Today in History (general history)/ On This Day in Confederate History/ Confederate General Birthdays, December 5.

 Click 👉 TODAY IN HISTORY (general history) Dec. 5.

ON THIS DAY IN CONFEDERATE HISTORY, Dec. 5.

1861: Confederate War Department Clerk John B. Jones in Richmond, Va., entered in his diary on this day: "We have the Federal President's Message today. It is moderate in tone and is surprising for its argument on a new proposition that Congress passes resolutions proposing amendments to the Constitution, allowing compensation for all slaves emancipated between this year and 1900! He argues that slaves are property and that the South is no more responsible for the existence of slavery than the North! The very argument I have been using for twenty years." 

1862: The Battle of Coffeeville, Miss., took place on this day between the troopers of Colonel Theophilus Lyle Dickey's Federal Cavalry, 3,500 strong, and Maj. Gen. Mansfield Lovell's Confederates, 2,500 strong infantry and cavalry. The Federals had two artillery pieces and the Confederates six. The Confederates pushed the Yankee horse soldiers back three miles and ended Grant's invasion of Mississippi at that time. The Federals lost between 10 killed, 54 wounded, 43 captured. The Confederates lost 7 killed, 43 wounded, and 10 missing. 

1864: The Third Battle of Murfreesboro, Tennessee, took place on this day with Maj. Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest's division and the infantry division of Maj. General William B. Bate attacks the 10,000-man Federal garrison at Murfreesboro, Tennessee, under Maj. Gen. L.H. Rousseau. Forrest and Bate had 7,000 men for the attack. General Hood, at Nashville, wants Forrest to secure his right flank, his supply line, and his possible line of retreat. On this day, Forrest's and Bate's forces drove the Federals into their Fortress Rosecans and the fighting would continue into the next day.

Maj. Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest

Maj. Gen. William B. Bate

CONFEDERATE GENERAL BIRTHDAYS, Dec. 5.

NONE

Today in History (general history)/ On This Day in Confederate History/ Confederate General Birthdays, December 4.

Click 👉 TODAY IN HISTORY (general history) Dec. 4

ON THIS DAY IN CONFEDERATE HISTORY, Dec. 4.

1861: 

Trent Affair:  In Great Britain, Queen Victoria, during the Trent Crisis, banned exports to the United States, including armaments. Diplomacy had been paused, and military actions were being put in place. The British reinforced Canada's defenses.

 

A British Sergeant of the 47th (Lancashire) Regiment

of Foot. The 47th was one of the regiments sent to Canada in 1861.

He appears to be holding a two-band P 1856 sergeant's model Enfield rifled musket.

(CDV, M.D. Jones Collection)

Confederate General John C. Breckinridge of Kentucky is expelled from the U.S. Senate for joining the Confederate Army. Breckinridge had some military experience in the Mexican-American War, and he proved a be a competent battlefield commander, initially leading a brigade of Kentucky infantry that gained fame as the "Orphan Brigade."

Maj. Gen. John C. Breckinridge

 

 

Major Rice Evans Graves of Graves Battery

which supported the Orphan Brigade.

(Wikipedia)

In St. Louis, Missouri, Federal General Henry Halleck authorized the arrest of anyone speaking in support of secession. This is one of many actions curtailing civil rights in the North by the Lincoln administration during the war. 

1862: Clashes near Fredericksburg, Virginia, between Confederates and Federals occur along the Rappahannock River, Stone's River near Stewart's Ferry.

Also, on this day in 1862, Nathan Bedford Forrest was appointed a major general. With no prewar military training or experience, he bewildered and amazed his Northern opponents and revolutionized cavalry tactics.

1864: Confederate Cavalry and Federal Cavalry clashed near Waynesborough, Georgia. Other clashes with Sherman's bummers occurred along the Georgia Central Railroad at Statesboro and Lumpkin Station, as well as on the Ogeechee River.

In Tennessee, Confederate cavalry hit Federal outposts around Nashville at Whites Station and Bell's Mills.

CONFEDERATE GENERAL BIRTHDAYS, Dec. 4.

Major General William Wing Loring was born on this day in 1818 in Wilmington, North Carolina. He gained military experience as a teenager in the Florida Militia during the Seminole Wars. In the Mexican-American War, he served as a major with two brevets to colonel. He was wounded three times and lost an arm. In the War for Southern Independence, he served as a major general in the Confederate Army. His battles included the Western Virginia Campaign, the Vicksburg Campaign, Champion Hill, Ezra Church, Franklin, Nashville, and the Carolina Campaign. Following the war, Loring continued his military career in the Egyptian War and was in the Battle of Gura. He returned to the United States after nine years he wrote two books, lived in New York City, where he died on Dec. 30, 1886, and was buried in Loring Park in St. Augustine, Florida, but his ashes were moved to Craig Funeral Home Memorial Park on Aug. 24, 2020.

Maj. Gen. William W. Loring

Today in History (general history)/ On This Day in Confederate History/ Confederate General Birthdays, December 3.

Click 👉 TODAY IN HISTORY (general history) Dec. 3

ON THIS DAY IN CONFEDERATE HISTORY, Dec. 3.

1861: NEW ORLEANS CAMPAIGN 1861-62: Federal forces arrive at Ship Island off the coast of Mississippi, in preparation for the invasion of Confederate Louisiana. Louisiana was building up its military, but the Louisiana regiments were being quickly ordered to the active fighting fronts like Virginia, Pensacola, Florida, Arkansas, Missouri, and Kentucky. New Orleans had several old forts in the vicinity, as well as the old defenses at Chalmette, where the Battle of New Orleans was fought in 1815.

Louisiana Confederate soldier

(Liljenquist Collection, Library of Congress)

1862: Confederates raid a Federal outpost on the Hardin Pike at Nashville, Tennessee. A Federal army numbering some 20,000 men occupied Grenada, Mississippi.

1863: KNOXVILE, TENN. CAMPAIGN: General Longstreet moves his army away from Knoxville, Tennessee to winter quarters at Greenville, Tennessee. However, part of Sherman's Federal Army was sent to confront Longstreet.

1864: CAVALRY SHIRMISH AT THOMAS' STATION, GA.: Confederates delay Sherman's bummers' "March to the Sea" at Thomas Station, Georgia. Then, Kilpatrick's Federal Cavalry reached Thomas Station on this day and began destroying the railroad tracks. Wheeler's Confederate Cavalry arrived that night and sharply skirmished with the Yankees. 

CONFEDERATE GENERAL BIRTHDAYS, Dec. 3.

Brigadier General Henry Alexander Wise was born in 1806 in Accomack, Virginia. Before the war, he had a long and prominent career in politics, including serving in the U.S. House of Representatives, as the Governor of Virginia, and as the U.S. Minister to Brazil. He was also the governor of Virginia during the trial of John Brown in 1859. Wise was a supporter of secession. During the war, Wise was made a brigadier general and took part in the Peninsula Campaign, the Siege of Petersburg, and the Appomattox Campaign. Wise died Sept. 12, 1876, and was buried in Hollywood Cemetery in Richmond, Va.

Brig. Gen. Henry A. Wise

Today in History (general history)/ On This Day in Confederate History/ Confederate General Birthdays, December 2.

 Click 👉 TODAY IN HISTORY (general history) Dec. 2.

ON THIS DAY IN CONFEDERATE HISTORY, Dec. 2.

1861: Naval battle off Newport News, Virginia, between the C.S.S. Patrick Henry and four Federal gunboats. The Patrick Henry is heavily damaged.

1863: General Braxton Bragg resigns and turns over command of the Army of Tennessee to Lieutenant General William Hardee. After the disaster at the Battle of Missionary Ridge, both the officers and men of the Army of Tennessee had largely lost confidence in Bragg.

1864: Confederate cavalry and infantry stages raids on Federal railroads and defense lines around Nashville, Tennessee.

Also, on this day Brig. Gen. Archibald Gracie III was killed in action during the Petersburg Campaign in Virginia. Gracie had just turned 32 years old the day before and was observing Federal lines through a telescope when he was struck and instantly killed by Federal artillery fire. His daughter, Adeline, was born the day before he was killed. His son, Archibald Gracie IV, would gain some fame as a survivor of the sinking of the Titanic in 1912.

CONFEDERATE GENERAL BIRTHDAYS, Dec. 2.

Brigadier General Rufus Clay Barringer was born on this day in 1821, in Cabarrus County, North Carolina. He was a prewar lawyer and politician who served in the N.C. House of Commons. He led the 1st North Carolina Cavalry Regiment under Maj. Gen. J.E.B. Stuart, and then a North Carolina cavalry brigade when he was made a brigadier general in 1864. His battles and campaigns included the Peninsula Campaign, Seven Days Battles, Second Manassas, Maryland Campaign, Gettysburg Campaign, Battle of Brandy Station, and the Battle of Namozine Church., where he was captured on June 6, 1864. Following the war, Barringer resumed his practice of law and engaged in Republican politics and wrote a history of the 9th N.C. Cavalry. He died Feb. 3, 1895, and is buried in Elmwood Cemetery in Charlotte, N.C.

Brigadier General Rufus Barringer

Today in History (general history)/ On This Day in Confederate History/ Confederate General Birthdays, December 1.

Click 👉TODAY IN HISTORY (general history) Dec. 1.

ON THIS DAY IN CONFEDERATE HISTORY, Dec. 1.

1862: There was skirmishing between North and South on this day in Hudsonville, Oxford, and near Mitchell's Cross-Roads, Miss. Also, there was fighting on this day were Nolensville, Tenn., and at Beaver Dam Baptist Church in Virginia.

1863: General Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia retired into its prepared fortifications behind Mine Run, Virginia, and awaits any further attacks by Maj. Gen. George G. Meade's Army of the Potomac. Meade planned to have Maj. Gen. Gouverneur K. Warren's II Corps and Maj. Gen. John Sedgwick's VI Corps to attack the Confederate defenses. But when Meade saw for himself how strong Lee's defenses are, he calls off the attack and withdraws back into his own fortifications that night and went into winter quarters, thus ending the Mine Run Campaign.

1864: Nashville-Franklin Campaign: General Hood's Army of Tennessee arrives at a position southeast of Nashville, Tennessee, and begins digging in. Hood hoped to get reinforcements from the Trans-Mississippi and planned a defensive strategy. In spite of being greatly outnumbered, Hood felt his army could defeat any attacks from his fortifications.

CONFEDERATE GENERAL BIRTHDAYS, Dec. 1.

Major General William Mahone was born in 1826, in Southampton, Virginia. He graduated from the Virginia Military Institute in 1847, became a civil engineer, a teacher at the Rappahannock Academy, did engineer work on railroads, and in the War for Southern Independence became a major general in the Confederate Army. His battles included the Peninsula Campaign, Second Manassas, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, the Overland Campaign, the Crater, and the Appomattox Campaign. Following the war, Mahone worked on railroads, was active in politics as a Republican, and died on Oct. 8, 1895, in Washington, D.C., and was buried in Blandford Cemetery in Petersburg, Va.

Major General William Mahone

👦

Brigadier General Archibald Gracie Jr. was born in 1832, in New York City, New York. He graduated from West Point in 1854, resigned from the army in 1857, and settled in Mobile, Ala. He became active in the Alabama State Militia as a captain in the Washington Light Infantry. During the War for Southern Independence, he became a brigadier general. His battles included Yorktown, Perryville, Tullahoma, Chickamauga, and Bean's Station. He was killed in action during the Siege of Petersburg, Va. on Dec. 2, 1864. Gracie was buried in Woodlawn Cemetery in The Bronx, New York City, N.Y.

Brig. Gen. Archibald Gracie

👦

Brigadier General Micah Jenkins was born in 1835, on Edisto, Island, South Carolina. He graduated from the South Carolina Military Academy in 1854 and organized the King's Mount Military School where he taught from 1855 to 1861. Jenkins was elected colonel of the 5th South Carolina Infantry on April 13, 1861, and was promoted to brigadier general on July 22, 1862. His battles include First Manassas, Seven Pines, Second Manassas, Chickamauga, and Knoxville. He was killed in action on May 6, 1864, at the Wilderness, Virginia by friendly fire. He was buried in Magnolia Cemetery in Charleston, S.C.

Brig. Gen. Micah Jenkins

👋

Today in History (general history)/ On This Day in Confederate History/ Confederate General Birthdays, November 30.

Click 👉Today in History, Nov. 30. 

ON THIS DAY IN CONFEDERATE HISTORY, Nov. 30.

1862: Near the Leeward Islands in the Atlantic Ocean, the CSS Alabama under the legendary Captain Raphael Semmes masterfully evades the Federal warship USS Vanderbilt and then captures the 136-ton Boston bark Parker Cook with a cargo that included butter, cheese, pork, dried fruit, and ship's bread.

1863: Fighting continued in the Mine Run Campaign in Virginia on this day with skirmishes between North and South at Licking Run Bridge, along Mine Run, and near Raccoon Ford.

Fort Esperanza, on the northeastern tip of Matagorda Island in Texas, was attacked by a strong Federal force under Maj. General C.C. Washburn from the XIII Army Corps. The fort was garrisoned by 500 men of the 8th Texas Infantry Regiment and the 5th Texas Militia under Col. W.R. Bradfute with 7 24-pounders, and one 128-pounder Columbiad on a pivot mounting. The Yankee invaders had six regiments of infantry and two artillery companies. After holding out against the overwhelming force of bluecoats for four days, the Confederates evacuated the fort and retreated. The Federals then occupied the fort. The Federalists lost 1 killed and 10 wounded. The Confederates suffered 1 killed and 10 captured.

Private J.E. Mayfield

8th (aka 12th) Texas Infantry Regiment

(Lawrence T. Jones Collection, DeGolyer Library, Southern Methodist University)

(Image colorized, orange blotches are discoloration)

CLICK:👉Randal's Texas Brigade: Fighting for Southern Independence

This is the history of one of the finest bodies of Confederate infantry in the War for Southern Independence. General Kirby Smith and Lieutenant General Richard Taylor considered Randal's Texas Brigade to be the best infantry brigade in the Trans-Mississippi West. The brigade was principally composed of the 11th Texas Infantry Regiment, the 14th Texas Infantry Regiment, the 28th Texas Cavalry (Dismounted), and the 6th Battalion (Gould's) Texas Infantry. It fought in such major Trans-Mississippi Department battles, in all or part, as the battles of Bayou Bourbeau, Mansfield, Pleasant Hill, all in Louisiana, and Jenkins' Ferry in Arkansas. The men of Randal's Texas Brigade played a major role in keeping Texas largely free of the destruction wrought on other Southern states in the war.

1864: Gen. John Bell Hood's Confederate Army of Tennessee and Maj. Gen. John Schofield's XXIII Corps and the XIV Corps, both numbering about 27,000 men each, fought the extremely bloody BATTLE OF FRANKLIN, TENNESSEE. The Federals were strongly entrenched, and the Confederates would have to make a frontal assault over an open field. Hood's generals advised against a frontal assault, but the commanding general was determined to make the attack. The fighting was close, and the Confederates gallantly gave it their all, but the fortifications were too strong and too well-manned for a frontal attack to succeed. Schofield began withdrawing his army at 11 o'clock that night, and by the next morning, the Confederates found empty entrenchments. The casualties were staggering for the Confederates, with five generals killed, including Patrick Cleburne, John Adams, Hiram B. Granbury, States Rights Gist, and Otto Strahl, and John C. Carter mortally wounded. Hood reported a total of 4,500 men killed, wounded, and missing or captured. The Federalists lost 189 killed, 1,033 wounded, and 1,104 missing or captured for a total of 2,326 casualties.

Brig. Gen. Hiram B. Granbury

Killed in action at the Battle of Franklin, Tenn.

Confederate General Birthdays, Nov. 30.

Major General Gustavus Woodson Smith was born on this day in 1821 in Georgetown, Kentucky. He graduated from West Point in 1842, served in the Mexican-American War, and was brevetted a first lieutenant and captain for service at the Battle of Contreras. He resigned from the U.S. Army in 1854 and became the Commissioner of Streets in New York City from 1858 to 1861. Smith joined the Confederate Army and was commissioned a major general. At the Battle of Seven Pines, Va., on May 31, 1862, he became temporary commander of the Army of the Potomac (soon to be renamed Army of Northern Virginia) when Gen. J.E. Johnston was wounded. Gen. Robert E. Lee took command of the army on June 1, 1862, and Smith went on sick leave. In August 1862, he returned to duty in August 1862 and was assigned to command the Department of North Carolina and Southern Virginia, and in November became the interim Confederate Secretary of War. He resigned from the army on Feb. 17, 1863, and subsequently served as a volunteer aid to Gen. P.G.T. Beauregard, as superintendent of the Edowah Iron Works, and as a major general in the Georgia Militia. Following the war, Smith served as the Kentucky Insurance Commissioner and wrote several books on the War for Southern Independence and the Mexican War. He died on June 24, 1896, in New York City, N.Y., and was buried in Cedar Grove Cemetery in New London, Connecticut.

Maj. Gen. Gustavus W. Smith

Today in History (general history)/ On This Day in Confederate History/ Confederate General Birthdays, November 29.

Click 👉 TODAY IN HISTORY (general history) Nov 29

ON THIS DAY IN CONFEDERATE HISTORY, Nov. 29.

1863, General Longstreet's Confederate assault Nov. 29 on Federal Fort Sanders is the climax of the partial Siege of Knoxville, Tenn. Confederate Gen. James Longstreet decided Fort Sanders was the key to victory at Knoxville. The fort consisted of a line of earthworks with a ditch 12 ft. wide and 8 ft. deep. It was manned by 440 Federals of the 79th New York Infantry with 12 artillery pieces. Longstreet tasked 3,000 men in three brigades led by Brig. Gen. Benjamin G. Humphreys, Brig. Gen. Goode Bryan and Col. Solon Z. Ruff (Wofford's Brigade) with the assault. Longstreet planned a surprise attack at dawn with no bombardment. The men faced extensive obstacles before they could even reach the fort. The assault was a bloody failure for the Confederates.  Confederate losses were 129 killed, 458 wounded, and 226 captured for a total of 813. The Federals lost 8 men killed and 5 wounded. Among the Confederate dead was Colonel Ruff, leading Wofford's Brigade.

 

Sgt. William A. Smith

12th Va. Inf.

(Library of Congress)

Col. Solon Z. Ruff

18th Ga. Inf.

Killed leading Wofford's Brigade

In 1864, Federal General Scofield's Federal Army was in danger of being cut off from its destination of Nashville, Tenn., on this day by General John Bell Hood's Confederate Army of Tennessee at Springhill, Tenn., Confederate Maj. Gen. Patrick Cleburne's Division was moving toward Springhill Road but was blocked by Gen. George D. Wagner's Federal Division. That night, incredibly, with the Confederates bivouacked within eyesight of the road, five Federal divisions marched right past Hood's army without a challenge. It would go down in history as one of the great mysteries and lost opportunities of the war for the Confederates. 

Lt. Gen. John Bell Hood

CONFEDERATE GENERAL BIRTHDAYS, Nov. 29.

None.