Today in History (general history)/ On This Day in Confederate History, Confederate General Birthdays, Aug. 16.

  Click 👉Today in History (general history) Aug. 16.

On This Day in Confederate History Aug. 16.

1863: Gen. P.G.T. Beauregard gives his daily update on the ongoing Siege of Charleston, S.C. on Aug. 16: "On the 16th, the enemy’s batteries fired but little on Batteries Wagner and Gregg; but during the afternoon the two 8-inch Parrotts opened on Fort Sumter, throwing 48 shells. Four passed over, 4 fell short, 2 struck inside the parade, and _30 hits in various places, exterior, and interior. At this date, the armament of the fort consisted of thirty-eight guns and two mortars, at least twenty guns having been withdrawn since the landing of the enemy on Morris Island. Orders were given to Brigadier-General Ripley to remove to Battery Gregg the two mortars in Fort Sumter as soon as it should become impossible to use them with advantage in the latter work and to transport to other points every gun in Sumter not actually required for its defense and by the new relations of that work to the defense of the harbor. The chief engineer was instructed to strengthen Castle Pinckney with sandbags; Port Johnson to be arranged for two additional 10-inch guns, and positions to be prepared for the 10-inch guns to be placed on the James Island shore of the harbor.

1864: The CSS Tallahassee under Commander John Taylor Wood captures four more Federal merchant ships off the coast of New England on his historic cruise along the Atlantic Coast. Here is the National Park Service's summary of this spectacular naval raid: "On the morning of August 12th, the Lilly, a pleasure sailboat attached to the Surf Hotel of Fire Island, spotted the schooner Carroll on the approach the Fire Island. The Carroll had escaped destruction by paying a $10,000 bond to Commander Wood. Over forty crew and passengers from the six vessels destroyed the previous day were on board. Sixteen passengers climbed aboard the Lilly loaded sixteen passengers and returned to the Surf Hotel where they remained for a short period before heading to New York City by way of rail and steamship. The rest of the displaced crewmen remained on the Carroll and were dropped off at Fort Hamilton. The Tallahassee remained in the New York area for the next couple of days, continuing to capture and destroy vessels. Tallahassee eventually made its way to Halifax, Nova Scotia where coal was refilled. With Union ships in pursuit, John Taylor Wood headed back to Wilmington, NC. Upon his return on August 26th, he became a hero to Southerners."

The Second Battle of Deep Bottom, Aug. 14-20, was fought by the Federal II and X Corps 28,000 bluecoats, to 8,500 and 20,000 Confederates under Gen. Robert E. Lee and Maj. Gen. Charles Field. The Federals were trying to break through Confederate defenses to Richmond,  the capital of the Confederacy. The Yankees failed in a major assault on August 16 but Confederate generals John R. Chambliss and Victor Girardey were killed in the action. The Federals made a temporary breakthrough but they were thrown back by a counterattack led by General Field. The Northerners lost a total of 2,899 casualties, including 327 killed, 1,851 wounded, and 721 missing or captures. The Confederates lost a total of 1,500 men, including 200 killed, 900 wounded, and 400 missing or captured. The Federal siege continued.

Lt. Horatio J. David, Co. B., 16th Ga. Inf.

He was wounded in the Second Battle of Deep

Bottom and lost sight in one of his eyes.

(Liljenquist Collection/Library of Congress)

Confederate General Birthdays, Aug. 16.

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