<human>:  What was the timeline of the American Civil War?
<bot>: The American Civil War began on April 12, 1861, when Confederate forces attacked the Union garrison at Fort Sumter in South Carolina. Four years of bloody conflict followed, ending on April 9, 1865, with Confederate General Robert E. Lee’s surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia at Appomattox Court House in Virginia. During that time, major battles were fought at Shiloh, Antietam, Gettysburg, Vicksburg, Chattanooga, and many more.