Events in 1862

February 6, 1862

Battle of Fort Henry

On February 6, 1862, Union forces led by Flag Officer Andrew Hull Foote captured Fort Henry from Confederate forces in a decisive 75-minute naval bombardment. This victory secured Union control of the Tennessee River and marked a crucial turning point in the Civil War's Western Theater.

February 11, 1862

Battle of Fort Donelson

A decisive Union victory in the American Civil War where General Ulysses S. Grant captured the Confederate stronghold Fort Donelson, leading to the surrender of approximately 12,000 Confederate soldiers and securing Union control of Kentucky and Tennessee.

March 8, 1862

Battle of Hampton Roads

The Battle of Hampton Roads was a pivotal naval engagement of the American Civil War fought on March 8-9, 1862, marking the first battle between ironclad warships USS Monitor and CSS Virginia. This revolutionary confrontation transformed naval warfare by demonstrating the obsolescence of wooden vessels.

April 4, 1862

Willie Lincoln's Ghost First Sighting

First Lady Mary Todd Lincoln reported seeing the ghost of her deceased son Willie Lincoln in the White House's Red Room, marking the beginning of numerous supernatural encounters and séances in the presidential residence.

April 6, 1862

Battle of Shiloh

A pivotal two-day battle of the American Civil War fought on April 6-7, 1862, near Pittsburg Landing, Tennessee, resulting in a crucial Union victory and over 23,000 casualties.

April 14, 1862

White House Red Room Haunted Chandelier

During the American Civil War, a crystal chandelier in the White House's Red Room began exhibiting mysterious movements without any apparent cause, first documented on April 14, 1862. The phenomenon continued throughout Lincoln's presidency, particularly intensifying during major battles.

April 25, 1862

Capture of New Orleans

Union Admiral David Farragut led a successful naval assault capturing New Orleans, the Confederacy's largest city and most important port. This strategic victory gave the Union control over the lower Mississippi River and dealt a severe blow to Confederate supply lines.

April 25, 1862

Fall of New Orleans

Union forces led by Admiral David Farragut captured New Orleans, the Confederacy's largest city and most important port, after a successful naval campaign that broke through Confederate defenses at Forts Jackson and St. Philip.

June 1, 1862

Lee Becomes Confederate Commander

Robert E. Lee was appointed commander of the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia on June 1, 1862, following General Joseph E. Johnston's injury at the Battle of Seven Pines. This appointment marked a pivotal moment in Civil War history.

August 28, 1862

Second Battle of Bull Run

A decisive Confederate victory in the American Civil War where General Robert E. Lee's 50,000 troops outmaneuvered Union forces of 62,000 men near Manassas, Virginia, resulting in over 22,000 total casualties.

September 15, 1862

Capture of Harpers Ferry

Confederate General 'Stonewall' Jackson captured the strategic town of Harpers Ferry, securing the largest Union surrender of the Civil War with over 12,000 prisoners and significant military supplies.

September 17, 1862

Battle of Antietam

The Battle of Antietam was the bloodiest single-day battle in American military history, resulting in over 23,000 casualties. This pivotal Civil War engagement near Sharpsburg, Maryland, ended Confederate General Robert E. Lee's first invasion of the North and gave President Lincoln the political backing to issue the Emancipation Proclamation.

December 11, 1862

Battle of Fredericksburg

A devastating Civil War battle fought from December 11-15, 1862, where Confederate forces under Robert E. Lee decisively defeated Union forces led by Ambrose Burnside, resulting in massive Union casualties during repeated unsuccessful assaults on Marye's Heights.