Civil War Annotated Timeline

Fort Sumter

Apr 12, 1861

nps.govOn April 11, 1861 in Charlestown, South Carolina, Beauregard commanded the surrender of Fort Sumter, Robert Anderson refused, on April 12, Beauregard attacked the fort, the next day Anderson gave the fort up. This was the first casuality of the Civil War.

Battle of Bull Run (1st)

Jul 21, 1861

thinkquest.orgGeneral McDowell commanded 28,000 union soliders to attack general Beauregard at Richmond but met at Manassas. In the beginning of the five hour battle the unions had the confederates beat, but "Stonewall Jackson" stood his ground until reinforcement came, which caused the union to retreat earning the confederates a victory. This was the first major conflict of the Civil War.

Battle of Hampton Roads

Mar 8, 1862

nps.govIn Hampton Roads, Virginia, Lt. John Worden and Lt. Catesby R. Jones. The Confederate ironclad Virginia ran into Hampton Roads, it sunk Cumberland. The Union ironclad came for battle and they fought till a standstill. There was no victory for either side. The battle ended on March 9, 1862.

Battle of Shiloh

Apr 6, 1862

nps.govIn Hardin County, Tennessee, Union commander Ulysess S. Grant and confederate commander Robert E. Lee fought untill the Confederates retreated, this was the fiercest fighting the civil war has seen yet, it was a Union victory and gave control of the Tennessee river to the Union. Johnston was killed. The battle ended on the 7th.

Battle of Bull Run (2nd)

Aug 28, 1862

nps.orgIn Manassas, Virginia, Union general John Pope and Confederate general Robert E. Lee, had a two day battle exactly like the 1st Bull Run, the confederates won, while the union retreated to Centreville. The battle ended on August 30, 1862.

Battle of Antietam

Sep 16, 1862

civilwar.orgIn Sharpsburg, Maryland, McClellan attacked Lee's northern Virgina army. It was known as the bloodest battle in all history, McClellan and his union army claimed the victory, leading Lee's army out of Maryland, on Septermber 18, 1862. It gave Lincoln the victory he needed to deliver the Emancipation Proclamation.

Battle of Fredricksburg

Dec 11, 1862

nps.govIn Fredricksburg, Virginia, Union General Burnside led his men against Confederate General Lee. The Confederates won on December 15, when Burnside retreated across the river.

Emancipation Proclaimation

Jan 1, 1863

archives.govAbraham Lincoln issued this document on the 3rd year of the Civil War, It stated that "all persons held as slaves" within the confederate states "are, and henceforward shall be free." It was still limited it only worked in the confederates states and the border states remained untouched.

Battle of Chancellorsville

Apr 27, 1863

nps.gov On April, 27th, Hooker led his troops on Lee's army at Spotsyleania County, Virginia. The battle ended on May 6, 1863. It was a Confederate Victory. It was also considered Lee's greatest victory.

Battle of Gettysburg

Jul 1, 1863

nps.govTook place in Adams County, PA. The officers General G.. Meade and General Robert E. Lee. The battle was a Union Victory, The battle ended on July 3, 1863

Siege of Vicksburg

Jul 4, 1863

nps.govIn Mississippi Ulysses took in the city and trapped the confederate army commanded by Pemberton, Pemberton surrendered, giving the Union the victory, with the Union in control of the Mississippi the Confederacy was now sucessfully split in half.

Siege of Atlanta

Sep 22, 1864

nps.govIn Georgia, Sherman took Lee on surprise when he tried to take over Atlanta, in which he won. That same year Lincoln won for reelection.

Surrender at Appomattox Courthouse

Apr 9, 1865

General Lee surrendered at the Appomattox Courthouse in Virginia. The Civil War was finally over it set how much the power the federal government has. Now the South was back into the Union.

Assassination of Abraham Lincoln

Apr 14, 1865

rogerjnorton.comJohn Wilkes Booth, commited the assassination at Ford's Theatre at the show of Our American Cousin, at about 10:15 Booth shot Lincoln in the back of the head, Lincoln did not die till April 15, 1865.

Ratification of the 13th Amendment

Dec 6, 1865

"Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction." This Admendment abolished slavery in the United States.