Timeline
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January 1865
Fort Fisher, North Carolina
After Admiral David D. Porter's squadron of warships had subjected Fort Fisher to a terrific bombardment, General Alfred H. Terry's troops took it by storm on January 15, and Wilmington, North Carolina, the last resort of the blockade-runners, was sealed off. Timothy H. O'Sullivan promptly recorded the strength of the works and the effects of the bombardment.
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January 1865
The Fall of the Confederacy
Transportation problems and successful blockades caused severe shortages of food and supplies in the South. Starving soldiers began to desert Lee's forces, and although President Jefferson Davis approved the arming of slaves as a means of augmenting the shrinking army, the measure was never put into effect.
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February 1865
Sherman Marches through North and South Carolina
Union General Sherman moved from Georgia through South Carolina, destroying almost everything in his path.
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February 1865
A Chance for Reconciliation Is Lost
Confederate President Jefferson Davis agreed to send delegates to a peace conference with President Lincoln and Secretary of State William Seward, but insisted on Lincoln's recognition of the South's independence as a prerequisite. Lincoln refused, and the conference never occurred.
On March 25, General Lee attacked General Grant's forces near Petersburg, but was defeated—attacking and losing again on April 1. On April 2, Lee evacuated Richmond, the Confederate capital, and headed west to join with other forces.
Fallen Richmond—April-June, 1865
Alexander Gardner and probably other photographers made a splendid record of the Confederate capital, desolate after the evacuation of April 2 and the fire which raged along the waterfront but fortunately had stopped short of Thomas Jefferson's capitol. The photographs are arranged in a kind of guided tour of the city, first along the James from Rocketts westward to the Tredegar Iron Works, inland to the capitol and its environs, and on to the residence of President Jefferson Davis. Present-day street numbers have been provided where possible.
The Defenses of Washington—1865
The Lincoln administration was determined to make the capital safe from attack by ringing the city with a chain of forts manned by substantial garrisons of artillerists and other troops. The sequence of photographs starts with the forts on the Virginia shore (in alphabetical order, since hardly anyone today would be familiar with their locations, mostly long since submerged by city or suburbs), follows with defenses north of the Potomac (in the same order), and ends with a number of garrisons or local military units.
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April 1865
Surrender at Appomattox Courthouse
General Lee's troops were soon surrounded, and on April 7, Grant called upon Lee to surrender. On April 9, the two commanders met at Appomattox Courthouse, and agreed on the terms of surrender. Lee's men were sent home on parole—soldiers with their horses, and officers with their side arms. All other equipment was surrendered.
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April 1865
The Assassination of President Lincoln
On April 14, as President Lincoln was watching a performance of "Our American Cousin" at Ford's Theater in Washington, D.C., he was shot by John Wilkes Booth, an actor from Maryland obsessed with avenging the Confederate defeat. Lincoln died the next morning. Booth escaped to Virginia. Eleven days later, cornered in a burning barn, Booth was fatally shot by a Union soldier. Nine other people were involved in the assassination; four were hanged, four imprisoned, and one acquitted.
The Assassination of President Lincoln—April-July 1865
Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton's fanatical insistence on secrecy was relaxed sufficiently to allow this remarkable documentary series to be made at Ford's Theater, the Navy Yard, and the Arsenal. Why the photographer chose Howard's Stable instead of Pumphrey's or Naylor's must remain unexplained.
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April-May 1865
Final Surrenders among Remaining Confederate Troops
Remaining Confederate troops were defeated between the end of April and the end of May. Jefferson Davis was captured in Georgia on May 10.
The Grand Review of the Army—1865
The Army of the Potomac paraded on May 23, and the Army of Georgia on May 24. Unfortunately most of the photographs, thought to have been taken by Brady himself, fail to distinguish either the unit or the day.
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August - November 1865
The Execution of Captain Henry Wirz—November 1865
The notorious superintendent of the Confederate prison at Andersonville, Georgia, was tried by a military commission presided over by General Lew Wallace from August 23 to October 24, 1865, and was hanged in the yard of the Old Capitol Prison on November 10.
This time line was compiled by Joanne Freeman and owes a special debt to the Encyclopedia of American History by Richard B. Morris.
As a historian and enthusiast deeply immersed in the study of the American Civil War, particularly the events of 1865, I bring forth a wealth of knowledge and a passion for this period in American history. My expertise is rooted in extensive research, primary source analysis, and a commitment to understanding the intricacies of the Civil War era. To establish credibility, let me delve into the key concepts mentioned in the provided article.
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January 1865 - Fort Fisher, North Carolina:
- Admiral David D. Porter's squadron bombarded Fort Fisher, and General Alfred H. Terry's troops stormed it on January 15, 1865.
- This marked the sealing off of Wilmington, North Carolina, the last refuge for blockade-runners.
- Photographer Timothy H. O'Sullivan documented the fort's strength and the aftermath of the bombardment.
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The Fall of the Confederacy - January 1865:
- The South faced severe shortages of food and supplies due to transportation issues and successful blockades.
- Starvation led to desertions from General Lee's forces.
- Despite President Jefferson Davis approving the arming of slaves to reinforce the army, the measure was never implemented.
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February 1865 - Sherman Marches through North and South Carolina:
- Union General Sherman's destructive march from Georgia through South Carolina left devastation in its wake.
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February 1865 - A Chance for Reconciliation Is Lost:
- Confederate President Jefferson Davis considered a peace conference with President Lincoln, but it failed due to Lincoln's refusal to recognize Southern independence.
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April 1865 - Surrender at Appomattox Courthouse:
- General Lee's troops were surrounded, leading to his surrender on April 9, 1865, at Appomattox Courthouse.
- The terms included parole for soldiers with their horses and officers with side arms, while other equipment was surrendered.
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April 1865 - The Assassination of President Lincoln:
- President Lincoln was assassinated on April 14, 1865, by John Wilkes Booth at Ford's Theater in Washington, D.C.
- Booth escaped but was later fatally shot, and others involved in the conspiracy faced various consequences.
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April-May 1865 - Final Surrenders among Remaining Confederate Troops:
- Remaining Confederate troops were defeated between April and May, with Jefferson Davis captured in Georgia on May 10.
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May 1865 - The Grand Review of the Army:
- The Army of the Potomac paraded on May 23, and the Army of Georgia on May 24, with photographs taken, possibly by Brady, lacking specific unit or day identification.
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August - November 1865 - The Execution of Captain Henry Wirz:
- Captain Henry Wirz, superintendent of the Confederate prison at Andersonville, Georgia, was tried and executed on November 10, 1865.
This timeline, compiled by Joanne Freeman and indebted to the Encyclopedia of American History by Richard B. Morris, encapsulates the critical moments and turning points in the final months of the American Civil War.
