1860
- December 20
- South Carolina's legislature votes 169-0 to pass the "Ordinance of Secession" declaring "the Union now subsisting between South Carolina and other states, under the name of the United States of America, is hereby dissolved." [129] [919.141]
1861
- January 2
- Colonel Charles Stone is put in charge of organizing District of Columbia militia. [1]
- South Carolina seizes inactive Fort Johnson in Charleston Harbor. [1]
- January 3
- Fort Pulaski and Fort Jackson, Savannah, seized by Georgia. [1]
- January 4
- Fort Morgan, Mobile, seized by Alabama. [1]
- January 5
- 250 Federal troops are sent from New York to Fort Sumter. [1]
- Alabama troops seize Forts Morgan and Gaines at Mobile Bay. [1]
- January 6
- Florida troops seize Federal arsenal at Apalachicola. [1]
- January 7
- Florida troops takeover Fort Marion at Saint Augustine. [1]
- January 9
- First hostile act of coming war in America; US steamship Star of the West carrying troops and ammunition for Fort Sumter is fired on, at Sumter, South Carolina. [1] [888.27]
- Mississippi becomes second state to secede from the USA. [1]
- January 10
- Florida becomes third state to secede from USA. [1]
- Fort Jackson and Fort Philip are taken over by Los Angeles state troops. [1]
- US forts and property seized by Mississippi. [1]
- January 11
- Alabama becomes fourth state to secede from the USA. [1]
- January 12
- Florida state troops demand surrender of Fort Pickens. [1]
vvv advertisement vvv
^^^ advertisement ^^^
- January 14
- Fort Pikens, Florida, falls into state hands. [1]
- January 19
- Georgia becomes fifth state to secede from the USA. [1]
- Mississippi troops take Fort Massachusetts on Ship Island. [1]
- January 24
- Arsenal at Augusta, Georgia, seized by Confederacy. [1]
- January 26
- Louisiana becomes sixth state to secede from the USA. [1]
- February 4
- Confederate constitutional convention meets for first time, in Montgomery, Alabama. Georgia, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi and South Carolina elect Jefferson Davis President of Confederacy. [1]
- February 8
- Confederate States of America is proclaimed in Montgomery, Alabama. [1] [448.50]
- February 9
- The Confederate States of America establishes its capital at Montgomery, Alabama, with Jefferson Davis as president. [434.134]
- Tennessee votes against secession. [1]
- February 12
- State troops seize US munitions in Napoleon, Arkansas. [1]
- February 18
- Confederate States of America President Jefferson Davis inaugurated at Montgomery, Alabama. [1] [601.58]
- February 23
- By popular referendum, Texas becomes seventh state to secede from US. [1]
- March 6
- Provisionary Confederate Congress establishes Confederate Army. [1]
- March 8
- Saint Augustine, Florida, CSA surrenders to US armies. [1]
- March 11
- Confederate convention in Montgomery, Alabama, adopts constitution. [1]
- March 13
- CSA President Jefferson Davis signs bill authorizing use of slaves as soldiers. [1]
- March 16
- Arizona Territory votes to leave the USA. [1]
- March 31
- Confederate forces seize control of the New Orleans Mint, Louisiana, CSA. [1] [516.92] (April 1 [397.52])
- April 5
- Federal troops abandon Fort Quitman, Texas. [1]
- April 8
- Confederate authorities seize Dahlonega Mint in Georgia, CSA. [1] [486.32]
- April 12
- Confederate shore batteries under General P.G.T. Beauregard open fire on USA-held Fort Sumter in South Carolina's Charleston Bay, beginning the War Between the States (US Civil War, War of Southern Insurrection, War of Northern Aggression). [129] [412.50] [888.27] [919.143]
- April 13
- After 34 hours of bombardment, U.S. Major Robert Anderson surrenders Fort Sumter in South Carolina to Confederates. [129] [888.27]
- April 14
- Formal USA surrender of Fort Sumter to CSA forces. [1]
- April 15
- U.S. President Abraham Lincoln issues a proclamation calling for 75,000 volunteer soldiers to quell the Southern insurrection. [1] [129]
- April 16
- US President Abraham Lincoln outlaws business with confederate states. [1]
- April 17
- Indianola, Texas, "Star of the West", taken by Confederacy. [1]
- Virginia become eighth state to secede from the USA. [1]
- April 18
- Union forces marching from Pottsville, Pennsylvania to Washington DC encounter hostile crowd of Southern supporters in Baltimore. Oliver Christian Bosbyshell is hit by a brick, first Union injury of the war. [1065.1555]
- Battle of Harpers Ferry, West Virginia. [1]
- Colonel Robert E Lee turns down offer to command US armies. [1]
- April 19
- US President Abraham Lincoln orders blockade of Confederate ports. [1]
- April 20
- Battle of Norfolk, Virginia. [1]
- Confederates seize the Charlotte Mint. [488.36] [619.22] (May 21 [412.84])
- April 22
- CSA Colonel Robert E Lee is named commander of Virginia Confederate forces. [1]
- April 23
- Arkansas troops seize Fort Smith. [1]
- Battle of San Antonio, Texas. [1]
- April 25
- Battle of Lavaca, Texas. [1]
- New York 7th arrives to reinforce Washington, District of Columbia. [1]
- April 27
- US President Abraham Lincoln suspends the writ of habeas corpus. [1]
- April 29
- Maryland's House of Delegates votes against seceding from USA. [1]
- May 1
- CSA General Robert Lee orders Confederate troops under General Thomas Jackson to Harper's Ferry. [1]
- May 3
- General Winfield Scott presents his Anaconda Plan. [1]
- US President Abraham Lincoln asks for 42,000 Army Volunteers and another 18,000 seamen. [1]
- May 5
- Confederate troops abandon Alexandria, Virginia. [1]
- May 6
- Arkansas becomes ninth state to secede from USA. [1]
- CSA President Jefferson Davis approves a bill declaring War between US and Confederacy. [1]
- May 7
- Riot occurs between pro-secessionist and USA supporters in Knoxville, Tennessee. [1]
- May 10
- US troops march on state militia in Saint Louis, Missouri. [1]
- May 13
- Queen Victoria announces England's position of neutrality in the War Between the States. [1]
- May 16
- Confederate Government offers war volunteers $10 premium. [1]
- May 18
- Battle of Sewall's Point, Virginia - first Federal offense against CSA. [1]
- May 20
- Kentucky proclaims its neutrality in War Between the States. [1]
- North Carolina becomes tenth state to secede from USA. [1]
- May 23
- Virginia citizens vote 3 to 1 in favor of secession. [1]
- May 24
- Alexandria, Virginia, occupied by Federal troops. [1] [888.76]
- Major General Benjamin Butler declares slaves "contraband of war". [1]
- May 26
- US Postmaster General Blair announces end of postal connection with CSA. [1]
- US Navy blockades New Orleans (Louisiana) and Mobile (Alabama). [1]
- May 31
- The Confederate States of America closes down the Charlotte, Dahlonega, and New Orleans Mints. [1] [428.42] [496.32] [516.92] [826.36]
- CSA General Pierre Beauregard is given command of Confederate Alexandria Line. [1]
- June 1
- First skirmish in the War Between the States: at Fairfax Court House, Virginia. [1]
- USA and CSA simultaneously stop mail interchange. [1]
- June 3
- First land battle of the War Between the States: USA defeats Confederacy at Philippi, Virginia. [1]
- June 8
- People of Tennessee vote to succeed from USA. [1]
- June 24
- Tennessee becomes eleventh state to secede from USA. [1]
- July 4
- US President Abraham Lincoln asks Congress for $400 million and 400,000 men to suppress the Southern insurrection. [446.58] [453.108]
- July 5
- Engagement at Carthage, Missouri, USA. [1]
- July 21
- First major battle of Civil War ends (Bull Run), Virginia - CSA wins. [1]
- July 27
- US General George McClellan takes command of Potamic Army. [1]
- August 1
- Brazil recognizes the Confederate States of America. [1]
- August 10
- Battle of Wilson's Creek, Missouri, USA. [1]
- August 16
- US President Abraham Lincoln prohibits USA states from trading with Confederate states. [1]
- August 30
- John Frémont, commander of the Western Department, issues proclamation freeing slaves of Missouri rebels. [1]
- September 3
- Confederate forces enter Kentucky, thus ending its neutrality. [1]
- October 12
- Confederate ironclad Manassas attacks USA's Richmond on Mississippi River. [1]
- October 16
- Confederate States of America starts selling postage stamps. [1]
- October 21
- Battle of Balls Bluff, Virginia. [1]
- November 1
- General George B McClellan is made general in chief of USA armies. [1]
- November 6
- Jefferson Davis is elected to six-year term as President of the Confederate States of America. [1]
- November 8
- Captain Charles Wilkes of American steam-sloop San Jacinto fires shot across bow of British vessel Trent, stops it on high seas, takes four passengers off, two of them CSA envoys to France (Mason) and Great Britain (Slidell). They are taken to Fort Warren in Boston as prisoners. (They are later released on protest of the British government.) [1] [919.159]
- November 9
- Battle of Piketon, Kentucky. [1]
- November 28
- Confederate Congress officially admits Missouri to the Confederate States of America. [1]
- December 9
- Battle of Bird Creek, Indian Territory (High Shoal, Chusto-Talasah). [1]
- December 13
- Battle of Alleghany Summit, West Virginia. [1]
- December 20
- Battle of Dranesville, Virginia. [1]
|
