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Civil War Timeline
Civil War Timeline -
Cooper Union Speech
Lincoln was not yet the Republican nominee for the presidency, as the convention was scheduled for May. It is considered one of his most important speeches. Some historians have argued that the speech was responsible for his victory in the presidential election later that year -
the beginning of the Pony Express
begins its first run from Saint Joseph, Missouri to Sacramento, California. This provided fast information between people and would be used in the civil war for the Union -
Constituional Union Party
The U.S. Constitutional Union Party holds its convention and nominates John Bell for President of the United States. -
Abraham Lincoln is chosen
Abraham Lincoln is chosen for the U.S Presidental Candidate for the Republican Party -
Slave population
in this census, it was determined that there were about 4 million slaves in the south -
Stone's Prairie Riot
The Stone's Prairie Riot takes place in Payson and Plainville, Illinois between the Republican Wide Awakes and armed Democratic supporters of Stephen A. Douglas. -
Lincoln Wins Election
Lincoln won the presidental election with over 1.8 million votes and 180 electoral votes. He won states in the northern parts of the United States and on the new states on the west coast. He managed to win the election because the democratic party split into the southern and northern democrats and this caused the voters to split between the two candidates so that Lincoln was enevitable to win. -
Crittenden Compromise
The Crittenden Compromise was an unsuccessful proposal introduced by the United States Senator John J. Crittenden . It aimed to resolve the secession crisis of 1860–1861 by addressing the fears of slavery that led many slaveholding to secede from the union. -
South Carolina secedes
on this date the State of South Carolina formally secedes from the Union of the United States -
South Carolina makes a statement
"Declaration of the Immediate Causes Which Induce and Justify the Secession of South Carolina from the Federal Union", analogous to the United States Declaration of Independence. -
Mississippi secedes
The State of Mississippi secedes from the Union and is the second State to secede. -
Florida Secedes
The day after Mississippi secedess, florida secedes from the Union as well. They become the third state to leave -
Alabama secedes
The day following the seccession of Florida and Mississippi, Alabama secedes from the Union. The 4th state to leave. -
Georgia secedes
The 5th state to leave the Union of the United States was Georgia -
Louisiana secedes
Louisian secedes from the Union. They become the 6th state to leave the Union -
Texas secedes
the 7th state to leave the United States was Texas -
The Confederate States of America
At this point, the first six states that seceded from the Union came together in Montgomery, Alabama and established a government which they called The Confederate States of America. -
President Elected in the South
Jefferson Davis was elected as President of the Confederates. He was a war hero from the Mexican-American War and he served as Secretary of War for a period of time. -
Lincoln's inauguration
Abraham Lincoln won 180 electoral college votes and won the Presidency. On March 6, 1861 he was inaugurated and became the 16th President of the United States -
the First Battle of Bull Run
This was the first major land battle in the American Civil War. It consisted of 35,000 Union troops and 20,000 confederate troops. The Union Soldiers attacked the confederate army outside of Washignton D.C by a river called, Bull Run. At the end of the day, the Condeferate's one and showed the Union that it might be harder for them to win than they had originially thought -
Battle of Fort Henry
This was the first significant victory for the Union up to this point in the war. After a lot of naval bombardment on the fort the Confederates retreated to Fort Donelson -
Battle of Fort Donelson
This happened 10 days after the invasion of Fort Henry and Ulysses S. Grant surrounded the Fort and after several days he would only accept a surrender unless it was an unconditional surrender. This is how he got his nickname "Unconditional Surrender" and then they captured the fort and blocked off the Cumberland River from the Confederates. -
Battle of Shiloh
A surprise attack against the Union from the Confederates, but after there initial success the union were able to push back and the battle ended with a Union victory. This battle showed how important the use of scouts, fortifications, and the use of Trench warfare. -
Robert E. Lee assumes command
after Johnson was injured, Robert E. Lee was put in charge of the Confederate army. He also renamed his army to be called the "Army of Northern Virginia. -
Seven Days battle
The Seven Days Battles were a series of six major battles over seven days near Richmond, Virginia. Confederate General Robert E. Lee drove the invading Union Army of the Potomac, commanded by Major General George B. McClellan, away from the Capital of The Confederacy and into a retreat. -
The Second Battle of Bull Run
13 months after the original battle of Bull Run General Robert E. Lee sent his army into Bull Run for an offensive attack. With the men 2:1 in favor of the Union, the South still managed a decisive victory from the Union. -
Battle of Antietam
This was the bloodiest day in the Civil War and a huge win for the Union. After this event Abraham Lincoln will announce the Emancipation Procolamation. -
Emancipation Proclamation
Shortly after the battle of Antietam, Lincoln gave the Emancipation Proclamation that would be active on January 1, 1863, that all slaves in the rebellious states would be set free forever. -
Battle of Corinth
In the western theater, General Braxton Bragg prepared to take his Army of Tennessee north into Kentucky. He hoped to exploit a division in the Union command Major General Don Carlos Buell commanded eastern Kentucky and Tennessee, and Major General Ulysses S. Grant the western end of both states and defeat Buell before Grant could reinforce him. -
Battle of Fredericksburg
A very bloody battle that had over 12,000 union soldier deaths and was an attack from the North to invade Virginia. This battle saw the Conferedates as the winners and they destroyed the North. This really made people question this war and many people thought this battle was a "butchery" -
Emancipation Proclamation is now in effect
As Abraham Lincoln announced in September that all slaves in the rebellious states would be freed. On this day they were officially released. This turned the war about state rights to fighting for the ending of slavery -
Ulysses S. Grant becomes a commander
On this date, Ulysses S. Grant assumes the position to command an army out west to help capture Vicksburg. -
Battle of Chancellorsville
This was one of the most decisive battles for the Confederates in the War. Robert E. Lee managed to defeat the Union Army with half as many troops as the Union does. The Union was forced to retreat after an offensive attack from the Confederate forces -
Death of Stonewall Jackson
After the Battle of Chancerville, Stonewall Jackson would die of pneumonia after his troops shot him in the Battle of Chancerville. -
Battle of Gettysburg day: 1
This begins the most northern battle in the American Civil War and was one of the most vital. Robert E. Lee ordered to attack cemetery hill but Ewel refused the order and 3 more corps of Union Troops came to defend the hill. -
Battle of Gettysburg day: 2
At 4 pm the Confederate troops attacked. Throughout the rest of the day there were many casualties on both sides and was now so far the bloodiest battle in the Civil war with 35,000 casualties over a 2 day period -
Battle of Gettysburg day: 3
Early in the morning, the Union began to push back the Confederates. Robert E. Lee ordered Longstreet, a general to send troops to attack entrenched union soldiers. This failed and 2/3 of this army died from being flanked on both sides and effectively making the Union win the Battle of Gettysburg -
Battle of Vicksburg
Ulysses S. Grant's army managed to siege Vicksburg. This was the last major fort for the Confederates on the Mississippi River. After this siege, the South was effectively split in half for the rest of the war -
Ulysses S. Grant gets more control
Now Lincoln promotes Ulysses S. Grant to be in command of the entire Union Army in the west. This includes the armies of Ohio, Tennesse, and Cumberland. -
The Gettysburg Address
Lincoln gave his very short speech of 272 words called the Gettysburg address. This short speech was about the founding fathers and the forming of the nation. He stated that this war was a test to see if the nation could survive. -
Andersonville Prison Camp opens
In Georgia, Camp Sumter Prison Camp opens. Universally referred to as Andersonville Prison Camp, it will become notorious for overcrowded conditions and a high death rate among its inmates. -
Leader of the Union Army
Ulysses S. Grant finally is promoted to be in charge of the entire army of the Union and William T. Sherman takes his place. He is now in charge of all of the armies of the United States -
Red River Campaign starts
As part of an overall Union strategy to strike deep into various parts of the Confederacy, a combined force of army and navy commands under General Nathaniel Banks begins a campaign on the Red River in Louisiana. -
Battle of Pleasant Hill
The Union Army under Banks defeats the attempt by Confederate forces under General Richard Taylor to drive them out of Louisiana. Unfortunately, the result of the campaign would be less than desired as it drew to a close in the first week of May with Confederates still in firm control of most of the state. -
Battle of Fort Pillow
The battle ended with a massacre of African-American Union troops and their white officers attempting to surrender, by soldiers under the command of Confederate Major General Nathan Bedford Forrest. -
Cold Harbor
During this battle, Robert E. Lee went against Ulysses S. Grant. The Battle took place in Virginia and was one of the most lopsided battles in the war. It was heavy casualties on the Union side as thousands of people knew that they were going to die in this battle -
Party Nominated
Abraham Lincoln is now nominated for his party to have a second term in office as President during the Civil War. -
Battle of Petersburg
Beginning after the unsuccessful attack on the city of Petersburg by Ulysses S. Grant, Grant then constructed trenches around the eastern portion of Richmond to the outskirts of Petersburg. The city was a major supply hub to the Confederate army led by Robert E. Lee, who finally abandoned the city in 1865 and retreated, which led afterward to his ultimate surrender at Appomattox Court House. -
Battle of Atlanta
Midway through the Atlanta Campaign and with this victory for the Union it was essential for the victory of the Union because of this Republicans and Abraham Licoln would get re-elected for another term so they could defeat the South -
Lincoln is re-elected
Lincoln manages to win the popular vote of the united states with 55% of the Votes and is re-elected. This victory for his re-election could be traced back to the Battle of Atlanta because if he did not win that battle then a Democrat would have been elected and would have peaced out with the Confederates and would lose the war -
The 13th Amendment
Congress approves the 13th amendment of the United States. This amendment outlawed the practice of slavery. -
Robert E. Lee Surrenders
Robert E. Lee surrenders his army of 28,000 troops to Ulysses S. Grant and with this surrender, it effectively ends the American Civil War. -
Lincoln was shot
shortly after the conclusion of the civil war, Lincoln went to play at Ford's theatre. At this comedy a man named John Wilkes Booth, a Confederate sympathizer shot Abe in the head and he was rushed to a hospital as John Wilkes Booth fled. -
Lincoln pronounced dead
at 7:22 A.M Abraham Lincoln was pronounced dead after a fatal shot to the head by John Wilkes Booth. After he defeated the Confederate and unified the country he finally died a few weeks later. -
Andrew Johnson becomes President
After the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, Andrew Johnson, the Vice President took over as President of the United States -
President Davis Captured
A few weeks after the fall of the Confederates a detachment of the 4th Michigan Calvary arrested the President of the Confederate States, Jefferson Davis -
The final Battle
Even after the defeat of Robert E. Lee, people were still fighting for the cause. This was the last battle at Palmito Ranch, Texas. At the end of the battle it was a Confederate victory -
Juneteenth
Union Major General Gordon Granger lands at Galveston, Texas and informs the people of Texas of the Emancipation Proclamation. -
Fort Smith Council
between U. S. and Native American tribes that had supported the Confederated States of America regarding Reconstruction Treaties. -
The end of Slavery
The 13th amendment is finally ratified and is now an amendment to the United States Constitution. This is the end of Slavery in the United States. -
Fisk University opens
a historically black university, is established in Nashville, Tennessee. -
The Liberator
was a magazine that urged that slaves are freed and this was the last publishing of the magazine -
Civil rights act of 1866
Overwhelming in Congress this bill passes and is the first bill to pass to help and protect the rights of African Americans -
The Supreme Court
the supreme court goes from 9 Judges to 7 judges -
the return of Tennessee
Tennessee becomes the first U.S. state to be readmitted to the Union following the American Civil War. -
Ulysses S. Grant gets another promotion
The U.S. Congress passes legislation authorizing the rank of General of the Army. Lieutenant General Ulysses S. Grant becomes the first to have this rank. -
Formation of the Klan
was formed by former confederate officers and it was about white supremacy and nationalism and in the future would commit terroristic acts and hate crimes against many types of people. The actual date of the formation is unknown but it was created sometime about August 1866. -
National Union Convention
August 14–16 – 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. -
Swing around the circle
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. -
Swing around the circle fails
Despite President Andrew Johnson's Swing Around the Circle tour, the Republican Party wins in a landslide. -
Voting in D.C
African Americans are now allowed to vote in the District of Columbia -
West Virginia University
West Virginia University is established in Morgantown, West Virginia. -
Nebraska
Nebraska is admitted into the United States as the 37th States of America -
University of Illinois
The University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign is established -
Jefferson Davis released
After 2 years of imprisonment, he was released for $100,000. He was not tried for treason because then it would have been legal for the Confederates to secede from the Union. -
Alaska
Alaska is purchased from Russia and Alexander II for 7.2 million dollars -
Elevated Railroad
As American Trains have always been important ever since they were introduced and the first elevated railroad in the USA begins service in New York. -
Harvard University
In Boston, Massachusetts, the Harvard School of Dental Medicine is established as the first dental school in the United States. -
Midway
America takes control of the Island called "Midway" on September 30th -
Medicine Lodge 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.
