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Timeline of the American Civil War
Main Events
1858
- 1858 May 11, Minnesota admitted into the Union.
- Bytown (now Ottawa) made the capital of Canada.
- Aug. ft. news of the successful laying of the Atlantic telegraph cable was received throughout the country with great demonstrations of joy. The cable was spliced in midocean July 29; the Agamemnon reached Valencia, Aug. 4, and the Niagara, Trinity Bay, Aug. 5.
- Aug. 6 first message sent across the Atlantic telegraph cable, from Queen Victoria to President Buchanan.
- 1859 Feb. 10, treaty with Paraguay.
1859
- Feb. 14, Oregon admitted into the Union.
- Vancouver organized as a crown colony of Great Britain.
- May 11, Vicksburg convention resolved in favor of opening the slave trade.
- Oct. 6, John Brown's seizure of Harper's Ferry; he was captured and hung Dec. 2.
- First oil well was sunk on Oil Creek, Pa.
- Discovery of silver (Comstock Lode) in Nevada.
1860
- 1860 April 23, Democratic convention met at Charleston and nominated Douglas, and by a seceding portion renominated J. C. Breckenridge.
- May 9, Bell and Everett nominated by the Constitutional Union party at Baltimore.
- May 18. Lincoln nominated by Republican convention at Chicago.
- June 1, eighth United States census; population, 31,443,321.
- Aug. 5, Walker, the "fillibuster,” landed in Honduras for the last time; was taken, and shot Sept. 12.
- Sept. 20, the Prince of Wales reached the United States at Detroit; went to Chicago, Cincinnati, Washington, Richmond, New York; sailed from Portland, Oct. 20.
- Dee. 20, South Carolina seceded, followed within six months by the ten other states south of Maryland and Kentucky;
- Imports for 1860, $362,166,254; exports, $400,125,296.
1861
- 1861 Jan. 29, Kansas admitted into the Union.
- Feb. 4. the seceded states held a convention at Montgomery, Ala.; they called themselves Confederate States of America, and adopted a Constitution.
- Feb. 14, Jefferson Davis made President of the Confederate States; they raised troops and armed for war.
- March 4, Lincoln was inaugurated President; Hannibal Hamlin Vice President.
- April 13, Fort Sumter surrendered after two days’ bombardment by the Confederates, who seized all United States vessels, forts, mints, and other property in their states, except Forts Monroe, Taylor, Jefferson, and Pickens.
- April 15, President Lincoln called out 75,000 volunteers to defend Washington against the Confederate forces in Virginia.
- April 19, attack on the Massachusetts troops going through Baltimore to Washington.
- June 10, an attack from Fortress Monroe on the Confederate battery at Big Bethel repulsed.
- July 20, Confederate Congress met at Richmond.
- July 21, the Battle of Bull Run lost by the United States forces under McDowelL
- Aug. 10, Battle of Dug Springs, Mo., won by United States troops, but their leader, General Lyon, killed.
- Aug. 29, Confederate forts at Hatteras Inlet and 700 troops taken by United States fleet
- Aug. 31, General Fremont issued proclamation freeing slaves in Missouri.
- Sept. 10, Rosecrans defeated the Confederates under Floyd at Camifex Ferry, Va.
- Sept. 20, Colonel Mulligan surrendered Lexington, Mo, to the Confederates.
- Oct. 3. Battle of Green Briar, Va.; Confederates defeated.
- Oct 16, Lexington, Mo., recaptured by Union troops.
- Oct 21, Battle of Ball’s Bluff, Va.; Colonel Baker killed, and Unionists defeated.
- Nov. 1. General McClellan made general in chief to succeed General Scott.
- Nov. 2, Fremont removed and Hunter succeeded him in Missouri.
- Nov. 7, Union fleet bombarded and carried Confederate works at Port Royal, S. C. Battle of Belmont, Mo.; General Grant attacked the Confederates, but was repulsed.
- Nov. 8, Captain Wilkes in the San Jacinto took Slidell and Mason out of the Trent.
- Nov. 9, General Halleck placed over department of the West, and General Buell in Kentucky.
- Nov. 24, Mason and Slidell placed in Fort Warren.
- Nov. 30, Jefferson Davis elected President of the Confederate States; A. H. Stephens Vice President
- Dec. 4, John C. Breckenridge expelled from United States Senate by unanimous vote.
- Dec. 12, great fire at Charleston. S. C.; one-third of the city burned.
- Dec. 18, General Pope defeated with great loss at Shawnee Mound, Mo.
- Dec. 20, Battle of Drainesville; General McCall defeated the Confederates.
- Dec. 30, Slidell and Mason surrendered, on the justifiable demand of England.
- Dec. 31, suspension of specie payment
1862
- Jan. 10, Battle of Middle Creek, Ky.; General Garfield defeated H. Marshall
- Jan. 11, Burnside’s expedition left Fortress Monroe for North Carolina.
- Jan. 13, Simon Cameron, Secretary of War, resigned; Edwin M. Stanton appointed his successor.
- 862. Jan. 30, Ericsson’s Monitor launched at Green Point, L. I.
- Feb. 6, Fort Henry, on Tennessee River, taken by Commodore Foote.
- Feb. 16, General Grant captured Fort Donelson with over 13,000 prisoners.
- March 6-8, Battle of Pea Ridge, Ark.; Federal victory.
- March 9, the Monitor engaged and drove off the Merrimac, saving the Minnesota.
- March 23, Battle of Winchester, Va.; Confederates defeated.
- April 6-7, Battle of Shiloh or Pittsburg Landing; Confederates gained first day, but were defeated on the second, losing 20,000; General Johnston killed.
- April 7, Island No. 10 surrendered to Pope, after 23 days’ siege.
- April 11, Fort Pulaski captured by the Federals after thirty hours’ bombardment.
- April 28, New Orleans surrendered to General Butler. Forts Jackson and Saint Philip surrendered the same day.
- May 5, Battle at Williamsburg; Union victory.
- May 25, Banks defeated at Winchester and retreated to Potomac River.
- May 30, Halleck’s troops occupied Corinth, Miss., the Confederates evacuating it.
- May 31 and June 1, Battle of Fair Oaks or Seven Pines; result indecisive.
- June 6, Memphis surrendered to Commodore Davis.
- June 20, bill prohibiting slavery in the territories became a law.
- June 26, Battle of Mechanicsville, both sides losing heavily, and Union troops retreating,
- June 27, Battle of Gaines’s Mill, Union troops crossing the Chickahominy at night.
- June 30. battles of White Oak Swamp and Charles City Cross Roads.
- July 1, Battle of Malvern Hill, last of the Seven Days’ battles; Confederates checked. Total Union losses in seven days, 15,224.
- July 11, General Halleck made general in chief of all the armies of the United States.
- July 29, the Alabama sailed from Liverpool.
- Aug. 9, Battle of Cedar Mountain, Va.; Banks defeated with heavy loss.
- Aug. 29 and 30, General Pope defeated in the Second Battle of Bull Run.
- Sept. 4, Lee’s army began to cross the Potomac at Poolesville, Md.
- Sept. 14, Battle of South Mountain; Union victory.
- Sept. 16 and 17, Battle of Antietam; Confederates defeated, losing 25,000.
- Sept. 19, rebels retreated over the Potomac. Battle of Iuka; Union victory.
- Sept. 24, writ of habeas corpus suspended in military cases.
- Oct. 3-5, battles of Corinth, Miss.; Union victory.
- Dec. 13, Battle of Fredericksburg.; Confederate victory.
- Dec. 29, first attack on Vicksburg.
- Dec. 31, Battle of Stone River or Murfreesboro.
1863
- 1863. Jan. 1, the Emancipation Proclamation issued by Lincoln.
- Jan. 2, Battle of Murfreesboro; Union victory.
- Feb. 25, act establishing national banks became a law.
- May 1-17, Grant’s campaign before Vicksburg.
- May 1-5, Battle of Chancellorsville; Confederate victory.
- May 18, Grant’s troops took position round Vicksburg to begin the siege.
- June 19, West Virginia admitted as a State.
- July 1-3, Battle of Gettysburg; Lee defeated and retreated southward.
- July 4, unconditional surrender of Vicksburg and 31,000 men.
- July 9, Port Hudson with 7,000 men surrendered to General Banks. The Mississippi is opened.
- July 13, Lee recrossed the Potomac into Virginia.
- July 13-18, draft riots in New York City.
- Aug. 16, Rosecrans began his march upon Chattanooga.
- Sept. 7, Confederates evacuated fo*rts Wagner and Gregg.
- Sept. 19-20, Battle of Chickamauga; Rosecrans defeated by Bragg.
- Nov. 24-25, Battle of Lookout Mountain and Missionary Ridge; Union victory.
- Dec. 8, President Lincoln issued his amnesty proclamation.
1864
- 1864. Jan. 25, Congress thanked Cornelius Vanderbilt for presenting the Vanderbilt, worth $800,000,
- to the United States.
- March 3, Ulysses S. Grant was made lieutenant general.
- March 17, General Grant assumed command of all the Union armies.
- May 5-6, Battle of the Wilderness; indecisive.
- May 6, Sherman advanced from Chattanooga, on his Atlanta campaign.
- May 8-18, Battle of Spottsylvania Courthouse; indecisive.
- June 3, Battle of Cold Harbor; Confederate victory.
- June 19, the Kearsarge sank the Alabama off Cherbourg; Union victory.
- July 20-28, Union victory in battles before Atlanta.
- July 30, the Confederates under McCausland burned Chambersburg, Pa.
- Aug. 5, Admiral Farragut entered Mobile Bay, defeating the Confederates.
- Sept. 2, Sherman captured Atlanta, Ga.
- Sept. 29, Union victory at Winchester, Va.
- Oct. 29, “Sheridan’s Ride” and Union victory at Cedar Creek, Va.
- Oct. 31 Nevada admitted as a State.
- Nov. 16, Sherman started from Atlanta on his “march to the sea.”
- 1864. Dec. 21, Savannah, Ga., taken by General Sherman.
1865
- 1865. Jan. 15, Fort Fisher, the last Confederate port, closed by Union victory.
- Feb. 1, Sherman left Savannah on his march northward.
- Feb. 18, Charleston, S. C., captured by the Union army.
- Feb. 21, the Union army captured Wilmington, N. C.
- March, Sheridan’s raid on Lynchburg, Va.
- April 3, Petersburg and Richmond taken by the Federals.
- April 9, Lee surrendered with the remains of his army, 26,115 men.
- April 11, Mobile captured by the Unionists.
- April 13, the Unionists captured Raleigh.
- April 14, President Lincoln assassinated at Washington, and Andrew Johnson became President.
- April 26, Johnston and his army surrendered to Sherman.
- April 29, Commercial restrictions removed between the North and the South.
- May 11, Jefferson Davis captured at Irwinsville, Ga.
- May 23-24, review of Grant’s and Sherman’s armies at Washington.
- May 29, Johnson issued a proclamation of amnesty and pardon.
- Dec. 18, Thirteenth Amendment to the Constitution was declared adopted.
1866
- 1866. July 1, the national debt reached its highest point, $2,773,236,173.
- The crown colony of Vancouver made part of the Province of British Columbia.
1867
- 1867. March 1, Nebraska admitted as a State.
- March 30, Alaska purchased of Russia for $7,200,000.
- May 13, Jefferson Davis admitted to bail for $100,000.
- July 1, Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick organized as the Dominion of Canada.
1868
- 1868. Feb. 24, impeachment of President Johnson.
- July 4, Johnson issued a full pardon and amnesty proclamation.
- July 28, Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution was declared adopted.
- Nov. 3, U. S. Grant elected President; Schuyler Colfax Vice President.
1869
- 1869. May 7, the Pacific railroad was completed.
1870
- 1870. March 30, Fifteenth Amendment to the Constitution declared adopted.
- June 1, ninth United States census; population, 38,558,371.
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