4 Years: 620,000 Deaths

Battle at Fort Sumter April 12-14, 1861 Fort Sumter, South Carolina, by Charleston Confederate soldiers fired on Fort Sumter where Union soldiers were living, causing war to break out. Confederate victory First shots fired in the Civil War.

First Battle of Bull Run July 21, 1861 By Bull Run River, in Manassas, Virginia 9,000 rebel reinforcements, causing Union to retreat. Thomas Jonathon Jackson earned his nickname ‘Stonewall’ Confederate victory First major land battle

Battle of Fort Donelson February 11-16, 1862 Stewart County, Tennessee Big win for North; Grant nicknamed “Unconditional Surrender.” Union victory Ensured Kentucky would stay with Union, and was the first major Union win.

Battle between the Monitor and the Merrimack March 8-9,1862 Hampton Roads, Virginia, off the Virginia coast Union blockaded Confederate states No winner First battle between two ironclad warships; changing navy

Battle of Shiloh April 6-7, 1862 Shiloh, Tennessee Casualties: 13,000 Union 11,000 Confederate Union victory Union gained more control of the Mississippi River Valley, and was said to be some of the worst fighting.

Seven Day’s Battle June 25-July 1, 1862 Near Richmond, Virginia Union army-trying to capture Confederate capital Confederate victory Union retreated; didn’t capture Richmond.

Battle of Antietam September 17, 1862 Antietam Creek, Maryland Bloodiest single day battle of Civil War Union victory First major battle on Northern soil

Battle of Fredricksburg December 11-15, 1862 Fredricksburg, Virginia Union failed to break Confederate lines. Confederate victory General Burnside was replaced by General Joseph Hooker Casualties 12,000 Union 5,000 Confederate

The Emancipation Proclamation Emancipation means ‘to free’ Abraham Lincoln gave it Freed slaves in Confederate states but not slaves in Union states

Battle of Chancellorsville May 1-4, 1863 Chancellorsville, Virginia General Stonewall Jackson was accidentally shot by his own army Confederate victory Lee’s greatest victory

Battle of Gettysburg July 1-3, 1863 Gettysburg, Pennsylvania South attempted to take part of the North Union victory Was the bloodiest battle of the Civil War Last battle in the North Turning point of the war

Last Day of the Siege of Vicksburg July 4, 1863 Union victory Union gained complete control over the Mississippi River Valley

Battle at Fort Wagner July 18, 1863 Morris Island, South Carolina 54 th Massachusetts regiment fought here Confederate victory American military units made up of black soldiers for the first time

Grant’s Virginia Campaign Battle of the Wilderness May 5-17, 1864 Both armies had a lot of casualties Draw; Union offense continued Spotsylvania May 8-21, 1864 Lee beat Grant to his objective Draw; Union continued forward Cold Harbor May 31-June 12, 1864 America’s bloodiest battle Confederate victory

Sherman’s March to the Sea November 15- December 21, 1864 Marching from Atlanta to Savannah Tried to destroy everything as they marched No confederate army to stop them, which proved war was almost over

Surrender at Appomattox Courthouse April 9, 1865 Lee surrendered to Grant Lee’s men were not imprisoned or prosecuted Grant got food for his army

Lincoln’s Assassination April 14, 1865 Ford’s Theater, Washington D.C. John Wilkes Boothe killed Abraham Lincoln Also supposed to kill Ulysses S. Grant, but he refused the invitation to the theatre