▁Col f ax ▁( R - Ind iana ) ▁ ▁Congress : ▁ 3 8 th ▁( until ▁March ▁ 4 ), ▁ 3 9 th ▁( start ing ▁March ▁ 4 ) ▁ ▁Events ▁ ▁January – M arch ▁ ▁January ▁ 1 3 ▁– ▁American ▁Civil ▁War : ▁The ▁Second ▁Battle ▁of ▁Fort ▁Fish er ▁begins ▁when ▁United ▁States ▁forces ▁launch ▁a ▁major ▁am ph ib ious ▁assault ▁against ▁the ▁Confeder ate ▁strong hold ▁of ▁Fort ▁Fish er , ▁North ▁Carolina . ▁ ▁January ▁ 1 5 ▁– ▁American ▁Civil ▁War : ▁United ▁States ▁forces ▁capture ▁Fort ▁Fish er . ▁ ▁January ▁ 3 1 ▁– ▁American ▁Civil ▁War : ▁Confeder ate ▁General ▁Robert ▁E . ▁Lee ▁becomes ▁general - in - ch ief . ▁ ▁February ▁ 1 7 ▁– ▁American ▁Civil ▁War : ▁Columbia , ▁South ▁Carolina ▁burn s ▁as ▁Confeder ate ▁forces ▁fle e ▁from ▁adv ancing ▁Union ▁forces . ▁ ▁February ▁ 2 2 ▁– ▁Tennessee ▁adopt s ▁a ▁new ▁constitution ▁that ▁abol ishes ▁sla very . ▁ ▁March ▁ 3 ▁– ▁The ▁U . S . ▁Congress ▁author izes ▁formation ▁of ▁the ▁Fre ed men ' s ▁Bureau . ▁ ▁March ▁ 4 ▁– ▁President ▁Abraham ▁Lincoln ▁begins ▁his ▁second ▁term . ▁ ▁March ▁ 1 3 ▁– ▁American ▁Civil ▁War : ▁The ▁Confeder ate ▁States ▁of ▁America ▁agre es ▁to ▁the ▁use ▁of ▁African ▁American ▁troops . ▁ ▁March ▁ 1 8 ▁– ▁American ▁Civil ▁War : ▁The ▁Congress ▁of ▁the ▁Confeder ate ▁States ▁of