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Lincoln Wins Close Race
Abraham Lincoln wins a four-way race for President of the United States. Although he does not win a popular majority and is not even on the ballot in nine southern states, he earns enough electoral votes to beat all other opponents. -
South Caroline First to Secede
South Carolina officially secedes from the Union, becoming the first state to do so. -
Mississippi Secedes
Mississippi secedes from the Union. -
Florida Secedes
January 10, 1861Florida SecedesFlorida secedes from the Union. -
Alabama Secedes
Alabama secedes from the Union. -
Texas Secedes
Texas secedes from the Union. -
Merrimac vs. Monitor
March 9, 1862Merrimac vs. MonitorThe Confederate ironclad USS Merrimac battles the Union ironclad USS Monitor in Chesapeake Bay. The battle is a draw but it makes wooden ships obsolete and ushers in the era of steel warships, changing naval warfare forever. -
Shiloh
Union General Ulysses S. Grant's forces are surprised at the town of Shiloh in Tennessee. The ensuing battle results in 13,000 Union and 10,000 Confederate casualties, more than in all previous American wars combined. -
Seven Day Attacks
Over the course of seven days, General Robert E. Lee attacks George McClellan's Union Army of the Potomac near Richmond, Virginia. Huge casualties cause McClellan to withdraw north towards Washington. -
Second Battle of Bull Run
The Second Battle of Bull Run is a resounding victory for Confederate General Stonewall Jackson. Union General John Pope is blamed for the loss and is relieved of his duties after the battle. -
First Draft Enacted
Congress enacts the first draft in American history, requiring every man to serve in the army unless he can furnish a substitute or pay the government $300. These escape provisions are wildly unpopular with workers and recent immigrants, and lead to draft riots in New York and other northern cities. -
Stonewall Jackson Dies
Confederate General Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson dies from wounds sustained when he is mistakenly shot by his own troops at Chancellorsville. -
Gettysburg
From July 1 to July 4, the Union Army under General Meade defeats Robert E. Lee's Confederate Army at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. One of the bloodiest battles of the war, Gettysburg is a turning point, and marks the farthest advance of the Confederate Army into northern territory. -
Confederacy Split
Far to the West on the Mississippi River, General Ulysses S. Grant takes Vicksburg after a long siege. At this point, the Union controls the entire river, cutting the Confederacy in two. -
Battle of Chickamauga
Union General William Rosecrans is defeated by Confederate General Braxton Bragg at the Battle of Chickamauga, in Tennessee. -
Lincoln Appoints Grant
Lincoln appoints Ulysses S. Grant commander of all Union armies, ending his long search for a decent general to command northern forces. General William T. Sherman takes over as commander in the West. -
Virginia Campaign
May 4, 1864Virginia CampaignBeginning a drive aimed at ending the war, Ulysses S. Grant and 120,000 troops march south towards Richmond, the Confederate capital. Over the course of the next six weeks, a brutal war of attrition results in the deaths of nearly 50,000 Union soldiers. -
Battle of Wilderness
During the horrific Battle of the Wilderness, thousands of men burn to death as the woods in which they were fighting catch fire. -
Battle of Spotsylvania
May 8, 1864Battle of SpotsylvaniaContinuing his advance, Union General Ulysses S. Grant attacks Robert E. Lee's Confederate forces at Spotsylvania. Grant loses more soldiers than Lee. Still, General Lee is forced to retreat south. -
Battle of Cold Harbor
The bloody battle of Cold Harbor is a disaster for the Union. General Ulysses S. Grant makes a series of tactical mistakes that result in the deaths of 7,000 Union in twenty minutes. -
Thirteen Amendment Ends Slavery
The United States Congress approves the Thirteenth Amendment to the Constitution, which will abolish slavery. -
Lincoln Second Term
March 4, 1865Lincoln Second TermLincoln is sworn in for his second term as President of the United States. -
Siege of Petersburg Ends
The Siege of Petersburg ends as Ulysses S. Grant's army breaks through Confederate lines and marches towards Richmond. -
RIchmond Falls
April 2, 1865The Union Army captures Richmond, Virginia, which is nearly leveled by shelling and fire. -
Lincoln Shot
April 14, 1865Lincoln ShotAbraham Lincoln is shot by John Wilkes Booth at Ford's Theater in Washington, D.C. -
Lincoln Dies by Assassination
April 15, 1865Lincoln Dies by AssassinationLincoln does not regain consciousness after being shot at Ford's Theater. He dies from his wound. -
South Surrenders
General Joe Johnston, leading the largest Confederate Army still in existence, surrenders in North Carolina. -
Slavery Abolished
December 6, 1865Slavery AbolishedThe Thirteenth Amendment is ratified by the States. Slavery is abolished.