Civil War Timeline

By makenzienglish

  • Abraham Lincoln elected as 16th President of United States

  • South Carolina secedes from Union

  • 6 more states secede from Union

  • southern states that seceded create a government and the Confederate States of America are formed.

  • Jefferson Davis- first president of the confederate states

  • Lincoln Inauguration

  • Southern forces fire upon Fort Sumter, South Carolina. The Civil War has formally begun.

  • Battle at Fort Sumter

    April 12-14

  • John Pope was appointed to brigadier general of volunteers by President Abraham Lincoln.

  • The Battle of Bull Run

  • William T. Sherman: Although the Union army was defeated during the battle, President Abraham Lincoln was impressed by Sherman’s performance and he was promoted to brigadier general

  • Meade was promoted from captain to brigadier general of volunteers

  • 7 Days Battle

    June 25-July 1

  • Second Battle of Bull Run

    August 30-31

  • Battle of Antietam

    Bloodiest war in American history. The result of the battle ends General Lee's first invasion of the North. Following the Union victory, President Lincoln will introduce the Emancipation Proclamation, an executive order that freed every slave in the Confederate States.

  • Burnside takes of Army of Potomac

  • Battle of Fredricksburg

    Dec 11-15

  • Jackson commanded victory at Fredricksburg

  • Emancapation Proclamation in effect

    Applauded by many abolitionists including Frederick Douglass, there are others who feel it does not go far enough to totally abolish slavery.

  • "Fighting Joe" Hooker takes over for army of Potomac.

  • battle of chancellorsville

  • Stonewall Jackson shot by his own man

  • Battle at Cold Harbor

    May 31-June 12

  • Meade was given command of the Army of the Potomac.

  • Battle at Gettysburg

    July1-3

  • Appomattox Courthouse

  • Battle of Appomattox Court House

    Surrender, Appomattox Court House, Virginia. After an early morning attempt to break through Union forces blocking the route west to Danville, Virginia, Lee seeks an audience with General Grant to discuss terms. That afternoon in the parlor of Wilmer McLean, Lee signs the document of surrender. On April 12, the Army of Northern Virginia formally surrenders and is disbanded.

  • Lincoln Assassinated

    By John Wilkes Booth in the Ford Theatre

  • Andrew Johnson became president after Lincoln was assassinated

  • Civil War ends