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	Civil War Timeline / Chronology for 1863 <<Previous year    Next year>> Civil War Navidater Century 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, 1863 May, 1863 September, 1863 February, 1863 June, 1863 October, 1863 March, 1863 July, 1863 November, 1863 April, 1863 August, 1863 December, 1863 Major events of 1863 January 1, 1863 The Emancipation Proclamation goes into effect   Emancipation Proclamation   The Emancipation of Slaves   Emancipation Proclamation (Full Text) January 25, 1863 Abraham Lincoln relieves General Ambrose Burnside [US} from command of the Army of the Potomac, replacing him with General Joseph "Fighting Joe" Hooker.   Joseph Hooker   Abraham Lincoln   Ambrose Burnside   Army of the Potomac May 1, 1863 May 4, 1863 Battle of Chancellorsville General "Fighting Joe" Hooker's Army of the Potomac is defeated by Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia as it crosses the Rappahannock on the way to Richmond Union: 17,268 Confederate: 12,821 Virginia   Robert E. Lee   Joseph Hooker   Bloodiest Civil War battles   Stonewall Jackson   Army of Northern Virginia   Army of the Potomac   Lafayette McLaws   Chancellorsville   John Reynolds   Darius Couch   George Stoneman June 20, 1863 West Virginia becomes the 35th state to enter the United States, but the first to enter where the terms slave and free no longer mattered West Virginia   Civil War Firsts July 1, 1863 July 3, 1863 Battle of Gettysburg General Robert E. Lee [CS] advances into Pennsylvania where he meets George Meade [US]. First battling north of the city, by the second day Union forces had retreated south, forming a strong line as men arrived almost continuously. On the third day, the infamous Pickett's Charge marked the end of the Confederates hope for a victory The bloodiest three days in American history Pennsylvania   Bloodiest Civil War battles   Robert E. Lee   John Bell Hood   James Longstreet   George Meade   Army of Northern Virginia   Army of the Potomac   J. E. B. Stuart   Lafayette McLaws   Winfield Scott Hancock   George Armstrong Custer   Battle of Gettysburg   Richard Ewell   George Pickett   John Reynolds July 3, 1863 John Pemberton, commander of Confederate forces at Vicksburg asks Ulysses S. Grant for terms. Grant demands an unconditional surrender. Pemberton refuses. Late in the evening, Grant offers excellent terms and Pemberton accepts. Mississippi   Ulysses S. Grant   Second Vicksburg Campaign 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 November 19, 1863 At the dedication of the National Cemetery in Gettysburg President Lincoln delivers a two-minute speech. Immediately following the speech he calls it a "flat failure." The speech is known today as the Gettysburg Address Pennsylvania   Gettysburg Address [Full Text]   Abraham Lincoln   Civil War National Cemeteries 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 January, 1863 May, 1863 September, 1863 February, 1863 June, 1863 October, 1863 March, 1863 July, 1863 November, 1863 April, 1863 August, 1863 December, 1863 Civil War Navidater Century 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 The best search in Civil War History
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