Request a brochure Civil War Encyclopedia Blue and Gray Trail Civil War in Georgia On the Blue and Gray Trail Civil War by state Today in the Civil War Battles Images Places Feature Stories Links Search Who we are	The Civil War in georgia Georgia Declaration of Causes Georgia Secession Georgia Platform Georgia Convention of 1850 Battle of Allatoona Pass Battle of Atlanta Atlanta Campaign Battle of Chickamauga Battles for Chattanooga Chickamauga Campaign Confederate Order of Secession Convention of Seceding States Fort McAllister Fort Pulaski Georgia Ordinance of Secession William Hardee Kennesaw Mountain March to the Sea Raid on Rome, Georgia Alexander Stephens Tullahoma Campaign April 15, 1793 [circa] Eli Whitney invents the cotton gin Georgia   Causes of the Civil War February 11, 1811 Alexander Stephens is born in a cabin on the Piedmont in Warren County, Georgia Georgia   Alexander Stephens October 12, 1815 William Hardee born, Little Satilla Neck, Camden County, Georgia Georgia   William Hardee June 1, 1830 Georgia declares that laws of the Cherokee Nation are null and void, violating the Treaty Clause of the Constitution. Georgia August 1, 1832 Alexander Stephens graduates from Franklin College, Athens, Georgia (now part of UGA) Georgia   Alexander Stephens June 3, 1850 June 12, 1850 Nashville Convention - 9 slave states hold a convention to determine their best course of action if the Compromise of 1850 passes. Louisiana Arkansas North Carolina Florida Texas South Carolina Mississippi Georgia Alabama   Compromise of 1850   Nashville Convention of 1850 [Resolutions]   Nashville Convention of 1850   Robert Barnwell Rhett August 21, 1850 The short-lived Southern National party is formed in Macon, Georgia, by Barnwell Rhett, William Lowndes Yancy and others. Georgia   Robert Barnwell Rhett December 10, 1850 Delegates to a convention in Milledgeville issue the "Georgia Platform" Georgia   Georgia Platform   Georgia Convention of 1850 November 13, 1860 At the end of a fiery, pro-secession speech, Robert Toombs announces his resignation from the U. S. Senate at the end of his term. Georgia   Robert Toombs November 14, 1860 In Milledgeville, Alexander Stephens gives a response to Toombs' speech the day before, calling for a meeting of southern states to discuss secession. Georgia   Alexander Stephens December 14, 1860 Georgia calls for a convention of Southern states to form an independent nation. Georgia   Convention of Seceding States January 1, 1861 On New Year's Day Georgians go to the polls to elect either a pro-Union or pro-Seccession slate of delegates to a state convention to be held in Milledgeville. According to Gov. Brown the results are overwhelmingly pro-secession, however, later research by the Georgia Historical Society indicates that the returns were overstated in favor of the secessionists. Georgia January 3, 1861 Georgia militia under the command of Francis "Frank" Bartow seize Fort Pulaski, at the mouth of the Savannah River, from a single federal soldier and a contractor Georgia January 16, 1861 January 19, 1861 Following two days of debate and a day of hammering out the wording of the secession document, Georgia votes to leave the Union on January 19. Georgia   Confederate Order of Secession   Georgia Ordinance of Secession January 21, 1861 All but 6 of the delegates to Georgia's Secessionist Convention sign the Ordinances of Secession Georgia   Georgia Ordinance of Secession January 22, 1861 6 delegates to the Georgia Secessionist Convention issue a "statement of protest." Georgia   Statement of Protest to Georgia Secession April 10, 1862 April 11, 1862 Battle of Fort Pulaski Quincy Gillmore uses rifled cannon to effectively end the use of palisaded forts world-wide Georgia   Fort Pulaski   Quincy A. Gillmore July 1, 1862 Naval assault on Fort McAllister Georgia   Fort McAllister July 29, 1862 Naval assault on Ft. McAllister Georgia   Fort McAllister October 16, 1862 Six men, Wilson W. Brown, Daniel Dorsey, Martin Hawkins, William Knight, John Porter, John Wilson, John Wollam and Mark Wood escape from the Fulton County Jail in Atlanta, Georgia. As members of Andrew's Raiders they would all receive the Medal of Honor. Georgia   The Great Locomotive Chase November 19, 1862 Naval assault on Ft. McAllister Georgia   Fort McAllister December 13, 1862 Confederate General T. R. R. Cobb dies during the battle of Fredericksburg. South Carolinian Maxcy Gregg is mortally wounded and dies two days later. Georgia   Generals Who Died In the Civil War   Fredericksburg January 27, 1863 Naval assault on Ft. McAllister Georgia   Fort McAllister February 1, 1863 Naval assault on Ft. McAllister Georgia   Fort McAllister February 28, 1863 At Ft. McAllister, federal gunships including the ironclad U. S. S. Montauk moved up the Ogeechee River to destroy the Rattlesnake, a Confederate privateer also known as the Nashville before it was decommissioned Georgia   Fort McAllister March 3, 1863 Naval assaults on Ft. McAllister resumes, lasting eight hours on this day. The damage to the fort's sand walls is quickly repaired. Georgia   Fort McAllister April 11, 1863 Col. Abel Streight leaves Nashville, Tennessee on a raid of Rome, GA Georgia Tennessee   Raid on Rome, Georgia May 3, 1863 Nathan Bedford Forrest ends Abel Streight's Raid on Rome, Georgia, in heavy skirmishing at Cedar Bluffs, Alabama. Alabama Georgia   Nathan Bedford Forrest   Raid on Rome, Georgia June 17, 1863 The CSS Atlanta, an ironclad in Warsaw Inlet, engages the USS Weehawken and USS Nahant before surrendering Georgia June 23, 1863 Army of the Cumberland begins the Tullahoma Campaign against the Army of Tennessee Tennessee Georgia   Tullahoma Campaign   Army of the Cumberland   Leonidas Polk   Braxton Bragg   William S. Rosecrans August 29, 1863 The Army of the Cumberland begins the Chickamauga Campaign, heading east for passes in Lookout Mountain Alabama Georgia   Army of the Cumberland   Chickamauga Campaign September 9, 1863 James Longstreet leaves Virginia with his corps to reinforce the Army of Tennessee Georgia Virginia   James Longstreet September 10, 1863 September 11, 1863 Battle of Davis Crossroads Georgia   Braxton Bragg   Chickamauga Campaign September 16, 1863 Thomas Crittenden [US] reaches Lee and Gordon Mill on the Chickamauga River. Rosecrans [US] orders the rest of his men, spread out along 50 miles of Georgia's backwoods, to concentrate at this landmark. Georgia   Battle of Chickamauga   Chickamauga Campaign September 17, 1863 Forward echelons of Longstreet's Corps begins arriving in Northwest Georgia. Georgia   Battle of Chickamauga   James Longstreet September 18, 1863 Rosecrans [US] orders Thomas north on Layfayette Road in an attempt to outflank Bragg's forces. Georgia   Battle of Chickamauga September 19, 1863 September 20, 1863 Battle of Chickamauga General Braxton Bragg [CS] tries to split General William Rosecrans [US] forces as they try to return to the safety of Chattanooga. A second day breakthrough at the Brotherton Cabin forces the federals into a retreat, halted only by the Rock of Chickamauga, General George Thomas on Snodgrass Hill The bloodiest two days in American history cost the Federals 1,657 dead, 9,756 wounded, and 4,757 missing for a total of 16,170 casualties out of 58,000 troops. The Confederate losses were 2,312 dead, 14,674 wounded and 1,468 for a total of 18,545 out of 66,000 troops. Georgia   Gordon Granger   Bloodiest Civil War battles   William S. Rosecrans   Braxton Bragg   George Thomas   John Bell Hood   Army of the Cumberland   Philip Sheridan   Nathan Bedford Forrest   Lafayette McLaws   Battle of Chickamauga   James Garfield   Leonidas Polk   Daniel Harvey Hill   James Longstreet   Chickamauga Campaign September 21, 1863 After withdrawing from Chickamauga, Gen. George Thomas forms a line in Rossville. He abandons the position that evening. Georgia   George Thomas   Battle of Chickamauga   Chickamauga Campaign September 21, 1863 Mortally wounded at Chickamauga, Confederate Brigadier General Benjamin "Ben" Hardin Helms dies. He was Abraham Lincoln's brother-in-law. Georgia   Battle of Chickamauga   Generals Who Died In the Civil War   Abraham Lincoln October 9, 1863 President Davis speaks in Marietta, Georgia Georgia   Jefferson Davis November 24, 1863 Battle of Lookout Mountain Battle Above the Clouds Joseph Hooker [US] engages forces under Carter Stevenson [CS] on the slopes of Lookout Mountain Tennessee Georgia   Ulysses S. Grant   Battles for Chattanooga   Joseph Hooker   Braxton Bragg November 25, 1863 Battle of Missionary Ridge, Chattanooga Three Union armies attacked the Army of Tennessee atop Missionary Ridge, east of downtown Chattanooga. Patrick Cleburne stopped William Tecumseh Sherman from the north, although outnumbered 10 to 1. Joe Hooker was seriously delayed by burnt bridges and failed to hit the southern end of Bragg's line near Rossville, Georgia. Thomas' Army of the Cumberland struck the center, breaking Bragg's line and forcing a retreat. Sheridan, ordered to pursue, was stopped dead in his tracks by William Hardee's rear guard action. Tennessee Georgia   Ulysses S. Grant   Battles for Chattanooga   Braxton Bragg   John Breckinridge   George Thomas   Philip Sheridan   Army of the Cumberland   William Tecumseh Sherman   Patrick Cleburne   Joseph Hooker   William Hardee   Army of Tennessee November 26, 1863 Battle of Ringgold Gap Patrick Cleburne's [CS] rear guard action against Joseph Hooker [US] following the defeat at Missionary Ridge gives Braxton Bragg time to establish a line in Dalton, GA Georgia   Battles for Chattanooga   Patrick Cleburne   Joseph Hooker   Braxton Bragg November 28, 1863 In Dalton, Georgia, Braxton Bragg telegraphs his resignation to President Davis Georgia   Braxton Bragg   Jefferson Davis   Army of Tennessee December 16, 1863 Joe Johnston ordered to take command of the Army of Tennessee in Dalton Georgia   Joseph E. Johnston   Army of Tennessee December 27, 1863 Joe Johnston takes command of the Army of Tennessee in Dalton Georgia   Joseph E. Johnston   Army of Tennessee   William Hardee February 22, 1864 February 26, 1864 Battle of Dalton (First Dalton) General George Thomas [US] demonstrates against Joe Johnston's [CS] entrenched line Georgia   Joseph E. Johnston   George Thomas February 27, 1864 Federal prisoners begin arriving at Camp Sumter in Andersonville Georgia April 17, 1864 Bread riot in Savannah Georgia 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 7, 1864 May 11, 1864 Battle of Rocky Face Ridge (Dalton) Battle of Dug Gap Georgia   George Thomas   Joseph E. Johnston   Atlanta Campaign May 9, 1864 Coming out of Snake Creek Gap, General James McPherson runs into a Rebel force at Resaca that was stronger than expected. He returns to the gap rather than attack. Georgia   Atlanta Campaign   James McPherson May 13, 1864 May 15, 1864 Battle of Resaca Georgia   George Thomas   William Tecumseh Sherman   Joseph E. Johnston   Atlanta Campaign   Battle of Resaca   Leonidas Polk   William Hardee   James McPherson May 17, 1864 Battle of Adairsville Georgia   Atlanta Campaign May 18, 1864 Skirmish at Woodlands (Barnsley Gardens and Resort) Georgia   Atlanta Campaign May 25, 1864 Battle of New Hope Church "Fighting Joe" Hooker runs into John Bell Hood's entrenched line in Paulding County Georgia   Joseph Hooker   Atlanta Campaign   Joseph E. Johnston   John Bell Hood May 27, 1864 Battle of Picketts Mill Georgia   George Thomas   Joseph E. Johnston   William Tecumseh Sherman   Atlanta Campaign   Oliver O. Howard May 28, 1864 Battle of Dallas Georgia   Atlanta Campaign June 1, 1864 Skirmish at Allatoona Pass Georgia June 4, 1864 Joe Johnston withdraws from the Dallas-New Hope line to Lost Mountain - Pine Mountain - Brushy Mountain Georgia June 14, 1864 While inspecting his lines, Leonidas Polk is killed at Pine Mountain by an artillery blast ordered by William Tecumseh Sherman. Georgia   Leonidas Polk   Atlanta Campaign   Generals Who Died In the Civil War   William Tecumseh Sherman June 22, 1864 Battle of Kolb's Farm To prevent Joe Hooker [US] and John Schofield [US] from outflanking the Confederate Army, General John Bell Hood [CS] attacks, without orders. Georgia   John Bell Hood   Joseph Hooker   Atlanta Campaign June 27, 1864 Battle of Kennesaw Mountain Georgia   Joseph E. Johnston   William Tecumseh Sherman   Atlanta Campaign   George Thomas   Kennesaw Mountain July 2, 1864 Joe Johnston evacuates his Kennesaw Mountain position and moves to the Smyrna Line Georgia July 4, 1864 "Retreating Joe" Johnston, as he is now called in the Richmond papers, withdraws to his previously prepared Chattahoochee Line Georgia July 8, 1864 Army of the Ohio under General John Schofield [US] crosses the Chattahoochee River at Sope (Soap) Creek Georgia July 17, 1864 General Joseph E. Johnston relieved of command of the Army of Tennessee. John Bell Hood replaces him. Georgia   Joseph E. Johnston   John Bell Hood   Atlanta Campaign July 20, 1864 Battle of Peachtree Creek John Bell Hood [CS] attacks George Thomas after he crosses Peachtree Creek. Georgia   John Bell Hood   George Thomas   Atlanta Campaign July 22, 1864 Battle of Atlanta Hood's Second Sortie Major General William Hardee [CS] hits James McPherson's [US] line from the south while Major General B. F. Cheatham [CS] attacks his corps along its wide front. In spite of McPherson's death the Union wins the battle Georgia   Atlanta Campaign   William Hardee   Battle of Atlanta   Benjamin Franklin Cheatham July 26, 1864 General George Stoneman leaves from Kennesaw Mountain to raid Macon, Georgia Georgia July 28, 1864 Battle of Ezra Church Georgia   Atlanta Campaign August 10, 1864 Joe Wheeler [CS] begins raiding in North Georgia with his cavalry Georgia August 14, 1864 Second battle of Dalton Georgia August 27, 1864 Forward elements of Sherman's army move south to cut Hood's last supply line to Atlanta, the Macon and Western Railroad Georgia   William Tecumseh Sherman August 30, 1864 Sherman's army descends in force south of Atlanta. Hood responds by sending corps under Patrick Cleburne and Stephen Lee to defend the Macon and Western Railroad Georgia   William Tecumseh Sherman   John Bell Hood   Patrick Cleburne August 31, 1864 September 1, 1864 Battle of Jonesboro (Jonesborough), Georgia In the final battle of the Atlanta Campaign, General William Hardee [CS] attacks O. O. Howard's [US] Army of the Tennessee west of the city of Jonesboro. North of the battle John Schofield cut the Macon and Western at Rough and Ready and Hood's Army was in jeopardy. The battle was joined the second day by large numbers of Union troops. Hardee withdraws at nightfall to join Hood at Lovejoy Station Georgia   John Bell Hood   William Tecumseh Sherman   Atlanta Campaign September 1, 1864 Confederates begin the evacuation of Atlanta Georgia   Atlanta Campaign September 7, 1864 W. T. Sherman [US] orders the evacuation of Atlanta Georgia   William Tecumseh Sherman September 10, 1864 Joe Wheeler [CS] returns to Confederate lines following a raid into North Georgia Georgia October 2, 1864 In Augusta, Jefferson Davis meets with P. G. T. Beauregard to give him command of the Department of Georgia, Alabama and Mississippi Georgia   Jefferson Davis   P. G. T. Beauregard October 5, 1864 Battle of Allatoona Pass Confederates under Samuel French attack entrenched Federals under John Corse protecting the Western and Atlantic Railroad. Union: 2000 engaged, 142 (k), 352 (w), 212 (m), 706 (c). Confederate: 2000 engaged, 122 (k), 443 (w), 234 (m), 799 (c) Georgia   Battle of Allatoona Pass   John Bell Hood   Western and Atlantic Railroad October 28, 1864 William Tecumseh Sherman, in Gaylesville, AL, decides to return to his field headquarters in Kingston, GA. rather than pursue John Bell Hood into Alabama. Alabama Georgia   John Bell Hood   William Tecumseh Sherman November 12, 1864 General Sherman in Cartersville sends his last message to General Thomas in Nashville, Tennessee. He will be out of communication with the North until December 13. Georgia   March to the Sea   William Tecumseh Sherman November 14, 1864 Sherman enters Atlanta and divides his 60,000 men into a Left Wing and Right Wing. Georgia   March to the Sea   William Tecumseh Sherman November 16, 1864 Some historians use this date as the start of the March to the Sea. By this time Sherman had marched almost 100 miles, destroyed all or part of Rome, Cartersville and Marietta, Georgia and torn up all the track between Dalton and Atlanta. Georgia   March to the Sea   William Tecumseh Sherman November 22, 1864 Battle of Griswoldville Georgia   March to the Sea November 28, 1864 Battle of Buckhead Creek Georgia   March to the Sea December 4, 1864 Battle of Waynesborough Georgia   March to the Sea December 13, 1864 Union army captures Ft. McAllister Georgia   William Tecumseh Sherman   March to the Sea   Fort McAllister   Fort McAllister December 21, 1864 Sherman occupies Savannah Georgia   March to the Sea   William Tecumseh Sherman May 3, 1865 Joseph "Joe" Brown, Governor of Georgia, calls a meeting of the state legislature when word reaches him of Joe Johnston's surrender. Georgia May 10, 1865 President Jefferson Davis is captured near Irwinville Georgia   Jefferson Davis May 11, 1865 Confederate Vice President Alexander Stephens is arrested at Liberty Hall, his estate in Crawfordville, Georgia by members of the 4th Iowa Cavalry. Georgia   Alexander Stephens June 13, 1865 James Johnston, a pro-Union politician, is appointed provisional governor of Georgia. Georgia 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 November 9, 1866 Georgia rejects the 14th Amendment Georgia   14th Amendment June 25, 1868 Congress passes congressional representation for North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama and Louisiana over President Andrew Johnson's veto Alabama Georgia South Carolina Florida North Carolina Louisiana   Andrew Johnson July 21, 1868 Georgia ratifies the 14th Amendment Georgia   14th Amendment April 10, 1869 Georgia, Mississippi, Texas, and Virginia are required to ratify the 15th amendment Virginia Texas Mississippi Georgia July 15, 1870 Georgia granted readmission to the United States Congress Georgia March 4, 1883 Vice President of the Confederate States of America Alexander Stephens dies in Atlanta. Georgia   Alexander Stephens December 15, 1939 Civil War related movie Gone With The Wind premieres in Atlanta, Georgia Georgia
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