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Abraham Lincoln Elected President
When Lincoln was elected president the major issue of slavery was stirred for the last time, and itstarted a fire bigger than anyone saw coming. Although he said he had no plans of ending slavery where is already exsisted he was known for being for anti-slavery.South Carolina saw Lincoln being elected as a threat and it wasnt long until they secede because of it. Ironically Lincoln said in his inauguration speech secession was not an option. -
Attack on Fort Sumter
Lincoln wanted to send supplies to Fort Sumpter but he did not want any hostility occuring toward they men bringing the suplies so he told the state before he brought supplies over, The commander of the fort refused, and after he used up all their supllies, Robert Anderson offered to surrender, but it was too late, Confederate forces opened fire. one day later the Union troops surrendered the fort. -
First Battle of Bull Run
A big victory for Confederate soldiers. they outsmarted the Union who had thought they could get the upperhand by moving adn attacking from the left rather tahn head on and the Confederates realized this quickly. This batttle helped raised the spirits of the Confederate soldiers. General Irvan McDowell and his union troops were forced to retreat in a very chaotic manner. Most say they literally looked like small children running scsared. -
Battle of Shiloh
Confederate forces attacked Union forces at Shiloh Tennesee. It was the first major bloodbath of the war. By nightfall of April 6th, it was looking promising for the exhausted Confederate forces, though non of them planned on the union bringing in reinforciments during the night and by the next morning the Union had taken control. Confederates were forced to retreat. -
Union Captures New Orleans
David G. Farragut for the Union was trying to sneak his ships into the greatest Confederate port in the Civil War. Although at first it was hard, he managed to get 13 ships into the port and allow him to capture the greatest prot and center of trade. Capturing this also helped the Union gain control of lower Mississippi. The Confederate General Mansfield Lovell lost the city and it ended his carreer. -
Battle of Seven Pines
General Joseph Johnston wanted to destory the Union army and he took offensive position. The whole plan went bad from the start and he was forced to take his troops to Williamsburg to retreat. This battle was very important becasue it started the Seven Days Battle. Once again McClellan showed he could keep his troops on top of the Confederate armies. -
Seven Days' Battle
Robert E. Lee used a very different form of the offensive position in this battle. It caught McClellan off guard and shocked him. Over seven days the Confederate army attacked Beaver Dam Creek, Gaines’ Mill, Savage Station, Glendale, and Malvern Hill. Slam after slam, the confederate army never slowed down. Soon the Union was forced to leave the region. -
Second Battle of Bull Run
Another very important victory for the Confederate forces.The Union was crushed again and forced to retreat. After the First Battle of Bull Run, General John Pope did not want to replay such a disorganized retreat. The next day General Lee sent his troops in pursuit of the retreating army. -
Battle of Antietam
General Robert E. Lee: commander of the Confederate forces, met General McClellan and his Union troops in Maryland. It was the bloodiest battle of the war. Lee retreated to Virginia allowing McClellan had the biggest victory of his carreer. That victory lifted the Union morale and was the reason Lincoln presented the Emancipation Proclimation to the United States. -
Emancipation Proclimation
After the Union won in the Battle of Antietam, President Lincoln sent out the Emancipation Proclimation. This freed all salves who lived in the rebellious states. It said nothing about the slaves living in the border states that were fighting for the Union. Though many Americans ignored this rule it did show everyone what the Civil War was being faught for :Slavery. -
Siege of Vicksburg
Grant won and created a great victory for the Union. Not only did he defeat General John C. Pemberton's army but he gained the stronghold in Mississippi. This was a great battle for Grant personally because it helped make him famous and led to him being elected "General-in-Chief" of the Union. This also helped lead to battles in the very near future which successfully split the Confederacy in two. -
West Virginia Becomes a State
When Virginia seceded, many of the people living in the western part of Virginia did not agree with that decision and did not want to secede, so on June 20th they entered into the Union as "West Virginia". West Virginia is often referred to as the "Child from the Storm" because it was the only state formed due to the Civil War. -
Battle of Gettysburg
This bloody battle started as an accidental chance meeting between Confederate and Union forces. After an extemely brutal three day battle, the Union came out victorious under General Lee. Pennsylvania was a huge loss for the South. -
Gettysburg Address
Getting inspiration from Presidents Lincolnc favorite document:the Declaration of Independence he gave a speech at the dedication to a memorial cemetary and it became so famous, it is now known as "Gettysburg Address". With that speech he inspired the soldiers who were still alive and gave reason and meaning to the sacrifise of those who had fallen. -
Battle of Cold Harbor
The Battle of Cold Harbor lasted from May 31st to June 12th and was a another Confederate win for Lee and Grant was beat, but although he won, Lee and his army never recovered in time from Grant's attacks.This became Lee's last main victory in the Civil War. -
Siege of Petersburg
Also known as "Breakthrough at Petersburg" the Union had a geat victory and was said to send General Lee into hiding. This was a long, rough battle. lasting 10 long, horrible months. The fall of Petersburg meant the armies in the south were scattered and it helped pave the way to the end of the Civil War. -
Lincoln is Re-elected
Lincoln had many issue to resolve going into his 2nd term. The Civil War was currently in its 4th year and many people were questioning the reasons. Although many northerns had not supported the Emanicapation Proclimation, they did want a compromise and saw that happening with Lincoln, not his Democratic oppenent George McClellan. Despite the majority of Union soldiers voting for their commander-in-chief, Lincoln still one 55% of the vote. -
Shermans March to the Sea
Major General William T. Sherman wanted nothing more than to crush the will and morale of the Confederate forces. He decided the best way to do this was to tear down their economic and psychological will to fight. Sherman starts his troop on the march and cuts himself off from the supply lines, planning on his men to live off the land. upon arrival to the city of Savannah, after creating plans of attack, and small amounts of fighting, the city was surrendered to Sherman on December 21 -
Surrender at Appomattox Courthouse
Lee surrendered to Grant on April 9. This was the final engagement of the war in Virginia. The Confederate army wanted to sneak by and get their supplies but the Union showed up and stopeed them dead in their tracks. -
Assassination of President Lincoln
On the night of April 14th, Lincoln went with friends and his wife to see a play at Fords Theater and his guard left his assigned post during the show. John Wilkes Booth snuck in, shot Lincoln and jumped off the balcony and broke his leg but he escaped nevertheless. He was caught by Union soldiers twelve days later in a barn in Virgina. Booth was originally going to kidnap the president and use him to make a peace treaty be signed between to two fighting sides, but Booth decided differently.
