Click 👉Today in History (general history) July 28.
On This Day in Confederate History, July 28.
1864: The Battle of Ezra Church in the Atlanta Campaign occurred today 158 years ago. Confederate General John Bell Hood, commander of the Army of Tennessee had 18,450 men in the battle, and Maj. Gen. W.T. Sherman had 13,266 of his Federal Army of Tennessee. Hood was planning to attack by surprise an isolated part of the much larger Federal Army. Sherman wanted to cut off a vital railroad link into Atlanta. Not only were the Federals not caught by surprise, but they were also well dug in and ready for an attack. Leading the attack was Lt. Gen. Stephen D. Lee's Corps, formerly Hood's Corps. While the Confederate assaults were repulsed, they did succeed in preventing the Federals, under Maj. Gen. Oliver O. Howard, from reaching the railroad line. Confederate casualties were estimated to be about 3,000 and those of the Federals 642. Among the Confederate casualties was Lt. Gen. Alexander P. Stewart who was one of the commanders in the Army of Tennessee, who was wounded.
The second day of the First Battle of Deep Bottom, Va. in the Petersburg Campaign also occurred on this day. Federal Lt. Gen. U.S. Grant planned a diversionary attack at that location near Richmond to force Gen. Robert E. Lee to transfer reinforcements from Petersburg and weaken the Confederates there for a planned attack on July 30, 1864. Maj. Gen. Philip Sheridan's Cavalry tried to turn the Confederate left but three brigades of Confederate infantry stopped the attempt. The dismounted bluecoat cavalry repulsed the attack with repeating carbines while some mounted Yanks in pursuit captured about 200 Confederates. Howard made no more attempts to storm the strong Confederate defenses after this day. Federal casualties were 62 killed, 340 wounded, and 86 missing or captured. The Confederates lost 80 killed, 392 wounded, and 208 captured.
Confederate General Birthdays, July 28.
Brigadier General William Edwin Baldwin was born on this day in 1827 at Stateburg, South Carolina. Prior to the war, he was a bookstore owner and member of the local militia company at Columbus, Miss. During the war, he became the colonel of the 14th Mississippi Infantry and then was promoted to brigadier general. His battles were Fort Donelson (captured), Coffeeville, Port Gibson, Champion's Hill, and Vicksburg (captured). He was killed on Feb. 19, 1864, in an accident when a broken stirrup caused him to fall off his horse near Mobile, Alabama, and was buried in Friendship Cemetery in Mobile.
Brigadier General James Henry Lane was born on this day in 1833 at Mathews Court House, Va. He was an 1854 graduate of the Virginia Military Institute, received a Master's Degree from the University of Virginia, and was a professor at VMI, and of natural philosophy at the North Carolina Military Institute. During the war, he was a major and lieutenant colonel, and then colonel of the 28th North Carolina Infantry. Lane was promoted to brigadier general on Nov. 1, 1862. His battles and campaigns included Big Bethel, Seven Days Battles (wounded twice), Second Manassas, Sharpsburg, Gettysburg, Overland Campaign, Cold Habor (wounded), Siege of Petersburg, and Appomattox. Following the war, he was a professor of civil engineering, at Virginia Agricultural and Mechanical, and Alabama Polytechnic. Lane died on Sept. 21, 1897, in Auburn, Alabama, and was buried in Pine Hill Cemetery in Auburn.
Brigadier General William Duncan Smith was born on this day in 1825 in Augusta, Ga. He graduated from West Point in 1862 ranking 35th out of 59 cadets. During the Mexican-American War, Smith was wounded in the Battle of Molino del Rey. He resigned from the U.S. Army on Jan. 28, 1861, and joined the Confederate Army on March 16, 1861, as a captain of the cavalry. Smith was soon promoted to major in the 1st Georgia Regular Infantry. He was then promoted to colonel of the 20th Georgia Infantry and to brigadier general on March 7, 1862. He fought in the Battle of Secessionville, S.C. on June 16, 1862. General Smith died on Oct. 4, 1862, of yellow fever while on duty in Charleston, South Carolina. He was buried in the City Cemetery in Augusta, Georgia.
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