1860
Democratic Party splits, allowing Republican Abraham Lincoln to win election with less than 40 percent of vote
Dec. 1860–Feb. 1861
South Carolina, Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana and Texas secede from Union
Feb. 4, 1861
Confederate States of America formed; constitution adopted; Jefferson Davis elected president
March 4, 1861
Lincoln inaugurated and vows not to initiate war
April 12, 1861
Fort Sumter attacked, beginning Civil War
April 1861
Lincoln calls up state militia and suspends habeas corpus
April 17–May 20, 1861
Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee and Arkansas join the Confederate States of America
April 16, 1862
With the Conscription Act of 1862, Confederacy enacts first American military draft
September 22, 1862
Preliminary Emancipation Proclamation by Lincoln warns that slaves in rebel states will be freed
September 27, 1862
1st Regiment of Louisiana
Native Guards becomes first
African American soldiers
sworn into
Union army
Dec. 1862
Confederate leaders name Phoebe Yates Pember as Chimborazo Hospital’s first matron
Jan. 1, 1863
Lincoln officially issues Emancipation Proclamation, freeing slaves only in states still in rebellion
March 3, 1863
Enrollment Act calling for first forced conscription in United States history
April 1, 1863
Desperate Richmond women riot in streets chanting “Bread”; only to disperse under threat of Confederate troops
May 13, 1863
The 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry Regiment, the most famous African American regiment of the war, sworn into federal service
July 11-13, 1863
Conscription of soldiers in New York City sparks three-day riot by Irish immigrants, targeting their violence on African Americans
July 18, 1863
54th volunteers to lead assault on strongly fortified Confederate troops at Fort Wagner, South Carolina
Sept. 1, 1864
Sherman's "Atlanta Campaign" concludes with
the fall of Atlanta
Nov. 8, 1864
Lincoln re-elected in wake of capture of Atlanta and other battlefield successes.
April 9, 1865
Lee surrenders at Appomattox Courthouse in Virginia, ending the Civil War
April 14, 1865
Abraham Lincoln assassinated
1879
Phoebe Yates Pember publishes A Southern Woman’s Story, vividly detailing her difficulties entering male domain of nursing
May 9, 1900
William Carney awarded
the Medal of Honor for
his bravery at Fort Wagner
