These US Civil War dates are primarily for the western theater of the war, between the western slope of the Appalachians and the Mississippi River. For the eastern theater, see this US Civil War Timeline 1865.
The year begins with Union forces capturing Fort Fisher guarding the approaches to the Cape Fear River and Wilmington, North Carolina. Wilmington is occupied February 22, the same day that Joseph E. Johnston is restored to the command of what is left of the Army of Tennessee and given the impossible task of stopping Sherman's armies then sweeping northward through South Carolina. Sherman's troops occupy Columbia on February 17 and compel the evacuation of Charleston that evening. Entering North Carolina, Sherman defeats Johnston at Averasboro and at Bentonville.
At Goldsboro, Sherman is joined by Maj. Gen. John M. Schofield's force, fresh from victory at Kinston. The outnumbered Johnston surrenders his troops to Sherman on April 26, at durham Station. Meanwhile in Alabama, Mobile falls to Federal forces while Maj. Gen. James H. Wilson's Union cavalry corps sweeps through Selma and Montgomery and on to Columbus and Macon, Georgia. Near Irwinville, Georgia, on May 10, his troopers capture Confederate President Jefferson Davis, who had fled Richmond when that city was evacuated on April 2. From Jonesboro, Tennessee, Maj. Gen. George Stoneman and his 4,000 cavalrymen raid eastward across the Appalachians into southwest Virginia and North Carolina's Piedmont region. By June 23, the last Confederate army is surrendered and the long war is finally over.
Jan 13-14 Attack and capture of Fort Fisher, N.C.
Jan 14-Apr 26 Sherman's Carolinas Campaign
Mar 8-10 Battle of Kinston, N.C.
Mar 16 Battle of Averasboro, N.C.
Mar 19-21 Battle of Bentonville, N.C.
Apr 13 Raleigh, N.C. occupied
Apr 26 Surrender of Gen. Joseph E. Johnston's Confederate forces near Durham Station, N.C.
Feb 22 Capture of Wilmington, N.C.
Mar 22-Apr 22 Wilson's Alabama and Georgia Raid
Apr 2 Battle of Seima, Ala.
Mar 23-Apr 23 Stoneman's North Carolina and Virginia Raid
Mar 25-Apr 12 Mobile Campaign, Ala.
Mar 27-Apr 8 Siege of Spanish Fort
Apr 2-9 Siege and Capture of Fort Blakely
Apr 12 Surrender of Mobile
May 4 Surrender of Lt. Gen. Richard Taylor's Confederate forces at Citronelle, Ala.
May 12-13 Battle of Palmito Ranch, Tex. Last Civil War land engagement.
May 26 Surrender of Lt. Gen. E. Kirby Smith's Confederate forces at New Orleans, La.
Jun 23 Surrender of Brig. Gen. Stand Watie's Confederate Indian forces at Doaksville, Indian Territory.
Source materials published by the National Park Service were used to create this page on US Civil War dates for 1865.
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