November 6, 1860- Abraham Lincoln is elected sixteenth president of the United States,

the first Republican president in the nation who represents a party that opposes the spread
of slavery in the territories of the United States.
December 17, 1860- The first Secession Convention meets in Columbia, South Carolina.
December 20, 1860- South Carolina secedes from the Union.
January 1861 - Six additional southern states secede from the Union.
February 8-9, 1861 - The southern states that seceded create a overnment at
!ontomery, Alabama, and the Confederate States of America are formed.
February 18, 1861- "efferson #avis is appointed the first $resident of the Confederate
States of America at !ontomery, Alabama, a position he will hold until elections can be
arraned.
March 4, 1861- Abraham Lincoln is inaugurated as the sixteenth president of the United
States in Washington, DC.
April 12, 1861- Southern forces fre upon ort Sumter, South Carolina. !he Ci"il War has
formall# begun.
April 15, 1861- $resident Lincoln issues a public declaration that an insurrection exists and
calls for %&,''' militia to stop the rebellion. As a result of this call for "olunteers, four
additional southern states secede from the Union in the follo(ing (ee)s. Lincoln (ill respond
on *a# + (ith an additional call for ,+,'''- "olunteers to ser"e for three #ears, expanding
the si.e of the /egular Arm#.
May 24, 1861- Union forces cross the $otomac /i"er and occup# Arlington 0eights, the
home of future Confederate 1eneral /obert 2. Lee. 3t is during the occupation of nearb#
Alexandria that Colonel 2lmer 2lls(orth, commander of the 44
th
5e( 6or) 3nfantr# and a
close friend of the Lincolns, is shot dead b# the o(ner of the *arshall 0ouse 7ust after
remo"ing a Confederate 8ag from its roof.
June 3, 1861- A s)irmish near $hilippi in (estern 9irginia, is the frst clash of Union and
Confederate forces in the east.
June 10, 1861- :attle of :ig :ethel, the frst land battle of the (ar in 9irginia.
June 20, 1861-At the culmination of the Wheeling Con"ention, the region that composed
the north(estern counties of 9irginia bro)e a(a# from that state to form West 9irginia,
o;ciall# designated and accepted as the thirt# ffth state of the Union on <une =', 4>?+.
July 21, 1861- !he :attle of :ull /un @or irst *anassasA, is fought near *anassas,
9irginia. !he Union Arm# under 1eneral 3r(in *cDo(ell initiall# succeeds in dri"ing bac)
Confederate forces under 1eneral $ierre 1usta" !outant :eauregard, but the arri"al of troops
under 1eneral <oseph 2. <ohnston initates a series of re"erses that sends *cDo(ellBs arm# in
a panic)ed retreat to the defenses of Washington. 3t is here that !homas <onathan <ac)son, a
professor at 9*3, (ill recei"e e"erlasting fame as CStone(allC <ac)son.
July 1861-!o th(art the Confederate threat in northern 9irginia, a series ofearth(or)s and
forts are engineered to surround the Cit# of Washington, adding to protection alread# oDered
b# acti"e posts such as ort Washingtonon the $otomac /i"er.
August 10, 1861- :attle of WilsonBs Cree), *issouri.!he Union Arm# under 1eneral
5athaniel L#on, attac) Confederate troops and state militia south(est of Springfeld,
*issouri, and after a disastrous da# that included the death of L#on, are thro(n bac). !he
Confederate "ictor# emphasi.es the strong southern presence (est of the *ississippi /i"er.
August 28-29, 1861- ort 0atteras at Cape 0atteras, 5orth Carolina, falls to Union na"al
forces. !his begins the frst Union eDorts to close southern ports along the Carolina coast.
Septemer 20, 1861- Lexington, *issouri falls to Confederate forces under Sterling $rice.
!ct"er 21, 1861- :attle of :allBs :luD, 9irginia. Colonel 2d(ard D. :a)er, senator from
Eregon and a friend of $resident Lincoln, led troops across the $otomac /i"er onl# to be
forced bac) to the ri"erBs edge (here he (as )illed. !he ensuing Union (ithdra(al turned
into a rout (ith man# soldiers dro(ning (hile tr#ing to re-cross the ic# (aters of the
$otomac /i"er.
January 19, 1862- :attle of *ill Springs, Fentuc)#. !he Union "ictor# (ea)ened the
Confederate hold on the state.
#eruary 6, 1862- Surrender of ort 0enr#, !ennessee. !he lost of this southern fort on the
!ennessee /i"er opened the door to Union control of the ri"er.
#eruary 8, 1862- :attle of /oano)e 3sland, 5orth Carolina. A Confederate defeat, the
battle resulted in Union occupation of eastern 5orth Carolina and control of $amlico Sound,
to be used as 5orthern base for further operations against the southern coast.
#eruary 16, 1862- Surrender of ort Donelson, !ennessee. !his primar# southern fort on
the Cumberland /i"er left the ri"er in Union hands. 3t (as here that Union 1eneral Ul#sses S.
1rant gained his nic)name CUnconditional SurrenderC.
#eruary 22, 1862- <eDerson Da"is is inaugurated as $resident of the Confederate States
of America.
March $-8, 1862- :attle of $ea /idge @2l)horn !a"ernA, Ar)ansas. !he Union "ictor#
loosened the Confederate hold on *issouri and disrupted southern control of a portion of the
*ississippi /i"er.
March 9, 1862- !he na"al battle bet(een the USS Monitor and the CSSVirginia @the old USS
C*errimac)CA, the frst CironcladsC, is fought in 0ampton /oads, 9irginia.
April 6-$, 1862- !he :attle of Shiloh @$ittsburg LandingA, the frst ma7or battle in
!ennessee. Confederate 1eneral Albert Sidne# <ohnston, a "eteran of the !exas War of
3ndependence and the War (ith *exico considered to be one of the fnest o;cers the South
has, is )illed on the frst da# of fghting. !he Union "ictor# further secures the career of
Union 1eneral Ul#sses S. 1rant.
April 24-25, 1862- A Union 8eet of gunships under Admiral Da"id arragut passes
Confederate forts guarding the mouth of the *ississippi /i"er. En April =&, the 8eet arri"ed
at 5e( Erleans (here the# demanded the surrender of the cit#. Within t(o da#s the forts fall
into Union hands and the mouth of the great ri"er is under Union control.
May 25, 1862- irst :attle of Winchester, 9irginia. After t(o (ee)s of maneu"ering and
battles at Cross Fe#s and ront /o#al, 1eneral CStone(allC <ac)son attac)s Union forces at
Winchester and successfull# dri"es them from the cit#. !he "ictor# is the culmination of his
4>?= 9alle# Campaign.
May 31-June 1, 1862- !he :attle of Se"en $ines near /ichmond, 9irginia.1eneral <oseph
<ohnston, commander of the Confederate arm# in 9irginia is (ounded and replaced b#
/obert 2. Lee (ho renames his command the CArm# of 5orthern 9irginiaC.
June 6, 1862- :attle of *emphis, !ennessee. A Union 8otilla under Commodore Charles
Da"is successfull# defeats a Confederate ri"er force on the *ississippi /i"er near the cit#
and *emphis surrenders. !he *ississippi /i"er is no( in Union control except for its course
(est of *ississippi (here the cit# of 9ic)sburg stands as the last southern stronghold on the
great ri"er.
June 25-July 1, 1862- !he Se"en Da#sB :attles before /ichmond. 1eneral LeeBs arm#
attac)s the CArm# of the $otomacC under 1eneral 1eorge *cClellan in a succession of
battles beginning at *echanics"ille on <une =? and ending at *al"ern 0ill on <ul# 4.
August 30-31, 1862- !he :attle of Second :ull /un @or Second *anassasAis fought on the
same ground (here one #ear before, the Union arm# (as defeated and sent reeling in
retreat to Washington. Li)e(ise, the result of this battle is a Union defeat.
Septemer 1$, 1862- !he :attle of Antietam @or SharpsburgA, *ar#land, the bloodiest
single da# of the Ci"il War. !he result of the battle ends 1eneral LeeBs frst in"asion of the
5orth. ollo(ing the Union "ictor#, $resident Lincoln (ill introduce the 2mancipation
$roclamation, an executi"e order that freed e"er# sla"e in the Confederate States.
%ecemer 13, 1862- !he :attle of rederic)sburg, 9irginia. !he Arm# of the $otomac,
under 1eneral Ambrose :urnside, is soundl# defeated b# LeeBs forces after a ris)# ri"er
crossing and sac)ing of the cit#.
%ecemer 31-January 3, 1863- :attle of Stones /i"er, !ennessee. ought bet(een the
Union Arm# of the Cumberland under 1eneral William /osecrans and the Confederate Arm#
of !ennessee under 1eneral :raxton :ragg, the costl# Union "ictor# frees middle !ennessee
from Confederate control and boosts northern morale.

January 1, 1863- !he 2mancipation $roclamation goes into eDect. Applauded b# man#
abolitionists including rederic) Douglass, there are others (ho feel it does not go far
enough to totall# abolish sla"er#.
March 3, 1863- Conscription, or the drafting of soldiers into militar# ser"ice, begins in the
5orth. 3t had begun in the South the #ear before.
April 1863- Union forces in the east begin a ne( campaign in 9irginia to 8an) LeeBs Arm# of
5orthern 9irginia at rederic)sburg. 3n the (est, a Union arm# has begun a campaign to
surround and ta)e 9ic)sburg, *ississippi, the last Confederate stronghold on the *ississippi
/i"er.
May 1-4, 1863- !he :attle of Chancellors"ille, 9irginia. 1eneral LeeBs greatest "ictor# is
marred b# the mortal (ounding of CStone(allC <ac)son, (ho dies on *a# 4'. Soon after, Lee
as)s <eDerson Da"is for permission to in"ade the 5orth and ta)e the (ar out of 9irginia.
May 18, 1863- Siege of 9ic)sburg, *ississippi begins. Union forces under 1eneral Ul#sses
S. 1rant attac) Confederate defenses outside the cit# on *a# 4G-==. 3f 9ic)sburg falls, the
*ississippi /i"er (ill be completel# controlled b# the Union.
June 9, 1863- !he :attle of :rand# Station, 9irginia. Union ca"alr# forces cross the /apidan
/i"er to attac) 1eneral <.2.:. StuartBs ca"alr# and disco"er that LeeBs men are mo"ing (est
to(ard the Shenandoah 9alle#. !he largest ca"alr# battle of the Ci"il War, it also mar)s the
beginning of the 1ett#sburg Campaign. *ean(hile, the Union assault on 9ic)sburg,
*ississippi has become a siege of the cit# (here soldiers and ci"ilians ali)e suDer from
constant bombardment.
June 14-15, 1863- :attle of Second Winchester,9irginia. Confederate troops under 1eneral
/ichard 2(ell defeat Union troops under 1eneral /obert *ilro#, clearing the Shenandoah
9alle# of Union forces.
June 28, 1863- !he 1ett#sburg Campaign continues. Confederates pass through 6or) and
reach the bridge o"er the SusHuehanna /i"er at Columbia, but Union militia set fre to the
bridge, den#ing access to the east shore. Southern ca"alr# s)irmishes (ith Union militia near
0arrisburg, $enns#l"ania.
July 1-3- !he :attle of 1ett#sburg, $enns#l"ania & !he bloodiest battle of the Ci"il War
dashes /obert 2. LeeBs hopes for a successful in"asion of the 5orth.
July 4- 9ic)sburg, *ississippi, surrenders to the Union Arm# under 1rant. !he capture of
9ic)sburg gi"es the Union complete control of the *ississippi /i"er, a "ital suppl# line for the
Confederate states in the (est. At 1ett#sburg, Lee begins his retreat to 9irginia.
July 10-11, 1863- Union na"al and land forces attac) Confederate defenses near
Charleston, South Carolina. Among the Union troops is the &,
th
*assachusetts Colored
3nfantr#, the frst African American regiment of "olunteers to see combat.
July 13, 1863- Draft /iots begin in 5e( 6or) Cit# and else(here as disgruntled (or)ers and
laborers, seething o"er the draft s#stem that seemingl# fa"ors the rich, attac) the draft
o;ce and African American churches. !he riots continue through <ul# 4?.
July 13-14, 1863- 5ear alling Waters, *ar#land, Union troops s)irmish (ith LeeBs
rearguard. !hat night the Arm# of 5orthern 9irginia crosses the $otomac /i"er and the
1ett#sburg Campaign ends.
July 18, 1863- Second Assault on :atter# Wagner, South Carolina. Leading the Union
infantr# charge is the &,
th
*assachusetts Colored 3nfantr# commanded b# Colonel /obert
1ould Sha( (ho is )illed and buried (ith the dead of his regiment.
August 21, 1863- Sac)ing of La(rence, Fansas. 3n a murderous da#light raid, Confederate
and *issouri guerillas under William Clar)e Iuantrill storm into La(rence and destro# most
of the to(n. Approximatel# 4&' men and bo#s are murdered b# IuantrillBs men.
Septemer 9, 1863- Chattanooga, !ennessee, is occupied b# Union forces under 1eneral
William /osecrans (hose Arm# of the Cumberland (ill soon in"ade northern 1eorgia.
Septemer 19-20, 1863- !he :attle of Chic)amauga, 1eorgia. !he Union Arm# of the
Cumberland under 1eneral William /osecrans is defeated and nearl# routed b# the
Confederate Arm# of !ennessee commanded b# 1eneral :raxton :ragg. /osecransB arm#
retreats to the suppl# base at Chattanooga, !ennessee.
Septemer '(")emer 1863- !he Siege of Chattanooga, !ennessee. Confederate forces
under :raxton :ragg surround the occupied cit#. 1eneral Ul#sses S. 1rant is assigned to
command the troops there and begins immediate plans to relie"e the besieged Union arm#.
!ct"er 5, 1863- Eutside of Charleston 0arbor, the Confederate David, a partiall#
submerged, steam po(ered "essel, attac)ed the New Ironsides, part of the Union 8eet
bloc)ading the harbor, (ith a torpedo. :oth ships sur"i"ed the attac), though the
commander of the David and one of his cre( (ere captured.
!ct"er 9 -22, 1863- :ristoe Station Campaign. 3n a feint to(ard Washington, LeeBs Arm#
of the 5orthern 9irginia marches into northern 9irginia in an attempt to 8an) the Arm# of the
$otomac, under 1eneral *eade. Lee successfull# outmaneu"ers *eade though fails to bring
him to battle or catch him in the open. An engagement at :ristoe Station, 9irginia, on
Ectober 4, gi"es the campaign its name.
(")emer 19, 1863- Dedication of the SoldiersB 5ational Cemeter# at 1ett#sburg.
$resident Abraham Lincoln deli"ers the 1ett#sburg Address.
(")emer 23-25, 1863- !he :attle for Chattanooga. Union forces brea) the Confederate
siege of the cit# in successi"e attac)s. !he most notable e"ent is the storming of Loo)out
*ountain on 5o"ember =, and :attle of *issionar# /idge the follo(ing da#. !he decisi"e
Union "ictor# sends the Confederate Arm# south into 1eorgia (here 1eneral :ragg
reorgani.es his forces before resigning from command on 5o"ember +'.
(")emer 26-%ecemer 1, 1863- !he *ine /un Campaign. *eadeBs Arm# of the $otomac
marches against LeeBs Arm# of 5orthern 9irginia south of the /apidan /i"er, east of Erange
Court 0ouse. Lee reacts and thro(s up a line of defenses along the ban)s of *ine /un Cree).
After se"eral da#s of probing the defenses, *eade (ithdra(s north of the /apidan and goes
into (inter Huarters.
(")emer 2$ t" %ecemer 3, 1863- Siege of Fnox"ille, !ennessee. Confederate troops
under 1eneral <ames Longstreet la# siege to the cit# of Fnox"ille held b# Union forces under
1eneral Ambrose :urnside. Longstreet fnall# attac)s on 5o"ember +' but is repulsed (ith
hea"# losses. !he arri"al of Union reinforcements forces him to (ithdra( to 1reene"ille,
!ennessee, (here his corps (ill spend the (inter.
%ecemer 8, 1863- Lincoln 3ssues his $roclamation of Amnest# and /econstruction, (hich
(ould pardon those (ho participated in the Cexisting rebellionC if the# ta)e an oath to the
Union.

#eruary 9, 1864- 2scape from Libb# $rison, /ichmond. After (ee)s of digging, 4'G Union
o;cers made their escape from the notorious Libb# $rison, the largest and most sensational
escape of the (ar. !hough ,> of the escapees (ere later captured and t(o dro(ned, &G
(ere able to ma)e their (a# into Union lines.
#eruary 2$, 1864- 3n 1eorgia, Camp Sumter $rison Camp opens. Uni"ersall# referred to
as Anderson"ille $rison Camp, it (ill become notorious for o"ercro(ded conditions and a
high death rate among its inmates.
#eruary 14-20, 1864- Union Capture and Eccupation of *eridian, *ississippi. Union
forces under William !. Sherman enter the cit# of *eridian, *ississippi after a successful
month of campaigning through the central part of the state. !he capture of this important
southern to(n, (ell )no(n for its industr# and storage capabilities, se"erel# hampers the
eDorts of Confederate commanders to sustain their armies in the deep south, 1eorgia and
(est of the *ississippi /i"er.
#eruary 1$, 1864- irst Successful Submarine Attac) of the Ci"il War. !he CSS H.L.
Hunley, a se"en-man submergible craft, attac)ed the USSHoustonic outside of Charleston,
South Carolina. Struc) b# the submarineBs torpedo, the Housatonic bro)e apart and san),
ta)ing all but f"e of her cre( (ith her. Li)e(ise, the Hunley (as also lost and ne"er heard
from again until disco"ered in 4GG& at the spot (here it san) after the attac).
March 2, 1864- Ul#sses S. 1rant is appointed lieutenant general, a ran) re"i"ed at the
reHuest of $resident Lincoln. 1rant assumes command of all Union Armies in the feld the
follo(ing da#.
March 10, 1864- !he /ed /i"er Campaign begins. As part of an o"erall Union strateg# to
stri)e deep into "arious parts of the Confederac#, a combined force of arm# and na"#
commands under 1eneral 5athaniel :an)s begins a campaign on the /ed /i"er in Louisiana.
April 8, 1864- :attle of Sabine Crossroads or *ansfeld, Louisiana, the frst ma7or battle of
the /ed /i"er Campaign in Louisiana.
April 9, 1864- :attle of $leasant 0ill, Louisiana. !he Union Arm# under :an)s defeats the
attempt b# Confederate forces under 1eneral /ichard !a#lor to dri"e them out of Louisiana.
Unfortunatel#, the result of the campaign (ould be less than desired as it dre( to a close in
the frst (ee) of *a# (ith Confederates still in frm control of most of the state.
April 12, 1864- Capture of ort $illo(, !ennessee. After a rapid raid through central and
(estern !ennessee, Confederate ca"alr# under 5athan :edford orrest attac)ed and
o"er(helmed the Union garrison at ort $illo(, located on the *ississippi /i"er. Among those
garrisoning the fort (ere African American troops, man# of (hom (ere murdered b#
orrestBs angered troopers after the# had surrendered. !he aDair (as in"estigated and
though charges of an atrocit# (ere denied b# Confederate authorities, the e"ents at ort
$illo( cast a pall o"er orrestBs reputation and remained an emotional issue throughout the
remainder of the (ar and after.
May 4-5, 1864- :attle of the Wilderness, 9irginia, the opening battle of the CE"erland
CampaignC or CWilderness CampaignC. 1eneral Ul#sses S. 1rant, accompan#ing the Arm# of
the $otomac under 1eneral *eade, issued orders for the campaign to begin on *a# +. Lee
responded b# attac)ing the Union column in the dense (oods and underbrush of an area
)no(n as the Wilderness, (est of rederic)sburg, 9irginia.
May $, 1864- :eginning of the Atlanta Campaign. With three Union armies under his
command, 1eneral William !. Sherman marched south from !ennessee into 1eorgia against
the Confederate Arm# of !ennessee under 1eneral <oseph <ohnston, the ob7ecti"e being the
cit# of Atlanta.
May 8-21, 1864- :attle of Spots#l"ania Court 0ouse, 9irginia. Lee successfull# stalls
1rantBs dri"e to(ard /ichmond.
May 11, 1864- :attle of 6ello( !a"ern. Six miles north of /ichmond, Confederate ca"alr#
under 1eneral <.2.:. Stuart bloc)ed a force of Union ca"alr# under 1eneral $hilip Sheridan.
1eneral Stuart (as mortall# (ounded during the encounter.
May 14-15, 1864- :attle of /esaca, 1eorgia. 1eneral ShermanBs armies are bloc)ed at
/esaca b# 1eneral <ohnstonBs Arm# of !ennessee. After t(o da#s of maneu"ering and
intense fghting, <ohnston (ithdra(s. Sherman (ill ad"ance but ta)e precautions against
ordering an# further massed assaults (here high casualties ma# occur.
June 1-3, 1864- :attle of Cold 0arbor, 9irginia. /elentless and blood# Union attac)s fail to
dislodge LeeBs arm# from its strong line of defensi"e (or)s northeast of /ichmond.
June 8, 1864- Abraham Lincoln is nominated b# his part# for a second term as president.
June 10, 1864- :attle of :riceBs Crossroads, *ississippi- 3n spite of being outnumbered
almost t(o to one, Confederate 1eneral 5athan :edford orrest attac)s and routs the Union
command under 1eneral Samuel Sturgis.
June 15-18, 1864- Assault on $etersburg, 9irginia. After (ithdra(ing from the lines at Cold
0arbor, the Arm# of the $otomac crossed the <ames /i"er and (ith troops from the Arm# of
the <ames attac)ed the outer defenses of $etersburg, the primar# 7unction for se"eral
southern railroads. After four da#s of blood# attac)s, 1rant accepts that onl# a siege can
s#stematicall# isolate the cit# and cut oD Confederate supplies to the capital of /ichmond.
June 19, 1864- !he USS Kearsarge sin)s the Confederate raider CSSAlabama near
Cherbourg, rance.
June 2$, 1864- :attle of Fennesa( *ountain, 1eorgia. After (ee)s of maneu"ering and
battles, ShermanBs Arm# of the Cumberland and Arm# of the !ennessee smash headlong into
<ohnstonBs carefull# planned defenses at :ig and Little Fennesa(. <ohnston remains on this
line until <ul# =, (hen he retreats at the threat being 8an)ed b# ShermanBs mobile force.
July 9, 1864- :attle of *onocac#, *ar#land. 3n an attempt to dra( Union troops a(a# from
the ongoing siege of $etersburg and /ichmond, a Confederate force under <ubal 2arl# Huietl#
mo"ed north into *ar#land. 2arl# had made excellent progress until he reached rederic),
*ar#land, (here a force of ?,''' ederal troops under 1eneral Le( Wallace, (as arra#ed to
dela# his ad"ance. !hough the battle (as a Union defeat, it (as also touted as Cthe battle
that sa"ed WashingtonC for it succeeded in holding bac) 2arl#Bs march until troops could be
sent to the capitalBs defense.
July 11-12, 1864- Attac) on the Defenses of Washington. <ubal 2arl#Bs troops arri"e on the
outs)irts of Washington, DC, and trade cannon fre (ith a to)en Union force remaining in the
forts around the cit#. $resident Lincoln obser"es the s)irmishing from ort Ste"ens as
reinforcements from the Arm# of the $otomac arri"e and Huic)l# fll in the (or)s. 2arl#
(ithdra(s that e"ening.
July 14-15, 1864- :attles near !upelo, *ississippi. !he Union defeat of 5athan :edford
orrest secured the suppl# lines to ShermanBs armies operating against Atlanta, 1eorgia.
July 1$, 1864- 1eneral <ohn :ell 0ood replaces 1eneral <oseph <ohnston as commander of
the Arm# of !ennessee. !his change in command signals a ne( Confederate strateg# to
th(art ShermanBs campaign, though the end result (ill be disastrous for the southern cause.
July 20, 1864- :attle of $eachtree Cree), 1eorgia, the frst ma7or battle around the cit# of
Atlanta. 1eneral 0ood sends his arm# out of the cit#Bs defenses to attac) the approaching
ederal troops under 1eorge !homas. After se"eral hours of ferce fghting, 0ood (ithdre(
bac) to his o(n defensi"e (or)s.
July 21, 1864- !he :attle of Atlanta. 0oodBs second eDort to thro( bac) Union forces under
Sherman brings him hea"# casualties (ith no positi"e results. 1eneral <ames *c$herson,
commander of the Union Arm# of the !ennessee, is )illed during the fghting.
July 30, 1864- !he :attle of the Crater at $etersburg, 9irginia. After a month of tunneling b#
soldiers of the ,>
th
$enns#l"ania 3nfantr#, a massi"e mine (as exploded under a Confederate
fort in the $etersburg siege lines. !he infantr# charge that follo(ed (as poorl# coordinated
and b# da#Bs end, Confederate counterattac)s had dri"en out the Union troops and the siege
lines remained unchanged.
August 5, 1864- :attle of *obile :a#. A Union 8eet under Admiral Da"id arragut steamed
into *obile :a# outside the cit# of *obile, Alabama, defended b# t(o strong forts and a
small southern 8otilla, including the formidable ironclad CSS ennessee. arragutBs ships
defeated the Confederate ships and b#passed the forts, capturing the important southern
port.
August 18-19, 1864- :attles on the Weldon /ailroad near $etersburg, 9irginia. Union
attempts to capture this important railroad into $etersburg (ere stopped b# Confederate
counterattac)s. Despite southern eDorts, the Union remained in frm possession of their
gains and the railroad.
August 25, 1864- :attle of /eamBs Station, near $etersburg, 9irginia. A surprise
Confederate counterattac) brie8# stopped Union destruction of the Weldon /ailroad near
/eamBs Station, though failed to release the Union grip on this important suppl# line into
$etersburg.
August 31- Septemer 1, 1864- :attle of <onesborough, 1eorgia. !he fnal southern
counterattac) against Union troops outside the cit# of Atlanta fails.
Septemer 1, 1864- all of Atlanta, 1eorgia. Confederate troops under 1eneral 0ood
e"acuate the cit# of Atlanta. 1eneral ShermanBs arm# occupies the cit# and its defenses the
follo(ing da#.
Septemer 19, 1864- !hird :attle of Winchester, 9irginia. Union forces under 1eneral
$hilip Sheridan attac)ed the Confederate arm# under <ubal 2arl# near the cit# of Winchester
and dro"e them south(ard, up the Shenandoah 9alle#.
Septemer 22, 1864- :attle of isherBs 0ill, 9irginia. !he Union Arm# of the Shenandoah
under 1eneral $hilip Sheridan attac)ed <ubal 2arl#Bs Confederates near isherBs 0ill,
o"erpo(ering the southerners and again forcing them to 8ee the battlefeld. Union o;cers
and o;cials in Washington belie"e this to be the fnal battle in the Shenandoah 9alle#.
Septemer 29-30, 1864- :attle of ort 0arrison near /ichmond, 9irginia. 3n a s(eeping
assault, the Confederate stronghold )no(n as ort 0arrison falls to the Arm# of the <ames.
Confederate eDorts to reta)e the fort fail.
!ct"er 19, 1864- !he :attle of Cedar Cree), 9irginia. 3n an earl# morning surprise attac),
<ubal 2arl#Bs Confederates successfull# attac) and dri"e troops of the Arm# of the
Shenandoah from their camps on the ban)s of Cedar Cree) south of *iddleto(n, 9irginia.
0earing the fght from his headHuarters at Winchester, 1eneral $hilip Sheridan rides
south(ard, rall#ing dispirited troops (ho return to the battlefeld. :# da#Bs end, 2arl#Bs
forces are put to 8ight. Despite se"eral attempts to disrupt the Union ad"ance in the coming
(ee)s, the battle for control of the Shenandoah 9alle# is o"er.
(")emer 8, 1864- Abraham Lincoln is reelected president of the United States.
(")emer 16, 1864- 1eneral ShermanBs Arm# of 1eorgia begins the C*arch to the SeaC
(")emer 30, 1864- :attle of ran)lin, !ennessee. After a month of raiding ShermanBs
suppl# lines and attac)ing Union outposts, <ohn :ell 0oodBs arm# confronts Union troops
from 1eneral <ohn SchofeldBs command, (ho the# had encountered the da# before near
Spring 0ill, !ennessee. A massi"e frontal assault on the (ell entrenched ederal line meets
(ith disaster. Despite some ta)ing of outside (or)s and defenses, the toll for 0oodBs forces
is too hea"# including the loss of six of his generals. Union troops retreat in the direction of
5ash"ille.
%ecemer 10, 1864- 0arassed onl# b# scattered 1eorgia militia, ShermanBs Arm# of
1eorgia arri"es at Sa"annah, 1eorgia, completing the famous C*arch to the SeaC. At
Sa"annah, his troops (ill ta)e ort *cAllister and force Confederate defenders to e"acuate
the cit#.
%ecemer 15-16, 1864- !he :attle of 5ash"ille, !ennessee. !he Confederate Arm# under
<ohn :ell 0ood is thoroughl# defeated and the threat to !ennessee ends.

January 15, 1865- Assault and capture of ort isher, 5orth Carolina. Union occupation of
this fort at the mouth of the Cape ear /i"er closes access to Wilmington, the last southern
seaport on the east coast that (as open to bloc)ade runners and commercial shipping.
#eruary 1, 1865- ShermanBs Arm# lea"es Sa"annah to march through the Carolinas.
#eruary 1$, 1865- ShermanBs Arm# captures Columbia, South Carolina (hile Confederate
defenders e"acuate Charleston, South Carolina.
#eruary 22, 1865- Wilmington, 5C, falls to Union troops, closing the last important
southern port on the east coast. En this same da#, <oseph 2. <ohnston is restored to
command the nearl# shattered Arm# of the !ennessee, "ice <ohn :. 0ood (ho resigned a
month earlier.
March 4, 1865- $resident Abraham Lincoln is inaugurated for his second term as president
in Washington, DC.
March 11, 1865- ShermanBs Arm# occupies a#ette"ille, 5orth Carolina.
March 16 an* 19-21, 1865- !he :attles of A"erasborough and :enton"ille, 5orth Carolina.
ShermanBs arm# is stalled in its dri"e north(ard from a#ette"ille but succeeds in passing
around the Confederate forces to(ard its ob7ect of /aleigh.
March 25, 1865- Attac) on ort Stedman, $etersburg, 9irginia. !outed as CLeeBs last
oDensi"eC, Confederate troops under 1eneral <ohn :. 1ordon attac) and brie8# capture the
Union fort in the $etersburg siege lines in an attempt to th(art Union plans for a late *arch
assault. :# da#Bs end, the southerners ha"e been thro(n out and the lines remain
unchanged.
April 1, 1865- !he :attle of i"e or)s, 9irginia. !he Confederate defeat at i"e or)s
initiates 1eneral LeeBs decision to abandon the $etersburg-/ichmond siege lines.
April 2, 1865- !he all of $etersburg and /ichmond. 1eneral Lee abandons both cities and
mo"es his arm# (est in hopes of 7oining Confederate forces under 1eneral <ohnston in 5orth
Carolina.
April 3, 1865- Union troops occup# /ichmond and $etersburg, 9irginia.
April 6, 1865- !he :attle of SailorBs Cree), 9irginia. A portion of LeeBs Arm#- almost one-
third of it- is cornered along the ban)s of SailorBs @or CSa#lorBsCA Cree) and annihilated.
April 9, 1865- :attle of Appomattox Court 0ouse and Surrender, Appomattox Court 0ouse,
9irginia. After an earl# morning attempt to brea) through Union forces bloc)ing the route
(est to Dan"ille, 9irginia, Lee see)s an audience (ith 1eneral 1rant to discuss terms. !hat
afternoon in the parlor of Wilmer *cLean, Lee signs the document of surrender. En April 4=,
the Arm# of 5orthern 9irginia formerl# surrenders and is disbanded.
April 14, 1865- $resident Abraham Lincoln is assassinated b# actor <ohn Wil)es :ooth
at ordBs !heater in Washington, DC. En the same da#, ort Sumter, South Carolina is re-
occupied b# Union troops.
April 26, 1865- 1eneral <oseph <ohnston signs the surrender document for the Confederate
Arm# of the !ennessee and miscellaneous southern troops attached to his command at
:ennettBs $lace near Durham, 5orth Carolina.
May 4, 1865- 1eneral /ichard !a#lor surrenders Confederate forces in the Department of
Alabama, *ississippi and 2ast Louisiana.
May 10, 1865- Confederate $resident <eDerson Da"is is captured near 3r(in"ille, 1eorgia.
May 12, 1865- !he fnal battle of the Ci"il War ta)es place at $almito /anch, !exas. 3t is a
Confederate "ictor#.
May 23, 1865- !he 1rand /e"ie( of the Arm# of the $otomac in Washington, DC
May 24, 1865- !he 1rand /e"ie( of 1eneral ShermanBs Arm# in Washington, DC
May 26, 1865- 1eneral Simon :oli"ar :uc)ner enters into terms for surrender of the Arm#
of the !rans-*ississippi, (hich are agreed to on <une =, 4>?&.!he Ci"il War o;ciall# ends.