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| Century | 000's | 1700's | 1800's | 1900's | 2000's | |||||||
| Decade | 1800's | 1810's | 1820's | 1830's | 1840's | 1850's | 1860's | 1870's | 1880's | 1890's | ||
| Year | 1860 | 1861 | 1862 | 1863 | 1864 | 1865 | 1866 | 1867 | 1868 | 1869 | ||
| January 2, 1860 | The Louisiana State Seminary of Higher Learning is established at Pineville. William Tecumseh Sherman is Superintendent. It later becomes LSU. | Louisiana |
| William Tecumseh Sherman | ||
| January 5, 1860 | Jefferson Davis comes out in favor of secession for the first time | |
| Jefferson Davis | ||
| February 27, 1860 | After being photographed by Matthew Brady, Abraham Lincoln speaks at the Cooper Institute in New York City. | New York |
| The Election of 1860 | ||
| Abraham Lincoln | ||
| March 2, 1860 | Classes begin at the Seminary of Higher Learning at Pineville | |
| William Tecumseh Sherman | ||
| April 23, 1860 May 3, 1860 |
The Democratic National Convention, meeting in Charleston, South Carolina, cannot agree on a nominee. The only thing they can agree on is to continue the debate in Baltimore the next month | South Carolina |
| The Election of 1860 | ||
| 1860 Democratic National Convention | ||
| 1860 Democratic Party Platform | ||
| Democratic Party | ||
| May 8, 1860 May 9, 1860 |
The Constitution Union Party, meeting in Baltimore, creates a platform taken heavily from the U. S. Constitution and selects John Bell of Tennessee for President and Edward Everett of Massachusetts for Vice-President. It represents southern Whigs and Know-nothings (American Party). Sometimes called the Bell-Union Party | Maryland |
| The Election of 1860 | ||
| May 16, 1860 May 18, 1860 |
Republican Convention is held in Chicago, Illinois. William H. Seward, Salmon P. Chase and Abraham Lincoln of Illinois are the leading contenders from a field of 12 candidates. Lincoln wins on the third ballot. Hannibal Hamlin of Maine, an outspoken, long-time abolitionist is chosen for vice-president. | Illinois |
| The Election of 1860 | ||
| Salmon P. Chase | ||
| 1860 Republican Convention | ||
| Abraham Lincoln | ||
| William Seward | ||
| Republican Party | ||
| June 11, 1860 | Southern delegates hold a National Democratic convention in Richmond. Party leaders urge a "wait and see" approach. | Virginia |
| 1860 Democratic National Convention | ||
| Richmond, Virginia | ||
| Robert Barnwell Rhett | ||
| Democratic Party | ||
| June 18, 1860 June 23, 1860 |
The Democrats reconvene in Baltimore to select a nominee, but Douglas can't make the necessary 2/3 majority until the anti-Douglas delegates leave on June 22 and the floor rules are changed to require 2/3 vote of the members present. On June 23rd the Convention nominates Stephen Douglas and Herschal V. Johnson | Maryland |
| The Election of 1860 | ||
| 1860 Democratic National Convention | ||
| Stephen A. Douglas | ||
| 1860 Democratic Party Platform | ||
| Democratic Party | ||
| June 26, 1860 June 28, 1860 |
Southern Democrats hold a convention in Richmond where they select John C. Breckinridge as their nominee for President | Virginia |
| The Election of 1860 | ||
| 1860 Democratic National Convention | ||
| Richmond, Virginia | ||
| John Breckinridge | ||
| 1860 (Southern) Democratic Party Platform | ||
| Democratic Party | ||
| June 28, 1860 | Joseph E. Johnston appointed Quartermaster General | |
| September 8, 1860 | Lieutenant Colonel William Hardee is replaced by Major John F. Reynolds as commander of cadets at West Point | |
| William Hardee | ||
| October 5, 1860 | Governor William Henry Gist notifies other Deep South states that South Carolina is considering secession as an option | South Carolina |
| November 5, 1860 | Governor Gist sends a message to the Legislature that "...our institutions are in danger from the fixed majorities of the North..." | South Carolina |
| November 6, 1860 | Republican Abraham Lincoln wins the Presidential election with 39.7% of the vote, defeating Stephen Douglas, John Breckinridge and John Bell. | |
| Stephen A. Douglas | ||
| Abraham Lincoln | ||
| Causes of the Civil War | ||
| John Breckinridge | ||
| The Election of 1860 | ||
| Republican Party | ||
| November 9, 1860 | South Carolina calls for a convention on December 17 to decide if the state should secede from the Union | South Carolina |
| November 10, 1860 | James Chesnut becomes the first Southerner to resign from the Senate. He is quickly followed by James H. Hammond | South Carolina |
| Civil War Firsts | ||
| November 12, 1860 | In Preston County, Western Virginia holds its first organizational meeting, expressing a desire to "adhere to the Union". | West Virginia |
| First Wheeling Convention | ||
| 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 | ||
| November 23, 1860 | Major Robert Anderson reports Fort Sumter is being threatened in Charleston as federal forces begin to improved Fort Moultrie and Fort Sumter in the harbor. | South Carolina |
| Fort Sumter | ||
| Robert Anderson | ||
| December 1, 1860 | Robert Anderson makes his third request for reinforcements at Fort Moultrie | |
| Robert Anderson | ||
| December 4, 1860 | Outgoing President James Buchanan sends a distressed State of the Union message to Congress. In it he states that secession is unconstitutional, says the federal government lacks the authority to prevent it and calls for a constitutional amendment allowing Southern states to retain slaves as property. | |
| James Buchanan | ||
| December 8, 1860 | Governor Isham Harris calls for a special session of the Tennessee legislature to consider secession | Tennessee |
| December 11, 1860 | Under orders from Secretary of War John Floyd, General Don Carlos Buell visits Robert Anderson at Fort Sumter. Buell tells Anderson he may occupy any fort that he wants to if he is attacked or feels he is about to be attacked. | |
| Don Carlos Buell | ||
| Fort Sumter | ||
| Robert Anderson | ||
| Special Memorandum to Robert Anderson, December 11, 1860 | ||
| John Floyd | ||
| December 12, 1860 | Lewis Cass tenders his resignation as Secretary of State over President Buchanan's refusal to reinforce federal troops in Charleston. | |
| Fort Sumter | ||
| James Buchanan | ||
| December 14, 1860 | Georgia calls for a convention of Southern states to form an independent nation. | Georgia |
| Convention of Seceding States | ||
| December 17, 1860 | South Carolina Secessionist Convention is called to order. The convention decides unanimously to secede from the United States and appoints a committee to draw up the needed documents. | South Carolina |
| Confederate Order of Secession | ||
| Edmund Ruffin | ||
| December 18, 1860 | Pro-Union Senator John Crittenden of Kentucky proposes the Crittenden Compromise, which allowed states south of the old Missouri Compromise line to determine for themselves whether they entered the Union slave or free. | |
| John Crittenden | ||
| December 20, 1860 | South Carolina's convention officially approves the Ordinance of Secession | South Carolina |
| Confederate Order of Secession | ||
| South Carolina Ordinance of Secession | ||
| December 20, 1860 | Governor Francis Pickens of South Carolina demands President Buchanan relinquish control of Fort Sumter and Fort Moultrie. | South Carolina |
| James Buchanan | ||
| December 20, 1860 | Governor Francis W. Pickens takes office | South Carolina |
| December 20, 1860 | Edwin Stanton becomes Attorney-General in the Buchanan Administration | |
| Edwin Stanton | ||
| December 20, 1860 | Secretary of War John Floyd orders 113 columbiad cannon and 11 32-pounders from the Pittsburgh arsenal to Ship Island, Mississippi, and Galveston. | |
| John Floyd | ||
| December 21, 1860 | South Carolina representatives withdraw from the |
South Carolina |
| December 22, 1860 | South Carolina selects 3 commissioners to arrange for delivery of public lands, including Fort Moultrie and Fort Sumter, to the independent state. | South Carolina |
| December 22, 1860 | Lincoln's opposition to a section of the Crittenden Compromise becomes public, ending the proposal's potential as a possible solution | |
| Abraham Lincoln | ||
| December 23, 1860 | President Buchanan, tipped to upcoming problems for Secretary of War John Floyd, requests his resignation. | |
| James Buchanan | ||
| John Floyd | ||
| December 26, 1860 | Major Robert Anderson transfers his command from Fort Moultrie to Fort Sumter on his own initiative. He felt it was impossible to hold Fort Moultrie against South Carolina militia. | South Carolina |
| Fort Sumter | ||
| Robert Anderson | ||
| December 29, 1860 | As requested, John Floyd tenders his resignation as Secretary of War. Charges come out later in the day that he had misdirected funds to contractors and guns to the South. Neither charge will be fully investigated and his guilt (or innocence) is still a hotly debated subject | |
| John Floyd | ||
| December 30, 1860 | Federal arsenal at Charleston falls into the hands of the Rebels | |
| December 31, 1860 | Charleston is notified by telegraph that a man of war with troops is on the way | South Carolina |
| Fort Sumter | ||
| Star of the West |
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| Decade | 1800's | 1810's | 1820's | 1830's | 1840's | 1850's | 1860's | 1870's | 1880's | 1890's | ||
| Year | 1860 | 1861 | 1862 | 1863 | 1864 | 1865 | 1866 | 1867 | 1868 | 1869 | ||
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