Click 👉TODAY IN HISTORY (general history) April 26.
ON THIS DAY IN CONFEDERATE HISTORY, April 26.
1862: New Orleans Defiant: At New Orleans, Federal warships, with the guns of the fleet intimidating the helpless citizens of the city, are still waiting for surrender from the local authorities. Captain Henry W. Morris orders Marines from the USS Pensacola to go ashore and raise the U.S. flag over the former U.S. Mint building in the city. The Marines carry out the orders to the disgust of local citizens. But William Bruce Mumford and six other men take it down and raise the Louisiana State Flag over the building.
Confederate Fort Macon, North Carolina surrendered to the Federals after a month-long siege. The small garrison, under Colonel Moses White, suffered 8 killed, 16 wounded, and 400 captured. The Federals lost 2 killed, wounded, and 8 captured.
1863: Confederate raiders under Brig. Gen. John Marmaduke fights the Battle of Cape Girardeau, Mo. against the Federal garrison under Brig. Gen. John McNeil. The Confederates attack the strong fortifications there, but each attack is driven back. Confederate casualties total 325 when the Federals have 12.
1864: Red River Campaign: The Federal fleet on the Red River in Louisiana suffers several setbacks on this day. Unable to free the grounded USS Eastport, a powerful gunboat, the Federals blow it up. The Confederates forces then ambushed vessels involved in the failed salvage attempt, the gunboat Cricket, the steam pump boat Champion No. 5, and two transport vessels. The Confederate forces included a four-gun battery commanded by Captain Florian Cornay supported by 200 infantrymen of the 28th Louisiana Infantry of Mouton's brigade. Set up near the mouth of the Cane River, the Confederates opened fire and shelled and riddled the Cricket being hit 38 times. But it makes it by the ambush safely. However, Champion No. 5. and two transports are sunk. Tragically, on Champion No. 5, 175 African American laborers died when its boiler exploded. The Federals also lost about 100 crewmen killed on the various vessels and about as many captured. The Confederates lost only one man, Captain Cornay, who was killed in action.
1865: General Joseph E. Johnston's Army of Tennessee surrendered to Sherman in North Carolina. The Confederates still have other armies in the field further west.
CONFEDERATE GENERAL BIRTHDAYS, April 26.
Major General Ambrose Ransom Wright was born on this day in 1826 in Louisville, Georgia. A prewar lawyer and politician, Wright failed in runs for the Georgia legislature and U.S. Congress. However, he was successful at becoming a presidential elector for Millard Fillmore in 1856. Wright was a supporter of the Bell-Everett ticket in the 1860 presidential election. In the War for Southern Independence, he served as colonel of the 3rd Georgia Infantry and was promoted to brigadier general. He received his promotion to major general on Nov. 26, 1862. His battles included South Mills, Seven Pines, the Seven Days Battles, Sharpsburg (wounded), Chancellorsville, and Gettysburg. When he was promoted to major general he was given a command in Georgia. Following the war, he became a newspaper publisher and was defeated in a run for the U.S. Senate. However, Wright was elected to a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives but died before he could be seated. Wright died Dec. 21, 1872, and was buried at Magnolia Cemetery in Augusta, Ga.
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