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Abraham Lincoln is sworn in as the 16th President of the United States of America
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Confederates open fire with 50 cannons upon Fort Sumter in Charleston, South Carolina - The Civil War begins
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Virginia secedes from the Union, followed by several other states within five weeks. Forming the eleven state Confederacy - population of 9 million, this includes 4 million slaves
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President Lincoln issues a blockade against the South ports. Blockade limits the South of staying well supplied for the war against the industrialized North.
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Robert E. Lee resigns from the United States army . Lee goes to Richmond, Virginia and offers the command of the military and naval forces - they accept
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Lincoln gives a speech for the war, requesting 500,000 men
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Confederate surprise attack on Gen. Ulysses S. Grant's unsuspecting troops a Shiloh on the Tennessee river- 13,000 Union Killed and wounded and 10,000 Confederates ( more than any of the other wars combined )
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The Battle of Seven Pines as Gen. Joseph E. Johnston's Army attacks McClellan's troops in front of Richmond and almost defeats them. Gen. Johnston is wounded
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the Seven Day Battle , Lee attacks McClellan near Richmond. This results in a massive amount of losses from both sides of the armies
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the bloodiest day in U.S. military history as Gen. Robert E. Lee and the Confederate Armies are stopped at Antietam in Maryland by McClellan and Union Forces - by nightfall 26,000 men are dead, wounded, or missing
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President Lincoln Issues the final Emancipation Proclamation, freeing all slaves in territories held by Confederation - enlisting black soldiers in the Union Army
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Union Army under Gen. Hooker is decisively defeated by Lee's smaller forces at Chancellorsville. Gen. Stonewall is wounded by his own soldiers. Hooker losses are 17,000 killed, wounded or missing out of 130,000. Confederates 13,000 out of 60,000
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The tides of war turn against the South as the Confederates are defeated at the Battle of Gettysburg in Pennsylvania
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The Rebel siege of Chattanooga ends as Union forces defeat the siege army during battle - most dramatic moment of the war - Yelling " Chickamauga! Chickamauga! "
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Massive coordinated campaign involving all of the Union Armies. In Virginia, Grant with an army of 120,000 begins to advance toward Richmond to engage with Lee's army of the North, now numbering at 64,000
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Mistake was made by Grant and as a result 7,000 Union casualties in just twenty minutes during an offensive fortified rebel on the Cold Harbor in Virginia
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decisive victory by the Union was made by Gen. Philip H. Sheridan in Shenandoah Valley over the Jubal Early's troops
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U.S. congress approves the Thirteenth Amendment, Abolishing slavery.
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the last offensive for Lee's army of the North Virginia begins with an attack on Grant's center forces. Four hours in the attack is broken
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Gen. Robert E. Lee surrenders his Confederate Army in Virginia.
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Celebration breaks out in Washington
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The thirteenth amendment to the United States Constitution. Slavery is final Abolished
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Hood's rebel army of 23,000 is crushed as Nashville by 55,000 federals. The Confederate army of Tennessee ceases as an effective fighting force
