Today in History (general history)/ On This Day in Confederate History/ Confederate General Birthdays, May 23.

  Click 👉Today in History (general history) May 23.

On This Day in Confederate History, May 23.

1861: VIRGINIA SECESSION: Voters of Virginia go to the polls and voted 125,950 to 20,373 to endorse the state's secession from the Union.

1862: Maj. Gen. Stonewall Jackson's 16,500 Confederate Army wins an easy victory over Col. John Reese Kenly with 1,063 Federals and two artillery pieces at the Battle of Front Royal, Va. Confederate Maj. Chatham Roberdeau Wheat with his ferocious Louisiana Tigers (1st Battalion Louisiana Volunteers) and the 1st Maryland Infantry routed the Northern occupiers. The Tigers played a major role in Jackson's Shenandoah Valley Campaign. Confederate casualties are 36 killed and wounded to 773 total Federal casualties (83 killed and wounded and 691 captured).

Maj. Chatham R. Wheat

Louisiana Tiger

Unidentified, Co. C 1st Maryland Infantry

(Library of Congress)

1863: The Siege of  Vicksburg, continues but because of the massive defeat of the day before, there is little artillery fire and sharpshooting from the Federals. "Many of his dead were still lying unburied insight of our trenches," Lt. Gen. John C. Pemberton reported later. The Federal keeps up its mortar fire and at night the Confederates keep busy repairing their trenches.

At the Siege of Port Hudson, Federals complete their investment of the Confederate line but on the Confederate left wing, Colonel I.G.W. Steedman, who is in command of the Confederate left wing, throws out skirmishers from the 1st Alabama Volunteers to push back on the Yankees in the swamps and ravines in that area. 

Col. I.G.W. Steedman

1st Alabama Volunteers

1864: Fighting erupts at the Battle of North Anna River and becomes severe when the Federals advance but Lt. Gen. A.P. Hill strikes back with his 3rd Corps with severe fighting at Chesterfield Bridge and Jericho Mills. That night, General Robert E. Lee has a set trap with an inverted V formation for Maj. Gen. U.S. Grant but Lee is down sick that day and can't supervise the battle, which continues until May 26.

In the Atlanta Campaign, General Joseph E. Johnston's Army of Tennessee keeps in front of Lt. Gen. U.S. Grant's Army of Tennessee with action at Stilesborough as the armies move toward Dallas, Georgia, drawing ever closer to Atlanta.

Confederate General Birthdays, May 23.

None.