Richmond, Virginia Timeline of Events

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Richmond, Virginia

Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...

Timeline of Events

1775

3.23.1775

American Revolutionary War: Patrick Henry delivers his speech – "Give me Liberty, or give me Death!" – at St. John's Church in Richmond, Virginia.

1781

1.5.1781

American Revolutionary War: Richmond, Virginia, is burned by British naval forces led by Benedict Arnold.

1800

8.30.1800

Gabriel Prosser leads a slave rebellion in Richmond, Virginia

1811

12.26.1811

A theater fire in Richmond, Virginia kills the Governor of Virginia George William Smith and the president of the First National Bank of Virginia Abraham B. Venable.

1861

5.6.1861

American Civil War: Richmond, Virginia is declared the new capital of the Confederate States of America.

5.8.1861

American Civil War: Richmond, Virginia is named the capital of the Confederate States of America.

1862

2.22.1862

Jefferson Davis is officially inaugurated for a six-year term as the President of the Confederate States of America in Richmond, Virginia. He was previously inaugurated as a provisional president on February 18, 1861.

11.14.1862

American Civil War: President Abraham Lincoln approves General Ambrose Burnside's plan to capture the Confederate capital at Richmond, Virginia, leading to the Battle of Fredericksburg.

1863

4.2.1863

Richmond Bread Riot: Food shortages incite hundreds of angry women to riot in Richmond, Virginia and demand that the Confederate government release emergency supplies.

1864

2.29.1864

American Civil War: Kilpatrick-Dahlgren Raid fails – plans to free 15,000 Union soldiers being held near Richmond, Virginia are thwarted.

10.28.1864

American Civil War: Second Battle of Fair Oaks ends – Union forces under General Ulysses S. Grant withdraw from Fair Oaks, Virginia, after failing to breach the Confederate defenses around Richmond, Virginia.

1865

4.2.1865

American Civil War: Confederate President Jefferson Davis and most of his Cabinet flee the Confederate capital of Richmond, Virginia.

4.3.1865

American Civil War: Union forces capture Richmond, Virginia, the capital of the Confederate States of America.

4.4.1865

American Civil War: A day after Union forces capture Richmond, Virginia, U.S. President Abraham Lincoln visits the Confederate capital.

1990

1.13.1990

L. Douglas Wilder becomes the first elected African American governor as he takes office in Richmond, Virginia.