18 The American Civil War
Richmond, Virginia; Kentucky
declares neutrality
21 July Battle of First Manassas or
Hull Run
25 July US Senate passes Crittenden
Compromise that the Union is not
fighting to interfere with slavery
10 August Battle of Wilson's Creek or
Oak Hills, Springfield, Missouri
30 August John C Fremont declares
martial law and declares slaves in
Missouri free
3 September Confederate forces
under Gideon Pillow enter Kentucky,
ending neutrality in that state
10 September Confederate Albert
Sidney Johnson is appointed to
command Tennessee, Missouri,
Arkansas, and Kentucky
1 November George B McClellan
replaces Winfield Scott as General-in-
Chief of the US army
6 November Jefferson Davis is elected
provisional President by the people of
the Confederacy
9 November Don Carlos Buell and
Henry Halleck are appointed to
departments in Kentucky and
Missouri
2 December The second session of
the 37th US Congress opens1862 19 January Battle of Mill Springs or
Logan's Cross Roads, Kentucky
6 February Union gunboats force
the surrender of Fort Henry,
Tennessee
13-16 February Battle of Fort
Donelson, Tennessee, results in the
Union's capture of 15,
Confederates
25 February President Lincoln signs
the Legal Tender Act, which creates
national Treasury notes soon dubbed
greenbacks'
26 February Don Carlos Buell
captures Nashville, Tennessee
7-8 March Battle of the Pea Ridge or
EIkhorn Tavern, Arkansas11 March Lincoln's War Order No. 3
relieves McClellan as General-in-
Chief and consolidates western
commands under Halleck
17 March George B McClellan begins
movement of Union troops to
Virginia Peninsula
6-7 April Battle of Shiloh or Pittsburg
Landing
16 April Confederate Congress passes
the first National Conscription Act in
American history
26 April Union gunboats force
New Orleans to surrender
8 May 'Stonewall' Jackson wins the
Battle of McDowell, the first of
several victories in his Shenandoah
valley campaign; other victories
follow at Front Royal (23 May), First
Winchester (25 May), Cross Keys
(8 June), and Port Republic (9 June)
15 May US Congress passes the
Homestead Bill
30 May Confederates evacuate
Corinth, Mississippi
31 May-1 June Battle of Seven Pines
or Fair Oaks
1 June Robert F. Lee takes command
of Confederate Army at Richmond
6 June Confederates surrender at
Memphis, Tennessee
19 June Lincoln signs a law
prohibiting slavery in the
territories
25 June-1 July Seven Days battles
reverse a tide of Union military
success as Lee drives McClellan away
from Richmond in action at
Mechanicsville (26 June), Gaines's
Mill (27 June), Savage Station
(29 June), Glendale or Frayser's Hill
(1 July)
11 July Halleck is named General-in-
Chief of the US army
13 July General Nathan Bedford
Forrest captures Murfreesboro,
Tennessee
17 July Second Confiscation Act
approved by US Congress