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The Civil War in Virginia
Philippi
Confession of Nat Turner
Virginia Secession Convention
Battle of Dranesville
Battle of Rich Mountain
Malvern Hill by Herman Melville
Battle of Appomattox
Appomattox (or Appomattox Court House)
Surrender At Appomattox
Army of Northern Virginia
Battle of Ball's Bluff
Battle of Chantilly
Battle of Drewrys Bluff
Battle of Fair Oaks - Seven Pines
Battle of Glendale
Battle of Malvern Hill
Battle of Oak Grove
Battle of Savage's Station
Battle of Beaver Dam Creek
First Manassas - First Bull Run
Battle of Cedar Mountain
Chancellorsville
Confederate Order of Secession
Jubal Anderson Early
John Floyd
Fredericksburg
Battle of Gaines Mill
Samuel Garland
Robert E. Lee
Encounter at the Marshall House
Mine Run Campaign
John Mosby
Peninsula Campaign
Richmond, Virginia
Seven Days Retreat
Siege of Petersburg
Siege of Yorktown
Stuart's Ride Around McClellan
Battle of Williamsburg
| September 11, 1786 September 14, 1786 |
The Annapolis Convention (in Maryland) backs calling a Constitutional Convention to begin in May, 1787 in Philadelphia | Maryland Virginia New Jersey Delaware New York Pennsylvania |
| December 15, 1791 | Virginia ratifies the first set of amendments to the Constitution. Only 10 of the proposed 12 amendments are ratified by 11 or more states. These ten amendments are known as the "Bill of Rights" | Virginia |
| January 19, 1807 | Robert E. Lee is born, Westmoreland County, Virgina | Virginia |
| Robert E. Lee | ||
| July 31, 1816 | George Thomas born, Southhampton County, Virginia | Virginia |
| George Thomas | ||
| January 21, 1824 | Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson born, Clarksburg, Virginia (today, West Virginia). | West Virginia Virginia |
| July 4, 1831 | Date chosen for Nat Turner's rebellion. It was postponed because Turner was sick. | Virginia |
| Nat Turner and the Slave Revolt | ||
| November 5, 1831 | Nat Turner is tried and convicted for leading a slave uprising | Virginia |
| Nat Turner and the Slave Revolt | ||
| December 6, 1836 | [circa] Casting operations begin at Tredegar Iron Works | Virginia |
| February 12, 1837 | Tredegar Iron Company secures a charter from the state to become a corporation | Virginia |
| May 22, 1847 | Skilled white workers at Tredegar Iron Mill in Richmond, VA, tell Joseph Anderson they intend to strike if slaves are used in puddling operations | Virginia |
| Richmond, Virginia | ||
| May 26, 1847 | Joseph Anderson fires skilled white workers who protest the use of slaves in some jobs at the Tredegar Iron Mill | Virginia |
| August 13, 1851 | Thomas Jackson becomes a teacher at Virginia Military Institute | Virginia |
| December 2, 1859 | John Brown is hung in Charleston, Virginia (present-day West Virginia) for the raid on Harper's Ferry | Virginia West Virginia |
| John Brown | ||
| June 11, 1860 | Southern delegates hold a National Democratic convention in Richmond. Party leaders urge a "wait and see" approach. | Virginia |
| 1860 Democratic National Convention | ||
| Richmond, Virginia | ||
| Robert Barnwell Rhett | ||
| Democratic Party | ||
| June 26, 1860 June 28, 1860 |
Southern Democrats hold a convention in Richmond where they select John C. Breckinridge as their nominee for President | Virginia |
| The Election of 1860 | ||
| 1860 Democratic National Convention | ||
| Richmond, Virginia | ||
| John Breckinridge | ||
| 1860 (Southern) Democratic Party Platform | ||
| Democratic Party | ||
| January 7, 1861 | Virginia calls a special session of its Assembly to consider convening a convention on the question of secession. | Virginia |
| Virginia Secession Convention | ||
| January 14, 1861 | Virginia Assembly approves a convention to consider secession | Virginia |
| Virginia Secession Convention | ||
| January 19, 1861 | Virginia calls for a peace conference | Virginia |
| Washington Peace Convention | ||
| Virginia Secession Convention | ||
| February 4, 1861 | Elections in Virginia create a pro-Union secessionist convention | Virginia |
| Virginia Secession Convention | ||
| February 13, 1861 | In Richmond, former President John Tyler and former Virginia governor Henry Wise lead the notables who meet for the first time as Virginia's secessionist convention. | Virginia |
| John Tyler | ||
| Virginia Secession Convention | ||
| April 3, 1861 | A "test vote" in the Virginia convention shows a 2-1 margin against secession | Virginia |
| Virginia Secession Convention | ||
| April 4, 1861 | Virginia's secessionist convention votes 80-45 against secession. | Virginia |
| Virginia Secession Convention | ||
| April 17, 1861 | Virgina Secession Convention approves the wording of a referendum of secession and calls for a popular vote to approve it. | Virginia |
| Confederate Order of Secession | ||
| Virginia Ordinance of Secession | ||
| Virginia Secession Convention | ||
| April 18, 1861 | Robert E. Lee is offered command of the United States Army | Virginia |
| Robert E. Lee | ||
| April 18, 1861 | Federal forces withdraw from Harpers Ferry | West Virginia Virginia |
| Harpers Ferry | ||
| April 19, 1861 | Virginia forces take control of Harpers Ferry | West Virginia Virginia |
| Harpers Ferry | ||
| April 20, 1861 | Robert E. Lee resigns his commission in the United States Army | Virginia |
| Robert E. Lee | ||
| April 20, 1861 | Federal troops scuttle ships at the the Gosport Naval Yard and evacuate Norfolk, Virginia | Virginia |
| April 23, 1861 | Nominated by Governor Letcher of Virginia and approved by the Assembly on the previous day, Robert E. Lee assumes command of Virginia's militia | Virginia |
| Robert E. Lee | ||
| April 23, 1861 | Virginia secessionist convention ratifies a temporary union with the Confederacy and accepts the Southern Constitution, subject to approval of the ordnance of secession | Virginia |
| Virginia Secession Convention | ||
| April 27, 1861 | Lincoln extends the blockade to include Virginia and North Carolina | Virginia North Carolina |
| Abraham Lincoln | ||
| April 27, 1861 | Virginia offers Richmond to be the Confederate capital. | Virginia |
| Richmond, Virginia | ||
| May 1, 1861 | Robert E. Lee orders Stonewall Jackson to remove the weapons and equipment from the arsenal at Harpers Ferry | West Virginia Virginia |
| Harpers Ferry | ||
| Robert E. Lee | ||
| Stonewall Jackson | ||
| May 3, 1861 | General Winfield Scott orders troops to seize Arlington Heights, overlooking Washington D. C. | Virginia |
| Winfield Scott | ||
| Washington D. C. | ||
| May 21, 1861 | Confederate Congress votes to move its capital from Montgomery to Richmond | Alabama Virginia |
| Richmond, Virginia | ||
| May 23, 1861 | Virginia ratifies the Secessionist Convention referendum by a vote of 132,201 to 37,451 | Virginia |
| Confederate Order of Secession | ||
| Virginia Secession Convention | ||
| May 24, 1861 | Federal forces occupy Alexandria | Virginia |
| May 28, 1861 | Robert Anderson assumes command of the Department of Kentucky. Irvin McDowell assumes command of the Department of Northeastern Virginia | Virginia |
| Robert Anderson | ||
| Irvin McDowell | ||
| May 31, 1861 | P. G. T. Beauregard ordered to assume command of the Alexandria Line | Virginia |
| Army of Northern Virginia | ||
| June 3, 1861 | Battle of Philippi
First land engagement of the Civil War between American and Confederate forces |
West Virginia Virginia |
| George McClellan | ||
| Philippi | ||
| Operations in Western Virginia | ||
| Civil War Firsts | ||
| June 8, 1861 | Virginia turns its state militia over to the Confederate States of America | Virginia |
| June 23, 1861 | Thomas Jackson destroys 42 engines and nearly 400 cars of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad at Martinsburg, Virginia | Virginia West Virginia |
| Stonewall Jackson | ||
| Baltimore and Ohio Railroad | ||
| July 2, 1861 | General Robert Patterson crosses the Potomac at Williamsport, Maryland and moves towards Harpers Ferry. | Virginia Maryland |
| Harpers Ferry | ||
| July 21, 1861 | (First) Manassas (Confederate)
(First) Bull Run (Union) About 25 miles southwest of Washington the first major battle of the Civil War pits Irvin McDowell [US] against P. G. T. Beauregard [CS] and Joe Johnston [CS]. |
Virginia |
| William Tecumseh Sherman | ||
| First Manassas - First Bull Run | ||
| P. G. T. Beauregard | ||
| Irvin McDowell | ||
| Joseph E. Johnston | ||
| Army of Northern Virginia | ||
| James Longstreet | ||
| John B. Gordon | ||
| Stonewall Jackson | ||
| Richard Ewell | ||
| Samuel Garland | ||
| Ambrose Burnside | ||
| Samuel Heintzelman | ||
| August 7, 1861 | John Bankhead Magruder burns the village of Hampton, near Fort Monroe. General Benjamin Butler had been planning to use it to house "contraband." (Butler's word for slaves) | Virginia |
| John Magruder | ||
| Benjamin Butler | ||
| August 26, 1861 | Battle of (Kessler's) Cross Lanes
General John Floyd routs an Ohio regiment |
Virginia |
| John Floyd | ||
| Operations in Western Virginia | ||
| October 3, 1861 | Battle of Greenbriar | Virginia |
| Operations in Western Virginia | ||
| October 20, 1861 | George McClellan orders a demonstration in the area of Ball's Bluff | Virginia |
| October 21, 1861 | Battle of Leesburg [CS]
Battle of Ball's Bluff [US] Battle of Harrison Island [US] General Nathan Evans [CS] defeats General Charles Stone [US]. Oregon Senator Edward Baker, field commander, becomes the first (and only) sitting senator to die in battle. |
Virginia |
| Battle of Ball's Bluff | ||
| Civil War Firsts | ||
| November 4, 1861 | Major General Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson assumes command of the Shenandoah Valley District | Virginia |
| Stonewall Jackson | ||
| December 20, 1861 | Battle of Dranesville | Virginia |
| J. E. B. Stuart | ||
| Edward O. C. Ord | ||
| Samuel Garland | ||
| Battle of Dranesville | ||
| February 18, 1862 | The first Congress meets in Richmond, Virginia. Prior to this time, legislative duties had been carried out by secessionist convention | Virginia |
| March 8, 1862 | Joseph E. Johnston orders the Confederate Army of the Potomac to withdraw from Centerville/Manassas to the Rappahannock River based on reports from JEB Stuart of increased Yankee activity | Virginia |
| Joseph E. Johnston | ||
| Army of Northern Virginia | ||
| J. E. B. Stuart | ||
| March 9, 1862 | Battle of Hampton Roads
The duel of the ironclads, The Monitor and The Merrimac (CSS Virginia). First use of a turreted gun. |
Virginia |
| Hampton Roads | ||
| Civil War Firsts | ||
| March 17, 1862 | George McClellan begins transporting his men to Fort Monroe for the Peninsula Campaign | Virginia |
| George McClellan | ||
| Peninsula Campaign | ||
| March 20, 1862 | Threatened by Stonewall Jackson, Nathaniel Banks withdraws from Strasburg to Winchester | Virginia |
| Stonewall Jackson | ||
| Nathaniel Banks | ||
| March 23, 1862 | Battle of Kernstown
In the first battle of the Shenandoah Campaign, Major General Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson [CS] loses to Brig. General James Shields [US] |
Virginia |
| Stonewall Jackson | ||
| April 5, 1862 May 4, 1862 |
Siege of Yorktown
George McClellan invests Yorktown until Joe Johnston completes a withdrawal on May 4. |
Virginia |
| Joseph E. Johnston | ||
| George McClellan | ||
| Peninsula Campaign | ||
| Siege of Yorktown | ||
| William Farrar Smith | ||
| Gouverneur K. Warren | ||
| April 16, 1862 | Battle of Dam No. 1
Attempting to break the Yorktown Line, forces under General Winfield Scott Hancock [CS] engage General John Magruder [CS]. This battle is sometimes noted as the Battle of Lee's Mill or Burnt Chimneys. |
Virginia |
| Lafayette McLaws | ||
| Siege of Yorktown | ||
| Peninsula Campaign | ||
| John Magruder | ||
| May 5, 1862 | Battle of Williamsburg
Major General James Longstreet [CS] nearly defeats Major General "Fighting Joe" Hooker [US] during a rear-guard action. |
Virginia |
| Peninsula Campaign | ||
| James Longstreet | ||
| Lafayette McLaws | ||
| George McClellan | ||
| Battle of Williamsburg | ||
| William Farrar Smith | ||
| Winfield Scott Hancock | ||
| Jubal Anderson Early | ||
| Joseph Hooker | ||
| Samuel Garland | ||
| Samuel Heintzelman | ||
| May 7, 1862 | Battle of West Point
Battle of Eltham's Landing General William B. Franklin [US] skirmishes with General John Bell Hood [CS] |
Virginia |
| John Bell Hood | ||
| William B. Franklin | ||
| Peninsula Campaign | ||
| May 8, 1862 | Battle of McDowell
Stonewall Jackson defeats Robert Milroy in the Shenandoah Valley |
Virginia |
| Stonewall Jackson | ||
| May 9, 1862 | Confederates withdraw from Norfolk, destroying the base as they leave | Virginia |
| Benjamin Huger | ||
| Peninsula Campaign | ||
| May 11, 1862 | Confederate soldiers scuttle the C.S.S. Virginia near Norfolk | Virginia |
| May 23, 1862 | Battle of Front Royal | Virginia |
| Stonewall Jackson | ||
| May 25, 1862 | Battle of Winchester,
Stonewall Jackson [CS] defeats Nathaniel Banks [US] |
Virginia |
| Stonewall Jackson | ||
| Nathaniel Banks | ||
| May 27, 1862 | Battle of Hanover Court House | Virginia |
| George McClellan | ||
| Peninsula Campaign | ||
| Gouverneur K. Warren | ||
| Fitz-John Porter | ||
| May 31, 1862 June 1, 1862 |
Battle of Seven Pines [US]
Battle of Fair Oaks [CS] |
Virginia |
| Joseph E. Johnston | ||
| George McClellan | ||
| Peninsula Campaign | ||
| Battle of Fair Oaks - Seven Pines | ||
| James Longstreet | ||
| Edwin Vose Sumner | ||
| John B. Gordon | ||
| Oliver O. Howard | ||
| Daniel Harvey Hill | ||
| Benjamin Huger | ||
| John Sedgwick | ||
| Samuel Garland | ||
| Darius Couch | ||
| May 31, 1862 | Joseph E. Johnston severly wounded during the Battle of Fair Oaks | Virginia |
| Joseph E. Johnston | ||
| June 6, 1862 | Battle of Harrisonburg | Virginia |
| June 8, 1862 | Battle of Cross Keys
Battle of Union Church While Robert Ewell [CS] defeated John Fremont [US], Stonewall Jackson guarded Ewell's rear against an attack by James Shields [US]. |
Virginia |
| John C. Fremont | ||
| Stonewall Jackson | ||
| June 9, 1862 | Battle of Port Republic
Leaving a brigade to protect against action by Fremont, Robert Ewell [CS] crosses the Shenandoah in support of Stonewall Jackson [CS] in his action againt James Shields [US], resulting in a Confederate victory |
Virginia |
| Stonewall Jackson | ||
| June 12, 1862 June 15, 1862 |
J. E. B. Stuart "rides around the Union Army," raiding supplies and battling small groups of Yankess during the Peninsula Campaign. | Virginia |
| J. E. B. Stuart | ||
| Peninsula Campaign | ||
| Stuart's Ride Around McClellan | ||
| John Mosby | ||
| June 18, 1862 | Union forces capture the Cumberland Gap | Virginia Kentucky Tennessee |
| June 23, 1862 | Robert E. Lee plans a counterattack against Union forces preparing to lay siege to Richmond at the Dabbs House | Virginia |
| Robert E. Lee | ||
| Seven Days Retreat | ||
| Stonewall Jackson | ||
| Daniel Harvey Hill | ||
| James Longstreet | ||
| June 25, 1862 | Battle of Oak Grove
Battle of The Orchards Joseph Hooker [US] tries to push forward to gain ground for better positioning of McClellan's siege guns |
Virginia |
| George McClellan | ||
| Seven Days Retreat | ||
| Battle of Oak Grove | ||
| Joseph Hooker | ||
| Benjamin Huger | ||
| June 25, 1862 July 1, 1862 |
A series of closely linked battles known as The Seven Days Battle or The Seven Day Retreat start near Mechanicsville as the Army of the Potomac begins its advance to Richmond. | Virginia |
| George McClellan | ||
| Seven Days Retreat | ||
| Robert E. Lee | ||
| June 26, 1862 | Battle of Mechanicsville [CS]
Battle of Beaver Dam Creek [US] Battle of Ellerson's Mill [Alternate] Battle of Ellison's Mill [Alternate:misspelling] Daniel Harvey Hill [CS] attacks Fitz-John Porter [US]. |
Virginia |
| Seven Days Retreat | ||
| George McClellan | ||
| Battle of Beaver Dam Creek | ||
| Fitz-John Porter | ||
| A. P. Hill | ||
| Robert E. Lee | ||
| George Meade | ||
| John Reynolds | ||
| June 27, 1862 | Battle of Gaines Mill [US]
Battle of First Cold Harbor [CS] Battle of the Chickahominy [Alternate] John Bell Hood [CS] and George Pickett [CS] breakthrough Fitz John Porter's [US] line, forcing Union troops south of the Chickahominy River and severing McClellan's supply line to Eltham's Landing (White House, West Point) |
Virginia |
| Seven Days Retreat | ||
| John Bell Hood | ||
| Battle of Gaines Mill | ||
| Daniel Harvey Hill | ||
| A. P. Hill | ||
| Fitz-John Porter | ||
| Gouverneur K. Warren | ||
| George Pickett | ||
| George Meade | ||
| John Reynolds | ||
| June 29, 1862 | Battle of Savage's Station | Virginia |
| George McClellan | ||
| Lafayette McLaws | ||
| Seven Days Retreat | ||
| Edwin Vose Sumner | ||
| Battle of Savage's Station | ||
| June 29, 1862 | Battle of Peach Orchard
Battle of Orchard Station [Alt.] Battle of Allen's Farm [Alt.] |
Virginia |
| Seven Days Retreat | ||
| John Magruder | ||
| Edwin Vose Sumner | ||
| June 29, 1862 | During the Battle of Peach Orchard Confederate Brigadier General Richard Griffith is killed by an artillery blast | Virginia |
| Generals Who Died In the Civil War | ||
| June 30, 1862 | Battle of Frayser's Farm
Battle of White Oak Swamp [Alt.] Battle of Glendale Many other names Robert E. Lee's [CS] last chance to cut the Army of the Potomac in two. George McClellan [US] withdraws to Malvern Hill. |
Virginia |
| Seven Days Retreat | ||
| Battle of Glendale | ||
| Samuel Heintzelman | ||
| George Meade | ||
| Joseph Hooker | ||
| James Longstreet | ||
| A. P. Hill | ||
| July 1, 1862 | Battle of Malvern Hill
Battle of Malvern Cliffs Robert E. Lee [CS] attacked George B. McClellan [U.S.], whose men made a gallant stand in front of the James River. Lee called off his attack after failing to break the Union line. |
Virginia |
| George McClellan | ||
| Robert E. Lee | ||
| Lafayette McLaws | ||
| Seven Days Retreat | ||
| Battle of Malvern Hill | ||
| Fitz-John Porter | ||
| Darius Couch | ||
| July 8, 1862 | Abraham Lincoln visits with George McClellan at Harrison's Landing | Virginia |
| Abraham Lincoln | ||
| George McClellan | ||
| July 16, 1862 September 1, 1862 |
Northern Virginia Campaign - sometimes just called the Virginia Campaign. | Virginia |
| Northern Virginia Campaign | ||
| August 5, 1862 | Union forces under Joseph Hooker retake Malvern Hill with only light Confederate resistance. These troops withdraw the next day. | Virginia |
| Joseph Hooker | ||
| August 9, 1862 | Battle of Cedar Mountain [US]
Battle of Slaughter Mountain [CS] Other names: Cedar Run, Cedar Run Mountain, Southwest Mountain Stonewall Jackson [CS] defeats Nathaniel Banks [US]. |
Virginia |
| A. P. Hill | ||
| Northern Virginia Campaign | ||
| Jubal Anderson Early | ||
| Battle of Cedar Mountain | ||
| Richard Ewell | ||
| Army of Virginia | ||
| Nathaniel Banks | ||
| August 13, 1862 | Robert E. Lee issues orders in preparation for the Army of Northern Virginia's movement north to engage John Pope's [US] Army of Virginia | Virginia |
| Robert E. Lee | ||
| Army of Northern Virginia | ||
| August 14, 1862 | Under orders from Halleck, McClellan withdraws from the Peninsula | Virginia |
| Henry Halleck | ||
| George McClellan | ||
| August 26, 1862 | Fitzhugh Lee [CS] captures the rail depot at Manassas Junction setting in motion a chain of events that culminate in Second Manassas | Virginia |
| Northern Virginia Campaign | ||
| Second Manassas - Second Bull Run | ||
| August 27, 1862 | Battle of Kettle Run | Virginia |
| Northern Virginia Campaign | ||
| Second Manassas - Second Bull Run | ||
| Joseph Hooker | ||
| August 27, 1862 | Stonewall Jackson [CS] destroys Army of Virginia supply base at Manassas Junction | Virginia |
| Stonewall Jackson | ||
| Northern Virginia Campaign | ||
| Second Manassas - Second Bull Run | ||
| Army of Virginia | ||
| August 27, 1862 | With Stonewall Jackson on his flank, John Pope is forced to withdraw from the Rappahanock. Pope does not realize that roughly half the Confederate army is between his position and Washington, D. C. | Virginia |
| Stonewall Jackson | ||
| Northern Virginia Campaign | ||
| John Pope | ||
| Second Manassas - Second Bull Run | ||
| August 28, 1862 | Battle of Groveton
Battle of Brawner's Farm Stonewall Jackson [CS] engages Rufus King [US] near Manassas after eluding John Pope [US]. |
Virginia |
| Northern Virginia Campaign | ||
| Stonewall Jackson | ||
| John Pope | ||
| Second Manassas - Second Bull Run | ||
| Richard Ewell | ||
| Army of Virginia | ||
| August 28, 1862 | Robert E. Lee and James Longstreet arrive at Manassas from the peninsula | Virginia |
| James Longstreet | ||
| Robert E. Lee | ||
| August 29, 1862 August 30, 1862 |
Second Manassas[CS]
Second Bull Run[US] General John Pope [US] lost to General Robert E. Lee[CS]. General James Longstreet's [CS] 28,000 man assault on August 30 was the largest simultaneous assault of the war in this Confederate victory. Union losses 13,830 Confederate losses 8,350 Also includes: Manassas Plains, Gainesville |
Virginia |
| James Longstreet | ||
| Robert E. Lee | ||
| Stonewall Jackson | ||
| Army of Northern Virginia | ||
| Second Manassas - Second Bull Run | ||
| Fitz-John Porter | ||
| Northern Virginia Campaign | ||
| John Pope | ||
| Gouverneur K. Warren | ||
| John Reynolds | ||
| Army of Virginia | ||
| Joseph Hooker | ||
| Samuel Heintzelman | ||
| September 1, 1862 | Battle of Chantilly
Union Major General Phillip Kearny [US] is shot and killed when he crosses Rebel lines while riding his horse. Gen Issac I. Stevens [US] is also killed |
Virginia |
| Generals Who Died In the Civil War | ||
| Battle of Chantilly | ||
| September 12, 1862 September 15, 1862 |
Battle of Harpers Ferry
Stonewall Jackson takes 12,000 prisoners |
Maryland Virginia |
| Stonewall Jackson | ||
| Battle of Harpers Ferry | ||
| Harpers Ferry | ||
| Lafayette McLaws | ||
| Antietam | ||
| September 19, 1862 September 20, 1862 |
Skirmishes at Shepherdstown, Ashby's Gap, Williamsport, and Hagerstown, as Confederates under A. P. Hill covered the retreat of the Army of Northern Virginia from Sharpsburg. Lee would keep a heavy cavalry presence in the area until October. | Maryland Virginia West Virginia |
| Antietam | ||
| A. P. Hill | ||
| Army of Northern Virginia | ||
| October 1, 1862 | Abraham Lincoln visits Harper's Ferry on his way to Antietam | Virginia West Virginia |
| Abraham Lincoln | ||
| November 17, 1862 | Burnsides Right Grand Division, under the command of Edwin Vose Sumner arrives north of the Rappahannock River at Fredericksburg. | Virginia |
| Edwin Vose Sumner | ||
| Fredericksburg | ||
| December 11, 1862 | Federal forces occupy the city of Fredericksburg | Virginia |
| Fredericksburg | ||
| January 5, 1863 | Following two days of off and on skirmishing around Jonesville, Confederates surround the Union force and take 200 prisoners after a pitched battle. | Virginia |
| March 13, 1863 | An explosion in the Confederate Ordinance Laboratory on Brown's Island in the James River near Tredegar Iron Works in Richmond kills 69 people, 62 of them women and young girls. A friction primer exploded. | Virginia |
| March 17, 1863 | Battle of Kelly's Ford.
Federal cavalry under William Woods Averall crossed the ford of the Rappahannock River then ran into a Rebel line. After brief but heavy fighting, the Yankees withdrew that afternoon. Major John "The Gallant" Pelham [CS] was killed in this battle. He would posthumously be promoted to Lt. Colonel. |
Virginia |
| April 2, 1863 | A mob demands bread from a supply wagon in Richmond, starting the so-called Bread Riot. The mob looted other stores and was personally addressed by Jefferson Davis, who tossed the money from his pocket into the crowd. Police and soldiers eventually dispersed the crowd. | Virginia |
| Jefferson Davis | ||
| April 12, 1863 | Siege of Suffolk
General James Longstreet surrounds Suffolk in southeastern Virginia |
Virginia |
| James Longstreet | ||
| April 30, 1863 | Army of the Potomac forces set up camp in The Wilderness surrounding the Chancellor family home after crossing the Rappahannock River | Virginia |
| Army of the Potomac | ||
| Chancellorsville | ||
| May 1, 1863 May 4, 1863 |
Battle of Chancellorsville
General "Fighting Joe" Hooker's Army of the Potomac is defeated by Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia as it crosses the Rappahannock on the way to Richmond Union: 17,268 Confederate: 12,821 |
Virginia |
| Robert E. Lee | ||
| Joseph Hooker | ||
| Bloodiest Civil War battles | ||
| Stonewall Jackson | ||
| Army of Northern Virginia | ||
| Army of the Potomac | ||
| Lafayette McLaws | ||
| Chancellorsville | ||
| John Reynolds | ||
| Darius Couch | ||
| George Stoneman | ||
| May 2, 1863 | General Stonewall Jackson is shot 3 times in a friendly fire incident | Virginia |
| Stonewall Jackson | ||
| Generals Who Died In the Civil War | ||
| Chancellorsville | ||
| May 3, 1863 | Second Battle of Fredericksburg
John Sedgwick drives Jubal Early south past the city of Fredericksburg. The following day, as Early prepares to counterattack he finds the city empty. Sedgwick had followed the river west to aid the Army of the Potomac at Chancellorsville |
Virginia |
| Jubal Anderson Early | ||
| John Sedgwick | ||
| Chancellorsville | ||
| May 3, 1863 May 4, 1863 |
Battle of Salem Church
Battle of Banks Ford Wilcox's Brigade of Early's Division stops the Union IV Army Corps with a position around rural Salem Church. Sedgwick decided to withdraw to the north when Lee reinforces Wilcox with two divisions and Early moves on Sedgwick's rear. |
Virginia |
| John Sedgwick | ||
| Jubal Anderson Early | ||
| Chancellorsville | ||
| May 10, 1863 | Stonewall Jackson dies at a field hospital near Guiney Station, VA, | Virginia |
| Stonewall Jackson | ||
| Generals Who Died In the Civil War | ||
| May 13, 1863 | General Robert E. Lee rides from Fredricksburg to Richmond, Virginia | Virginia |
| May 15, 1863 | A portion of the Tredegar Iron Works and a nearby flour mill burn. | Virginia |
| Richmond, Virginia | ||
| June 9, 1863 | Battle of Brandy Station
Largest cavalry battle on American soil pitted Alfred Pleasonton [US] against Jeb Stuart [CS]. |
Virginia |
| J. E. B. Stuart | ||
| The Gettysburg Campaign | ||
| June 13, 1863 June 15, 1863 |
Battle of Winchester
Ordered to withdraw because of the approach of the Army of Northern Virginia, Major General Robert Milroy [US] tried to hold his position in Winchester. By afternoon on the 14th, he realized his mistake and decided to withdraw that evening. Dick Ewell [CS] ordered a division to camp north of the town to prevent such a move and Milroy found himself trapped. Confederates captured or killed the 6000 men in the city. |
Virginia |
| Richard Ewell | ||
| The Gettysburg Campaign | ||
| Army of Northern Virginia | ||
| August 2, 1863 | Following Lee's retreat from Gettysburg, the Army of Northern Virginia and the Army of the Potomac establish lines with Virginia's Rappahannock River between them. | Virginia |
| Army of the Potomac | ||
| Army of Northern Virginia | ||
| September 9, 1863 | James Longstreet leaves Virginia with his corps to reinforce the Army of Tennessee | Georgia Virginia |
| James Longstreet | ||
| September 13, 1863 | Sensing a change in Lee's lines, George Meade [US] pushes the Army of the Potomac to the Rapidan River | Virginia |
| George Meade | ||
| October 6, 1863 | President Davis heads south from Richmond on a trip to South Carolina and North Georgia | Virginia |
| Jefferson Davis | ||
| October 9, 1863 | Robert E. Lee [CS] and the Army of Northern Virginia crosses the Rapidan in an attempt to outflank the Army of the Potomac. | Virginia |
| Robert E. Lee | ||
| Army of the Potomac | ||
| Army of Northern Virginia | ||
| October 10, 1863 | George Meade [US] withdraws to the Rappahannock River | Virginia |
| George Meade | ||
| October 11, 1863 | Heavy skirmishing breaks out across a wide front in Virginia as the Army of Northern Virginia and the Army of the Potomac clash between the Rappahannock and Rapidan Rivers. | Virginia |
| Army of the Potomac | ||
| Army of Northern Virginia | ||
| October 14, 1863 | Battle of Bristol Station
A. P. Hill strikes George Meade as he withdraws to the Rappahannock River. Meade had strongly fortified his rear guard defenses, easily repelling Hill's corps. |
Virginia |
| A. P. Hill | ||
| George Meade | ||
| October 19, 1863 | In an all-cavalry battle, J. E. B. Stuart [CS] routed Judson Kilpatrick [US] in the battle of Buckland Mills (sometimes called the Buckland Races) | Virginia |
| J. E. B. Stuart | ||
| November 7, 1863 | Battle of Rappahanock Station
Battle of Kelly's Ford George Meade, re-armed and re-supplied, crosses the Rappahannock and begins advancing on the Army of Northern Virginia. Although only two engagements were large enough to be called battles, heavy skirmishing marked the day. |
Virginia |
| George Meade | ||
| November 26, 1863 | George Meade crosses the Rapidan River attempting to turn Lee's right flank, starting the Mine Run Campaign | Virginia |
| Mine Run Campaign | ||
| November 27, 1863 | General William French [US] 5th Corps is attacked by Edward Johnson [CS] and his Confederate division near Payne Farm. | Virginia |
| Mine Run Campaign | ||
| November 29, 1863 | General G. K. Warren, ordered to move to Lee's right flank, arrives at his position late and decides to dig in and wait until morning. | Virginia |
| Mine Run Campaign | ||
| November 30, 1863 | G. K. Warren [US] decides not to attack the reinforced Rebel line near Mine Run. | Virginia |
| Mine Run Campaign | ||
| December 2, 1863 | Meade withdraws to north of the Rapidan, ending the brief Mine Run Campaign | Virginia |
| Mine Run Campaign | ||
| February 9, 1864 | 109 Union officers led by Colonel Thomas Rose escape from Libby Prison on the banks of the James River in Richmond. 59 reach Union lines | Virginia |
| Richmond, Virginia | ||
| February 29, 1864 | General Judson Kilpatrick splits his force in two detaching 500 men under Ulric Dahlgreen to attack Richmond from the west | Virginia |
| Richmond, Virginia | ||
| March 1, 1864 | Custis Lee, son of Robert E. Lee, turns back a force of 500 cavalry under Ulric Dahlgreen, 2 miles west of Richmond. General Judson Kilpatrick had called off a planned assault earlier in the day. | Virginia |
| Richmond, Virginia | ||
| March 2, 1864 | Fitzhugh Lee [CS] traps Ulric Dalhgreen's cavalry following a raid on Richmond, killing Dahlgreen and 109 of his men. | Virginia |
| April 18, 1864 | General P. G. T. Beauregard is ordered to take command of the Department of North Carolina and Southern Virginia. | Virginia |
| P. G. T. Beauregard | ||
| April 20, 1864 | General P. G. T. Beauregard [CS] is relieved of command of the Department of South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida so he can assume command of the Richmond (Virginia) defenses. | Virginia |
| P. G. T. Beauregard | ||
| Richmond, Virginia | ||
| May 4, 1864 | The final Spring Campaign of the Civil War began as the Army of the Potomac crossed the Rapidan River in Virginia and three smaller armys (Ohio, Tennessee and Cumberland) pushed deeper into Georgia. | Georgia Virginia |
| Army of the Potomac | ||
| Army of the Cumberland | ||
| Army of the Tennessee | ||
| Army of the Ohio | ||
| May 5, 1864 May 7, 1864 |
Battle of the Wilderness
Ulysses S. Grant [US] is badly beaten on the field by Robert E. Lee [CS] but rather than retreat, Grant advances to Spotsylvania Court House. Union: 17,666 Confederate: 7,750 |
Virginia |
| Bloodiest Civil War battles | ||
| Robert E. Lee | ||
| Ulysses S. Grant | ||
| Army of Northern Virginia | ||
| Overland Campaign | ||
| James Longstreet | ||
| Winfield Scott Hancock | ||
| A. P. Hill | ||
| Richard Ewell | ||
| Gouverneur K. Warren | ||
| John Sedgwick | ||
| May 5, 1864 | Army of the James under General Benjamin Butler [US] lands at Bermuda Hundred and City Point, east of Petersburg. The Army is comprised of two corps totaling nearly 40,000 men. | Virginia |
| Benjamin Butler | ||
| Quincy A. Gillmore | ||
| William Farrar Smith | ||
| May 6, 1864 | A half-hearted attack by the Army of the James on the Southside Railroad is repulsed by George Pickett [CS] | Virginia |
| George Pickett | ||
| Army of the James | ||
| May 8, 1864 May 19, 1864 |
Battle of Spotsylvania Court House
In an inconclusive battle, General Ulysses S. Grant [US] and Robert E. Lee [CS] battle for days southwest of Fredericksburg Union 18,399 Confederate 9,000 |
Virginia |
| Robert E. Lee | ||
| Ulysses S. Grant | ||
| Bloodiest Civil War battles | ||
| Army of Northern Virginia | ||
| Overland Campaign | ||
| Richard Ewell | ||
| May 9, 1864 May 24, 1864 |
Sheridan's Raid on Richmond | Virginia |
| Sheridans Raid on Richmond | ||
| Richmond, Virginia | ||
| May 9, 1864 | Battle of Cloyd's Mountain | Virginia |
| Rutherford B. Hayes | ||
| May 11, 1864 | Battle of Yellow Tavern
J. E. B. Stuart [CS] is mortally wounded in losing to Phillip Sheridan |
Virginia |
| Overland Campaign | ||
| Philip Sheridan | ||
| J. E. B. Stuart | ||
| Sheridans Raid on Richmond | ||
| George Armstrong Custer | ||
| May 13, 1864 | First soldier interred at Arlington National Cemetery | Virginia |
| Civil War National Cemeteries | ||
| Civil War Firsts | ||
| May 15, 1864 | Battle of New Market
Major General John Breckinridge [CS], using a ragtag force that included VMI cadets attacked Franz Sigel's [US] line near the north fork of the Shenandoah River. Sigel eventually withdrew to Strasburg. |
Virginia |
| John Breckinridge | ||
| May 31, 1864 June 12, 1864 |
Battle of Cold Harbor
Robert E. Lee [CS] defeats General Ulysses S. Grant [US] and General George Meade [US] |
Virginia |
| Army of Northern Virginia | ||
| Robert E. Lee | ||
| George Meade | ||
| Ulysses S. Grant | ||
| Gouverneur K. Warren | ||
| June 11, 1864 June 12, 1864 |
Battle of Trevilian Station
Phil Sheridan strikes Fitzhugh Lee and Wade Hampton, trying to reach Hunter at Charlottesville. In spite of initial success, he is turned back. |
Virginia |
| George Armstrong Custer | ||
| Philip Sheridan | ||
| June 12, 1864 | Finally admitting defeat at Cold Harbor, Ulysses S. Grant begins crossing the James River | Virginia |
| Army of the Potomac | ||
| Ulysses S. Grant | ||
| June 15, 1864 April 2, 1865 |
Siege of Petersburg | Virginia |
| Robert E. Lee | ||
| P. G. T. Beauregard | ||
| Army of Northern Virginia | ||
| Ulysses S. Grant | ||
| Siege of Petersburg | ||
| June 15, 1864 | Battle of Petersburg
William F. Smith [US] and Winfield Scott Hancock [US], with a combined army of nearly 30,000 men are held off by General P. G. T. Beauregard with about 4,000 men. Union force only gain Battery No. 5 and about a mile of the Dimmock Line |
Virginia |
| Ulysses S. Grant | ||
| Siege of Petersburg | ||
| Robert E. Lee | ||
| P. G. T. Beauregard | ||
| Winfield Scott Hancock | ||
| William Farrar Smith | ||
| June 17, 1864 June 18, 1864 |
Battle of Richmond Turnpike | Virginia |
| Siege of Petersburg | ||
| June 17, 1864 June 18, 1864 |
Battle of Lynchburg | Virginia |
| John Breckinridge | ||
| Rutherford B. Hayes | ||
| June 21, 1864 June 22, 1864 |
Battle of Meade Station | Virginia |
| Siege of Petersburg | ||
| June 25, 1864 | Engineers begin digging a tunnel from Union lines under Confederate entrenchments | Virginia |
| July 14, 1864 | Crossing the Potomac at White's Ford near Leesburg, Jubal Early's division returns to Virginia | Virginia |
| July 24, 1864 | Second battle of Kernstown
Jubal Early's [CS] move to the Shenandoah Valley is blocked by George Crook [US], at least for a while. After a violent assault on the Union left by John Breckinridge the federal line broke and pulled back to Harpers Ferry |
Virginia |
| Jubal Anderson Early | ||
| Rutherford B. Hayes | ||
| John Breckinridge | ||
| Harpers Ferry | ||
| July 30, 1864 | Battle of the Crater or Crater Battle
After blowing explosives at the end of a 586-foot tunnel which in turn ignited four magazines, Union troops advance to the Crater at Petersburg. After 4 hours, though, they are forced to withdraw. |
Virginia |
| Siege of Petersburg | ||
| Ambrose Burnside | ||
| August 1, 1864 | Phil Sheridan [US] is named commander, Army of the Shenandoah | Virginia |
| Philip Sheridan | ||
| August 9, 1864 | Explosion of an ordinance vessel rocks the wharves at City Point | Virginia |
| August 18, 1864 August 19, 1864 |
Battle of the Weldon Railroad
After gaining the railroad, 5th Corps commander G. K. Warren [US] spread out over a mile of track, then turned north towards Petersburg, but the didn't get far before Henry Heth's [CS] Confederates stopped them. A counterattack by A. P. Hill the next day contained Warren's advances, but in the end federal troops still controlled the railroad |
Virginia |
| Siege of Petersburg | ||
| August 25, 1864 | Battle of Reams Station
A. P. Hill [CS] continued his attempts to retake the Weldon Railroad, a vital supply link from Petersburg to North Carolina. Hill drove back the 2nd Corps under General Winfield Scott Hancock and although the battle is considered to be a Southern victory, Hancock's men continued to hold its position on the railroad |
Virginia |
| Siege of Petersburg | ||
| A. P. Hill | ||
| Winfield Scott Hancock | ||
| September 19, 1864 | 3rd battle of Winchester (Opequon Creek)
Phil Sheridan [US], with a force of 40,000 men, strikes Jubal Early's [CS] 14,000 man Confederate army north of Winchester. Sheridan simply overpowered the Confederates. General Robert E. Rodes was mortally wounded in the conflict. |
Virginia |
| Jubal Anderson Early | ||
| Generals Who Died In the Civil War | ||
| Philip Sheridan | ||
| September 22, 1864 | Battle of Fisher's Hill
George Crook's [US] 8th Corps overpowers Jubal Early [CS] marking the start of Phil Sheridan's [US] destructive Shenandoah Valley campaign. |
Virginia |
| September 29, 1864 October 2, 1864 |
Battle of Peebles' Farm
Hoping to extend his line westward south of Petersburg, George Meade pushed towards the Southside Railroad. Fighting occured at various farms throughout the rolling hills with most of the action occuring at Wyatt's, Peebles, and Pegram's farms, Chappell House, Poplar Spring Church and Vaughan Road |
Virginia |
| September 29, 1864 September 30, 1864 |
Battle of Fort Harrison
Southeast of Richmond, Fort Harrison was the main bastion of a string of Rebel defenses. 3,000 men under George Stannard [US] swarmed over the fort, capturing it in less that 20 minutes. Robert E. Lee directed a counter-attack the following day that failed to regain the position |
Virginia |
| September 30, 1864 | Battle of Poplar Springs Church
G. K. Warren's [US] 5th Corps and John Parke's [US] 9th Corps are attacked by A. P. Hill [CS] at Squirrel Level Road southwest of Petersburg. Warren and Parke did extend the siege lines. |
Virginia |
| Siege of Petersburg | ||
| A. P. Hill | ||
| October 9, 1864 | Battle of Tom's Brook
Phil Sheridan ordered his cavalry to attack a detachment of Confederate cavalry that had been harassing his column. After a battle that covered almost 10 miles the Union cavalry stopped, having captured 300 Confederates |
Virginia |
| October 27, 1864 | Battle of Hatcher's Run | Virginia |
| Siege of Petersburg | ||
| October 27, 1864 | Battle of Burgess Mill | Virginia |
| Siege of Petersburg | ||
| October 27, 1864 | Battle of the Southside Railroad | Virginia |
| Siege of Petersburg | ||
| December 6, 1864 | Battle of Stoney Creek | Virginia |
| Siege of Petersburg | ||
| February 3, 1865 | On the River Queen five men, US President Abraham Lincoln, US Secretary of State William Seward, CS Vice-president Alexander Stephens, along with John Campbell and RMT Hunter discuss peace terms at the Hampton Roads Conference near Fort Monroe. The conference was a failure. | Virginia |
| Hampton Roads | ||
| Abraham Lincoln | ||
| William Seward | ||
| Alexander Stephens | ||
| February 5, 1865 | Battle of Hatchers Run (Petersburg) | Virginia |
| March 2, 1865 | Battle of Waynesborough
George Armstrong Custer [US] defeats Jubal Early [CS] |
Virginia |
| George Armstrong Custer | ||
| Jubal Anderson Early | ||
| March 23, 1865 | Abraham Lincoln leaves Washington for Ulysses S. Grant's headquarters in City Point. | Virginia |
| Abraham Lincoln | ||
| March 25, 1865 | Battle of Fort Stedman
Confederates break Union line at Petersburg General John B. Gordon captured Fort Stedman, a Union outpost on the line around besieged Petersburg, eventually punching a hole 3/4 of mile wide. Confederate units then made a desperate attempt to hit the federal supply base at City Point. With overwhelming force the federal troops turned back the advance, recaptured the fort and retook the lines |
Virginia |
| Siege of Petersburg | ||
| March 31, 1865 | Battle of White Oak Road | Virginia |
| Siege of Petersburg | ||
| March 31, 1865 | Battle of Dinwiddle Court House
In a tactical victory for the Confederates, George Pickett [CS] turns back Phil Sheridan cavalry and elements of the Fifth Corps. |
Virginia |
| George Pickett | ||
| Philip Sheridan | ||
| April 1, 1865 | Battle of Five Forks
George Pickett [CS] could not withstand the federal envelopment move around Petersburg that began here. |
Virginia |
| Siege of Petersburg | ||
| Philip Sheridan | ||
| Gouverneur K. Warren | ||
| George Pickett | ||
| April 2, 1865 | With the Petersburg line crumbling, Lee informs Davis he will abandon his position that evening. The Confederate government evacuates Richmond and Mayor Joseph Mayo surrenders the city to General Godfrey Weitzel. | Virginia |
| Richmond, Virginia | ||
| Robert E. Lee | ||
| Jefferson Davis | ||
| Siege of Petersburg | ||
| April 3, 1865 | Union troops occupy Petersburg and Richmond | Virginia |
| Richmond, Virginia | ||
| April 4, 1865 | President Lincoln visits Richmond, walking to the Confederate White House among cheering crowds, mostly freed slaves. A detachment of 10 men protected him. | Virginia |
| Richmond, Virginia | ||
| Abraham Lincoln | ||
| April 4, 1865 | Battle of Jetersville | Virginia |
| April 6, 1865 | Battle of Sayler's Creek (Sailor's Creek)
George Meade [US] defeats John Gordon [CS], Dick Ewell [CS], and R. H. Anderson [CS]. Anderson and Ewell accidentally became separated from the main body of Lee's Army. 8,000 Confederate soldiers are forced to surrender |
Virginia |
| George Meade | ||
| John B. Gordon | ||
| Richard Ewell | ||
| April 7, 1865 | Grant begans communication with Lee known as the "Surrender Letters." | Virginia |
| Surrender Letters | ||
| Robert E. Lee | ||
| Ulysses S. Grant | ||
| April 8, 1865 | Battle of Appomattox Station
Cavalry under Phillip Sheridan strikes the rail depot south of the Appomattox Court House, driving Rebels back and capturing essential supplies |
Virginia |
| Appomattox (or Appomattox Court House) | ||
| Battle of Appomattox | ||
| Philip Sheridan | ||
| George Armstrong Custer | ||
| April 9, 1865 | After attempting to break-out of the Union envelopment, Robert E. Lee surrenders the Army of Northern Virginia to Ulysess S. Grant at the home of Wilmer McLean in Appomattox Court House | Virginia |
| Ulysses S. Grant | ||
| Robert E. Lee | ||
| Appomattox (or Appomattox Court House) | ||
| Battle of Appomattox | ||
| Surrender At Appomattox | ||
| George Armstrong Custer | ||
| James Longstreet | ||
| Edward O. C. Ord | ||
| April 26, 1865 | John Wilkes Booth is shot while fleeing a burning tobacco shed. | Virginia |
| April 2, 1866 | The United States declares that a state of peace exists with Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, Louisiana, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia | Alabama Georgia Mississippi Tennessee South Carolina Virginia Florida North Carolina Arkansas Louisiana |
| January 9, 1867 | Virginia rejects the 14th Amendment | Virginia |
| 14th Amendment | ||
| December 3, 1868 | The treason trial of Jefferson Davis began in Richmond. | Virginia |
| Richmond, Virginia | ||
| April 10, 1869 | The U. S. Congress passes An Act authorizing the Submission of the Constitutions of Virginia, Mississippi, and Texas to a Vote of the People, and authorizing the Election of State Officers, provided by the said Constitutions, and Members of Congress. | Mississippi Texas Virginia |
| April 10, 1869 | Georgia, Mississippi, Texas, and Virginia are required to ratify the 15th amendment | Virginia Texas Mississippi Georgia |
| October 8, 1869 | Virgina ratifies the 14th Amendment | Virginia |
| 14th Amendment | ||
| January 26, 1870 | The state of Virginia is granted readmission to Congress if the members of the Legislature agree never to amend their state constitution to denay the Negro the right of suffrage, the right to hold office, or their educational privileges | Virginia |
| October 12, 1870 | Robert E. Lee dies from complications arising from a stoke. | Virginia |
| Robert E. Lee | ||
| July 3, 1926 | Petersburg designated a National Military Park | Virginia |
| August 13, 1935 | Appomattox is declared a National Historical Monument | Virginia |
| Appomattox (or Appomattox Court House) | ||
| April 15, 1954 | Appomattox Court House (or simply Appomattox) is deginated a National Historical Park | Virginia |
| Appomattox (or Appomattox Court House) | ||
| August 24, 1962 | Petersburg Military Park designated a National Battlefield | Virginia |
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