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The Confederate States of America are formed
The Confederate States of America: South Carolina led the way out of the Union on December 20, 1860, and by March 1861, six more states, outraged over Lincoln's election to the presidency and emboldened by South Carolina's example, also seceded: Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, and Texas. -
Abraham Lincoln Elected President (first term)
Abraham Lincoln was elected president on November 6, 1860, but didn't assume office until March 4, 1861. Lincoln was the first Republican president. Lincoln didn't support slavery, but he didn't think African Americans were equals. Likewise, Lincoln didn't want slavery to spread to the west or anywhere it didn't already exist, but he didn't want to abolish it. Many southern states were scared he would end slavery and seceded. By the time Lincoln had assumed office, seven states had seceded. -
First Battle of Bull Run
The Battle of Bull Run is the first major battle of the Civil War. The Confederates won, this made the war seem real to most of the country. -
USS Monitor vs CSS Virginia
On March 8, 1862, from her berth at Norfolk, the Confederate ironclad Virginia steamed into Hampton Roads where she sank Cumberland and ran Congress aground. On March 9, the Union ironclad Monitor having fortuitously arrived to do battle, initiated the first engagement of ironclads in history. The two ships fought each other to a standstill, but Virginia retired. -
Battle of Shiloh
The Battle of Shiloh took place in Tennessee wtih generals Ulysses S. Grant and Don Carlos Buell for the Union and Albert Sidney Johnston and P.G.T. Beauregard for the Confederacy. The Union won the battle, but they had more losses than the Confederacy. However, the Confederacy lost their leader General Johnston in this battle. The significance of the Battle of Shiloh is that is made both sides realize that the Civil War would not end quickly. -
Union Captures New Orleans
The city surrendered on April 28. On May 1, Maj. Gen. Benjamin Franklin Butler’s army began landing at New Orleans and occupying the city. New Orleans, considered an international city and the largest city in the Confederacy, had fallen. The Union occupation of New Orleans was an event that had major international significance. -
Seven Day's Battles
Confederates won the Seven Day's Battle and forced the Union to retreat from near Richmond. -
Battle of Antietam
The Battle of Antietam was fought in Virginia with the generals Robert E. Lee(Confederacy) and George McClellan(Union). This was the bloodiest battle in the Civil War. Ultimately, the Union made the Confedacry retreat after hours of fighting. The battle ended the Confederates invasion North. Also, Lincoln was inspired by the Union victory and issued the Emancipation Proclamation. -
Battle of Fredericksburg
This battle was fought in Virginia with the generals Ambrose E. Burnside for the Union and Robert E. Lee for the Confederacy. The Union was unsuccessful in their attempt to attack the South's capitol, Richmond. The Confederacy's army was more aggressive and was rewarded with victory. General Burnside was replaced after this battle with General Joseph Hooker. -
First (Union) Conscription Act
The Conscription Act was a law that made all men from the ages of twenty to fourty five enroll to be drafted into the army. If you were chosen, you had to fight in the army unless you could pay someone to subsitute in your position or give the government $300 to be exempt from the draft. As a result, mostly the poor or lower class were draft. This law affected New York the most becasue the most draft riots were held there. -
Battle of Chancellorsville
This battle was fought in Spotsylvania, Virginia with the generals Joseph Hooker for the Union and Robert E. Lee and Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson for the Confederacy. This battle results in very high casualties on both sides. Ultimately, the Confederacy wins. It is said to be Lee's greateast battle and victory. However, "Stonewall" Jackson dies at this battle and the South loses one of their best generals. -
Siege of Vicksburg
In May and June of 1863, Maj. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant’s armies converged on Vicksburg, investing the city and entrapping a Confederate army under Lt. Gen. John Pemberton. On July 4, Vicksburg surrendered after prolonged siege operations. -
The Battle of Gettysburg
The Battle of Gettysburg was fought in Pennslyvania and lasted 3 days. George Meade was the general of the Union forces, and Robert E. Lee was the general of the Confederacy. The Union won this battle. The Confederacy suffered high casualties. The Battle of Gettysburg is considered the turning point in the war. The Union stopped the Confederacy from traveling North. It was a major loss for the South and left them with a lack of soldiers. -
Battle of Chickamauga
This battle was fought in Georgia with the generals William S. Rosecrans and George H. Thomas for the Union and Braxton Bragg and James Longstreet for the Confederacy. The Confederacy won this battle. It marks the end of the Union being offensive in the southeastern Tennessee and northwestern Georgia region of the United States. This is one of the most significant Union losses in the campaign West. -
Gettysburg Address
It’s unclear how much time he spent writing it, but analysis by scholars over the years tells us that Lincoln used extreme care. It was a heartfelt and precise message he very much wanted to deliver at a moment of national crisis. -
Cold Harbor
The Battle of Cold Harbor was fough ten miles away from the Confederacy capital Richmond, VA. The main generals were Ulysses S. Grant and George Meade for the Union and Robert E. Lee for the Confederacy. The Confederacy won with very little casualities compared to the Union. The Union had double the casualities of the Confederacy. This battle delayed Grant's campaign to take over the Confederacy capitol Richmond. -
Lincoln is Re-Elected President 2nd term
Lincoln's chances for reelection appeared dim for much of 1864. No president had won a second term since Andrew Jackson more than 30 years ago. More importantly, Lincoln was weakened by widespread criticism of his handling of the war. The Union had suffered a long string of disappointments and many faulted the president's strategy. Further, conservative forces in the North were outraged by the Emancipation Proclamation and feared its impact on the future of society. -
Sherman's March to the Sea
When, on May 6, 1864, Sherman began to move southward from the vicinity of Chattanooga, his army was confronted by a Confederate force of 55,000 men, led by confederate General Joseph E. Johnston, and arranged in three corps, commanded respectively by Generals Hardee, John Hood, and Polk. -
Surrender at Appomattox Courthouse
Early on April 9, the arrival of Union infantry, however, stopped the advance in its tracks. Lee’s army was now surrounded on three sides. Lee surrendered to Grant on April 9. This was the final engagement of the war in Virginia. -
Assassination of President Lincoln
President Lincoln was the first president to be assassinated. He was shot while watching a show at Ford's Theater. John Wilkes Booth was the assassin. President Lincoln was shot through his left ear, and the bullet was lodged behind his right eye. He died 9 hours later. Booth killed Lincoln in hopes that with his death the Union government would be in ruins, and the South would win the Civil War. However, Robert E. Lee already surrendered 5 days earlier and the Union had won.
