Civil War Letters

Timeline of the War

1860

November 6

Election of Lincoln


December 20

Secession of SC




1861

February 4

Formation of CSA


March 4

Swearing-in of Lincoln


April 12

Battle of Fort Sumter


May 28

Ex Parte Merryman


July 21

1st Battle of Bull Run


August 10

Battle of Wilson's Creek


August 30

Pratt Letter (C)


August 31

McKinney Letter (C)


December 23

Powers Letter (U)




1862

February 11–16

Battle of Fort Donelson


February 26

Griffin Letter (C)


February 28–April 8

Battle of New Madrid


March 6–8

Battle of Pea Ridge


March 26–28

Battle of Glorieta Pass


April 6–7

Battle of Shiloh


April 8

Greer Letter (U)


April 18–May 1

Battle of New Orleans


April 29–May 30

Siege of Corinth



May 23

Harrison Letter (U)


May 25

1st Battle of Winchester


June 27

Battle of Gaines Mill


July 1

Battle of Malvern Hill


August 28–30

2nd Battle of Bull Run


September 17

Battle of Antietam


October 8

Battle of Perryville


October 8

Norton Letter (U)


October 12

Oliver Letter (U)


November 15

Harvey Letter (C)


December 13

Battle of Fredericksburg


December 31–January 2

Battle of Stones River




1863

January 1

Emancipation Proclamation


March 3

Habeas Corpus Suspension Act


April 30–May 6

Battle of Chancellorsville


May 6

Kellogg Letter (U)


May 16

Battle of Champion Hill


May 18–July 4

Siege of Vicksburg


May 21–July 9

Siege of Port Hudson


June 20

WV Admitted


July 1–3

Battle of Gettysburg


July 7

Kerrison Letter (C)


August 25

Morgan Letter (C)


September 15

Habeas Corpus Suspended


September 19–20

Battle of Chickamauga


November 3

Morrison Letter (U)


November 19

Gettysburg Address


November 24–25

3rd Battle of Chattanooga




1864

April 8

Battle of Mansfield


April 9

White Letter (C)


May 3

Savage Letter (C)


May 5–7

Battle of the Wilderness


May 8–21

Battle of Spotsylvania Court House


May 31–June 12

Battle of Cold Harbor


June 15–18

2nd Battle of Petersburg


July 13

Hudson Letter (U)


July 30

Battle of the Crater


August 2–23

Battle of Mobile Bay


August 22

Jackson Letter (U)


August 31–September 1

Battle of Jonesborough


September 19

3rd Battle of Winchester


October 19

Battle of Cedar Creek


October 23

Battle of Westport


November 8

Lincoln Re-Elected


November 30

Battle of Franklin


December 1

Barker Letter (C)


December 15–16

Battle of Nashville




1865

January 13–15

2nd Battle of Fort Fisher


February 5

Jordan Letter (C)


March 19–21

Battle of Bentonville


March 25

Battle of Fort Stedman


April 1

Battle of Five Forks


April 2

3rd Battle of Petersburg


April 9

Battle of Fort Blakely


April 9

Surrender at Appomattox


April 14

Lincoln Assassination


May 20

Johnson Letter (U)


May 24

Newton Letter (U)



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