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Southern Secession
South Carolina began the secession and soon after Mississpippi followed. Within a few weeks, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana and Texas had also secesseded. -
First Shot Fired
The first shot of the Civil War was fired in Fort Sumter -
Battle of Bull Run
First Major land battle of the American Civil War -
Battle of Shiloh
Generals Albert Sidney Johnston and P.G.T. Beauregard led the Confederate Forces on a suprise attack on the Union Army led by Ulysses S. Grant encamped at Pittsburg Landing in hopes of driving them to the swamps westward. The Confederate Forces were defeated when General Don Carlos Buell's Union Army arrived and aided in a counterattack that forced them to retreat. -
Battle of New Orleans
The Union led by General Farragut took control over the largest Confederate City in effort to divide the Confederacy. However, Benjamin Butler caused lasting resentment. -
Emancipation Proclamation
An executive order issued by Abraham Lincoln that proclaimed all slaves in Confederate Territory to be free and did not compensate owners or ban slavery. It made the destruction of slavery a war goal. -
Battle of Gettysburg
Battle with the largest number of casualities and often referred to the turning point of the war. It was General Lee's only hope to gain a big victory in the North but he had lost it as well as his morale. The confederacy did not attempt again to invade the North. -
Grant Captured Richmond
President Davis and the Confederate soldiers abandoned Richmond and were ordered to set fire to the city as they left. The fire got out of control and forced the mayor to go to the Union and surrender the city. The Union troops put out the fire. -
Assassination of Lincoln
John Wilkes Booth fatally shot Abraham Lincoln at Ford's Theater -
End of the Civil War
Robert E. Lee surrendered to Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox Court House.
