What Happened in 1861

The First Wheeling Convention

As quickly as the Southern states seceded, pockets of resistance developed, the largest of which began in western Virginia and followed the... Read more

Battle of Sewell's Point - Union Gunboats Duel with Confederate Batteries

Sewell's Point is a peninsula of land in the independent city of Norfolk, Virginia in the United States, located at the mouth of the salt-water... Read more

Ex Parte Merryman

On May 25, 1861, a secessionist named John Merryman was imprisoned by military order at Fort McHenry, Baltimore, Md., for his alleged... Read more

Battle of Aquia Creek - Union Naval Vessels Bombard Confederate Batteries

The Battle of Aquia Creek took place from May 29 - June 1, 1861 in Stafford County, Virginia as part of the blockade of Chesapeake Bay during the... Read more

Battle of Philippi - First Organized Land Action of Civil War

The Battle of Philippi — also called The Philippi Races — was fought on June 3, 1861, in and around Philippi, Virginia (now West Virginia) as part... Read more

Stephen A. Douglas Dies from Typhoid Fever

Douglas died in Chicago from typhoid fever on June 3, 1861. He was buried on the shore of Lake Michigan. The site was afterwards bought by the... Read more

Tennessee Secedes From The Union

Tennesseans voted in favor of secession by a large majority—102,172 to 47,238—on June 8, 1861. In the mountainous eastern part of the state,... Read more

Battle of Big Bethel

The Battle of Big Bethel, also known as the Battle of Bethel Church or Great Bethel was an American Civil War battle that took place on June 10,... Read more

First Battle of Boonville - Establishes Union Control of Missouri River

The First Battle of Boonville was a minor skirmish of the American Civil War, occurring on June 17, 1861, near Boonville in Cooper County,... Read more

Battle of Cole's Camp

The Battle of Cole Camp was a skirmish of the American Civil War, occurring on June 19, 1861, in Benton County, Missouri. The rebel victory assured... Read more

Confederate Spy Richard Thomas and Crew Seize Steamer in Disguise

Richard Thomas Zarvona (October 27, 1833 – March 17, 1875), born Richard Thomas Jr., was an American adventurer and a Confederate Army officer who... Read more

Battle of Hoke's Run - Robert Patterson Defeats Jackson

The Battle of Hoke's Run, also known as the Battle of Falling Waters or Hainesville, took place on July 2, 1861, in Berkeley County, Virginia (now... Read more

Battle of Carthage

The Battle of Carthage, also known as the Battle of Dry Fork, took place at the beginning of the American Civil War on July 5, 1861, in Jasper... Read more

Rose O'Neale Greenhow Passes Secret Messages for Confederacy

Espionage during the Civil War The Greenhows had eight children: First came Florence, Gertrude and Leila. Then came four children who would... Read more

Battle of Rich Mountain

The Battle of Rich Mountain took place on July 11, 1861, in Randolph County, Virginia (now West Virginia) as part of the Operations in Western... Read more

McCanles Incident

In 1861 he ['Wild Bill' Hickok] was involved in a deadly shootout with the McCanles Gang at the Rock Creek Station after 40-year-old David... Read more

Battle of Corrick's Ford

The Battle of Corrick's Ford took place on July 13, 1861, on the Cheat River in Western Virginia (now the state of West Virginia) as part of the... Read more

William Norris Leads Confederate States Army as Chief Signal Officer

In the winter of 1860-61 pro-Confederate sentiment was strong in Baltimore. Norris made no secret of his southern sympathies and with the outbreak... Read more

Battle of Blackburn's Ford

The Battle of Blackburn's Ford took place on July 18, 1861, in Prince William County and Fairfax County, Virginia, as part of the Manassas Campaign... Read more

First Battle of Bull Run

The First Battle of Bull Run, also known as the First Battle of Manassas (the name used by Confederate forces and still often used in the Southern... Read more

Battle of Mesilla - Confederates Secure New Mexico Territory

The Battle of Mesilla was a Arizonan victory at Mesilla, in Confederate States of America's Arizona Territory on July 25, 1861. This victory paved... Read more

Battle of Athens - Union and CSA Forces Approach Iowa

The Battle of Athens was an American Civil War skirmish that took place in northeast Missouri in 1861 near present Revere and southeast Iowa along... Read more

Battle of Wilson's Creek - Union Forces Lose at the First Major Battle West of the Mississippi

The Battle of Wilson's Creek, also known as the Battle of Oak Hills, was fought on August 10, 1861, near Springfield, Missouri, between Union... Read more

Battle of Kessler's Cross Lanes

The Battle of Kessler's Cross Lanes, also known as the Battle of Cross Lanes, took place on August 26, 1861 in Nicholas County, Virginia (now West... Read more

Battle of Hatteras Inlet Batteries - Confederate Forts Captured

The Battle of Hatteras Inlet Batteries, sometimes known as the Battle of Forts Hatteras and Clark, was a small but significant engagement in the... Read more