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Civil War Timeline
Civil War Timeline -
Lincoln Gives His Cooper Union Speech.
Abraham Lincoln gives his Cooper Union speech at Cooper Union, in New York City. Lincoln was not yet the Republican nominee for the presidency, as the convention was scheduled for May and its considered one of his most important speeches. -
The Democratic Party Splits for the Election of 1860
The Democratic Party splits in two forming the Northern and Southern Democratic Parties who would go on to elect Stephen Douglas and John C. Breckinridge, respectively. -
Bell is Nominated By the U.S. Union Party
The U.S. Constitutional Union Party holds its convention and nominates John Bell for President of the United States. -
Lincoln is Selected as Republican Nominee
Abraham Lincoln is selected as the U.S. presidential candidate for the Republican Party. -
Southern Democrats Nominate John C. Breckenridge
John C. Breckenridge is nominated for the presidency by the Southern Democratic Party of the United States. -
Northern Democrats Nominate Stephen Douglas
Stephen Douglas is nominated for the presidency by the Northern Democratic Party of the United States. -
The Election of 1860
Lincoln is running for the Republicans, and the Democratic Party split between North & South. The Northern Democrats support the views of Stephen Douglas while the Southern Democrats support the views of Vice President John C. Breckinridge more. Lincoln wins with sectional rather than popular support with 180 electoral votes, but a whopping 1,865,593 popular votes. -
Crittenden Compromise
Senator John J. Crittenden proposes the so-called Crittenden Compromise hoping to resolve the U.S. secession crisis. -
South Carolina Secedes From the Union
The first state to secede from the Union before the inauguration of President Abraham Lincoln. Would be the first of seven states to form the Confederate States of America. -
South Carolina Issues Their own Declaration to the U.S. Declaration
South Carolina issues the "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 From the Union
The second state to secede from the Union before the inauguration of President Abraham Lincoln. Would be the second of seven states to form the Confederate States of America. -
Florida Secedes From the Union
The third state to secede from the Union before the inauguration of President Abraham Lincoln. Would be the third of seven states to form the Confederate States of America. -
Alabama Secedes From the Union
The fourth state to secede from the Union before the inauguration of President Abraham Lincoln. Would be the fourth of seven states to form the Confederate States of America. -
Georgia Secedes From the Union
The fifth state to secede from the Union before the inauguration of President Abraham Lincoln. Would be the fith of seven states to form the Confederate States of America. -
Louisiana Secedes From the Union
The sixth state to secede from the Union before the inauguration of President Abraham Lincoln. Would be the sixth of seven states to form the Confederate States of America. -
Texas Secedes From the Union
The seventh state to secede from the Union before the inauguration of President Abraham Lincoln. Would be the seventh of seven states to form the Confederate States of America. -
The Confederate States of America Form
The Confederate States of America was an unrecognized country in North America that existed from 1861 to 1865. The Confederacy was originally formed by seven secessionist slave-holding states in the Lower South region of the United States, whose regional economy was heavily dependent upon the plantation system. -
Aberaham Lincoln Becomes President
Abraham Lincoln gets inaugurated as the 16th President of the United States on March 4, 1861. -
The Battle of Fort Sumter
The battle of Fort Sumter was no more of a battle than it was a bombardment of the Union's base, Fort Sumter, near Charleston, South Carolina by the Confederate States Army. This bombardment of the Union's fortress and the subsequent surrender of the United States Army would be the start of the American Civil War. -
The First Battle of Bull Run
Also known as the First Battle of Manassas, the First Battle of Bull Run took place on July 21, 1861, in Prince William County, Virginia, just north of the city of Manassas. The Union's forces were slow in positioning themselves, which allowed the Confederate reinforcements time to arrive by train. Each side had about 18,000 poorly trained and poorly led troops; a Confederate victory, followed by a disorganized retreat of the Union forces. -
The Battle of Wilson's Creek
The Battle of Wilson's Creek, also known as the Battle of Oak Hills, was fought on August 10, 1861, near Springfield, Missouri. This was the first major battle of the Trans-Mississippi Theater of the American Civil War and is sometimes reffered to as the "Bull Run of the West." -
The Battle of Fort Henry
The Battle of Fort Henry was fought on February 6, 1862, in western Tennessee. It was the first important victory for the Union and General Ulysses S. Grant and was the first of two forts Grant would take control of. -
The Battle of Fort Donelson
The Battle of Fort Donelson was fought on February 12, 1862, through February 16, 1862, in western Tennesee. The Union troops led by General Ulysses S. Grant captured the Confederate fort near the Tennessee–Kentucky border. This successful capture of the second Confederate Fort gave Grant his nickname, "Unconditional Surrender", and a rise in statusas a General. -
Jefferson Davis Becomes the Confederacy's President
On February 9, 1861, Jefferson was elected as the first President of the Confederate States of America and was confirmed by the voters for a full six-year term on November 6, 1861. However, it wasn't until February 22, 1862, that he was inaugurated and officialy became the Confederate States's President. -
The Battle of Island Number Ten
The Battle of Island Number Ten was an engagement at the on the Mississippi River, lasting from February 28, 1862, to April 8, 1862. An island at the base of a tight double turn in the course of the river was held by the Confederates from the early days of the war. It was an excellent site for the Confederacy to impede Union efforts to invade the South by the river, as ships had to approach the island bows on and then slow to make the turns. -
The Battle of Shiloh
The Battle of Shiloh, also known as the Battle of Pittsburg Landing, was fought between April 6, 1862, and April 7, 1862, in southwestern Tennessee as a battle in the Western Theater of the American Civil War. Major General Ulysses S. Grant's Army of Tennessee moved via the Tennessee River and was encamped at Pittsburg Landing, where the Confederate Army of Mississippi launched a surprise attack on Grant's army from its base in Corinth, Mississippi. -
Seven Days Battles
The Seven Days Battles were a series of six major battles over the course of seven days that spanned from June 25, 1862, to July 1, 1862, near Richmond, Virginia. Confederate General Robert E. Lee drove the invading Union Army, commanded by General George B. McClellan, away from Richmond. In the end, Lee had fewer men and lost more men than the north had, but Lee had still unnerved McClellan enough to force him to retreat. -
The Second Battle of Bull Run
Also known as the Battle of Second Manassas, the Second Battle of Bull Run took place between August 28, 1862, and August 30, 1862, in Prince William County, Virginia. The battle was waged by Confederate General Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia against Union Major General John Pope's Army of Virginia, and a battle of much larger scale and numbers than the First Battle of Bull Run. -
The Battle of Antietam
The Battle of Antietam, also known as the Battle of Sharpsburg, was fought on September 17, 1862, near Sharpsburg, Maryland and Antietam Creek. As part of the Maryland Campaign, it was the first "field army–level" engagement in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War to take place on Union soil. It was the bloodiest day in United States history, with a combined tally of 22,717 dead, wounded, or missing. -
Lincoln Removes General George B. McClellan
On November 5, 1862, President Abraham Lincoln removed General George B. McClellan from command of the Army of the Potomac. McClellan had trained a great army but was too sluggish to muster enough courage to aggressively engage General Robert E. Lee’s Confederate Army of Northern Virginia. -
The Battle of Fredricksburg
The Battle of Fredericksburg was fought between December 11, 1862, and December 15, 1862, in and around Fredericksburg, Virginia. The Union Army's futile frontal attacks on December 13 against entrenched Confederate defenders on the heights behind the city are remembered as one of the most one-sided battles of the war, with Union casualties more than three times as heavy as those suffered by the Confederates. -
Lincoln Issues the Emancipation Proclamation
The Emancipation Proclamation was a presidential proclamation and executive order issued by Abraham Lincoln on January 1, 1863. It changed the "federal legal status" of more than 3.5 million enslaved African Americans in the designated areas of the South from slave to free. As soon as a slave escaped the control of the Confederate government, by running away or through advances of federal troops, the former slave would become free. -
Joe Hooker appointed as Commander of the Potomac Army
The president appoints Gen. Joseph "Fighting Joe" Hooker as Commander of the Army of the Potomac, replacing Major General Ambrose Burnside. -
The U.S. Congress Enacts A Draft
The U.S. Congress enacts a draft, affecting male citizens aged 20 to 45, but also exempts those who pay $300 or provide a substitute. Northerners complain, "The blood of a poor man is as precious as that of the wealthy," . -
The Siege of Vicksburg
The Siege of Vicksburg was fought between May 18, 1863, and July 4, 1863, as the final major military action in the Vicksburg Campaign of the American Civil War. Union Major General Ulysses S. Grant and his Army of Tennessee crossed the Mississippi River and drove the Confederate Army of Mississippi into the defensive lines surrounding the fortress city of Vicksburg, Mississippi. -
The Battle of Gettysburg
The Battle of Gettysburg was fought between July 1, 1863, and July 3, 1863, in and around the town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The battle involved the largest number of casualties of the entire war and is often described as the war's turning point. -
New York City Draft Riots
Anti-draft riots in New York City rage from July 13, 1863, until July 16, 1863, and include arson and the murder of blacks by poor immigrant whites. At least 120 persons, including children, are killed and $2 million in damages are caused, until Union soldiers returning from Gettysburg restore order. -
54th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment
"Negro troops" of the 54th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment under the command of Colonel Robert G. Shaw assault fortified Rebels at Fort Wagner, South Carolina. Out of the 1,200 soldiers that were part of this regiment about 600 of them and Colonel Robert G. Shaw end up dead. -
Lincoln Meets With Fredrick Douglass
President Abraham Lincoln meets with abolitionist Frederick Douglass who pushes for full equality for Union the enlisted "Negro troops". -
The Battle of Chickamauga
The Battle of Chickamauga was fought on September 18, 1863, through September 20, 1863, this battle marked the end of a Union offensive in northwestern Georgia/the Chickamauga Campaign. It was the first major battle of the war fought in Georgia, the most significant Union defeat in the Western Theater, and involved the second-highest number of casualties after the Battle of Gettysburg. -
Lincoln Gives the Gettysburg Address
The Gettysburg Address is a speech by U.S. President Abraham Lincoln, and one of the best-known speeches in American history. Delivered by Lincoln at the dedication of the Soldiers' National Cemetery in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, on November 19, 1863, four and a half months after the Union armies defeated those of the Confederacy at the Battle of Gettysburg. -
Grant and Sherman Get Promotions
President Lincoln appoints General Ulysses S. Grant to command all of the armies of the United States. General William T. Sherman succeeds Grant as commander in the west. -
The First Skirmish At Cold Harbor
A costly mistake by Grant results in 7,000 Union casualties in twenty minutes during an offensive against fortified Rebels at Cold Harbor in Virginia. Many of the Union soldiers in the failed assault had predicted the outcome. -
Nine-Month Siege of Petersburg Begins
Union forces miss an opportunity to capture Petersburg and cut off the Confederate rail lines. As a result, a nine month siege of Petersburg begins with Grant's forces surrounding Lee. -
Sherman's First Skirmish For Atlanta
At Atlanta, Sherman's forces battle the Rebels now under the command of General John B. Hood, who replaced Johnston. -
George B. McClellan Gets Nominated
Democrats nominate George B. McClellan for the presidency and to run against Republican incumbent Abraham Lincoln. -
Sherman Captures Atlanta
Atlanta is captured by Sherman's Army. "Atlanta is ours, and fairly won," Sherman telegraphs Lincoln. The victory greatly helps President Lincoln's bid for re-election. -
Abraham Lincoln Gets Re-elected
Abraham Lincoln is re-elected as president, defeating Democrat George B. McClellan. Lincoln carries all but three states with 55 percent of the popular vote and 212 of 233 electoral votes. "I earnestly believe that the consequences of this day's work will be to the lasting advantage, if not the very salvation, of the country," Lincoln tells supporters. -
Sherman's March To The Sea Begins
After destroying Atlanta's warehouses and railroad facilities, Sherman, with 62,000 men begins a March to the Sea. President Lincoln on advice from Grant approved the idea. "I can make Georgia howl!" Sherman boasts. -
Hood's Army is Crushed in Nashville
Hood's Rebel Army of 23,000 is crushed at Nashville by 55,000 Federals, including Negro troops under General George H. Thomas between December 15 and 16, 1864. The Confederate Army of Tennessee ceases as an effective fighting force. -
Sherman's March Reaches Savannah, Georgia
Sherman reaches Savannah in Georgia leaving behind a 300-mile long path of destruction 60 miles wide all the way from Atlanta. Sherman then telegraphs Lincoln, offering him Savannah as a Christmas present. -
Thirteenth Amendment Approved By Congress
The U.S. Congress approves the Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, to abolish slavery. The amendment is then submitted to the states for ratification. -
Lincoln and Stephens Meet at Hampton
A peace conference occurs as President Lincoln meets with Confederate Vice President Alexander Stephens at Hampton Roads in Virginia, but the meeting ends in failure - the war will continue. -
Last Offensive For Lee's Army
The last offensive for Lee's Army of Northern Virginia begins with an attack on the center of Grant's forces at Petersburg. Four hours later the attack is broken. -
Lee Surrenders to Grant
General Robert E. Lee surrenders his Confederate Army to General Ulysses S. Grant at the village of Appomattox Court House in Virginia. Grant allows Rebel officers to keep their sidearms and permits soldiers to keep horses and mules. -
Lincoln is Assassinated By Booth
Lincoln and his wife Mary see the play "Our American Cousin" at Ford's Theater. At 10:13 p.m., during the third act of the play, John Wilkes Booth shoots the president in the head. Doctors attend to the president in the theater then move him to a house across the street. He never regains consciousness. -
President Lincoln is Pronounced Dead
President Abraham Lincoln dies at 7:22 in the morning. Vice President Andrew Johnson assumes the presidency. -
Booth is Shot in Virginia
John Wilkes Booth is shot and killed in a tobacco barn in Virginia. -
The Rest of the Confederacy Surrenders
Remaining Confederate forces surrender. The Nation is reunited as the Civil War ends. Over 620,000 Americans died in the war, with disease killing twice as many as those lost in battle. 50,000 survivors return home as amputees. -
Lincoln is Laid to Rest
Abraham Lincoln is laid to rest in Oak Ridge Cemetery, outside Springfield, Illinois. -
The Thirteenth Amendment is Ratified
The Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, passed by Congress on January 31, 1865, is finally ratified. Slavery is abolished. -
The Apprentice Act of 1866
African-American children were legally taken away from their families under the guise of "providing them with guardianship and 'good' homes until they reached the age of consent at twenty-one" under acts such as the Georgia 1866 Apprentice Act. Such children were generally used as sources of unpaid labor. -
The Black Codes are Passed
The Black Codes were laws passed by Southern states in 1866 in the United States after the American Civil War with the intent and the effect of restricting African Americans' freedom, and of compelling them to work in a labor economy based on low wages or debt. Black codes were essentially replacements for slave codes in those states. -
U.S. Congress Passes the Civil Rights Act of 1866
The United States Congress overwhelmingly passes the Civil Rights Act of 1866, the first federal legislation to protect the rights of African-Americans. Later, U.S. President Andrew Johnson would veto the bill on March 27, and Congress would go on to override the presidents veto on April 9. -
The Civil Rights Act of 1866 is Enacted
The Civil Rights Act of 1866, enacted April 9, 1866, was the first United States federal law to define citizenship and affirm that all citizens are equally protected by the law. It was mainly intended to protect the civil rights of persons of African descent born in or brought to the United States, in the wake of the American Civil War. -
The Memphis Riots
The Memphis Massacre of 1866 was a series of violent events that occurred from May 1 through May 3, 1866, in Memphis, Tennessee. The racial violence was ignited by political, social, and racial tensions following the American Civil War, in the early stages of Reconstruction. -
The Fourteenth Amendment is Proposed
The Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution was proposed as one of the Reconstruction Amendments. The amendment addresses citizenship rights and equal protection of the laws and was proposed in response to issues related to former slaves following the American Civil War. -
Election of the U.S. House of Reps. 1866
The election of 1866 decisively changed the balance of power, giving the Republicans two-thirds majorities in both houses of Congress, and enough votes to overcome Johnson's vetoes. They moved to impeach Johnson because of his constant attempts to thwart Radical Reconstruction measures, by using the Tenure of Office Act. Johnson was acquitted by one vote, but he lost the influence to shape Reconstruction policy. -
Tennessee is Readmitted to the Union
During the reconstruction period, Tennessee becomes the first Confederate state to be readmitted to the Union following the American Civil War. -
Grant Receives the Rank of "5-Star General"
The United States Congress passes legislation authorizing the rank of General of the Army, now called "5-star general", and Lieutenant General Ulysses S. Grant becomes the first to recieve this rank. -
The New Orleans Riots
The New Orleans Massacre of 1866 occurred on July 30, during a violent conflict as white Democrats including police and firemen attacked Republicans, most of them African American, parading outside the Mechanics Institute in New Orleans. The Republicans in Louisiana had called for the Convention, as they were angered by the legislature's enactment of the Black Codes and its refusal to give black men the vote. -
Nebraska Becomes the 37th State
Nebraska is admitted to the United States as the 37th state. -
The Reconstruction Acts are Enacted
The Reconstruction Acts were enacted by the 39th Congress, on March 2, 1867. It was vetoed by President Johnson, and the veto overridden by two-thirds majority, in both the House and the Senate, the same day. -
The United States Purchase Alaska
Alaska is purchased for $7.2 million, about 2 cents per acre, from Alexander II of Russia by United States Secretary of State William H. Seward. The news media call this Seward's Folly. -
African Americans in Government
No African American in the South held political office, but within three or four years "about 15 percent of the officeholders in the South were black—a larger proportion than in 1990." Most of those offices were at the local level. -
Congress Passes the Reconstruction Acts
With the Radicals in control, Congress passed the Reconstruction Acts on July 19, 1867. The first Reconstruction Act, authored by Oregon Seator George H. Williams, a Radical Republican, placed 10 of the former Confederate states, all but Tennessee, under military control, grouping them into five military districts... -
The First Military District is Formed
The First Military District of the U.S. Army was a temporary administrative unit of the U.S. War Department that existed in the American South. It only included Virginia and was the smallest of the five military districts in terms of size. -
The Third Military District is Formed
The Third Military District of the U.S. Army was a temporary administrative unit of the U.S. War Department that existed in the American South. It comprised Georgia, Florida, and Alabama and was headquartered in Atlanta. -
The Fifth Military District is Formed
The Fifth Military District of the U.S. Army was a temporary administrative unit of the U.S. War Department that existed in the American South. It included Texas, from Brazos Santiago Harbor, (previously Port Matamoros), at the Mexican border, north to Louisiana. -
The U.S. takes control of Midway Island
The United States takes control of Midway Island. The island is almost midway between North America and Asia and is the only island in the Hawaiian archipelago that is not part of the state of Hawaii. -
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.
