Exploring the most important 55 months in American history
July 17, 1861 – A Federal force sought to clear Confederates out of the Great Kanawha Valley, while Confederates tried consolidating and coordinating their armies
July 16, 1861 – The largest army ever assembled in North America went into motion at 2 p.m., targeting the Confederate army at Manassas. Major
July 13, 1861 – One Confederate commander surrendered his command, and another became the first general killed in action in the war. Pegram Captured Major
October 1860 – Republicans won majorities in the state elections of Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Indiana. This proved that the Republican campaign strategy worked: Disavowing immigration
July 7, 1865 – Federal officials hanged four of the eight defendants accused of conspiring with John Wilkes Booth to assassinate President Abraham Lincoln. On
May 18, 1860 – Abraham Lincoln won the Republican presidential nomination after a series of backroom deals at the convention in Chicago. When the convention