November 6 - Abraham Lincoln elected President.
Slave states call conventions to consider secession.
December 20 - South Carolina secedes from
the Union. Within the next six weeks, Alabama, Texas, Mississippi,
Florida, Louisiana and Georgia follow suit.
1861
February 4 - Seceded states hold convention in
Montgomery, Alabama.
February 8 - Constitution of Confederate States of
America adopted.
February 9 - Jefferson Davis is Confederacy's
first President.
February 18 - Inauguration of Jefferson Davis.
March 4 - Inauguration of Abraham Lincoln.
April 8 - Union fleet departs New York to resupply
Fort Sumter, South Carolina.
April 12 - Fort Sumter attacked by Confederates.
April 13 - Fort Sumter surrenders.
April 15 - Lincoln calls for 75,000 militiamen and
a special session of Congress for July 4. Robert E. Lee declines
command of Union Army.
April 17 - Virginia secedes. North Carolina,
Arkansas and Tennessee follows within 5 weeks. General Lee resigns
from U.S. Army and accepts command of Virginia forces.
April 19 - President Lincoln issues Proclamation
of Blockade against Confederate ports.
May 18-19 - Battle of Sewell's Point, VA.
May 29-June 1 - Battle of Aquia Creek, VA.
June 3 - Battle of Philippi, WV.
uly 4 - President Lincoln addresses Congress.
Congress authorizes a call for 500,000 soldiers.
July 27 - President Lincoln replaces General Irvin
McDowell as Commander of the Dept. of the Potomac with George B.
McClellan.
September 11 - General John C. Fremont's
unauthorized proclamation of emancipation voided by President Lincoln.
November 1 - President Lincoln names McClellan
commander of all Union forces.
November 7 - Battle of Belmont, MO.
November 8 - Union Navy seizes two Confederate
officials enroute to Britain. Britain demands their release and
threatens war. President Lincoln eventually orders their release.
1862
January 31 - General War Order No. 1, calling for
a general advance by all Union forces by February 22, is issued by
President Lincoln.
February 6 - Ulysses S. Grant captures Fort Henry,
Tennessee for the Union. Battle of Fort Henry, TN.
February 7-8 - Battle of Roanoake Island, NC.
February 11-16 - Battle of Fort Donelson, TN.
February 20-21 - Battle of Valverde, NM.
February 22 - Jefferson Davis inaugurated
President of the Confederacy for six-year term.
February 25 - Union forces capture Nashville.
February 28 - Battle of New Madrid/Island #10, MO.
March 6-8 - Battle of Pea Ridge, AR.
March 8-9 - Two Union wooden ships sunk by
Confederate Merrimac which then battles Union Monitor
to a draw in battle of Hampton Roads, VA..
March - President Lincoln temporarily takes direct
command of Union forces.
April 5-May 4 - Battle of Yorktown, VA.
April 6-7 - Battle of Shiloh, TN.
April 10-11 - Battle of Fort Pulaski, GA.
April 16 - Conscription enacted by Confederacy.
April 16-28 - Battle of Forts Jackson and St.
Philip, LA.
April 25 - Union navy takes New Orleans.
April 29-June 10 - Battle of Corinth, MS.
May 25 - First Battle of Winchester, VA.
May 27 - Battle of Hanover Court House, VA.
May 31-June 1 - Battle of Seven Pines, VA.
June 1 - Robert E. Lee takes command of the Army
of Northern Virginia.
June 6 - Battle of Memphis, TN.
June 7-8 - Battle of Chattanooga, TN.
June 8 - Battle of Cross Keys, VA.
June 25-July 1 - Union forces driven away from
Richmond during Seven Days Battles.
June 26 - Battle of Beaver Dam Creek, VA.
June 27 - Battle of Gaines' Mill, VA.
June 27-28 - Battle of Garnett's and Golding's
Farms, VA.
June 29 - Battle of Savage's Station, VA.
June 30 - Battles of Glendale and White Oak Swamp,
VA.July 1 - Battle of Malvern Hill, VA.
July 2 - Battle of Hoke's Run, WV.
July 11 - President Lincoln hands over command of
Union forces to General Henry W. Halleck.
July 13 - Battle of Murfreesboro, TN.
August 9 - First Battle of Donaldsonville, LA;
Battle of Cedar Mountain, VA.
August 11 - First Battle of Independence, MO.
August 22-25 - First Battle of Rappahannock
Station, VA.
August 25-27 - Manassas Stations Operations, VA.
August 29-30 - Second Battle of Manassas, VA;
Battle of Richmond, KY.
September 4 - Robert E. Lee invades Maryland,
heading for Harpers Ferry. Union Army pursues.
September 12-15 - Battle of Harpers Ferry, WV.
September 14 - Battle of South Mountain, MD.
September 16-18 - Battle of Antietam.
September 22 - President Lincoln issues
preliminary Emancipation Proclamation.October
- President Lincoln visits General McClellan at Antietam.
January 31 - Thirteenth Amendment to the U.S.
Constitution approved by Congress.
February 1 - General Sherman begins march through
the Carolinas.
February 3 - President Lincoln meets with
Confederate Vice President Alexander Stephens in an unsuccessful peace
conference. Battle of Rivers' Bridge, SC.
March 19-21 - Battle of Bentonville, NC.
March 20 - Battle of Monroe's Crossroads, NC
March 25 - Battle of Fort Stedman, VA.
General Lee begins his last offensive by attacking Grant at Petersburg.
April 2 - Richmond and Petersburg fall. Battle of
Selma, AL. Battle of Sutherland's Station,
VA.
April 7 - Battle of Cumberland Church, VA.
April 8 - Battle of Appomattox Station, VA.
April 9 - Lee surrenders at Appomattox.
April 14 - President Lincoln shot by John Wilkes
Booth.
April 15 - President Lincoln dies.
April 18 - General Johnston surrenders to Sherman
near Durham, North Carolina.