| February 21 | Battle of Valverde, New Mexico. |
| March 7 | Battle of Pea Ridge, Arkansas. |
| March 8 | C. S. S. "Virginia" destroys U. S. S. "Congress" and U. S. S. "Cumberland." |
| March 9 | U. S. S. "Monitor" and C. S. S. "Virginia" ("Merrimack") meet off Hampton Roads in first naval engagement between ironclad vessels. |
| April 6–7 | Battle of Shiloh, Tennessee. |
| April 7 | Island No. 10, in Mississippi River, surrendered to General John Pope and Flag Officer Foote's gunboats. |
| April 18 [1962] | Medal of Honor ceremony held at Washington Cathedral, District of Columbia. |
| April 24 | Farragut's U. S. Navy squadron runs by Forts Jackson and St. Philip on the Mississippi River and captures New Orleans. |
| May 8 | Battle of McDowell opens Jackson's Shenandoah Valley campaign. (Port Republic, Cross Keys) |
| May 11 | C. S. S. "Virginia" ("Merrimack") destroyed to avoid capture. |
| May 31 | Battle of Seven Pines (Fair Oaks), Virginia. |
| June 26 | Battle of Mechanicsville opens Seven Days' campaign around Richmond. |
| July 4 | Morgan and Forrest, Confederate cavalry leaders, begin raids in Kentucky and Tennessee, hampering Buell. |
| July 15 | C. S. S. ram "Arkansas" runs through entire Federal squadron at Vicksburg. |
| August 9 | Battle of Cedar Mountain, Virginia. |
| August 28 | Second battle of Manassas. |
| September 17 | Battle of Antietam (Sharpsburg). |
| September 23 | Lincoln issues Emancipation Proclamation. |
| October 3 | Battle of Corinth, Mississippi. |
| October 8 | Battle of Perryville, Kentucky. |
| December 13 | Battle of Fredericksburg, Virginia. |
| December 31 | Battle of Stones River (Murfreesboro), Tennessee. |
1863
| January 21 | "Battle of the Cotton Clads"—Texas steamers "armored" with cotton—temporarily breaks Federal blockade. |
| March 14 | Admiral Farragut's fleet passes Port Hudson batteries and steams north to blockade Red River. |
| April 16 | Admiral David Dixon Porter's gunboats and transports successfully pass the Vicksburg batteries. |
| April 17 | Grierson's raid begins. |
| May 1 | Battle of Chancellorsville begins. |
| June 9 | Battle of Brandy Station, Virginia. |
| July 1 | Battle of Gettysburg begins. |
| July 4 | Pemberton surrenders Vicksburg to Grant. |
| July 9 | Port Hudson is surrendered to Banks, closing Mississippi River to the Confederacy. |
| July 13 | Bloody draft riots begin in New York City. |
| September 19 | Battle of Chickamauga begins. |
| October 5 | U. S. S. "New Ironsides" heavily damaged by Confederate torpedo boat "David." |
| November 24 | Battle of Chattanooga (Lookout Mountain and Missionary Ridge). |
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