Civil war

Civil war book timeline

By hclements2020

  • Civil war starts

    Civil war starts
    Confederate soldiers fire at Union soldiers at Fort Sumter in Charleston, South Carolina. The Civil War officially begins.

  • First Battle of Bull Run

    First Battle of Bull Run
    The First Battle of Bull Run-Union General Irvin McDowell against the new Confederate army. McDowell is defeated causing the retreat back to Washington. Lincoln isn't happy. The withdrawal is hampered by the large numbers of spectators who are there to see the battle.

  • Moniter vs. Merrimack

    Moniter vs. Merrimack
    The Confederate ironclad USS Merrimack battles the Union ironclad USS Monitor in Chesapeake Bay. The battle is a draw but it makes wooden ships obsolete and ushers in the era of steel warships, changing naval warfare forever

  • Antietam

    Antietam
    The Battle of Antietam is the bloodiest day in United States history. Over 26,000 men are killed, wounded or missing in action on both sides. The battle stops General Robert E. Lee's invasion of Maryland and he retreats back to Virginia.

  • Emancipation Proclamation

    Emancipation Proclamation
    Lincoln issues the Emancipation Proclamation. It frees all slaves in territory captured by the Union Army, and orders the enlistment of Black soldiers. From this point forward, the Civil War is a war over slavery.

  • Gettysburg

    Gettysburg
    From July 1st to July 4th, the Union Army under General Meade defeats Robert E. Lee's Confederate Army at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. One of the bloodiest battles of the war, Gettysburg is a turning point, and marks the farthest advance of the Confederate Army into Northern territory. This event would lead to the Gettysburg address.

  • Grant Takes Command

    Grant Takes Command
    Lincoln appoints Ulysses S. Grant commander of all Union armies, ending his long search for a decent general to command northern forces.

  • Battle of Cold Harbor

    Battle of Cold Harbor
    Jun 1, 1864 - Jun 3, 1864
    The bloody battle of Cold Harbor is a loss for the Union. General Ulysses S. Grant makes a series of tactical mistakes that result in the deaths of 7,000 Union in 20 minutes.

  • Lee Surrenders

    Lee Surrenders
    General Robert E. Lee surrenders to General Ulysses S. Grant in a farmhouse in the town of Appomattox Court House, Virginia. The war is over.

  • Slavery Abolished

    Slavery Abolished
    The 13th Amendment is ratified by the States. Slavery is abolished.