Today in History (general history)/ On This Day in Confederate History/ Confederate General Birthdays, May 6.

Click👉Today in History (general history) May 6. 

On This Day in Confederate History, May 6.

1861: Arkansas became the 8th Southern state to secede from the Union on this day at the Old State House in Little Rock. The vote was 65 to 5. Arkansans fought in the Army of Northern Virginia, the Army of Tennessee, and the Army of the Trans-Mississippi.

Hempstead Rifles, 3rd Regiment, Arkansas State Troops 

pictured early in the war. They fought in the Battle of Wilson's

Creek, Mo. (aka Battle of Oak Hills).

(Wilson's Creek National Battlefield)

1864: The Battle of Calcasieu Pass, La. took place in the lower part of Calcasieu Parish in Southwest Louisiana, which today is in Cameron Parish. Not part of the Red River Campaign, the battle was between two Federal gunboats in the Calcasieu River, and a force of 350 Confederate infantry (Griffin's and Spaight's battalions), cavalry (Daly's battalion), and artillery from Sabine Pass, Texas, about 30 miles west. The two gunboats were blockade sidewheel steamers, the U.S.S. Granite City and U.S.S. Wave. Both gunboats greatly outgunned the Confederate field artillery, two six-pounders, and two 12-pounder Napoleons. But the Confederates caught the Federals completely by surprise and the crack 5th Texas Light Artillery of Captain Edmund Creuzbaur, a former cannoneer in the Prussian Army, began drilling shell holes in the two ships. Lt. Col. William H. Griffin was the Confederate commander. The Confederate infantry and dismounted cavalry advanced and took positions in the marshes and began picking off the Yankee gunners as they bravely manned their guns. Neither gunboat had steam up and were sitting ducks in the water. After about an hour and a half of this punishment, the USS Granite City surrendered first and then the USS Wave. One Confederate gun was knocked out, and there were about 50 casualties on both sides plus 177 Federal sailors and soldiers taken captive. Both gunboats and their crews were captured for a complete victory for the Confederates.

Pvt. William Kniep, Creuzbaur's Battery

Texas Artillery, KIA, May 6, 1864 at

Calcasieu Pass, La.

(Click on image to enlarge)

1st Lt. Charles Whelhausen

Creuzbaur's 5th Texas Light Artillery

Pvt. Thomas J. Smith, Co. A, 11th Bn. 

(Spaight's) Texas Volunteers.

(Fine A Grave)

Pvt. John A. Strobel, Co. F, 21st Bn.

(Griffin's) Texas Infantry.

(Richmond Civil War Antiques)

On the second day of the Battle of the Wilderness, Gen. Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia and Lt. Gen. U.S. Grant's Army of the Potomac tangled in the thick woods, and the fighting was fierce and bloody, continued into the night and ended in stalemate. Confederate Maj. Gen. John B. Gordon found a way to outflank the Federals. The bluecoats were driven back about a mile. Artillery and cavalry weren't of much help in this type of terrain, which helped the outnumbered Confederates. Lt. Gen. James Longstreet is severely wounded by friendly fire and Brig. Gen. Micah Jenkins is killed. 

Brigadier General Micah Jenkins

Killed in Action in the Wilderness

Confederate General Birthdays, May 6.

None.