when was the civil war?

The American Civil War took place from 1861 to 1865. Here are the key dates:

• Start: The war began on April 12, 1861, when Confederate troops fired on Fort Sumter in South Carolina's Charleston Harbor125.
• End: The war effectively ended with the surrender of the main Confederate armies. Robert E. Lee surrendered to Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox Courthouse on April 9, 1865. The last major surrender was by General Joseph E. Johnston on April 26, 1865. However, the very last battle of the Civil War occurred on May 13, 1865, at Palmito Ranch, Texas5.