April 12th, 1861: Fort Sumter is Attacked
The Battle of Fort Sumter is what started the Civil War. After the secession of several states the confederate army decided to attack the fortress that that controlled the entrance of Charleston Harbor. There were no deaths during the attack for either side however, a gun explosion caused to deaths for the union during the surrender ceremony.
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November 6th, 1861: Jefferson Davis Elected President of the Confederate States:
February 20th, 1862: William Lincoln Dies
William and Tad became sick in early 1862, Tad was able to recover however William continued to get worse. The most likely cause of the illness was typhoid fever, which was usually contracted by consumption of fecally contaminated food/water. On Wednesday February 20th, 1862 at approximately 5:00pm, William died. Both parents were affected by his death. Abraham did not return to work for about three weeks. He also generated o official correspondence for four days. Mary was so upset that Lincoln was worried about her sanity.
July 1st-3rd, 1863: Civil War Turns Against the South:
After success in Chancellorsville Virginia Robert E. Lee led his army to Gettysburg PA with hopes of reaching as far as Philadelphia. The Battle of Gettysburg is what finally turned the civil war in the Unions favor. However, this battle also had the largest number of casualties throughout the entire war. It was a Union victory however both sides had over 23,000 casualties. This battle ended Robert E. Lee's attempt to invade the north.
November 29th, 1864: Sand Creek Massacre
Also known as the Chivington massacre, the Battle of Sand Creek or the massacre of Cheyenne Indians was when a 700 man Colorado territory military attacked a peaceful village of Cheyenne and Arapaho inhabited in southeastern Colorado Territory. Between 70 - 163 innocent people were killed, most of whom were women and children.
October 31st, 1864: Nevada Becomes a State
March 17th, 1865: A Kidnap Plot by John Wilkes Booth Fails
John Wilkes booth had planned on kidnapping Lincoln when he returned from a play at Campbell Hospital near the edge of Washington. His plan fails because Abraham Lincoln changed his plans and arrived a different location.
April 14th, 1865 - Lincoln is Shot by John Wilkes Booth
While attending the play "Our American Cousin" with his wife President Lincoln was shot by confederate sympathizer and actor John Wilkes Booth. The Bullet was shot out of a Philadelphia Derringer Pistol. Booths co-conspirators were Lewis Powell and David Herold who were assigned to kill William H. Seward (Secretary of State). Also George Atzerodt who was supposed to kill VP Andrew Johnson. Booth hoped to "sever the continuity of the government. However the only fatal injury that night was to Lincoln. Powell only managed to wound Johnson and Azterod lost his nerve and fled the scene.
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April 15th, 1865 - President Abraham Lincoln Dies
At 7:22 a.m., Abraham Lincoln died from a bullet wound from the night before shot by John Wilkes Booth, an actor and Confederate sympathizer. After being shot he had been moved to a small apartment across the street from the theater. The president’s death was six days after Confederate General Robert E. Lee surrendered his army at Appomattox, effectively ending the American Civil War.
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April 26th, 1865: John Wilkes Booth is Shot and Killed
After interrogation the army was able to track down Booth at the Garrett farm. Before dawn the soldiers caught up with the criminals, Herold surrendered however Booth refused to cooperate. The soldiers then lit the barn on fire, in Booths attempt to exit the barn he was shot by Sergeant Boston Corbett, despite his orders to capture Booth alive.