Timeline 1862

February 6
(Fort Henry)

February 16
(Fort Donelson)

Fighting on the Mississippi

17,398

After capturing Fort Henry along the Tennessee River the Union army with 15,000 men led  by Ulysses S. Grant attacked Fort Donelson, a Confederate fort on the Cumberland River. At Fort Donelson Grant sent the message, "No terms except unconditional and immediate surrender can be accepted. I propose to move immediately upon your works." The North had six gunboats. The fighting lasted three days. Grant took 12,000 Confederate prisoners and 40 cannons from Fort Donelson. This cut off the Confederate supply line from the western territories.

March 9

Ironclad Ships Battle

For the first time in history two ironclad ships battled. The battle lasted for about 4 hours. Neither side won the battle. The Confederate ironclad was an old wooden ship called the Merrimac which had been rebuilt with iron all around the boat then renamed the Virginia. The Merrimac had sunk several Union ships in the past months. The North decided to build an ironclad ship to fight it. The Northern ship was called the Monitor.

April 6

Shiloh

23,746

After Grant had captured several forts in Tennessee his armies moved south toward Mississippi. The Confederate Army led by General Albert Sidney Johnston, met Grant at Shiloh, Tennessee. Grant had not expected the attack which started while the Yankee soldiers were cooking their breakfast. At first Grant seemed to be losing. Then more Northern troops arrived and Grant defeated the Southerners.
(Johnston was wounded in the leg and bled to death before medical help came. P. G. T. Beauregard took command after Johnston was wounded.)

April 16

Confederate Army Calls for Men

All men between the ages of 18 and 35 must serve in the army.

April 18

New Orleans

0

Farragut attacked and captured New Orleans.

May 4

Yorktown

McClellan's Union troops occupied Yorktown, Virginia and advanced on Richmond.

May 30

Corinth

Unknown

Northern army occupy Corinth, Mississippi

June 6

Memphis

181

Memphis fell to the Union armies

June

Seven Days' Battle

Union:  15,800

Confederate
20,100

In a series of battles the Southern army led by Generals Joseph E. Johnston and Robert E. Lee, the South managed to drive back the Union army. The battles ended at Malvern Hill on July 1. Lee breaks McClellan's siege of Richmond. The Union Army returned to Washington.

August 28-30

Second Battle at Bull Run

22,180

The Union led by General John Pope was defeated at Bull Run Creek while trying to reach Richmond. The Union army retreated to Washington.

J. E. B. Stuart broke into the Union headquarters and captured a case containing more than $300,000 (worth $5 million today). Lincoln relieved General Pope of his command.)

September 17

Battle of  Antietam - Sharpsburg, Maryland

23,100

Lee took command telling the Confederate forces that he planned to carry the fight to the enemy. Lee gave each division a route and job to do. One copy of Lee's plan ended up with the Union Army. Therefore when Lee crossed the Potomac River into Maryland, he was blocked from Washington, D. C. by Union troops in a bloody battle at Sharpsburg near Antietam Creek. Lee realized that his army was in a bad position to receive supplies and withdrew his troops over the Potomac to Virginia.

September 22

Lincoln Freed all the Slaves

President issued a proclamation freeing all the slaves in the South. Lincoln's document called the Emancipation Proclamation because it emancipated the slaves.

October 8

Battle of Perryville

7,407

Buell's forces ended Bragg's invasion of Kentucky in the Battle of Perryville.

December 11

Fredericksburg

17,429

Lincoln replaced General McClellan with Ambrose Burnside. Burnside's men were slaughtered at Fredericksburg.