Northern Pacific Railway Charter
Lincoln signs legislation chartering the Northern Pacific Railway
Permanent historical records · Updated 2026-11-03
1864 in United States of America
Explore 31 historical events and records for United States of America in 1864.
Historical records for United States of America in 1864
Sorted by month and day. Records with no month are shown last. Showing 31 of 31 unique records.
31Unique records
1 of 1Page
23Named events on this page
8Named people on this page
13Places on this page
February
Pacific Railway Act Amendments
Amendments strengthen support for Central Pacific construction eastward from California
Pacific Railway Act Amendments
Amended law accelerates work toward completing the first transcontinental railroad
Pacific Railway Act Amendments
Amendments increase support for Union Pacific construction westward from the Missouri River
Pacific Railway Act Amendments
Lincoln signs amendments expanding support for the transcontinental railroad project
Pacific Railway Act Amendments
Lincoln signs amendments strengthening federal support for the transcontinental railroad
Pacific Railway Act Amendments
Federal land grants and bonds encourage railroad construction across the western territories
March
National Bank Act
Lincoln signs the National Bank Act revising the national banking system
April
Commissioner of Immigration
Immigration Act creates federal machinery to encourage immigrant labor and settlement
Immigration Act
Lincoln signs legislation encouraging immigration to the United States
May
Death of James Ewell Brown Stewart
Death of James Ewell Brown, killed in battle
Siege of Richmond
Killed in battle as the Confederates are driven from Richmond
June
Annual Message to Congress
Lincoln sends his fourth annual message to Congress
August
National Union Nomination
National Union Convention nominates Lincoln for a 2nd term
Presidential Election
Lincoln is reelected President on the National Union ticket
Presidential Election
Lincoln wins reelection as President of the United States
September
Battle of Opequon Creek
Removes the Shenandoah Valley from the remainder of the war. Defeated by Confederates under General Philip Sheridan near Winchester, Virginia
Battle of Opequon Creek
Removes the Shenandoah Valley from the remainder of the war. Leads Union victory over General Early in Virginia
October
General in Chief
Lincoln assigns Ulysses S Grant to command the armies of the United States
Other events (month unknown)
Coinage Act
Lincoln signs the Coinage Act authorizing new federal coinage
In God We Trust Coinage
Federal coinage begins using the motto In God We Trust
Two Cent Coin
Coinage Act authorizes the two cent coin for United States currency
Montana Territory
Lincoln signs legislation organizing Montana Territory
Yosemite Grant
Lincoln signs the Yosemite Grant protecting Yosemite Valley and Mariposa Grove
Nevada Statehood
Nevada becomes the 36th state of the Union
Battle of Atlanta
Sherman captures Atlanta
Brigadier General
Appointed Brigadier General
Brigadier General
Appointed Brigadier General
Capture of Atlanta
Sherman captures Atlanta
Election
At the Convention, the Republican Party selects Andrew Johnson, a War Democrat from the Southern state of Tennessee, as his running mate in order to form a broader coalition
General
Stands as an unsuccessful Presidential candidate against Abraham Lincoln
How these records were prepared
Generated from the World History Database historical_events table. Identical display records are collapsed; descriptions otherwise retain the stored text. Coverage and source quality vary. Check primary and specialist sources before citing individual historical claims.