambrose Burnside was in command against Gen. Robert E. Lee. Burnside's plan was to take Marye's heights, but after several attacks that proved near impossible. As darkness fell, it was clear this was a Confederate victory. Burnside was removed as commander of Army of the Patomic. -
Battle of Chancellorsville
Maj. Gen. Joseph Hooker just succesfully led his army across the Rapphanock fords. Rather then retreat from the larger force, Gen. Lee decided to attack Hooker while he was still in the thick wilderness. The attack led Hooker's troops to retreat back across the Rapphanock fords. Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson was mortally wounded during this battle. Also considered to be Lee's most impressive victory of the war. -
Battle of Gettysburg
On July 1st, Confederates pushed Union defenders back through Gettysburg to Cemetery Hill. The next day Lee attacked points at Devil's Den, Little Round Top, the wheatfield, Peach Orchard, Culp's hill, and East Cemetery pushing the Union back. On the morning of July 3rd fighting intensified at Culp's hill, with the Union regaining ground . Lee later attacked the Union center at Cemetery hill, and was replused with heavy losses. This was known as Pickett's charge. -
Battle of Chickamuaga
Confederat Maj. Gen. Braggs assaulted the Union lines but couldnt break through. Union Maj. Gen Rosecrans was informed of a gap in his line, but while trying to fix it created another. Confederate Maj. Gen Longstreet's troops exploited it, causing Rosecrans to fall back. Maj. Gen George Thomas took command, holding the field at all costs. After determined attacks by confederat troops, Thomas held until darrk. Then leaving the field to the confederates while they fell back to Chattanooga. -
Battle of Chattanooga
Union Maj. Gen. William Rosecrans had been under seige for confederate forces since September, and his supply lines were cut off. Maj. Gen Ulysses S. Grant recently took charge of forces in the west, and replaced Rosecrans with Maj. Gen. George Thomas. Eventually aided by Maj. Gen William T. Sherman, the Union forces were able to take the Confederate strongpoint at Missionary Ridge. Which lead to the ultimate capture of Chattanooga. Became supply point for Sherman's Atlanta campaign. -
Battle of Spotsylvania
Was a stalling point for Gen. Grant and Meade on their advance toward Richmond. The Union attacked at teh Bloody angle at dawn of May 12-13, taking nearly a division of Lee's army. Would half cut Confed forces inhalf, but counterattacks plunged the gap. Confeds attempted to flank Union at Harris Farm, but were beaten back with high casualties. On May 21st Grant disengaged and continued his advance towards Richmond. -
Battle of Cold Harbor
On May 31st, Sheridan's calvary seized the crossroads of Old Cold Harbor. By June 2nd, all forces were spread on a 7-,ile fron from Bethesda church to the Chickahominy River. On June 3rd, Maj. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant ordered an attack along the Bthesda church- Old Harbor line, and were slaughtered at all points. Grant stated its one attack he wished he never made. Grant the swung his troops off the left flank in hope of dangering Petersburg. -
Seige of Petersburg
Gen. Meade's Army of the Potomic crossed the James River at Windmill Point. They attacked the Petersburg landing on June 15th. Petersburg, under command of P.G.T Beauregard were driven from their first line of defenses at Harrison Creek. Gen. Lee tried desperatly to rush reinforcements from the Army of Northern Virgina. The Union forces attacked on June 18th but were reppelled with heavy casualties. The best chance to take Petersburg without a siege was lost. The siege of Petersburg tbegan -
Surrender at Appomattox Court House
On Palm Sunday, 1865 Gen. Lee surrendered to Gen. Grant signaling the end to the Confederate States of America. Set the stage for a more powerful central government. -
Assasination of President Lincoln
President Lincoln was assassinated by John Wilkes Booth on this date at Fords Theatre in Washington D.C. He was accompanied by his wife Mary Todd Lincoln, Maj. Henry R. Rathbone and his fiancee, Clara Harris. After being shot, Lincoln was carried across the street to a boarding house. However, doctor's efforts failed, and at 7:22am April 15th, Lincoln was pronounced dead.
