Civil War Events by State - Illinois

Listing of all day-by-day events of the American Civil War related to the state of Illinois.

The American Civil War crossed borders throughout many states as the nation was plunged into turmoil. Key battles were fought throughout the land with the most being recorded in the state of Virginia followed by the state of Tennessee. The war stretched into loosely established territories in the West as well and involved actions in international waters and support from foreign powers. In the end, the fractured country required decades of healing and its scars can still be seen today.

There are a total of (9) Civil War Events by State - Illinois 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.

February 11, 1861

President-elect Abraham Lincoln departs Springfield, Illinois.

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June 17, 1861

Ulysses S. Grant of the Union Army achieves the rank of Colonel and named to the 21st Illinois Volunteer Infantry Regiment.

August 7, 1861

Colonel Ulysses S. Grant is named Brigadier General in command of volunteer forces at Cairo, Illinois.

September 13, 1861

President Lincoln turns down a request by Chicago-area group to issue an emancipation proclamation. The president is convinced the action would sway border states to the Confederate cause.

April 5, 1863

It is revealed that thousands of Confederate prisoners have died in captivity at Camp Douglas in Chicago, Illinois.

June 1, 1863

Operations of the Chicago Times is ordered stopped by General Burnside. President Lincoln steps in to reverse the order.

March 8, 1864

Five Union soldiers are murdered by Southern sympathizers on leave in Charleston, Illinois. The group is killed by a mob numbering one hundred.

April 21, 1865

The Lincoln Funeral Train departs Washington, D.C. en route to Springfield, Illinois.

May 4, 1865

Slain President Abraham Lincoln is laid to rest at Oak Ridge Cemetery (Springfield, Illinois).