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Civil War
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Mill
The Pemberton Mill collapses in Lawrence, Massachusetts, killing 145 workers. -
Speech
Abraham Lincoln gives his Cooper Union speech. -
Pony Express
The Pony Express begins its first run from Saint Joseph, Missouri to Sacramento, California. -
Union Party
The U.S. Constitutional Union Party holds its convention and nominates John Bell for President of the United States. -
Battle
Paiute War was where American vigilantes seek out the Paiutes and are soundly defeated. Disorganized and outnumbered, nearly all of the vigilantes are killed or wounded. -
Republican Party
Abraham Lincoln is selected as the U.S. presidential candidate for the Republican Party. -
Ceasefire
The Paiute War ends with an informal ceasefire. -
Riot
The Stone's Prairie Riot takes place in Payson and Plainville, Illinois between the Republican Wide Awakes para-military organization and armed Democratic supporters of Stephen A. Douglas. -
Presidency
U.S. presidential election: Abraham Lincoln beats John C. Breckinridge, Stephen A. Douglas, and John Bell and is elected as the 16th President of the United States, the first Republican to hold that office. -
First Secede
South Carolina becomes the first state to secede from the United States. -
Not Secede
American Civil War: Delaware votes not to secede from the Union. -
Second Secede
Mississippi becomes the second state to secede from the Union, preceding the American Civil War. -
Third Secede
American Civil War: Florida secedes from the Union. -
Fourth Secede
American Civil War: Alabama secedes from the Union. -
Fifth Secede
American Civil War: Georgia secedes from the Union. -
Sixth Secede
American Civil War: Louisiana secedes from the Union. -
New State
Kansas is admitted as the 34th U.S. state -
Eight Secede
American Civil War: Texas secedes from the Union. -
First Battle
Battle of Fort Sumter: The American Civil War begins at Fort Sumter, South Carolina. -
Ninth Secede
The state of Virginia secedes from the Union. -
First Ship
The first US ironclad warship, the USS Monitor, is launched. -
First Battle
American Civil War General Ulysses S. Grant gives the United States its first victory of the war, by capturing Fort Henry, Tennessee. -
COnfederate President
American Civil War: Jefferson Davis is officially inaugurated in Richmond, Virginia, to a 6-year term as president of the Confederate States of America. -
War
American Civil War – The Battle of Pea Ridge: The Confederates are shut out of Missouri. -
Shiloh
American Civil War: In Tennessee, the Battle of Shiloh begins. -
New Law
U.S. President Abraham Lincoln signs the Homestead Act into law. -
Confederates
American Civil War: Robert E. Lee takes command of the Army of Northern Virginia. -
Union Capture
American Civil War – Battle of Memphis: Union forces capture Memphis, Tennessee from the Confederates -
Battle
American Civil War – Battle of Baton Rouge: Along the Mississippi River near Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Confederate troops drive Union forces back into the city. -
Explosion
American Civil War: The Allegheny Arsenal explosion results in the single largest civilian disaster during the war. -
Lincoln
President Abraham Lincoln issues the second executive order of the Emancipation Proclamation, specifying ten Confederate states in which slaves were to be freed. -
Railroad
Ground is broken in Sacramento, California on the construction of the First Transcontinental Railroad in the United States. -
Arizona Territory
Arizona is organized as a United States territory. -
Banking
Abraham Lincoln signs the National Banking Act into law. -
Idaho
Idaho Territory is organized by the U.S. Congress. -
Massacre
American Civil War – Battle of Lawrence: Lawrence, Kansas is attacked by William Quantrill's raiders, who kill an estimated 200 men and boys. The raid becomes notorious in the North as one of the most vicious atrocities of the Civil War. -
Siege
American Civil War – The Siege of Knoxville begins: Confederate forces led by General James Longstreet place Knoxville, Tennessee under siege -
Gettysburg
American Civil War: U. S. President Abraham Lincoln delivers the Gettysburg Address at the military cemetery dedication ceremony in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. -
Escape
American Civil War: Confederate cavalry leader John Hunt Morgan and several of his men escape the Ohio state prison, and return safely to the South. -
Governor
Leland Stanford, the 8th Governor of California, is succeeded by Frederick Low. -
Escape again
American Civil War: Libby Prison Escape – 109 Union soldiers escape from the Confederate prison in Richmond, Virginia, 59 making it back to their home territory. -
Prisoners
American Civil War: The first Northern prisoners arrive at the Confederate prison at Andersonville, Georgia -
Chief
American Civil War: President Abraham Lincoln appoints Ulysses S. Grant commander in chief of all Union armies. -
March
American Civil War: The Red River Campaign begins as Union troops reach Alexandria, Louisiana. -
New Battle
American Civil War: The Battle of the Wilderness begins in Spotsylvania County, Virginia. -
Montana
Montana is organized as a United States territory out of parts of Washington Territory and Dakota Territory, and is signed into law by President Abraham Lincoln. -
Petersburg
The Siege of Petersburg begins. Union forces under General Grant and troops led by Confederate General Robert E. Lee battle for the last time. -
Peachtree
Battle of Peachtree Creek: Near Atlanta, Georgia, Confederate forces led by General John Bell Hood unsuccessfully attack Union troops under General William T. Sherman. -
Atlanta
Confederate General Hood evacuates Atlanta after a 4-month siege mounted by Union General Sherman. -
Saltville
Battle of Saltville: Union forces attack Saltville, Virginia but are defeated by Confederate troops. -
Fort FIsher
United States forces capture Fort Fisher. -
Chief
Confederate General Robert E. Lee becomes general-in-chief. -
Troops
The Confederate States of America agrees to the use of African American troops. -
Confederate President
"Evacuation Sunday": Confederate President Jefferson Davis and most of his Cabinet flee the Confederate capital of Richmond, Virginia, which is taken by Union troops the next day. -
Death
Inauguration of Andrew Johnson: President Lincoln dies of his gunshot wound early this morning and Vice President Andrew Johnson becomes the 17th President of the United States. -
Charloutte
Confederate President Jefferson Davis and his entire cabinet arrive in Charlotte with a contingent of 1,000 soldiers. -
Secret Service
The U.S. Secret Service is founded. -
Hanging
Following Abraham Lincoln's assassination on April 14, the 4 conspirators condemned to death during the trial are hanged, including David Herold, George Atzerodt, Lewis Payne and Mary Surratt. Her son, John Surratt, escapes execution by fleeing to Canada, and ultimately to Egypt. -
Shootout
In the market square of Springfield, Missouri, Wild Bill Hickok shoots Dave Tutt dead in what is regarded as the first true western showdown. -
Slavery
The Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution (which forever abolishes slavery) is declared ratified by three-quarters of the states of the United States. -
Robbery
The first daylight bank robbery in United States history during peacetime takes place in Liberty, Missouri. This is considered to be the first robbery committed by Jesse James and his gang, although James's role is disputed. -
Freeing more slaves
The Civil Rights Act of 1866 is passed, overriding a presidential veto, granting further rights to freed slaves. -
Coin
The U.S. Congress approves the minting of a nickel 5-cent coin (nickel), eliminating its predecessor, the half dime. -
Death
US General Winfield Scott dies, West Point, New York. -
Great fire
The Great Fire of Portland, Maine kills two and leaves 10,000 homeless in the worst fire in an American city at the time. -
Court
The Judicial Circuits Act reduces the number of United States circuit courts to nine and the number of Supreme Court justices to seven. -
Rank
The U.S. Congress passes legislation authorizing the rank of General of the Army (now called "5-star general"); Lieutenant General Ulysses S. Grant becomes the first to have this rank. -
Johnson
The National Union Convention is held in Philadelphia with hopes to reconcile the Radical Republicans in Congress with the Reconstructionist policies of President Andrew Johnson. -
Andrew Johnson
President Andrew Johnson goes on his Swing Around the Circle speaking tour to gain support for his Reconstructionist policies and Democratic Party candidates in the upcoming elections. -
Landslide
House of Representatives elections: Despite President Andrew Johnson's Swing Around the Circle tour, the Republican Party wins in a landslide. -
Bridge
The John A. Roebling Suspension Bridge opens between Cincinnati, Ohio and Covington, Kentucky, becoming the longest suspension bridge in the world. -
Voting
African-American men are granted the right to vote in the District of Columbia. -
New state
Nebraska is admitted as the 37th U.S. state -
Alaska
Alaska is purchased for $7.2 million from Alexander II of Russia, about 2 cent/acre ($4.19/km²), by United States Secretary of State William H. Seward. -
Mine
The Atlantic Cable Quartz Lode mine is named in Montana. -
Massacre
A Sioux and Cheyenne war party kills U.S. Second Lieutenant Lyman Kidder, along with an Indian scout and ten enlisted men in Kansas. -
Elevated Railroad
The first elevated railroad in USA begins service in New York. -
Harvard
In Boston, Massachusetts, the Harvard School of Dental Medicine is established as the first dental school in the United States. -
Midway
The United States takes control of Midway Island. -
Treaty
Near Medicine Lodge Creek, Kansas, a landmark treaty is signed by southern Great Plains Indian leaders. The treaty requires Native American Plains tribes to relocate to a reservation in western Oklahoma.