The American Civil War
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![]() Plaque on a memorial at Gettysburg National Military Park |
1863
| Date | Event | Causalities | Summary |
| January 2 | Battle of Stones River | 22,576 | Union troops under Rosecrans forced the Confederates to retreat after the Battle of Stones River. |
| April 30 | Chancellorsville | 20,000 | General Lee fought against General Joseph Hooker.
Although outnumbered two to one, Lee won the battle. During the battle General Thomas J.
"Stonewall" Jackson was killed. (Jackson was shot when returning to camp by one of his own men.) |
| May 18 | Vicksburg | 35,835 | In Vicksburg, Mississippi a strong fort overlooked the river. Grant surrounded the fort and began a siege. On July 4 Vicksburg surrendered. This gave the North control of the Mississippi River. |
| July 1 | Gettysburg | 51,000 | Robert E. Lee invaded Pennsylvania in June 1863. He
was hoping to threaten Washington and Philadelphia, to breed Northern morale, and to gain
recognition and independence for the Southern Confederacy. At Gettysburg, Pennsylvania,
Lee's Army of Northern Virginia met the Army of the Potomac unexpectedly. It was under the command of
General George G. Meade. This famous battle lasted three days. The Southerners were turned
back and again retreated into Virginia. The combined casualties of Gettysburg and Vicksburg overwhelmed the South. |
| July 8 | Port Hudson | 12,208 | Northern forces occupied Port Hudson, Louisiana. |
| September 18 | Chickamauga | 34,624 | The Confederate Army led by General Braxton Bragg won against the Union army at Chickamauga Creek in Tennessee. General George Thomas commanded the Union army which was trapped in Chattanooga. After winning Bragg decided not to capture Chattanooga. Ten Confederate generals had been killed or wounded. |
| November 19 | Gettysburg Address | Lincoln delivered the Gettysburg Address. | |
| November 23-25 | Chattanooga | 12,485 | Grant and Thomas led Union armies to victory in the Battle of Chattanooga. |
| Key: No Victory or NA Confederate Victory Union Victory |
Go to Timeline 1864 |