1807
- Robert E. Lee is born in Westmoreland County, VA. See the complete article on Robert E. Lee.
1861
- Georgia becomes the fifth state to secede from the United States.
1862
- The Battle of Mill Springs (or Logan’s Crossroads) is fought in Kentucky. US Brigadier General George H. Thomas defeated Confederate forces commanded by CS Major General George B. Crittenden. Confederate Brigadier General Felix K. Zollicoffer would be killed in action. This first major engagement, in neutral Kentucky, would cause 671 combined casualties (US 232; CS 439).