American Civil War timeline
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Lee Serves as Engineer at Fort Pulaski
Destined to be one of the most illustrious graduates of West Point, a young Virginian awaited assignment in the mid-summer of 1829 to his first... Read more
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Lincoln Family Relocates to Illinois
Abraham Lincoln arrived with his family in the area in 1830 to settle a section of government land bisected by the river. The site, now Lincoln... Read more
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Douglass Learns of Abolitionist Movement
African-American abolitionist Frederick Douglass first encountered The Columbian Orator around the age of twelve, just after he learned to read.... Read more
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Davis Contracts Pneumonia
After graduating from West Point in 1828, Jefferson Davis, future president of the Confederacy, was assigned to the 1st Infantry and stationed at... Read more
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Lincoln Makes Second Flatboat Trip to New Orleans
In 1830 the Lincolns left Indiana for Illinois. Abraham made a second flatboat trip to New Orleans, and in 1831 he left home for New Salem, in... Read more
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Lee is Stationed at Fort Monroe
Following the War of 1812, the United States again came to realize the importance of protecting Hampton Roads and the inland waters from attack by... Read more
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Lee Marries Mary Anna Randolph Custis
While he was stationed at Fort Monroe, he married Mary Anna Randolph Custis (1808–1873), great-granddaughter of Martha Washington by her first... Read more
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Lincoln Separates from Family
In 1831, Abraham Lincoln was a young man of 22 when he and a couple of companions floated down the Sangamon River in a flatboat on their way to New... Read more
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Nat Turner's Rebellion
It was Sunday, August 21, deep in the woods near the Travis house at a place called Cabin Pond. Around a crackling fire Turner’s confederates... Read more
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Davis Sent to Deliver Black Hawk to Prison
The year after, Davis was dispatched to Galena, Illinois, at the head of a detachment assigned to remove miners from lands claimed by the Native... Read more
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Douglas Enrolls at Canandaigua Academy
Douglas moved to a farm near Clifton Springs, New York and studied at Canandaigua Academy in 1832-33 (where he was honored posthumously in 1996 as... Read more
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Lincoln Becomes a Candidate for Illinois General Assembly
Lincoln began his political career in 1832 at age 23 with an unsuccessful campaign for the Illinois General Assembly as a member of the Whig Party.... Read more
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Lincoln Makes First Enlistment in the Black Hawk War
His first enlistment was as elected captain of a company in the 4th Regiment of Mounted Volunteers, of Gen. Samuel Whiteside's Brigade. Lincoln... Read more
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Lincoln Re-enlists in the Black Hawk War
Lincoln re-enlisted on the same day he mustered out of his old company, and was mustered in on May 29 as a private in Captain Elijah Ises' Company,... Read more
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Lincoln Enlists in Black Hawk War for a Third Time
Lincoln's third enlistment was as a private in Captain Jacob M. Early's "Spy Company." This unit mustered in approximately June 20, 1832, and... Read more
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Lincoln Becomes Postmaster of New Salem
Lincoln was appointed his postmaster's position by President Andrew Jackson, a Democrat, on May 7, 1833. In Lincoln's 1860 autobiography, he... Read more
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Douglas Moves to Illinois at the Age of 20
I have become a Western man, have imbibed Western feelings principles and interests and have selected Illinois as the favorite place of my adoption. Read more
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Frederick Douglass Works for Thomas Auld in St. Michaels, Maryland
Follow in the footsteps of Frederick Douglass during his teenage years in St. Michaels. Arriving as Frederick Bailey, a rebellious 15 year old, in... Read more
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Lincoln Takes up Work as a Surveyor
‘In the fall of 1833 came Abraham Lincoln’s entry into the most highly technical and responsible work he had known. Writing of it later, he said,... Read more
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Douglas Serves as Morgan County State's Attorney
Lincoln's arch-rival Stephen A. Douglas became Morgan County prosecuting attorney in 1835, and William Jennings Bryan, an Illinois College... Read more
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Lincoln is Elected to the Illinois State Legislature
In 1834, he won an election to the state legislature and, after coming across the Commentaries on the Laws of England, began to teach himself law Read more
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Douglass's First Attempt to Escape Slavery
After working for Covey for a year, Frederick was sent to work for a farmer named William Freeland, who was a relatively kind master. But by now,... Read more
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Douglas Becomes a Member of the Illinois State Legislature
Born Stephen Arnold Douglass in Brandon, Vermont,[3] Douglas dropped the second "s" from his name some years later[4]. He came to Illinois in 1833,... Read more
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Lincoln is admitted to the Bar
Admitted to the bar in 1837, he moved to Springfield, Illinois that same year and began to practice law with John T. Stuart. With a reputation as... Read more
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Douglass and Anna Murray Arrive in New Bedford
NEW BEDFORD — The arrival of Frederick and Anna Murray Douglass in New Bedford on Sept. 16 of 1838 was unexceptional, but their four-year stay in... Read more