Timeline of the Civil War

Date Event

1860

6 November 1860 Abraham Lincoln elected President of United States

20 December 1860 South Carolina secedes from the Union

1861

1861 Stephen Douglas dies

9 January 1861 Mississippi secedes from Union

10 January 1861 Florida secedes from Union

11 January 1861 Alabama secedes from the Union

19 January 1861 Georgia secedes from the Union

26 January 1861 Louisiana secedes from the Union

1 February 1861 Texas secedes from the Union

2 February 1861 Confederate States of America formed at Montgomery, AL

22 March 1861 Engagement at Blue Springs, Missouri

12 April 1861 American Civil War begins

12 April 1861 Battle of Fort Sumter

17 April 1861 Virginia secedes from the Union

6 May 1861 Arkansas secedes from the Union; the ninth state to secede.

13 May 1861 Great Britain declares its neutrality in the American Civil War

21 May 1861 North Carolina secedes from the Union

10 June 1861 Battle of Big Bethel

11 July 1861 Battle of Rich Mountain

13 July 1861 Confederate General Robert Garnett dies at the battle of Rich Mountain

21 July 1861 Battle of Manassas I

22 July 1861 Confederate General Barnard Bee dies at the battle of First Manassas

10 August 1861 Nathaniel Lyon dies

10 August 1861 Battle of Wilson's Creek

20 August 1861 George McClellan assumes command of Army of the Potomac

21 October 1861 Union General Edward Baker dies at the battle of Ball's Bluff

21 October 1861 Confederate General John Grayson dies

1 November 1861 George McClellan becomes General-in-Chief, U.S. Army

26 December 1861 Union General Philip Cocke dies

1862

18 January 1862 Confederate General Felix Zollicoffer dies at the battle of Mill Springs

19 January 1862 Battle of Mill Springs

11 February 1862 Battle of Fort Donelson

2 March 1862 Union General Frederick Lander dies

6 March 1862 Battle of Pea Ridge

7 March 1862 Confederate General Ben McCulloch dies at the battle of Elkhorn Tavern

21 March 1862 Confederate General William Slack dies of wounds from the battle of Elkhorn Tavern

23 March 1862 Battle of Kernstown

26 March 1862 Battle of Glorieta Pass

April 1862 Confederate States of America passes Conscription Act

5 April 1862 Battle of Yorktown (Siege of)

6 April 1862 Confederate General Albert Johnston dies at the battle of Shiloh

6 April 1862 Battle of Shiloh

10 April 1862 Union General William Harvey Wallace dies of wounds from the battle of Shiloh

12 April 1862 Confederate General Adley Gladden dies of wounds from the battle at Shiloh

25 April 1862 Union General Charles F. Smith dies

29 April 1862 Battle of Corinth

8 May 1862 Battle of McDowell

16 May 1862 Confederate General Joseph Hogg dies

18 May 1862 Union General William Keim dies

25 May 1862 Battle of Winchester

31 May 1862 Battle of Seven Pines

31 May 1862 Confederate General Robert Hatton dies at the battle of Seven Pines

6 June 1862 Confederate General Turner Ashby dies in action near Harrisonburg, Virginia

8 June 1862 Battle of Cross Keys

9 June 1862 Battle of Port Republic

16 June 1862 Battle of Secessionville

26 June 1862 Battle of Mechanicsville

27 June 1862 Battle of Gaines' Mill

29 June 1862 Confederate General Richard Griffith dies at the battle of Savage's Station

30 June 1862 Battle of Glendale

1 July 1862 Battle of Malvern Hill

23 July 1862 Henry Halleck becomes General-in-Chief, U.S. Army

5 August 1862 Union General Thomas Williams dies in action at Baton Rouge

6 August 1862 Union General Robert McCook dies in action near Decherd, Tennessee

9 August 1862 Battle of Cedar Mountain

9 August 1862 Union General Joseph Plummer dies of wounds from the battle of Corinth

9 August 1862 Confederate General Charles Winder dies at the battle of Cedar Mountain

22 August 1862 Union General Henry Bohlen dies in action at Freeman's Ford on the Rappahannock River

29 August 1862 Battle of Manassas II

1 September 1862 Union General Philip Kearny dies at the battle of Chantilly

1 September 1862 Union General Isaac Stevens dies at the battle of Chantilly

1 September 1862 Union General George Taylor dies of wounds from the battle of Second Manassas

12 September 1862 Battle of Harper's Ferry

14 September 1862 Battle of South Mountain

14 September 1862 Union General Jesse Reno dies at battle of South Mountain

17 September 1862 Battle of Antietam

17 September 1862 Confederate General Lawrence Branch dies at the battle of Sharpsburg

18 September 1862 Union General Joseph Mansfield dies at the battle of Sharpsburg

19 September 1862 Confederate General Lewis Little dies at the battle of Iuka

23 September 1862 Battle of Wood Lake

29 September 1862 Union General William Nelson dies

30 September 1862 Union General Isaac Rodman dies at the battle of Sharpsburg

3 October 1862 Union General Pleasant Hackleman dies at the battle of Corinth

4 October 1862 Confederate General William D. Smith dies

7 October 1862 Confederate General Allison Nelson dies

8 October 1862 Battle of Perryville

8 October 1862 Union General James Jackson dies at the battle of Perryville

8 October 1862 Union General William Terrill dies at the battle of Perryville

16 October 1862 Confederate General George B. Anderson dies of wounds from battle of Sharpsburg

30 October 1862 Union General Ormsby Mitchel dies

6 November 1862 Union General Charles Jameson dies

7 November 1862 Ambrose Burnside assumes command of Army of the Potomac

9 November 1862 Confederate General John Villepigue dies

22 November 1862 Union General Francis Patterson dies

7 December 1862 Battle of Prairie Grove

13 December 1862 Battle of Fredericksburg

13 December 1862 Confederate General Thomas Cobb dies at the Battle of Fredericksburg

13 December 1862 Union General Conrad Jackson dies at the battle of Fredericksburg

14 December 1862 Union General George Bayard dies at the battle of Fredericksburg

15 December 1862 Confederate General Maxcy Gregg dies of wounds from the battle of Fredericksburg

18 December 1862 Confederate General Johnson Duncan dies

26 December 1862 Battle of Chickasaw Bayou

31 December 1862 Battle of Stones River begins

31 December 1862 Union General Joshua Sill dies at the battle of Stones River

31 December 1862 Confederate General James Rains dies at the battle of Stones River

1863

1863 John Crittenden dies

2 January 1863 Battle of Stones River ends

4 January 1863 Confederate General Roger Hanson dies at the battle of Murfreesboro

9 January 1863 Battle of Arkansas Post

11 January 1863 Battle of Arkansas Post ends

15 January 1863 Confederate General David Jones dies

26 January 1863 Joseph Hooker assumes command of Army of the Potomac

21 March 1863 Union General Edwin Sumner dies

28 March 1863 Union General James Cooper dies

30 April 1863 Battle of Day's Gap

1 May 1863 Battle of Port Gibson

1 May 1863 Battle of Chalk Bluff

1 May 1863 Confederate General Edward Tracy dies at the battle of Port Gibson

2 May 1863 Battle of Chancellorsville

2 May 1863 Battle of Chalk Bluff ends

3 May 1863 Union General Hiram Berry dies at the battle of Chancellorsville

3 May 1863 Confederate General Elisha Paxton dies at the battle of Chancellorsville

7 May 1863 Union General Amiel Whipple dies of wounds from the battle of Chancellorsville

10 May 1863 Confederate General Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson dies after wounds at the battle of Chancellorsville

12 May 1863 Battle of Raymond

16 May 1863 Battle of Champion Hill

16 May 1863 Confederate General Lloyd Tilghman dies at the battle of Champion Hill

18 May 1863 Battle of Vicksburg (Siege of)

21 May 1863 Battle of Port Hudson (Siege of)

27 May 1863 Union General Edward Chapin dies at the battle of Port Hudson

28 May 1863 Union General Edmund Kirby dies of wounds from the battle of Chancellorsville

9 June 1863 Battle of Brandy Station

13 June 1863 Battle of Winchester II

26 June 1863 Andrew Foote dies

28 June 1863 George Meade assumes control of Army of the Potomac

1 July 1863 Battle of Gettysburg

1 July 1863 Union General John Reynolds dies at the battle of Gettysburg

2 July 1863 Union General Stephen Weed dies at the battle of Gettysburg

3 July 1863 Confederate General William Barksdale dies at the battle of Gettysburg

3 July 1863 Union General Elon Farnsworth dies at the battle of Gettysburg

3 July 1863 Confederate General Richard Garnett dies at the battle of Gettysburg

4 July 1863 Battle of Helena

4 July 1863 Battle of Helena ends

5 July 1863 Confederate General Lewis Armistead dies at the battle of Gettysburg

7 July 1863 Union General Strong Vincent dies of wounds from the battle of Gettysburg

10 July 1863 Confederate General Paul Jones Semmes dies of wounds from the battle of Gettysburg

13 July 1863 Confederate General John Bowen dies

17 July 1863 Battle of Honey Springs

17 July 1863 Confederate General James Pettigrew dies of wounds from action at Falling Waters, Maryland

18 July 1863 Confederate General William D. Pender dies of wounds from the battle of Gettysburg

21 July 1863 Union General Edward Kirk dies of wounds from the battle of Stones River

30 July 1863 Union General George Strong dies of wounds from the battle of Mobile

14 August 1863 Union General Thomas Welsh dies

26 August 1863 Confederate General John Floyd dies

1 September 1863 Battle of Devil's Backbone

6 September 1863 Confederate General Lucius Walker dies in a duel with Confederate General Marmaduke

10 September 1863 Battle of Bayou Fourche

19 September 1863 Battle of Chickamauga

19 September 1863 Confederate General Preston Smith dies at the battle of Chickamauga

20 September 1863 Confederate General James Deshler dies at the battle of Chickamauga

20 September 1863 Union General William Lytle dies at the battle of Chickamauga

21 September 1863 Confederate General Benjamin Helm dies at the battle of Chickamauga

14 October 1863 Battle of Bristoe Station

25 October 1863 Battle of Pine Bluff

31 October 1863 Union General Louis Blenker dies

13 November 1863 Confederate General Carnot Posey dies of wounds from the battle of Bristoe Station

19 November 1863 Gettysburg Address

19 November 1863 Union General William Sanders dies in action near Knoxville

23 November 1863 Battle of Chattanooga

27 November 1863 Battle of Ringgold Gap

27 November 1863 Battle of Mine Run

27 November 1863 Confederate General Claudius Wilson dies

16 December 1863 Union General John Buford dies

23 December 1863 Union General Michael Corcoran dies

1864

24 January 1864 Union General Stephen Champlin dies

26 January 1864 Battle of Athens

19 February 1864 Confederate General William Baldwin dies

9 March 1864 Ulysses Grant becomes General-in-Chief, U.S. Army

31 March 1864 Battle of White Oak Road

3 April 1864 Battle of Elkin's Ferry

4 April 1864 Battle of Elkin's Ferry ends

8 April 1864 Battle of Mansfield

8 April 1864 Confederate General Jean Mouton dies at the battle of Mansfield

9 April 1864 Battle of Pleasant Hill

9 April 1864 Battle of Prairie D'Ane

12 April 1864 Confederate General Thomas Green dies in action at Blair's Landing, Louisiana

13 April 1864 Battle of Prairie D'Ane ends

18 April 1864 Battle of Poison Spring

22 April 1864 Union General Joseph Totten dies

25 April 1864 Battle of Marks' Mills

30 April 1864 Battle of Jenkins' Ferry

30 April 1864 Confederate General William Scurry dies at the battle of Jenkins' Ferry

5 May 1864 Battle of Wilderness

5 May 1864 Union General Alexander Hays dies at the battle of the Wilderness

6 May 1864 Confederate General Micah Jenkins dies from friendly fire at the battle of the Wilderness

6 May 1864 Confederate General John M. Jones dies at the battle of the Wilderness

6 May 1864 Union General James Wadsworth dies of wounds from the battle of the Wilderness

7 May 1864 Battle of Spotsylvania

7 May 1864 Battle of Rocky Face Ridge

8 May 1864 Confederate General Leroy Stafford dies of wounds from the battle of The Wilderness

9 May 1864 Union General John Sedgewick dies at the battle of Spotsylvania Court House

9 May 1864 Union General John Sedgwick dies at the battle of Spotsylvania Court House

10 May 1864 Union General Thomas Stevenson dies in Grant's Overland Campaign against Richmond

12 May 1864 Confederate General James "Jeb" Stuart dies of wounds from the battle of Brandy Station

12 May 1864 Confederate General Abner Perrin dies at the battle of Spotsylvania Court House

13 May 1864 Battle of Resaca

13 May 1864 Confederate General Junius Daniel dies at the battle of Spotsylvania Court House

15 May 1864 Battle of New Market

18 May 1864 Confederate General James Gordon dies in action after the battle of Yellow Tavern

21 May 1864 Confederate General Albert Jenkins dies of wounds from the battle of Cloyd's Mountain

22 May 1864 Union soldier Sarah Wakeman dies

23 May 1864 Battle of North Anna River

25 May 1864 Battle of New Hope Church

30 May 1864 Confederate General James Terrill dies at the battle of Bathesda Church

1 June 1864 Battle of Cold Harbor

2 June 1864 Confederate General George Doles dies at Bathesda Church

5 June 1864 Battle of Piedmont

5 June 1864 Confederate General William Jones dies at the battle of Piedmont

6 June 1864 Battle of Old River Lake

10 June 1864 Battle of Brice's Cross Roads

14 June 1864 Confederate General Leonidas Polk dies at Pine Mountain, Georgia

15 June 1864 Battle of Petersburg II

17 June 1864 Battle of Lynchburg

17 June 1864 Union General James Morton dies in siege of Petersburg

27 June 1864 Battle of Kennesaw Mountain

27 June 1864 Union General Charles Harker dies at the battle of Kennesaw Mountain

29 June 1864 Union General Joseph Taylor dies

6 July 1864 Union General Samuel Rice dies at the battle of Jenkins' Ferry

9 July 1864 Battle of Monocacy

14 July 1864 Battle of Tupelo

17 July 1864 Union General Daniel McCook, Jr. dies of wounds from the battle of Kennesaw Mountain

20 July 1864 Battle of Peachtree Creek

22 July 1864 Battle of Atlanta

22 July 1864 Union General James McPherson dies in Atlanta campaign

22 July 1864 Confederate General William H.T. Walker dies at the battle of Atlanta

24 July 1864 Battle of Kernstown II

25 July 1864 Confederate General Clement Stevens dies at the battle of Peach Tree Creek

28 July 1864 Battle of Ezra Church

28 July 1864 Confederate General Samuel Benton dies form wounds at the Battle of Atlanta

30 July 1864 Battle of Crater

2 August 1864 Battle of Mobile Bay

13 August 1864 Battle of Deep Bottom II

15 August 1864 Union General Daniel Woodbury dies

16 August 1864 Confederate General Victor Girardey dies in action near Richmond

18 August 1864 Confederate General John Chambliss, Jr. dies in action near the James River

21 August 1864 Confederate General John Sanders dies in action near the Weldon Railroad

25 August 1864 Battle of Ream's Station II

4 September 1864 Confederate General John Kelly dies of wounds from a skirmish at Franklin, Tennessee

4 September 1864 Confederate General John H. Morgan dies in action at Greeneville, Tennessee

14 September 1864 Union General Joshua Howell dies

19 September 1864 Confederate General Robert Rodes dies at the battle of Winchester

19 September 1864 Union General David Russell dies at the battle of Winchester

21 September 1864 Battle of Fisher's Hill

27 September 1864 Battle of Pilot Knob

29 September 1864 Battle of Chaffins Farm

30 September 1864 Battle of New Market Heights

1 October 1864 Confederate spy Rose Greenhow dies

1 October 1864 Confederare General John Dunovant dies in action near the James River

5 October 1864 Battle of Allatoona

7 October 1864 Confederate General John Gregg dies in action near Richmond

18 October 1864 Union General David Birney dies

19 October 1864 Battle of Cedar Creek

19 October 1864 Union General Daniel Bidwell dies at the battle of Cedar Creek

20 October 1864 Union General Charles Lowell dies at the battle of Cedar Creek

20 October 1864 Confederate General Stephen Ramseur dies at battle of Cedar Creek

22 October 1864 Battle of Byrams Ford

23 October 1864 Battle of Westport

24 October 1864 Confederate General James Archer dies

26 October 1864 Battle of Decatur

27 October 1864 Battle of Boydton Plank Road

28 October 1864 Battle of Newtonia

29 October 1864 Union General Thomas Ransom dies

8 November 1864 Abraham Lincoln re-elected as President

25 November 1864 Battle of Spring Hill

30 November 1864 Confederate General Patrick Cleburne dies at the battle of Franklin

30 November 1864 Battle of Franklin

30 November 1864 Confederate General States Gist dies at the battle of Franklin

30 November 1864 Confederate General Hiram Granbury dies at the battle of Franklin

30 November 1864 Confederate General Otho Strahl dies at the battle of Franklin

30 November 1864 Confederate General John Adams dies at the battle of Franklin

2 December 1864 Confederate General Archibald Gracie, Jr. dies at the siege of Petersburg

10 December 1864 Confederate General John Carter dies at the battle of Franklin

15 December 1864 Battle of Nashville

1865

2 February 1865 Battle of Sand Creek

6 February 1865 Confederate General John Pegram dies in action at Hatcher's Run

7 February 1865 Confederate General John Winder dies

10 March 1865 Confederate General William Whiting dies of wounds from the battle of Fort Fisher

19 March 1865 Battle of Bentonville

2 April 1865 Confederate General Ambrose Hill dies at the Siege of Petersburg

2 April 1865 Battle of Petersburg III

5 April 1865 Battle of Five Forks

6 April 1865 Battle of Sailors Creek

6 April 1865 Confederate General John Wharton dies of gunshot wound from Union Colonel George Baylor

9 April 1865 Battle of Appomattox Court House

9 April 1865 Union General Thomas Smyth dies at the battle of Appomattox Court House.

15 April 1865 Abraham Lincoln dies

23 April 1865 Confederate General James Dearing dies of wounds from a pistol duel with Union General Ranald MacKenzie

26 April 1865 Confederate General Joseph E. Johnston surrenders his army to Union General William T. Sherman.

4 May 1865 Confederate General Richard Taylor surrenders last significant force near Mobile, Alabama