The Civil War Memorial
By: Brian Coss Brandon Melchor Max Visotsky
The North
November 6 1860 - Abraham Lincoln is elected president, the first Republican president, receiving 108 of 303 possible electoral votes and 40 percent of the popular vote
March 4 1861 - Abraham Lincoln is sworn as 16th President of the Unites States of America
April 15 1861 - Robert E. Lee son of a Revolutionary war hero, 25 year distinguished veteran of the US army, is offered command of the Union Army, he declines
April 17 1861 - Union had 21 states on their side and had a population of over 20 million
July 21 1861 - Union army suffered their first defeat during the Battle at Bull Run under army General Irvin McDowell
July 27 1861 - George B. McClellan was appointed Commander of the Department of Potomac after Irvin McDowell
November 1 1861 - George B. McClellan later becomes general-in-chief after Winfield Scott retires
February 26 1862 - General Ulysses S. Grant has victory in Tennessee, he captures Fort Henry and then ten days later Fort Donelson, he earns the nickname “Unconditional Surrender” Grant
In March 1862 - Abraham Lincoln temporarily relieves McClellan as general-in-chief and takes direct command of the Union armies
April 6-7 1862 - There was surprise attack on General Ulysses S. Grant and the Union army at the Battle of Shiloh on the Tennessee River, 13,000 Union troops were killed and wounded, more men than in all previous American wars combined, Grant was going to be relieved by Lincoln but was not
April 14 1865 - President Abraham Lincoln was shot while watching the third act of a play called “Our American Cousin” at Ford’s Theater at 10:13pm by John Wilkes Booth, he receives a bullet to the head
April 15 1865 President Abraham Lincoln dies at 7:22 in the morning, Vice President Andrew Johnson assumes the presidency
May 1865 - Confederate forces that remained surrendered, the Nation is reunites as the Civil War ended, over 620,000 Americans died in the war, disease killing twice as many as those lost in battle, 50,000 survivors return home as amputees
The South
Major events
- Lincoln was elected president in November 1860. Though winning in the electoral college, Lincoln's lack of a popular majority is an indication of the problems he would face with a divided nation.
- Ft. Sumter attacked on April 1861 in Charleston, South Carolina Lincoln decides to supply Ft. Sumter, but wants the South to fire the first shot.
- Bull Run (Manassas), 1st battle on July 21, 1861in Northern Virginia Gen. McDowell leads 30,000 men against Gen. Johnston's 22,000 Southern troops in an attempt to crush the rebels and go "On to Richmond." South scores victory as Union troops flee back to Washington in disarray. McDowell replaced by Gen. McClellan.
- Emancipation Proclamation on September 23, 1862 in Washington, D.C., with victory at Antietam, Lincoln announces that on 1/1/63, all slaves in the rebelling states would be free. Does not affect border states. Forces European nations to recognize that choosing sides in the Civil War is to take a stand on slavery.
- Gettysburg on July 1863 in Pennsylvania, over 165,000 soldiers participate in the largest battle in the Western Hemisphere. After three days of fighting, Lee retreats, leaving 4,000 dead Confederates. Total casualties: 23,000 Union, 28,000 Confederates.
Lee surrenders on April 9, 1865 in Appomattox Court House, Virginia Lee, refusing to see his troops suffer any further, surrenders to Grant. Southern troops given generous terms of surrender.