Today in History (general history)/ On This Day in Confederate History/ Confederate General Birthdays, December 11.d

Click👉Today in History, Dec. 11.

ON THIS DAY IN CONFEDERATE HISTORY Dec. 11.

1861: A great fire burns a large swath of Charleston, S.C. on this day. The fire was fueled by high winds. General Robert E. Lee was staying in Charleston at the Mills House Hotel at that time. He helped others evacuate, and then he went to the Edmonston-Alston House on East Battery. The fire roared on until the next day, when it burned itself out. The conflagration consumed 540 acres, 575 homes, and many businesses, as well as five churches. Damages were estimated at between $5 million and $8 million.

Gen. Lee was staying in Charleston

at the time of the great fire.

(Cdv, M.D. Jones Collection)

1862: The First Day of the Battle of Fredericksburg, Va., saw urban warfare in the town itself when Federals crossed the river on pontoon bridges and were met with blistering fire from Confederate artillery and infantry, primarily from Brig. Gen. William Barksdale Brigade, fighting house to house. The Confederates' main line of defense was as little beyond the town on Mary's Heights. The fighting continued until nightfall, and the Yankees' crossing wasn't completed until the next day.

 

Pvt. Austin A. Trescott, Co. A, 21st Miss. Inf.

Holding the regimental battle flag. The 21st was

in the Barksdale Brigade. (Liljenquist Collection, Library of Congress)

1863:  In the Mississippi River, the Federal Navy ironclad USS Carondelet became stuck on a sandbar and was fired upon by Confederate artillery. However, the heavier fire from the gunboat drove off the Confederate guns.

Click👉1st Louisiana Zouaves: Jeff Davis'd Pet Wolves

    This is the story of one of the most unique and famed Louisiana units in the

 War for Southern Independence, the 1st Louisiana Zouaves. Made up largely 

of foreigners from many countries, the men wore the gaudy French Zouave

 uniform and fought with a fierce determination for the new Southern Republic. 

    The battalion's battles included the burning of Hampton, VA, the battles of

Williamsburg, Gaines' Mill, Frayser's Farm, Cedar Mountain, Groveton, 

2nd Manassas, Chantilly, Harper's Ferry, Sharpsburg, and Fredericksburg, 

Suffolk, Petersburg, Weldon Railroad (aka Jerusalem Plank Road), and went

 on special assignments behind enemy lines to gather intelligence for 

General  Robert E. Lee. Commanding the battalion was Lt. Colonel Georges 

A.G.Coppens and M. Alfred Coppens, and Majors Fulgence 

DeBordenave and Waldemar Hyllested.

CONFEDERATE GENERAL BIRTHDAYS, DEC. 11

NONE.