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Election of Lincoln
President Abraham Lincoln was elected the 16th president of the US in 1860. He was the first Republican to be voted president, and won against a largely populated Democratic party. Two Democratic leaders from the South were running for president as well, so the south's votes were split into two, making those votes not as powerful, and allowing President Lincoln to win the election. President Lincoln fought with the Union (North) side of the US during the Civil War. -
TX Secedes from Union
Texas was the seventh state to secede from the Union and become a Confederate state. Texas decided to join the South because they believed in Slavery, but also the rising number of Republicans in the North (Texas was a Democratic state) helped them make their decision to secede. Texas's governor, Sam Houston, was for the Union and was against secession because he thought the action could start a Civil War, but Texas seceded anyway. The US had been split into two sides, and a war was beginning. -
Houston kicked out of office
Once Texas seceded from the Union in February of 1861, Houston was forced out of office because he refused to pledge allegence to the Confederate States of America. Houston knew that there would be consequences for states seceding from the Union, and he thought it would bring civil war. After Houston left, he retired to his home in Huntsville, Texas. He later died in July, 1863. -
Battle at Fort Sumter
The Battle of Fort Sumter was the start of the Civil War. It took place in Charleston Harbor, South Carolina on April 12-14, 1861. Eighty-five Federalists soldiers (North), located at Fort Sumter, were demanded for the fort's surrender by the Confederate leader, Pierre Beauregard. The Federalists refused to give up the fort, so Beauregard and his troops opened fire. The Confederate army won the battle, though no one was killed or injured. -
Battle of Galveston
The Battle of Galveston occurred on January 1, 1863 in the Galveston Harbor. The year before, the harbor had been seized by Union Commodore, William B. Renshaw, and the Confederates wanted their Texas territory back. The Confederate Commander of Texas readied his army, and sailed two ships to Galveston Harbor to fight the Union. Battle broke out and the Confederates were gaining control. Soon, flags of truce were raised, and Union soldiers retreated in defeat; the South had won that battle. -
Battle of Gettysburg
The battle of Gettysburg lasted from July 1-3, 1863 in Gettysburg, PA. The Confederate leader, Robert E. Lee, decided he wanted to move his troops into Union territory to destroy as many military posts as possible. On their way to one of the North's largest military supply bases, they saw Union soldiers and the two armies attacked each other. With over 7,000 deaths, and 27,000 wounded soldiers, this battle was one of the Civil War's most important battles. In the end, the Union won victory. -
Battle of Sabine Pass
On October 4, 1862 the Batte of Sabine Pass began at the Confederate Fort Sabine along the Texas coast. Union troops blockaded the Sabine
pass, and advanced in on Fort Sabine, where they attacked the Confederate army. The fighting lasted until September 8, 1863. In the end, the Union was equipped with newer, more modernized weapons, so they were able to defeat the Confederate army and win the battle. -
Red River Campaign
The Red River Campaign lasted from March 10 - May 22, 1864. It was planed for the Union to take over all the land along the Red River, especially the cotton producing areas because the states in the North had a small amount of cotton. With some men on land, and others on ships, the Union set out down the Red River, but were attacked by Confederates, and the Union soldiers retreated. The Union had failed to complete this campaign. -
End of Civil War
On April 9, 1865, the Civil War ended. After four years of fighting, Robert E. Lee, the leader of the Confederate army, decided that it was time to put an end to the war. Robert E. Lee surrendered to the leader of the Union army, Ulysses S. Grant, in Virginia. The war was officially declared over, and the Union had won the Civil War. -
Battle of Palmito Ranch
This battle was the last battle of the Civil War, and it was on May 12-13, 1865. The Union Lieutenant Colonel, David Branson, marched his troops to the Confederate military camp, Palmito Ranch, where they invaded it with ease, due to the small number of Confederate soldiers at the camp. Reinforcements were called for the Confederate army, and then they attacked the Union soldiers at Palmito. After a day of fighting, the Union decided to retreat, and the Confederates won. Four people were killed. -
Juneteenth
Juneteenth occurred on June 19, 1865, and It was the day that all slaves were set free. Union soldiers came to Texas announcing that the war was officially over, and that all slaves were to be set free. Many slaves left the plantations, with little or no belongings, in search of a new life. The Union had won the war, and slavery was over America! -
Reconstruction Ends
The Reconstruction Era was the time period after the Civil War, and it ended on January 10, 1876. During this time, the government of the US had to deal with the Confederate states joining the Union. They also had to see how the people from the south should be treated. The government had to figure out what was going to happen to the freed slaves as well.
