Civil War Timeline | Brooke Tran, Elle Arcinue

Battle of Fort Sumter

April 12, 1861 – Apr 13, 1861

April 12, 1861

The Battle of Fort Sumter took place on April 12-13, 1861 in Charleston, South Carolina and was the first military engagement of the American Civil War. Because people had problems with the important Charleston ports being closed, the Confederate forces attacked Union-held Fort Sumter, which was located in the harbor or Charleston.

First Battle of Bull Run

July 21, 1861

July 21, 1861

The First Battle of Bull Run was fought on July 21, 1861 in Prince William County, Virginia. It was the first major battle of the American Civil War. Union forces led by Brig. Gen. Irvin McDowell attacked Confederate forces commanded by Brig. Gen. P.G.T. Beauregard. The Confederates won the battle, which was also known as the First Battle of Manassas.

Battle of Shiloh

Apr 6, 1862 – Apr 7, 1862

April 6, 1862

The Battle of Shiloh was fought on April 6-7, 1862 in southwestern Tennessee. Union forces commanded by Maj. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant and Maj. Gen. Don Carlos Buell fought against Confederate forces commanded by Gen. Albert Sidney Johnston and Gen. P.G.T. Beauregard. The battle resulted in a Union victory and was one of the bloodiest battles of the American Civil War.

Battle of Antietam

September 17, 1862

September 17, 1862

The Battle of Antietam was fought on September 17, 1862 near Sharpsburg, Maryland. It was the first major battle fought on Union soil during the American Civil War. Union forces commanded by Maj. Gen. George B. McClellan fought against Confederate forces commanded by Gen. Robert E. Lee. The battle resulted in a Union victory and was the bloodiest single-day battle in American history, with over 22,000 casualties.

Emancipation Proclamation

January 1, 1863

January 1, 1863

The Emancipation Proclamation was issued by President Abraham Lincoln on January 1, 1863. It declared that all slaves in the Confederate States "shall be then, thenceforward, and forever free." It did not immediately free any slaves, but it was a significant step towards ending slavery in the United States.

Gettysburg campaign

June 3, 1863 – July 24, 1863

June 3, 1863

The Gettysburg campaign was a series of battles fought in Pennsylvania in June and July of 1863 during the American Civil War. Confederate forces commanded by Gen. Robert E. Lee invaded Pennsylvania with the goal of defeating Union forces and winning a major battle on Northern soil.

Battle of Gettysburg

July 1, 1863 – July 3, 1863

July 1, 1863

The Battle of Gettysburg was fought on July 1-3, 1863 in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. Union forces commanded by Maj. Gen. George G. Meade fought against Confederate forces commanded by Gen. Robert E. Lee. The battle was a turning point in the American Civil War and resulted in a Union victory. It was also the bloodiest battle of the war, with over 50,000 casualties.

Second Battle of Fort Wagner

July 18, 1863

July 18, 1863

The Second Battle of Fort Wagner was fought on July 18, 1863 near Charleston, South Carolina. Union forces commanded by Brig. Gen. Quincy Gillmore attacked Confederate forces commanded by Gen. P.G.T. Beauregard. The battle was part of the Union's campaign to capture Charleston and resulted in a Confederate victory.

Battle of Cold Harbor

May 31, 1864 – Jun 12, 1864

May 31, 1864

The Battle of Cold Harbor was fought on June 1-3, 1864 in Hanover County, Virginia. Union forces commanded by Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant attacked Confederate forces commanded by Gen. Robert E. Lee. The battle was part of the Overland Campaign and resulted in a Confederate victory. It was also one of the bloodiest battles of the American Civil War, with over 18,000 casualties.

Battle of the Crater

July 30, 1864

July 30, 1864

The Battle of the Crater was fought on July 30, 1864 in Petersburg, Virginia. Union forces commanded by Maj. Gen. Ambrose Burnside attempted to tunnel under Confederate lines and blow up a portion of their fortifications. The explosion created a large crater in the Confederate line, but Union forces were unable to take advantage of the situation and were defeated by Confederate forces commanded by Gen. Robert E. Lee. The battle was a Union defeat and resulted in over 5,000 casualties.