Exploring the most important 55 months in American history
Federal troops cross the Potomac River and seize the strategic town of Alexandria, but it comes at a tragic cost.
The Confederate Congress votes to adjourn after approving the relocation of the national capital from Montgomery, Ala., to Richmond, Va.
North Carolina becomes the 10th state to secede from the Union and join the Confederacy.
Delegates to the Arkansas State Convention vote to secede from the Union.
The Confederacy turns to a new form of naval warfare, expels the last Federal troops from Texas, and continues its military buildup.
Joseph E. Johnston takes command of Confederates at Harpers Ferry, Va., and soon learns that the place is highly vulnerable to attack.