Like the North, the Confederacy was just as willing to die for mother and country, committing tens of thousands of souls to the fray.
There are a total of (896)Civil War Confederate Events events in the CivilWarTimeline.net database. Entries are listed below by date-of-occurrence ascending (first-to-last). Other leading and trailing events are also included for perspective.
Day-by-Day Timeline of Events
December 20, 1860
South Carolina adopts an ordinance of secession, becoming the first slave state of the south to declare its intent to leave the Union.
December 27, 1860
Confederate troops take over Fort Moultrie as well as Fort Johnson and Fort Pinkney in Charleston Harbor, South Carolina.
January 1, 1862
Confederate forces begin bombardment of Fort McRea in Pensacola Harbor.
January 2, 1861
North Carolinian forces take the Fayetteville arsenal as well as Fort Macon and the forts of Wilmington.
January 3, 1861
Georgian forces claim Fort Pulaski critical to the defense of Savannah, Georgia.
January 5, 1861
Jefferson Davis, a United States Senator, is just one voice calling for southern states to secede from the Union.
January 9, 1861
The steamer "Star of the West", laden with supplies and en route to Fort Sumter in Charleston (South Carolina), is fired upon by land-based cannons.
January 9, 1861
The state of Mississippi moves to secede from the Union, strengthening the growing Confederacy in the south.
January 10, 1861
Florida follows Mississippi and moves to secede from the Union.
January 10, 1861
Stephen Mallory, a Florida senator, resigns his position to join the ranks of the growing Confederacy government.
January 11, 1861
Alabama moves to secede from the Union, following Mississippi and Florida just days ago.
January 12, 1861
Floridian state forces claim the U.S. Navy Yard at Pensacola.
January 12, 1861
Star of the West, a steamer having delivered supplies to Fort Sumter in Charleston, South Carolina, returns to New York with her battle-damaged hull resulting from a Confederate attack.
January 19, 1861
The state of Georgia officially secedes from the Union, joining its southern sister states in the new Confederacy.
January 21, 1861
United States Senator Jefferson Davis officially resigns from his position.
January 26, 1861
The state of Louisiana formally secedes from the Union.
January 29, 1861
John Dix, the acting United States Secretary of the Treasury, orders authorities in New Orleans to shoot anyone attempting to bring down the American flag.
February 1, 1861
Texas declares it has seceded from the Union, joining a chorus of southern states in defiance of the north.
February 4, 1861
A provisional government arranged to head the affairs of the new south meet in Montgomery, Alabama.
February 4, 1861
United States Senator Judah Benjamin of Louisiana resigns his position to join the Confederacy.
February 4, 1861
In an effort to settle the issue of slavery, representatives of some twenty-one states meet in Washington, D.C. to form the Washington Peace Conference. The conference runs until February 27th.
February 8, 1861
Confederate government leaders announce the name of "Confederate States of America" to mark their new union.
February 9, 1861
Jefferson Davis and Alexander H. Stephens are elected as provisional president and vice president of the Confederate States of America by the new government.
February 18, 1861
The Confederate States of America reveal their national anthem, "Dixie".
February 18, 1861
Confederate leaders in Montgomery inaugurate officers to head up various positions in the new government.
February 21, 1861
Leroy Walker is named Secretary of War for the Confederate States of America.
February 21, 1861
Stephen Mallory is appointed Secretary of the Navy for the Confederate States of America.
February 23, 1861
Texans go to the polls and overwhelmingly reaffirm their intent to secede from the Union.
February 25, 1861
The Confederate government names Judah Benjamin, a former U.S. senator, as its first Attorney General.
March 4, 1861
The "Stars and Bars" is named as the first official flag of the Confederate States of America by the Confederate Congress.
March 5, 1861
Three Confederate representatives arrive in Washington, D.C. but their status is not acknowledged by Secretary of State William Seward.
March 6, 1861
The Provisional Army of the Confederate States is established by the Confederate government.
March 11, 1861
The Constitution of the Confederate States of America is adopted by the south.
March 16, 1861
The Confederate States Marine Corps is founded by the Confederate Congress.
March 21, 1861
In a speech given during a stop in Savannah, Georgia, Confederate Vice President Alexander H. Stephens reaffirms the southern stance on slavery.
April 6, 1861
President Lincoln notifies the government of South Carolina that general supplies will be sent to Fort Sumter at Charleston Harbor - he gives his assurances that any strengthening of the position will only be made if the Fort is in danger of attack.
April 11, 1861
General P.G.T. Beauregard, a Confederate officer, calls for Fort Sumter to surrender. Commanding Union Major Robert Anderson refuses his demand.
April 12, 1861
With the refusal by Union forces at Fort Sumter to surrender their post, Confederate forces begin their ranged bombardment of the island.
April 12, 1861
At 4:30AM, a gun from Fort Johnson fires a star shell that detonates above Fort Sumter. This is the signal for the surrounding gun batteries to begin shelling the Union-held fort.
April 12, 1861
At 7:00AM, the guns of Fort Sumter return fire against Confederate positions in Charleston Harbor.
AprilI 13, 1861
Fort Sumpter is surrendered by Union Major Anderson to Confederate forces.
April 13, 1861
USS Sabine blockades the Confederate port at Pensacola, Florida.
April 16, 1861
Union forces leave and burn the U.S. arsenal at Harpers Ferry, Virginia resulting in the loss of thousands of rifles.
April 17, 1861
The state of Virginia officially secedes from the Union.
April 17, 1861
Confederate President Jefferson Davis calls on any and all privately-own vessels allied to the southern cause to openly attack Union merchants.
April 18, 1861
Robert E. Lee declines an offer by President Lincoln to command the United States Army.
April 18, 1861
State forces of Virginia take over what remains of the Harpers Ferry arsenal.
April 19, 1861
President Lincoln calls on all southern ports to be blockaded, the territories in question being the lower East Coast all the way to the Gulf of Mexico.
April 20, 1861
Robert E. Lee, then a Colonel, resigns his position within the United States Army.
April 21, 1861
Thomas Jackson arrives in Richmond, Virginia with cadets from the Virginia Military Institute to ready them for war.
April 22, 1861
The United States government moves in to take over the now-vacated estate of Robert E. Lee, known as "Arlington House". The estate sat on the Potomac River.
April 22, 1861
Lieutenant Joseph Wheeler, an officer in the United States Army, resigns his position to join the ranks of the south.
April 23, 1861
Robert E. Lee is given command of the forces of the state of Virginia (as a Major General).
April 24, 1861
Virginia formally aligns its state military capabilities with that of the Confederate Army.
April 26, 1861
Fort Smith in Arkansas falls to Confederate elements.
April 27, 1861
President Lincoln adds east coast ports in Virginia and North Carolina to the existing naval blockade action of the South.
April 27, 1861
Colonel Thomas Jackson takes command at Harpers Ferry (Virginia).
April 27, 1861
Colonel Thomas Jackson arranges for more infantry forces from the Shenandoah Valley area (Virginia).
April 29, 1861
Confederate President Jefferson Davis calls a special session of congress to address recent developments - including the capture of Fort Sumter by South Carolinian forces.
April 29, 1861
The Confederate Congress convenes in Montgomery (Alabama) to tackle several issues. The group will gather until May 21st.
May 6, 1861
Arkansas becomes the latest state to secede from the Union.
May 7, 1861
The state of Tennessee formally aligns its military capabilities with that of the Confederacy.
May 9, 1861
Military assets of Texas are officially handed over to the Texas Rangers by U.S. General David Twiggs.
May 10, 1861
Union elements take militia forces at Camp Jackson outside of St. Louis, Missouri. The action causes riots to break out.
May 16, 1861
In an effort to strengthen its forces, the government of the Confederacy offers $10 enlistment bonuses.
May 20, 1861
North Carolina officially secedes from the Union.
May 21, 1861
Richmond, Virginia becomes the official national capital of the Confederacy of the United States.
June 1, 1861
The Confederate cause records its first casualty of war - Captain John Q. Marr - who died at the Fairfax Court House in Virginia.
June 1, 1861
In a proclamation to Virginians, General Beauregard gives a speech hoping to inspire the masses against actions of the north. He skillfully wields words like "tyrant", "murdering" and "outrage".
June 2, 1861
With General Beauregard now in command, the "Potomac Department" becomes the "Army of the Potomac".
June 2, 1861
CSS Savannah manages to beat the Union blockade of Charleston Harbor and escape to open water.
June 3, 1861
En route from Cuba and laden with a cargo hold of sugar, USS Joseph is intercepted and captured by CSS Savannah.
June 3, 1861
USS Perry manages to capture CSS Savannah and her crew intact. The prize is relocated to New York waters.
June 3, 1861
In the war's first contact battle between the two sides, Union forces claim the victory over Confederate elements at Philippi in West Virginia. The retreat of the Confederates, under General Robert Garnett, is so fast the engagement is known as the "Philippi Races".
June 4, 1861
Suffering defeat in the first true land battle of the war, Confederate forces clear out of Philippi, West Virginia.
June 5, 1861
In trying to muster greater hatred of the north, General Beauregard claims to Virginians that the north stands as a tyrant and has invaded their territory.
June 8, 1861
The state of Tennessee formally secedes from the Union.
June 8, 1861
The Kentucky government keeps its military forces neutral in the ongoing - and growing - conflict between the north and south.
June 10, 1861
In the war's first complete pitched battle, the Confederates claim the victory over the Union at Big Bethel, Virginia.
June 15, 1861
Jefferson City, Missouri - the state's capital - is claimed by Union forces under the command of Captain Nathaniel Lyon.
June 17, 1861
Confederate forces claim the victory in a skirmish against Union forces at Vienna, Virginia.
June 17, 1861
Captain Lyon leads his victorious Union forces against opposing militia at Boonville, Missouri in what becomes the Battle of Boonville. Losses are light for both sides and helps the Union maintain control of the Missouri River.
June 17, 1861
Thomas Jackson, a Colonel in the Confederate Army, is now promoted to Brigadier General.
July 11, 1861
Union forces are victorious over Condeferate elements at Rich Mountain in West Virginia.
July 13, 1861
In Carrick's Ford (West Virginia), Confederate General Robert Garnett becomes the first officer-level casualty of the war.
July 18, 1861
Contact is made between opposing sides at Blackburns' Ford, Virginia.
July 19, 1861
Robert Toombs, the acting Secretary of State for the Confederacy, resigns his post to lead forces in Georgia as a brigadier general.
July 19, 1861
Robert Hunter succeeds Robert Toombs in the post of Secretary of State for the Confederacy.
July 20, 1861
The Confederate Congress meets once more, this time in the new capital of Richmond, Virginia. The group will convene until August 31st.
July 20, 1861
Union commander Irvin McDowell moves his 10,000 men from Centreville in two forces moving west and south westward. His intention is to flank the left side of the Confederate army.
July 21, 1861
At 8:30AM, Confederate forces at Stone Bridge are made aware of the Union presence at Sudley Road. Confederate General N.G. Evans moves his units to cover any Union retreat.
July 21, 1861
Confederate General N.G. Evans and his men meet Union forces in battle.
July 21, 1861
Finding themselves outnumbered, General Evans and his force retreats to Henry House Hill under the Federal pressure.
July 21, 1861
The front lines repeatedly change hands in the battle as both sides make - and lose - progress.
July 21, 1861
Confederate forces withdraw from their positions at Henry House Hill.
July 21, 1861
Confederate General Thomas Jackson brings in fresh troops ready-to-fight.
July 21, 1861
At 4:00PM the Confederates manage to force Union parties into retreat back towards Centreville.
July 22, 1861
Confederate forces claim the first major victory of the war at the "Battle of First Manassas" - known to the north as the "First Battle of Bull Run". The war spanned just one day but resulted in tens of thousands of casualties including nearly 2,000 for the Confederates and over 2,700 for the Union. The battle also marks the war's first photographic images - these taken by Matthew Brady.
July 22, 1861
After heavy losses incurred by both sides, the Battle of Bull Run is over. Federal forces retreat hastily back towards the safety of Washington, D.C.
July 27, 1861
CSS Sumter arrives in Venezuela.
July 27, 1861
Confederate Colonel John Baylor, with forces from Texas at his disposal, claims Fort Fillmore at San Augustine Springs in New Mexico.
August 3, 1861
For the first time in warfare a reconnaissance balloon is used by Union forces to assess Confederate positions. The balloon is launched from USS Fanny at Hampton Roads to observe the enemy at Sewell's Point, Virginia.
August 3, 1861
Union warships open fire on Confederate positions at Galveston, Texas.
August 7, 1861
To limit Union troop housing options, Hampton, Virginia is burned by Confederate troops under the command of General John B. Magruder.
August 10, 1861
The Battle of Wilson's Creek in Missouri is won by Confederate forces.
August 12, 1861
The Confederates announce an alliance with Indian tribes located within southern territories.
August 21, 1861
Cherokee Indians meet at Tahlegue and announce their alliance with the Confederate States of America. Their numbers total 4,000.
August 23, 1861
House arrest is the verdict handed to Rose O'Neal Greenhow. She was accused of spying for Confederate forces.
August 29, 1861
The Hatteras Inlet of North Carolina is claimed by Union forces.
August 30, 1861
Missouri slaves of owners supporting the Confederacy are freed by Union General John C. Fremont after he announces martial law in the state.
August 31, 1861
Confederate President Jefferson Davis appoints Colonel George Washington Custis Lee as a personal assistant. The Colonel is none other than General Robert E. Lee's oldest son.
September 3, 1861
Confederate forces move into Western Kentucky and take Columbus along the all-important Mississippi River.
September 10, 1861
Confederate forces enact a retreat of Carnifex Ferry in West Virginia
September 11, 1861
The state government of Kentucky calls for the removal of Confederate troops from its soil. The demand falls on deaf ears.
September 11, 1861
Confederate General Robert E. Lee attempts to take Union positions at Cheat Mountain in West Virginia. This marks Lee's first major foray in the war.
September 12, 1861
Confederate-aligned state forces of Missouri begin a siege of Lexington.
September 13, 1861
General Lee's assault on Cheat Mountain is a failure.
September 13, 1861
Forces from the frigate USS Colorado burn an enemy ship during a raid on Pensacola, Florida. The group is led by Lieutenant J.H. Russel.
September 17, 1861
Leroy Walker is succeeded by Judah Benjamin as the Confederate Secretary of War.
September 20, 1861
Confederate forces capture Lexington, Missouri.
October 1, 1861
Confederate Navy forces capture USS Fanny.
October 1, 1861
Confederate generals request 20,000 additional troops to take Maryland. Their request is denied by President Jefferson Davis.
October 2, 1861
To avoid arrest as a traitor, United States Senator John C. Breckinridge escapes Kentucky to join the Confederate cause.
October 7, 1861
"Stonewall Jackson", currently a Brigadier General serving with the Confederate Army, is handed the promotion to Major General.
November 7, 1861
Union forces take Port Royal Harbor in south Carolina.
October 8, 1861
A Confederate force raids a Union camp at Santa Rosa Island (Pensacola).
October 9, 1861
Union troops manage to push back a Confederate attack targeting supplies on Santa Rosa Island in Pensacola Harbor, Florida.
October 13, 1861
Confederate General Turner Ashby's forces raid Harpers Ferry in Virginia.
October 17, 1861
To this point, notes issued by the Confederate Treasury have raised $100 million in support of the war.
October 21, 1861
Confederate forces successfully intercept a traveling Union force at Ball's Bluff, Leesburg, Virginia.
October 21, 1861
Colonel Joseph Plummer leads a Union force to victory over the enemy at Frederickstown in Missouri.
October 22, 1861
The Department of Northern Virginia is arranged with Confederate General Joseph Johnson to be its leader.
October 24, 1861
Tennessean William Brownlow releases the final edition of the newspaper "Knoxville Whig" which has stood in support of anti-secession.
October 31, 1861
The "Rebel Legislature" of Missouri votes to secede from the Union.
November 7, 1861
The Battle of Belmont is fought on Missouri soil. It marks the first major engagement for Union General Ulysses S. Grant. A force of about 5,000 Confederates square off against 3,114 Union in Mississippi County, Missouri. It is a Confederate victory but gives Grant much-needed experience in field command.
November 7, 1861
Confederate forces, including generals Leonidas Poke and Gideon Pillow, are victorious against a Union force under the command of General Grant at Belmont, Missouri.
November 8, 1861
USS San Jacinto captures the British mail steamer "Trent" en route from Havana to Europe - aboard are a pair of Confederate commissioners, James Mason and John Slidell.
November 11, 1861
The Union ship G.W. Parke Curtis releases an observation balloon to spy on Confederate positions off the Potomac River.
November 12, 1861
A Scottish-built merchant ship, the "Fingal", acquired in England by Confederate agents, successfully runs the Union blockade at Savannah to deliver much-needed supplies.
November 18, 1861
At Russellville, Kentucky, some authorities gather to vote for independence. George Johnson is named its new governor.
November 18, 1861
The Confederate Provisional Congress meets once more in Richmond, Virginia.
November 19, 1861
To better meet the need for resupply and reinforcements, Confederate President Jefferson Davis implores the Congress to fund the construction of an East-West railway system.
November 22, 1861
Indian territories of the south are now under Confederate rule.
November 23, 1861
Union defenders at Fort Pickens on Santa Rosa Island in Pensacola, Florida push back a rebel force attempting to overtake their positions.
November 25, 1861
Judah Benjamin, the Confederate Secretary of War, calls on all East Tenessee traitors to be executed where they stand.
November 26, 1861
Dranesvill, Virginia sees a Union victory as cavalry forces from both sides go head-to-head in one of the war's smaller battles - the Battle of Dranesville.
December 10, 1861
Union General Albin Shoepf's forces are run out of Somerset (Kentucky) by a Confederate force led by General Felix Zollicoffer,
December 20, 1861
Near Dranesville, Virginia, Union forces of the Army of the Potomac (led by General Edward Ord) are victorious over General Jeb Stuart and his Confederate elements.
December 26, 1861
To avoid war with Britain, Confederate-aligned commissioners captured two months earlier on the British ship "Trent" are released.
December 28, 1861
The Battle of Sacramento is fought in Sacramento, Kentucky. 500 Confederates square off against 200 to 300 Union troops. The battle ends as a Confederate victory.
January 1, 1862
The Confederate commissioners captured on the British steamer Trent continue their voyage to Europe - ending the "Trent Affair".
January 4, 1862
Confederate troops claim Bath, Virginia.
January 8, 1862
Both forces meet through cavalry clashes in Charleston, Missouri.
January 12, 1862
Confederate Navy forces attempt to unseat Union ships at New Orleans.
January 19, 1862
Union forces are victorious over the Confederates at Logan Cross Roads (Mill Springs) in Kentucky.
January 22, 1862
In an effort to raise enlistment numbers, the Confederate government announces an increase to the enlistment bonus to $50 (from $10).
January 1, 1862
A disagreement between Secretary of War Judah Benjamin and General Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson nearly leads to the resignation of the talented general. Jackson ultimately wins the showdown.
February 4, 1862
USS Tuscarora fails to corral CSS Sumter at Southampton, England.
February 4, 1862
The price of saltpeter, compounds needed for the manufacture of gunpowder, is raised to 0.40 cents per pound by Confederate Secretary of War Judah Benjamin.
February 4, 1862
En route to Fort Heiman and Fort Henry down the Tennessee River, Union General Grant arrives at Camp Halleck with his forces. General McClernand's division disembarks along the eastern shore out of range of Fort Henry's guns.
February 5, 1862
General Grant has General Charles F. Smith's division disembark along the western shore of the Tennessee River in preparation for the assaults on Fort Heiman and Fort Henry dowriver.
February 6, 1862
Union General McClernand is ordered by General Grant to begin his march towards Fort Henry at 11:00AM.
February 6, 1862
At 11:00AM, General Smith's forces begin their march against Fort Heiman along the Tennessee River.
February 6, 1862
Union Flag Officer Foote leads his gunboat flotilla against Fort Henry. The action takes place from 11:00AM until about 1:55PM and is in concert with land movements of General McClernand and General Smith under General Grant.
February 6, 1862
At 6:00PM on this date, General Grant's troops finally claim (through occupation) Fort Henry on the Tennessee River.
February 6, 1862
Fort Henry, along the Tennessee River in Tennessee, falls to forces under the combine efforts of land and naval forces under the direction of General Grant. He then turns his attention eastward towards enemy-held Fort Donelson along the Cumberland River.
February 8, 1862
The Union Navy is victorious over Confederate forces at Roanoke Island in North Carolina.
February 8, 1862
Union Flag Officer Foote dispatches three of his river gunboats up the Tennessee River for raiding actions. He retains some four boats for local work.
February 10, 1862
Confederate forces of the "Mosquito Fleet" fall to elements of the Union Navy near Elizabeth City, North Carolina as part of the Battle of Elizabeth City. The Mosquito Fleet was originally in service to the state and later passed to the Confederate Navy.
February 11, 1862
General Grant orders an advanced force to begin their march towards Fort Donelson.
February 12, 1862
Despite the combined strength of General McClernand and Smith's divisions, General Grant is forced to stop within twelve miles of Fort Donelson as he remains outnumbered.
February 13, 1862
Forces under the command of Union General Ulysses S. Grant begin their attack to take Fort Donelson along the Tennessee River.
February 13, 1862
Without order from General Grant, both General McClernand and General Smith launch unsuccessful attacks against Fort Donelson.
February 14, 1862
General Henry Halleck's Union forces move into Springfield, Missouri.
February 14, 1862
Under heavy and accurate fire, Union Flag Officer Foote's gunboat floatilla are repelled by the guns of Fort Donelson.
February 14, 1862
Union forces under Lew Wallace arrive at Fort Donelson from Fort Heiman and are further reinforced by fresh troops transport via the river Cumberland. With three divisions now formed under General Grant, he holds numerical superiority against the defenders at Fort Donelson.
February 16, 1862
Union General Grant is victorious at Fort Donelson along the Tennessee River in Tennessee. 14,000 prisoners are taken after the General demands an "unconditional and immediate surrender" of the enemy.
February 17, 1862
The Confederate Provisional Congress completes its meeting in Richmond, Virginia.
February 18, 1862
The Confederate Congress gathers in the nation's capital of Richmond in Virginia.
February 20, 1862
Confederate forces retreat from their positions in Columbus, Kentucky.
February 20, 1862
The Battle of Valverde begins pitting 3,000 union troops against 2,590 confederates in New Mexico Territory. Confederate General Henry Hopkins Sibley leads with General Thomas Green against Edward Canby. They are supported by Texas cavalry as well as land militia forces.
February 21, 1862
The Battle of Valverde ends in a Confederate victory.
February 22, 1862
The Confederate government officially swears in permanent authorities in the capital of Richmond, Virginia.
February 22, 1862
Camp Morton in the state of Indianapolis receives its first batch of Confederate Prisoners of War (PoW).
February 28, 1862
The Battle of Island Number Ten (New Madrid, Missouri) begins. Union forces are led by John Pope and Andrew Footer against Confederate foes headed by John McCown and William Mackall. Six Union gunboats are aided by eleven mortar rafts, facing a Confederate force of 7,000.
March 3, 1862
Union naval forces take Fernandina in Florida.
March 3, 1862
General N.H. McLean in St. Louis, Missouri declares that all Confederate supporters will be hung "...as robbers and murderers..."
March 5, 1862
The Department of the Mississippi is given to Confederate General Beauregard.
March 3, 1862
CSS Virginia is launched at the Norfolk Shipyard.
March 6, 1862
The Battle of Pea Ridge begins. It involves Confederate-aligned Cherokee units. 10,500 Union elements face off against 16,500 confederates in northwestern Arkansas. Among those in the Union ranks is "Wild Bill" Hickok.
March 8, 1862
The Battle of Pea Ridge ends as a Union victory. 1,384 Union personnel are killed against 2,000 Confederate losses.
March 8, 1862
Union cavalry forces near Nashville, Tennessee, under the command of Colonel John H Morgan conduct a series of raids on enemy positions.
March 8, 1862
In the Battle of Hampton Roads, Virginia, CSS Virginia tangled with Union Navy forces n an effort to help unseat the Blockade.
March 8, 1862
Arriving from Norfolk, CSS Virginia enters Hampton Roads at about 1PM.
March 8, 1862
USS Cumberland is rammed and sunk by CSS Virginia.
March 8, 1862
USS Congress is set alight by CSS Virginia.
March 8, 1862
While attempting maneuver, USS Minnesota is run aground.
March 8, 1862
At 6:06PM, CSS Virginia retreats to Norfolk as the sun sets.
March 8, 1862
At 9:00PM, USS Monitor arrives on the seen and takes up position near USS Minnesota.
March 9, 1862
In waters off of Hampton Roads, Virginia, CSS Virginia squares off against USS Monitor in naval history's first duel between two ironclad warships. The engagement ends in a draw.
March 9, 1862
Already having been burning for hours, USS Congress explodes at 12:30AM.
March 9, 1862
At 7:00AM CSS Virginia departs Norfolk and heads to Hampton Roads to finish off USS Minnesota.
March 9, 1862
CSS Virginia is met by USS Monitor in what would come to be known as the "Battle of the Monitor and the Merrimack". Merrimack was the former name of CSS Virginia prior to her conversion as a Confederate ironclad.
March 9, 1862
Fighting between USS Monitor and CSS Virginia continues until 12:15PM at which point CSS Virginia withdraws. The battle, for all its importance to both sides, is labeled indecisive as little headway is made for either party. The Battle of Hampton Roads is over.
March 10, 1862
Confederate General Joseph Johnson pulls his forces out of Manassas, wary of the threat posed by General McClellan's forces in the area.
March 13, 1862
General Robet E. Lee begins his term as a military adviser to Confederate President Jefferson Davis.
March 14, 1862
The Battle of New Bern is had in Craven County, North Carolina. 11,000 Union soldiers are supported by fourteen gunboats against a Confederate Army showcasing 4,000 troops and single cavalry regiment. The result is a Union victory with minimal losses on both sides.
March 14, 1862
Union forces claim New Madrid, Missouri.
March 14, 1862
New Bern, North Carolina falls to a combined Union land-naval force led by General Ambrose Burnside.
March 17, 1862
CSS Nashville manages to break through the Union blockade at Beaufort, Florida.
March 17, 1862
Union General George McClellan begins marching his army towards the Confederate capital of Richmond, Virginia.
March 23, 1862
At a battle site in Kernstown, Virginia, Confederate forces led by Stonewall Jackson are repelled.
March 23, 1862
Confederate General Henry Sibley claims Sante Fe, New Mexico.
March 23, 1862
The First Battle of Kernstown (Winchester, Virginia) is had. This one-day engagement sees a Union force numbering between 6,350 and 9,000 against a Confederate force of 3,000 to 4,200. Both sides gain the advantage as the Union claim a tactical victory and the Confederates a strategic one. Casualties number 590 for the North and 718 for the South.
March 26, 1862
The Battle of Glorieta Pass is fought between 1,300 Union troops and 1,100 Confederates. The engagement is a two-day affair spanning from March 26th until March 28th and leads to a Union Victory in northern New Mexico Territory.
March 28, 1862
General Henry Sibley is forced to retreat from his postions at Santa Fe.
April 1, 1862
Confederate military authorities revoke all leave permissions due to the growing war commitment - with particular attention being paid to manpower availability.
April 4, 1862
Gneeral John Pope's Union forces at New Madrid, Missouri, complete the construction of a canal intended to bypass Confederate firepower along the Mississippi River at Island Number Ten.
April 4, 1862
The Peninsular Campaign begins under the leadership of Union General George McClellan (Army of the Potomac). The target is the Confederate capital of Richmond, Virginia. By April 30th, Union forces will number 115,350 strong against an estimated force of up to 100,000 Confederates.
April 5, 1862
General McClellan's Army of the Potomac begins the siege of Confederate-held Yorktown in Virginia.
April 6, 1862
The Battle of Shiloh begins in Hardin County, Tennessee. Union generals Ulysses S. Grant and Don Buell lead a force of some 63,000 against 40,335 Confederates led by generals Beauregard and Albert Johnston.
April 7, 1862
The Battle of Shiloh ends in a Union victory. 13,047 Union soldiers are killed along with 10,699 Confederate soldiers.
April 7, 1862
As many as 3,500 Confederate soldiers surrender at Tiptonville in Missouri.
April 7, 1862
Island Number Ten along the Mississippi River, south of New Madrid, Missouri, is given up by the defending Confederate garrison.
April 8, 1862
The Battle of Island Number Ten draws to a close as the Union claims the victory. Some 7,000 Confederates surrender in the aftermath.
April 11, 1862
Fort Pulaski in Georgia falls to Union forces. The forts strategic placement at the mouth of the Savannah River made it important for both sides.
April 12, 1862
In one of the more bizarre operations of the war, Union operatives steal the locomotive named "General" in Northern Georgia running between Atlanta, Georgia and Chattanooga, Tennessee. The event is known as the "Great Locomotive Chase". James J. Andrews is head of the Union effort consisting of volunteers. The locomotive is eventually recaptured and the thieves executed.
April 16, 1862
Running short of new recruits, the Confederate government installs conscription for white males aged 18 to 35. A three-year commitment is required.
April 19, 1862
A combined Union army-navy force takes Camden, North Carolina.
April 21, 1862
The Confederate Congress completes its round of latest meetings at Richmond, Virginia.
April 21, 1862
With Union forces making headway towards Richmond, Virginia, the Confederate Congress gathers in an emergency session.
April 24, 1862
The Confederate fleet near New Orleans, Louisiana is destroyed by a Union force under the command of Flag Officer David Farragut.
April 24, 1862
CSS Stonewall Jackson, launched in January of 1862, is driven ashore and burned and pressured by Union Navy elements.
April 25, 1862
With no more fight left, Confederate forces surrender the important port city of New Orleans to Union elements.
April 25, 1862
Fort Macon (Beaufort Harbor) along the North Carolina coast falls to Union forces.
April 26, 1862
Confederate elements at Fort Macon surrender.
April 28, 1862
Union forces lay siege to Corinth, Mississippi.
April 28, 1862
Confederate elements at Fort St. Philip and Fort Jackson (New Orleans) surrender to Union forces.
April 29, 1862
Bridgeport, Alabama falls to Union forces.
April 30, 1862
Stonewall Jackson's forces are joined by elements under the command of Major General Richard S. Ewell at Conrad's Store
May 1, 1862
The Union capture of New Orleans is complete.
May 3, 1862
General Jackson orders his men to depart the Shenandoah Valley in a ruse to trick Union observers. They soon return to the region by rail.
May 4, 1862
General McClellan's forces take Yorktown, Virginia. Land mines are first experienced here.
May 4, 1862
This date marks the official start of the Shenandoah Valley Campaign directed by Stonewall Jackson.
May 5, 1862
The Battle of Williamsburg occurs with inconclusive results for both sides. General McClellan leads Union forces against General Johnston and Longstreet. Casualties total 2,283 for the North and 1,682 for the South.
May 6, 1862
To face off against Union General John C. Fremont, Stonewall Jackson combines forces with Brigadier General Edward Johnson at Staunton, marching west to meet the enemy.
May 8, 1862
On this date the Battle of McDowell occurs - a one-day engagement pitting 6,500 Federals against 6,000 Confederates. Stonewall Jackson leads the latter and the battle goes down as a Confederate victory. Losses total 2,59 for the North and 420 for the South. Brigadier General Robert Milroy commanded the North.
May 9, 1862
Confederate forces leave their positions at Norfolk and relocate to the capital of Richmond to bolster defenses there.
May 10, 1862
Norfolk Navy Yard is destroyer by exiting Confederate forces.
May 10, 1862
Pensacola Navy Yard is destroyed by retreating Confederate forces.
May 10, 1862
Pensacola, Florida falls to advancing Union forces.
May 5, 1862
A Confederate river fleet voyages out of Memphis, Tennessee and meet a Union squadron - Southern forces are repelled in the ensuing battle.
May 10, 1862
A naval engagement is fought four miles up river from Fort Pillow in Tennessee with the Confederates claiming the victory.
May 11, 1862
CSS Virginia, no longer able to operate as a true ironclad and relegated to heavy battery duty, is scuttled at Hampton Roads.
May 11, 1862
After having run aground near Craney Island, Virginia, CSS Virginia is set alight by her crew.
May 12, 1862
Having chased Union forces off north of Franklin (West Virginia), Stonewall Jackson turns back towards the Shenandoah Valley.
May 12, 1862
Natchez, Mississippi is claimed by Union forces.
May 13, 1862
Robert Smalls, a slave of Charleston, South Carolina, frees himself and his crew by capturing CSS Planter. The ship is delivered to the Union blockade. This action assists in persuading President Lincoln to include blacks into the ranks of the U.S. Army and Navy services.
May 15, 1862
Confederate guns at Drewry's Bluff turn back the James River Flotilla approaching Richmond. The squadron had managed to reach within 8 miles of the Confederate capital city.
May 15, 1862
Per General Butler's order, any woman insulting Union troops in New Orleans is to be treated as a prostitute.
May 15, 1862
The Virginia State Line militia is organized.
May 18, 1862
Thomas Jackson returns to the Shenandoah Valley en route to meet Union General Nathaniel P. Bank's force. He reaches Mount Solon, Virginia.
May 20, 1862
Jackson by-passes General Bank's force by way of the southeast side of Massanutten Mountain and up the Luray Valley.
May 23, 1862
On this date, General Jackson engages Union forces in the Battle of Front Royal. The engagement ends as a Confederate victory with 773 Union elements killed to just 36 Confederates. John Reese Kenly commanded the North garrison. The action now threatens supply lines to General Bank's forces.
May 5, 1862
The First Battle of Winchester is had. Confederate Thomas Jackson is victorious over the Union forces led by Nathanial Banks. Banks had retreated to Winchester and was met by Jackson, who ultimately was able to secure victory and the town itself.
May 25, 1862
President Lincoln, by telegraph, demands an attack on Richmond by General McClellan.
May 27, 1862
Union General Banks retreats with his forces across the Potomac Rover with Thomas Jackson in hot pursuit. This ends the first phase of the Shenandoah Valley Campaign and claims several victories for the South.
May 30, 1862
Falling to Union pressure, General Beauregard orders a withdrawal from Corinth, Mississippi.
May 30, 1862
Union forces are back in Front Royal, Virginia in the hopes of reclaiming captured forces.
May 31, 1862
The Battle of Seven Pines (Battle of Fair Oaks) begins in Henrico County, Virginia.
June 1, 1862
Robert E. Lee concludes his term as military adviser to Confederate President Jefferson Davis.
June 1, 1862
The Battle of Seven Pines (Battle of Fair Oaks) ends as an inconclusive victory. Confederate General Joseph Johnston is badly wounded. Casualties amount to 6,134 Confederates against 5,031 Union fighters.
June 2, 1862
Rose Greenhow, the Confederate spy known as "Rebel Rose", is banished to the South.
June 4, 1862
Fort Pillow in Tennessee is abandoned by Confederate forces.
June 6, 1862
Memphis, Tennessee is surrendered by Confederate forces following a running naval battle.
June 6, 1862
Union guns open up on Chattanooga, Tennessee.
June 8, 1862
The Battle of Cross Keys is had pitting a Union force of 11,500 led by General Fremont against 5,800 Confederates under General Ewell. The result is a Confederate victory with 664 Union casualties versus 287 Confederates.
June 9, 1862
Union forces are driven back at Port Republic in Virginia during the one-day engagement known as the Battle of Port Republic. Union losses count 1,002 against the Confederate's 816.
June 12, 1862
General Jeb Stuart begins a series of raids against Union forces in Virginia.
June 15, 1862
Confederate General Jeb Stuart completes his raiding against General McClellan's forces in Virginia.
June 16, 1862
The Battle of Secessionville takes place in Charleston, South Carolina. It is a Confederate victory by Nathan Evans and Thomas Lamar. Union General Henry Benham, who had violated orders in the engagement, is arrested
June 18, 1862
Confederate forces leave their positions at Cumberland Gap, Tennessee.
June 24, 1862
Construction on a canal is started by Union engineers along the Mississippi River near heavily-defended Vicksburg. General Thomas Williams directs.
June 25, 1862
The Seven Days Battles are begun - six major engagements spanning seven days and pitting forces of General McClellan against forces of General Robert E. Lee. It marks a Confederate victory though losses are heavy for both sides. the battles take place around the Confederate capital of Richmond, Virginia near Oak Grove.
June 26, 1862
The Battle of Beaver Dam Creek - also Battle of Mechanicsville - is fought between General McClellan and General Robert E. Lee. Losses total 361 for the Union and 1,484 for the Confederates. However, the Union can only claim a tactical victory. This is the second battle of the Seven Days Battles.
June 27, 1862
The third contest of the Seven Days Battles is fought during the Battle of Gaine's Mill. It is a Confederate victory by Robert E. Lee over McLellan.
June 27, 1862
The fourth installment of the Seven Days Battles is fought during the Battle of Garnett's and Golding's Farm. It results as inconclusive and neither side fail to make headway. Losses are minimal by the war's standard - 189 Union elements to the Confederate's 438.
June 29, 1862
The Battle of Savage's Station, the fifth of the Seven Days Battles, is fought. It is another inconclusive engagement with the Union suffering 1,038 casualties against the Confederate's 473. Sumner led the Union forces against Magruder. Union forces withdraw.
June 30, 1862
The Battle of White Oak Swamp - as part of the Seven Days Battles - of fought and marks another inconclusive victory. Union General Franklin leads against Stonewall Jackson. Losses are minimal for both sides.
July 1, 1862
The Seven Days Battles draw to a close. Casualties total 18,849 for the Union and as many as 20,100 for the Confederates. It is a Confederate victory nonetheless as General McClellan's forces fail to make progress. It makes the culmination of the Peninsular Campaign.
July 1, 1862
The Battle of Booneville is fought at Booneville, Mississippi. Losses are light for both sides with the Union claiming the victory.
July 1, 1862
A 5000-strong Confederate cavalry assault is repulsed by a much smaller Union force of 827 with Colonel Philip Sheridan in command.
July 4, 1862
Colonel John Morgan begins his raids against Union-held Kentucky lands.
July 5, 1862
The Battle of Lebanon takes place in Lebanon Kentucky. As many as 400 Union troops face off against 2,460 Confederates. The battle goes down as a Confederate victory.
July 7, 1862
Under the direction of Union General Benjamin Butler, William Mumford is hanged in New Orleans for his April removal of an American flag.
July 11, 1862
Confederate cavalry forces, under the command of Colonel John Morgan, take Lebanon, Kentucky.
July 13, 1862
Murfreesboro, Tennessee is taken by Confederate cavalry forces under the command of General Nathan Bedford Forrest.
July 15, 1862
Confederate warship CSS Arkansas engages Union ships north of Vicksburg, Mississippi.
July 17, 1862
The First Battle of Cynthiana is had in Cynthiana, Kentucky. Confederate General John Morgan and his raiders are victorious in taking the town as well as its defending Union garrison.
July 18, 1862
Newburgh, Indiana is captured by General Adam "Stovepipe" Johnson. In what became known as the "Newburgh Raid", Johnson was able to convince defending Union forces that his army was of considerable size though, in reality, it numbered twelve men and had two joints of stovepipe fitted to a wagon to simulate a cannon.
July 22, 1862
A prisoner exchange between Union and Confederate authorities is agreed upon.
July 28, 1862
Confederate Colonel john Morgan completes his raids against Kentucky.
July 29, 1862
Confederate female spy Belle Boyd is arrested.
July 31, 1862
From a position at Coggin's Point in Virginia, Confederate guns manage little damage against Union warships located near Harrison's Landing.
August 5, 1862
Confederate General Henry Allen is wounded in the Battle of Baton Rouge, leading to his left leg being amputated. He will later be named governor of Confederate Louisiana.
August 5, 1862
The Battle of Baton Rouge takes place on this date. Forces include 2,500 Union against 2,600 Confederate. The battle goes down as a Union victory with similar losses to both sides (371 and 478 respectively).
August 5, 1862
Confederate Captain Alexander Todd is killed in fighting near Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Todd is the brother-in-law of sitting President Abraham Lincoln. He is also the victim of friendly-fire.
August 5, 1862
Union forces successfully defend Baton Rouge, Louisiana from a Confederate advance.
August 5, 1862
After developing mechanical issues, CSS Arkansas is abandoned on the Mississippi River and blown up by Confederate forces near Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
August 8, 1862
Stonewall Jackson's forces cross the Rapidan River just north of Gordonsville to head off Union general Pope and his forces.
August 9, 1862
Stonewall Jackson's forces are victorious over Union troops at Cedar Mountain, Virginia.
August 9, 1862
Nathaniel Banks' Union forces manage several victories before being driven back by Stonewall Jackson's forces.
August 11, 1862
General Jackson pulls his troops back across the Rapidan River for fear of arriving Union reinforcements.
August 13, 1862
Allowed to work on the front lines by Union authorities, Clara Barton - founder of the Red Cross - attends to both friendly and enemy troops in the field. She would be present at the battles of Second Bull Run, Antietam and Fredricksburg thereafter.
August 13, 1862
Confederate cavalry claim London, Kentucky.
August 13, 1862
Robert E. Lee orders forces under General Longstreet to head towards Gordonsville and strengthen the Confederate presence there.
August 15, 1862
The Confederate Congress meets in Richmond, Virginia.
August 18, 1862
Union General Pope is forced back over the Rappahannock River due to growing Confederate pressure.
August 22, 1862
J.E.B. Stuart's Confederate cavalry forces raid around Catlett's Station (Virginia) and capture 300 Union troops, detailed plans and supplies.
August 22, 1862
J.E.B. Stuart's cavalry raid brings him to Union General Pope army's rear.
August 24, 1862
CSS Alabama, arriving from England, is commissioned for service.
August 25, 1862
Stonewall Jackson begins a flanking maneuver against Pope's army.
August 26, 1862
Stonewall Jackson and his forces are able to pass between Washington, D.C. and the army of General Pope.
August 27, 1862
Ewell's division is ordered to Bristoe Station by Stonewall Jackson to delay Pope's arriving troops.
August 27, 1862
Stonewall Jackson captures a major Union supply depot at Manassas Junction.
August 28, 1862
Jackson redeploys his forces West of the old Bull Run battlefield.
August 28, 1862
The Second Battle of Bull Run officially begins. Confederate shelling is heard at 6:30PM. The action takes place around Brawner's Farm (Groveton).
August 29, 1862
Sigel's sector is strengthened by Major General Hooker's division by 1PM.
August 30, 1862
General Longstreet's force, under Major General Richard Anderson and having arrived on the battlefield at 3AM, enacts a counterattack that ultimately pushes Union elements to retreat.
August 30, 1862
The Second Battle of Bull Run ends as a considerable Confederate victory (as did the first). The Confederate forces were outnumbered man-to-man but managed significant casualties against the enemy.
September 1, 1862
The Battle of Chantilly (Virginia) - also known as "Ox Hill" - takes place. It ends inconclusively as both sides fail to gain the initiative. Casualties number 1,300 Union and 800 Confederate. The battle marks the end of the Northern Virginia Campaign that includes Second Bull Run.
September 2, 1862
General Lee's army at Chantilly is bolstered by the arrival of General D.H. Hill and his force.
September 4, 1862
Near Leesburg, Virginia, the Army of Northern Virginia begins its crossing along the Potomac River.
September 5, 1862
General Lee makes his first foray into a Union state - crossing the Potomac River and entering Maryland.
September 5, 1862
Confederate forces under the command of General Braxton Bragg enter the state of Kentucky.
September 5, 1862
CSS Alabama captures the Ocmulgee in the Azores. This marks the Confederate vessel's first claim of a commercial vessel. The enemy ship is burned while its crew is taken prisoner.
September 6, 1862
Confederate and Union ground forces clash at Washington, North Carolina.
September 7, 1862
General Robert Lee has amassed his army at Frederick, Maryland.
September 7, 1862
General George McClellan begins a slow advance away from Washington, D.C. to meet the Confederate threat emerging from Virginia.
September 9, 1862
Special Orders 191 is given by General Lee, ordering a special column formation to be taken by his troops to increase the chances of overtaking Harpers Ferry and the Union forces garrisoned there.
September 11, 1862
General Lee assigns General Longstreet to guard the approaches from the north while General Hill is given the task of the defending the approaches from the south of Harpers Ferry.
September 11, 1862
General Jackson engages Union forces at Martinsburg and drives them back towards Harpers Ferry.
September 13, 1862
The Army of the Potomac arrives at Frederick, Maryland. Once there, soldiers recover a copy of General Lee's plans.
September 13, 1862
Captured Confederate plans are given over to Union General McClellan - who suspects the plans are a trap.
September 14, 1862
The Battle of South Mountain takes place. It is a Union victory for General McClellan, General Burnside and General Franklin over General Lee and General Hill.
September 14, 1862
The Battle of Crampton's Gap (Burkittsville) is a Union victory for General Franklin over General Cobb. Forces number 12,800 to 2,100, respectively.
September 14, 1862
The Battle of South Mountain is had in Maryland leading to a Union victory. 28,000 Union troops square off against 18,000 Confederates. Losses for both sides are nearly equal.
September 15, 1862
Harpers Ferry falls to Confederate forces under the command of General Jackson.
September 15, 1862
General Jackson's forces open up with artillery strikes against Union forces at Harpers Ferry.
September 15, 1862
The Battle of Harpers Ferry ends as a Confederate victory.
September 15, 1862
A Confederate division under the command of General John Walker takes Loudoun Heights.
September 15, 1862
General Dixon Miles quickly surrenders the Union garrison at Harpers Ferry.
September 15, 1862
General Lee arranges his army behind Antietam Creek near Sharpsburg, Maryland.
September 16, 1862
Confederate General Bragg claims Munfordville, Kentucky. Those Union defenders still alive are taken prisoner.
September 17, 1862
The Battle of Antietam is had near Sharpsburg, Maryland and results of the one-day engagement are tactically inconclusive. 87,164 Union troops (led by McClellan) face off against 38,000 Confederates (led by Lee). Casualties are 12,410 and 10,316 respectively.
September 17, 1862
Union forces at Cumberland Gap, Tennessee are driven away by the Confederates, leaving the remaining garrison to fend for itself.
September 19, 1862
The Union Army claims a victory at the Battle of Iuka, driving off the now-retreating Confederates. The battle takes place near Iuka, Mississippi and involves 4,500 Union and 3,179 Confederates.
September 19, 1862
General Robert E. Lee makes his return to Virginia territory.
September 20, 1862
Union forces attempt to take General Lee's army at Blackford's Ford after crossing the Potomac but are driven back.
September 22, 1862
President Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation is set to take effect on January 1st, 1863. The proclamation covers only those slaves in Confederate-governed states but excludes those border states supporting the Union.
September 23, 1862
Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation is published across newspapers in the North.
September 25, 1862
Union warships bombard Confederates at Sabine City, Texas. The defenders are driven away.
September 26, 1862
In an effort to boost the Confederate economy and broaden its base of allies, the Committee on Foreign Affairs calls on President Jefferson Davis to open Southern markets and waterways to Northwest states.
September 27, 1862
Confederate conscription is extended and now includes men from the ages of 35 to 45.
September 30, 1862
The First Battle of Newtonia is had in Newtonia, Missouri. 1,500 Union forces face a brigade of Indians which results in a Confederate victory.
October 1, 1862
Confederate General Jeb Stuart undertakes his first cavalry raid into Pennsylvania.
October 3, 1862
Union forces gain the upper hand against the Confederates at Corinth, Mississippi. The battle marks one of the few uses of the bayonet charge in the whole of the war.
October 4, 1862
The Confederates place Richard Hawes as the unofficial governor of the state of Kentucky. The inauguration takes place in Frankfort.
October 5, 1862
Union naval forces claim Galveston, Texas.
October 8, 1862
The Battle of Perryville is had in Boyle Country, Kentucky. It pits 22,000 Union against 16,000 Confederates and results in a Union strategic victory. Losses are 4,241 and 3,396 respectively.
October 8, 1862
Confederate General Bragg's troops retreat out of Kentucky.
October 10, 1862
Stonewall Jackson is promoted to the rank of Lieutenant General and now heads 2nd Corps (Army of Northern Virginia)
October 11, 1862
The Confederate Conscription Act is amended to exclude those managing twenty or more slaves.
October 13, 1862
General John Pemberton is named General of the Department of Mississippi, Tennessee and East Louisiana.
October 13, 1862
The Confederate Congress ends its latest round of meetings in the capital of Richmond, Virginia.
October 22, 1862
Confederate troops take their positions at the now-abandoned Cumberland Gap garrison in Tennessee.
October 22, 1862
Union forces are driven off by defending Confederates at Yemassee in South Carolina.
October 28, 1862
The 79th U.S. Colored Infantry Regiment from Kansas is the first black regiment to see combat for Union forces. It is involved in clashes at Island Mounds, Missouri.
November 3, 1862
CSS Cotton and shoreline guns at Berwick Bay, Louisiana, drive away Union naval forces.
November 3, 1862
Union ground forces, aided by five gunboats, attack Confederate positions at Bayou Teche in Louisiana.
November 5, 1862
General Wade Hampton's forces are driven out of Barbee's Crossroads in Virginia by Union cavalry under the command of General Alfred Pleasonton.
November 21, 1862
Union General Edwin Sumner calls for Confederate forces to surrender Fredricksburg.
November 23, 1862
New Orleans is home to a large show of force as tens of thousands of infantry are paraded through the streets.
November 24, 1862
General Joseph Johnston is appointed as commander of the Army of the West by President Davis.
November 28, 1862
General Wade Hampton directs a cavalry raid at Hartwood Church in Virginia against Union forces and captured nearly 100 men.
November 28, 1862
Cane Hill, Arkansas is site to a modest clash of forces. The Union claims the victory.
December 7, 1862
The Battle of Prairie Grove is had in Washington County, Arkansas. The one-day clash is a Union victory.
December 7, 1862
The Union garrison at Hartsville, Tennessee falls to cavalry led by Colonel John Morgan.
December 7, 1862
CSS Alabama is forced to release a captured steamer carrying 640 persons, including 140 Union troops, as it lacks the facilities to take them on.
December 10, 1862
Dumbries, Virginia is raided by Confederate cavalry attached to General Wade Hampton's forces.
December 11, 1862
Fredericksburg, Virginia is bombarded by artillery under General Burnside's direction.
December 11, 1862
General Burnside's Union forces cross the Rappahannock River to reach Fredericksburg, Virginia.
December 11, 1862
The Battle of Fredericksburg begins encompassing actions in Spotsylvania and Fredericksburg counties. The clashes pit a much smaller Confederate force of 78,513 against 122,009 Union troops. Commanders are General Lee (Confederate) against General Burnside (Union).
December 12, 1862
USS Cairo is sunk by an electrically-detonated Confederate naval mine. The action takes place at Yazoo River near Haines Bluff, Mississippi.
December 13, 1862
A Confederate cavalry raid into Dumbries, Virginia yields a wagon train and fifty prisoners for the attackers.
December 13, 1862
General Burnside's larger force is beaten by General Lee's Army of Northern Virginia as part of the Battle of Fredericksburg.
December 15, 1862
The Battle of Fredericksburg ends as a Confederate victory. Confederate numbers are 78,513 committed to action with losses numbering 4,201. Union numbers are 122,009 committed with 12,653 losses.
December 16, 1862
Beginning on December 16th, 1861 and running into the New Year, cavalry raids led by Confederate General Nathan Bedford Forrest across eastern Tennessee are had.
December 17, 1862
General Hampton leads a two-day raid on Union positions near Occoquan, Virginia.
December 20, 1862
Confederate forces destroy General Grant's base at Holly Springs in Mississippi.
December 23, 1862
To dissuade further involvement of free blacks in Union ranks, the government of the South decrees that any captured freed slaves fighting under the Union banner face prosecution under local laws. This includes both punishment and execution for fighting the South.
December 23, 1862
Confederate President Davis makes a call to label Union General Benjamin Butler an "outlaw" in response to Butler's earlier message regarding New Orleans' women.
December 25, 1862
The Confederate "Christmas Raid" cavalry raid into Kentucky begin under the leadership of General John Morgan.
December 26, 1862
In a speech to Mississippi lawmakers, President Davis details Northern aggression and violations of southern women and property.
December 26, 1862
J.E.B. Stuart heads cavalry raids against Dumphries, Virginia, netting 200 prisoners. The raids span from December 26th into December 31st.
December 26, 1862
Union forces are beaten back at Chickasaw Bayou in Vicksburg, Mississippi. This two-day engagement marks the Battle of Chickasaw Bayou. Again, a much smaller Confederate force bests a larger Union army. The battle spans into December 29th.
December 28, 1862
Confederate General John Morgan completes his cavalry "Christmas Raid" venture into Kentucky.
December 31, 1862
The Battle of Stones River begins. Union General Rosecrans leads a force of 43,400 against 35,000 Confederates under General Bragg at Murfressboro, Tennessee. The battle is also known as the Second Battle of Murfreesboro.
January 1, 1863
Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation goes into effect. The proclamation does not cover those slaves residing in states within the Union itself.
January 1, 1863
Union forces flee Galveston, Texas after a surprise attack by General Magruder and his men. The city is now firmly in Confederate control.
January 1, 1863
Union Navy forces move back into position around Galveston, Texas, ensuring the naval blockade stays in place.
January 2, 1863
The Battle of Stones River, also known as the Second Battle of Murfreesboro, comes to an end. It is a much-needed Union victory. Losses total 12,906 for the Union and 11,739 for the Confederates.
January 8, 1863
Springfield, Missouri is raided by a combined Confederate cavalry force led by General Marmaduke and Colonel Quantrill.
January 11, 1863
The Union Army claims Fort Hindman off the Arkansas River near Little Rock. Union Navy gunboats assist in the successful action.
January 11, 1863
USS Hatteras is sunk by CSS Alabama near Galveston, Texas.
January 12, 1863
The Confederate Congress begins another round of meetings in the Confederate capital of Richmond, Virginia.
January 14, 1863
Bayou Teche, Louisiana is site to another Union-versus-Confederate engagement. This action involves both land forces and gunboat support for the Union.
January 15, 1863
CSS Florida conducts various raids down the East Coast of the United States and beyond, her journey beginning in the port-city of Mobile, Alabama.
January 21, 1863
Confederate warships capture several Union vessels at Sabine Pass in Texas. This success alleviates the naval blockade for a time.
January 29, 1863
A Confederate supply ship, Princess Royal, is intercepted by Union naval forces near Charleston Harbor, South Carolina.
January 30, 1863
Union land forces, aided by the Navy, cut-off enemy supply lines running from North Carolina into Richmond, Virginia.
January 31, 1863
Union naval forces at Charleston Harbor, South Carolina, are defeated in a raid by CSS Palemetto State and CSS Chicora.
February 3, 1863
A Confederate attempt to retake Fort Donelson in Tennessee is thwarted.
February 14, 1863
After running aground in the Black River (Louisiana), USS Queen of the West is taken by Confederate forces.
