-
Period: to
United States Civil War
-
The Beginning of The Pony Express
The Pony Express was a mail service that delivered messages, mail, and newspapers. It reduced the time for messages to travel between the Atlantic and Pacific coasts to about 10 days. It was high in demand for quick means of communication as the war started to erupt. -
The Democratic National Convention
The Convention convened at the South Carolina Institute Hall in Charleston, South Carolina. At the time Charleston was the most pro-slavery city in the U.S. and the hall was packed with pro-slavery supporters. This convention lasted until May 3rd, 1860. Although Stephen Douglas was the most popular, no one could agree on nominee and agreed to meet in Baltimore the next month. -
Henry Repeating Rifle is Produced
The Henry Repeating Rifle was created by Benjamin Tyler Henry and was produced out of the New Haven Arms Company. Union armies used this gun during the war. It was produced until 1866(No definite date as to when it was first designed.). -
The Republican Convention
The Republican Convention was held in Chicago, Illinois and lasted until May 18th, 1860. William H. Seward, Salmon P. Chase, and Abraham Lincoln of Illinois are the leading contenders out of 12 candidates. Lincoln wins on the third ballot. -
Democratic Convention in Baltimore
The Democrats convened at the Front Street Theater in Baltimore, Maryland to select a nominee. This lasted until June 23rd, 1860. Douglas wasn't able to meet the necessary 2/3 majority until anti-Douglas delegates left on June 22nd. On the final day, the Convention nominated Stephen Douglas and Herschal V. Johnson. -
States Learn That S.C. Might Secede
Governor William Henry Gist of South Carolina, notifies other South states that South Carolina is considering secession as an option instead of having to go by Lincoln's laws against slavery. -
James Chestnut Resigns From The Senate
James Chesnut becomes the first Southerner to resign from the Senate because he didn't agree with Lincoln's politics. After resigning he joined the South Carolina secession convention. -
Robert Toombs Announces His Resignation
After delivering a pro-secession speech, Robert Toombs announced his resignation as the Senator of Georgia once he reached the end of his term. He became a founding father of the Confederacy and its first Secretary of State. -
First Secession Convention
The first secession convention meets in Columbia, South Carolina in a Baptist Church. On the first day, the Convention passed a unanimous decision to secede from the Union. -
South Carolina Secedes From the Union
South Carolina becomes the first state to secede from the Union after President Abraham Lincoln was elected president. -
Mississippi Secedes From the Union
Mississippi becomes the second state to secede from the Union over the issue of slavery. -
Confederate States of America Are Formed
Representatives from the seceded states, South Carolina, Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, and Texas announced the formation of the Confederate States. Virginia, Arkansas, North Carolina, and Tennessee would join those states in following months to become apart of the Confederacy. -
Jefferson Davis is Elected as Confederate President
Jefferson Davis is appointed the first President of the Confederate States of America at Montgomery, Alabama. -
Abraham Lincoln is Innagurated
Abraham Lincoln is inaugurated as the sixteenth president of the United States in Washington, DC. -
Fort Sumter is Attacked
The South demanded that the North surrendered but Abraham Lincoln refused to. Southern forces fired on Fort Sumter, 4,000 rounds in total. No one died during this battle on either side. -
Union Forces Cross the Potomac River
Union forces cross the Potomac River and occupy Arlington Heights, the home of Confederate General Robert E. Lee. During the occupation of nearby Alexandria that Colonel Elmer Ellsworth, commander of the 11th New York Infantry and a close friend of the Lincolns, is shot dead by the owner of the Marshall House just after removing a Confederate flag from its roof. -
Battle of Big Bethel
This was the first land battle of the Civil War. It took place on the Virginia Peninsula near Newport News. The Union lost 60 men while the Confederate lost 8 men and it ended with a Confederate Victory. -
1st Battle of Bull Run
The First Battle of Bull Run, also known as Battle of First Manassas, was fought on July 21, 1861 in Prince William County, Virginia. This was the official first start of the Civil War and it was a sea-saw battle all day. Thomas Jackson also earned his nickname ¨Stonewall¨ Jackson here. -
Battle of Wilson's Creek
It is also known as the Battle of Oak Hills and was the first major battle of the Trans-Mississippi Theater of the American Civil War. It resulted in a Confederate Victory. -
Battle of Ball's Bluff
Colonel Edward D. Baker, senator from Oregon and a friend of President Lincoln, led Union troops across the Potomac River only to be forced back to the river's edge where he was killed by Confederates. -
Battle of Mill Springs
The Battle of Mill Springs Kentucky was the first significant Union victory of the war. It helped weaken the Confederate hold on the state of Kentucky which helped boost the Northern morale. Kentucky would eventually become a border state during the war but the Union still had some control. -
Fort Henry is Surrendered
The South surrendered Fort Henry in Tennessee to the North. The loss of this fort on the Tennessee River allowed for the Union to control the river. -
Battle of Pea Ridge
The Battle of Pea Ridge, also known as the Battle of Elkhorn Tavern, was fought near Pea Ridge Arkansas. The Union victory managed to loosen the control that the Confederacy had on Missouri and disrupted the southern control of a portion of the Mississippi River. -
Battle of Shiloh
General Ulysses S. Grant gathered his troops near a church in Tennessee named Shiloh. The battle began when the Confederates launched a surprise attack on Union forces but Grant was able to counterattack. A fourth of the 100,000 men were killed there. -
The Battle of Seven Pines
Gen. Joseph E. Johnston attempted to overwhelm two Federal corps that appeared isolated south of the Chickahominy River. The Confederate assaults, though not well coordinated, succeeded in driving back the IV Corps and inflicting heavy casualties. Reinforcements arrived, and both sides fed more and more troops into the action. -
The Start of The Seven Days Battle
It started with the Union attack in the Battle of Oak Grove. General McClellan advanced his lines along the Williamsburg Road with the objective of bringing Richmond within range of his siege guns. McClellan’s attack was not strong enough to derail the Confederate offensive that already had been set in motion. -
End of The Seven Days Battle
The last battle in the Seven Days Battle was called the Battle of Malvern Hill. Lee launched futile frontal assaults and suffered heavy casualties in the face of strong infantry and artillery defenses. This resulted in a tactical Union victory. After the battle, McClellan and his forces withdrew from Malvern Hill to Harrison's Landing -
2nd Battle of Bull Run
As a Union force commanded by John Pope waited for George McClellan’s Army of the Potomac in anticipation of a combined offensive, Confederate General Robert E. Lee decided to strike first. Robert E Lee sent half of his Army of Northern Virginia to hit the Federal supply base. The Union retreated back to Washington which led to a Confederate victory. -
The Battle of Antietam
This was also known as the Battle of Sharpsburg in Maryland. It was the bloodiest single day battle in the Civil War with over 26,000 casualties. The Confederate Army retreated because they were low on supplies. Since Union General George McClellan did not pursue the Confederate Army while they were weak and we had a chance to end the war then, Lincoln fired him. -
Battle of Fredericksburg
The Army of the Potomac, under General Ambrose Burnside, mounted a series of futile frontal assaults on Prospect Hill and Marye’s Heights that resulted in staggering casualties. The Army of the Potomac is soundly defeated by Lee's forces after a risky river crossing and sacking of the city of Fredericksburg. -
The Emancipation Proclamation Goes Into Effect
Many abolitionists applauded this including, Frederick Douglas. Other abolitionists felt that it didn't go far enough to totally abolish slavery. -
Conscription Begins
The North begins conscription, or the drafting of soldiers into the military service. It was the first wartime draft of U.S. citizens in American history. The act called for registration of all males between the ages of 20 and 45. The South had started doing this the year before. -
Battle of Chancellorsville
General Lee and his army achieved their greatest victory yet by stopping and attempted flanking movement by Union Major General Joseph Hooker's Army of the Potomac. General "Stonewall" Jackson was mortally wounded during battle which put a damper on the Confederate win. This battle lasted until May 6, 1863. -
Siege of Vicksburg Begins
Under the command of General Ulysses S. Grant, Union forces attack Confederate defenses outside of Vicksburg, Mississippi. This was important because if Vicksburg fell then the Union would have complete control over the Mississippi River. -
West Virginia is formed
In 1863, Western counties of Virginia secede from Virginia and form their own state of West Virginia. -
1st Day of Battle of Gettysburg
Union and Confederate soldiers met by chance after converging on the small farm town. Reinforcements are needed from both sides. The Union secured Cemetery Hill while the South secured the town. -
2nd Day of Battle Of Gettysburg
General Robert E. Lee devised a plan for his Confederates to attack both flanks of the Union line on Cemetery Ridge. The result would be three hours of carnage that won nothing of tactical significance for his Army of Northern Virginia. Lee also received word that the Union troops left Little Round Top unguarded and planned to attack. Joshua Chamberlin and his troops prevented that from happening. -
The Battle of Gettysburg Ends
General Lee ordered a massive bombardment of the Union positions. The 10,000 Federals answered the Confederate artillery onslaught, and for more than an hour the guns raged in the heaviest cannonade of the war. Pickett led his force into no-man’s-land and discovered that Lee’s plan had failed. As Pickett’s force attempted to cross the mile distance to Cemetery Ridge, Union artillery blew great holes in their lines. More than 7,000 Confederate troops had been killed or wounded. -
The Capture of Vicksburg
The Confederate Army surrenders to the Union Army at Vicksburg under General Grant. The Union Army now had complete control over the Mississippi River. -
Lincoln Delivers the Gettysburg Address
At the dedication of a military cemetery at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, Abraham Lincoln delivers one of the most memorable speeches in U.S. History in honor of the lives lost there. -
Andersonville Prison Camp Opens
This was the site of a notorious Confederate military prison. The prison was officially called Camp Sumter and was the South’s largest prison for captured Union soldiers and known for its unhealthy conditions and high death rate. -
Battle of Fort Pillow
This was also known as the Fort Pillow Massacre where more than 300 African American soldiers were killed. Although the Union soldiers surrendered and should have been taken as prisoners of war, they were killed by the Confederate soldiers. -
Assault on Petersburg
The Army of the Potomac crossed the James River and attacked the outer defenses of Petersburg, which was the primary junction for several southern railroads about 23 miles south from the Confederate capital of Richmond, Virginia. -
Battle of The Crater
After a month of tunneling by soldiers of the 48th Pennsylvania Infantry exploded a mine that blew a gap in the Confederate defenses of Petersburg. The infantry charge that followed was poorly coordinated and by day's end, Confederate counterattacks had driven out the Union troops and the siege lines remained unchanged. -
Battle of Atlanta
John B Hood's second effort to throw back Union forces under Sherman brings him heavy casualties with no positive results. General James McPherson, commander of the Union Army of the Tennessee, is killed during the fighting. -
Battle of Cedar Creek
Confederate Lt. General Jubal Early launched a surprise attack against the encamped army of Union Major General Philip Sheridan. During the morning fighting, seven Union infantry divisions were forced to fall back and they lost many prisoners and cannons. General Sheridan was able to rally his troops and form a new defensive line which prompted a Union victory. -
Abraham Lincoln is Reelected as President
On election day, Lincoln carried all but three states and won 55 percent of the vote. He won 212 electoral votes to McCellan’s 21. A majority of the Union troops voted for their commander in chief, including a large percentage of McClellan’s old command, the Army of the Potomac. No country had ever held an election during a military emergency before. -
General Sherman Begins the "March of the Sea"
Union General William T. Sherman led some 60,000 soldiers on a 285-mile march from Atlanta to Savannah, Georgia. The purpose of this “March to the Sea” was to frighten Georgia’s civilian population into abandoning the Confederate cause. -
Sherman's Army Arrives in Savannah
When Sherman arrived the 10,000 Confederates who were supposed to be guarding it had already fled. Sherman presented the city of Savannah and its 25,000 bales of cotton to President Lincoln as a Christmas gift. -
Battle of Nashville
The Confederate Army of Tennessee, headed by General John Bell Hood, was nearly destroyed when the Union army commanded by General George Thomas swarmed over the trenches around Nashville. This drove the Rebels back by more than a mile. -
Peace Conference Ends in Failure
President Lincoln meets with Confederate Vice President Alexander Stephens to discuss terms of peace at the Hampton Roads Conference near Fort Monroe. The conference ends in a failure and the war continues on. -
Battle of Five Forks
The Confederate defeat at Five Forks initiates General Lee's decision to abandon the Petersburg-Richmond siege lines. -
Battle of Appomattox Court House and Surrender
General Lee launched an attack to break through the Union force to his front, assuming the Union force consisted entirely of cavalry. When he realized that the cavalry was backed up by two corps of Union infantry, he had no choice but to surrender. -
Lincoln's Assassination
At the Ford's Theater in Washington D.C., President Lincoln is assassinated by John Wilkes Booth. His original plan was to take out Lincoln, the vice president, and the secretary of State with the help of others that way the government would be in chaos without its two presidential successors. -
General Joseph Johnston Surrenders
Confederate General Joseph E. Johnston and Union General William T. Sherman, met under a flag of truce to discuss a peaceful solution. Finally, the home of James and Nancy Bennett became the site of the largest troop surrender of the Civil War. -
General Richard Taylor Surrenders
He was forced to surrender his army to US General Edward Canby. This was the last major force to surrender east of the Mississippi. -
The End of The Civil War
President Johnson officially declares the virtual end of the Civil War. Lieutenant General Nathan Bedford Forrest also surrendered on this day at Gainesville, Alabama. -
The Capture of Jefferson Davis
The former president of the Confederacy is captured with his wife and entourage near Irwinville, Georgia by a detachment of Union General James H. Wilson’s 4th Michigan cavalry. Davis was wearing his wife's shawl to disguise himself as a woman in a poor attempt to escape. He had hoped to flee to a foreign nation such as Britain or France. -
Battle of Palmito Ranch
The Battle of Palmito Ranch, Texas is generally recognized as the final battle of the Civil War. Union and Confederate forces in southern Texas had been observing an unofficial truce, but Union Colonel Theodore H. Barrett ordered an attack on a Confederate camp near Fort Brown for unknown reasons. -
The 13th Amendment is Ratified
The new amendment was passed by Congress on January 31, 1865 but wasn't ratified until this date. This amendment officially abolished slavery, saying: "Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction." -
The Last Issue of "The Liberator" is Published
The last issue of the abolitionist magazine "The Liberator" is published. It was the most influential antislavery periodical in the pre-Civil War period of U.S. history and it ran for 35 years. It was created by William Lloyd Garrison. -
Insurrection Ends in Some Southern States
Insurrection ends in the states of Georgia, South Carolina, Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Alabama, Louisiana, Arkansas, Mississippi, and Florida. -
Civil Rights Act of 1866
This act granted citizenship and the same rights enjoyed by white citizens to all male persons in the United States, "without distinction of race or color, or previous condition of slavery or involuntary servitude." -
14th Amendment Is Passed By Congress
The 14th Amendment addresses citizenship rights and equal protection of the laws. It was proposed in response to issues that related to former slaves following the Civil War as one of the Reconstruction Amendments. This amendment wouldn't be fully ratified until July 9th, 1868. -
New Freedmen's Bureau Bill is Passed
The Freedmen's Bureau Act gave ex-slaves "any of the civil rights or immunities belonging to white persons, including the right to.....inherit, purchase, lease, sell, hold and convey real and personal property, and to have full and equal benefit of all laws and proceedings for the security of person and estate, including the constitutional right of bearing arms." This bill passed both house and senate and they overrode president Johnson's veto. -
Tennessee Rejoins The Union
Tennessee becomes the first state to be readmitted into the Union following the Civil War. Tennessee was also the last state to withdraw from the Union. -
Ulysses S. Grant Receives New Rank
The U.S. Congress authorizes the rank of General of The Army. In modern times this would be known as a 5 star general. Lieutenant General Ulysses S. Grant becomes the first to have this rank. -
National Union Convention
It was held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The convention was called in advance of the mid-year elections of 1866 in an attempt to help President Johnson, who had been under heavy fire from Radical Republicans and more moderate Republicans. This lasted until August 16th, 1866. -
Texas Insurrection Ends
Texas rejoins the Union after previously seceding from it. On this date President Johnson officially announced that the fighting was over with the state. -
Andrew Johnson Starts His Swing Around The Circle Tour
President Andrew Johnson goes on his Swing Around the Circle speaking tour to gain support for his Re constructionist policies and Democratic Party candidates in the upcoming elections. This tour was essentially disastrous and he ended up losing the upcoming election. His tour lasted until September 15th, 1866. -
African American Men Gain Suffrage
African American Men gain the right to vote in the District of Columbia. This bill was passed over President Johnson's veto. It states that anyone who is 21 years or older has the right to vote. Unless you are a welfare or charity recipient, under guardianship, convicted of any major crimes, or voluntarily sheltered Confederate troops or spies during the Civil War. -
Kentucky Rejects the 14th Amendment
Kentucky rejects ratifying the 14th Amendment. They are still influenced by old Southerners who do not believe blacks should be given citizenship because they are not people. -
Tenure of Office Act is Passed
Congress passes the Tenure of Office Act, which denies the President's the right to remove officials who had been appointed with the consent of Congress. This gives Congress complete control over all decisions in the Reconstruction. -
1st Reconstruction Act is Passed
The First Reconstruction Act is passed by Congress over President Johnson's veto. It divides all the former confederate states with provisional governments into 5 military districts. Each state would be governed by a military General appointed by the President. To gain readmission into the Union a state would have to ratify the 14th Amendment. -
Black Votes Get Rejected
In Alexandria, Virginia, over 1,000 black votes are rejected even though the Reconstruction Act is in place and they have the right to. It is one of the first steps the country takes to fulfill the process of rebuilding. -
The 5th Military District
General Philip Sheridan assumes command of the 5th Military district including Louisiana and Texas. New Orleans served as his main point of operation. -
2nd Reconstruction Act is Passed
Congress passes the Second Reconstruction Act over President Johnson's veto. It gives military governors the right to establish state meetings for readmission into the Union. Blacks are represented in the meetings and have the right to vote. -
Certain States Get Admitted Into The Union
Congress passes a bill admitting Arkansas, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, North Carolina, and South Carolina into the Union. Virginia, Mississippi, and Texas, having refused to ratify the fourteenth amendment, were refused admission into the Union. -
Committee on Reconstruction
House Select Committee on Reconstruction is appointed. Their jobs are to help the rebuilding of America to be fair and run smoothly. -
3rd Reconstruction Act is Passed
Congress passes the Third Reconstruction Act over President Johnson's veto. It confirms military district commanders authority of the to remove former Confederate State's officials from office.
