American Civil War Game Club (ACWGC)

September 28, 1863 Monday
President Davis told Gen Bragg of the reported Federal movement of two corps and other troops to reinforce Rosecrans. Maj Gen Alexander McDowell McCook and T.L. Crittenden were relieved of their corps commands and ordered to Indianapolis for a court of inquiry into the conduct of the Battle of Chickamauga. A minor bombardment of Fort Sumter, with about a hundred Federal shots fired, lasted for six days, until Oct 3. Skirmishing developed at Buell’s Ford and Jonesborough, Tennessee. James Byron Gordon, CSA; Thomas Lafayette Rosser, CSA; and Pierce Manning Butler Young, CSA; were appointed to Brigadier General.

_________________
Gen Ned Simms
2/XVI Corps/AotT
Blood 'n Guts hisself, a land lovin' pirate. Show me some arty tubes and we'll charge 'em.
VMI Class of '00

September 29, 1863 Tuesday
Military action was limited to an expedition lasting for a month from Pilot Knob to Oregon County, Missouri; and Leesburg, Tennessee. President Lincoln told the Sons of Temperance, “I think that the reasonable men of the world have long since agreed that intemperance is one of the greatest, if not the very greatest of all evils amongst mankind.”

U.S.S. Lafayette, commanded by Lieutenant Commander J. P. Foster, and U.S.S. Kenwood, commanded by Acting Master John Swaney, arrived at Morganza, Louisiana, on Bayou Fordoche to support troops under Major General Napoleon J. T. Dana ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Napoleon_J.T._Dana ). More than 400 Union troops had been captured in an engagement with Confederates under Brigadier General Thomas Green ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Green_(general) ). Foster noted, "the arrival of the gunboats was hailed . . . with perfect delight." Next day, the presence of the ships, he added, "no doubt . . . deterred [the Confederates] from attacking General Dana in his position at Morganza as they had about four brigades to do it with, while our forces did not amount to more than 1,500." Foster ordered gunboats to cover the Army and prevent a renewal of the action.

_________________
Gen Ned Simms
2/XVI Corps/AotT
Blood 'n Guts hisself, a land lovin' pirate. Show me some arty tubes and we'll charge 'em.
VMI Class of '00

September 30, 1863 Wednesday
From this day to Oct 17 Confederate cavalry under Maj Gen Joseph Wheeler ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Wheeler ) raided communications of Rosecrans’ Army of the Cumberland. The raid opened with a skirmish at Cotton Port Ford, Tennessee. Skirmishing at Neersville and Woodville and destruction of Confederate salt works at Back Bay, Virginia also marked the day. Mild bombardment of Fort Sumter continued in Charleston Harbor. Joseph Horace Lewis, CSA, and James Argyle Smith, CSA, were appointed to Brigadier General.

U.S.S. Rosalie, commanded by Acting Master Peter F. Coffin, seized British schooner Director attempting to run the blockade at Sanibel River, Florida, with cargo of salt and rum.

_________________
Gen Ned Simms
2/XVI Corps/AotT
Blood 'n Guts hisself, a land lovin' pirate. Show me some arty tubes and we'll charge 'em.
VMI Class of '00

October 1, 1863 Thursday
In Virginia investigations and skirmishing occurred near Culpeper Court House, Auburn, and Lewisville. Elsewhere, fighting broke out at Elizabethtown, Arkansas and near Harper’s Ferry, West Virginia. In cavalry operations around Chattanooga, Wheeler’s Confederate forces fought at Mountain Gap near Smith’s Cross Roads, and also captured a large Federal wagon train. From Nashville President Lincoln was informed that all the Eleventh Corps and part of the Twelfth Corps en route to Chattanooga area had passed through the Tennessee capital. The President advised Gen John M Schofield, in command in Missouri: “Your immediate duty, in regard to Missouri, now is to advance the efficiency of that establishment, and to so use it, as far as practicable, to compel the excited people there to leave one another alone.”

_________________
Gen Ned Simms
2/XVI Corps/AotT
Blood 'n Guts hisself, a land lovin' pirate. Show me some arty tubes and we'll charge 'em.
VMI Class of '00

October 2, 1863 Friday
As Federal troops arrived at Bridgeport, Alabama from the Army of the Potomac, a skirmish flared near besieged Chattanooga. Fighting also erupted at Pitt’s Cross Roads in the Sequatchie Valley, Anderson’s Cross Roads, Valley Road near Jasper, and near Dunlap, Tennessee, all part of Wheeler’s annoying Confederate cavalry raid. Within a few days about 20,000 men and 3000 horses and mules under Hooker had arrived at Bridgeport, having traveled 1159 miles in seven to nine days. Nevertheless, the pressure increased as Rosecrans’ food supplies dwindled. Confederates controlled the Tennessee River to the city, all roads on the south side, and the important road to Bridgeport north of the river. The only open road was a mountainous trail over Walden’s Ridge and through Sequatchie Valley.

Elsewhere, fighting was limited to skirmishes at Carthage, Missouri; Greeneville, Tennessee; and Vance’s Store in Arkansas.

The Augusta, Georgia Constitutionalist defined a major problem of the Confederate citizen of Mississippi and elsewhere: “If he takes refuge further East, he is censured for leaving home; and if he remains home to raise another crop in the Confederate lines, as soon as the Union enemy again presses forward, his supplies will once more be taken by the Confederate cavalry, and his cotton committed to the flames again!”

_________________
Gen Ned Simms
2/XVI Corps/AotT
Blood 'n Guts hisself, a land lovin' pirate. Show me some arty tubes and we'll charge 'em.
VMI Class of '00

October 3, 1863 Saturday
On the Gulf Coast near New Orleans, Gen Banks attempted once more to gain a foothold in Texas following the failure at Sabine Pass. This time Maj Gen William B Franklin’s troops moved westward from Berwick Bay and New Iberia, Louisiana in what was known as the Bayou Teche Campaign. The campaign lasted well into November but failed to reach the Sabine.

The six-day secondary bombardment of Fort Sumter from Morris Island ended after 560 shot. Confederate batteries on James and Sullivan’s islands responded irregularly to the Federal fire. Wheeler’s Confederate cavalry fought Federals in the Chattanooga area at McMinnville, and at Hill’s Gap near Beersheba, Tennessee. Elsewhere, fighting took place at Bear Creek, Tennessee; Forked Deer Creek, Mississippi; and Lewinsville, Virginia. Federal operations in Bates and Vernon counties, Missouri lasted four days. The Federal War Department ordered enlistment of Negro troops in the slave states of Maryland, Missouri, and Tennessee.

President Lincoln issued a proclamation of thanksgiving, calling for observance on the last Thursday of November in gratitude for the blessings of the past year and “in humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience….” President Davis, writing Gen Bragg, tried to smooth over the acrimonious controversy that had risen once more between Bragg and Gen Polk over Polk’s actions at Chickamauga. Davis told Bragg, “The opposition to you both in the army and out of it has been a public calamity in so far that it impairs your capacity for usefulness….”

_________________
Gen Ned Simms
2/XVI Corps/AotT
Blood 'n Guts hisself, a land lovin' pirate. Show me some arty tubes and we'll charge 'em.
VMI Class of '00

October 4, 1863 Sunday
The Confederate cavalry invasion of Maryland, led by Jo Shelby, pressed northward from the southwestern part of the state. There was action at Neosho and skirmishing at Widow Wheeler’s, Oregon or Bowers’ Mill, Missouri. Wheeler’s Confederate cavalry, having taken McMinnville, Tennessee, skirmished nearby. In the Federal Bayou Teche operations an affair occurred at Nelson’s Bridge near New Iberia, Louisiana. In Virginia a six-day Federal expedition moved from Yorktown into Matthews County; in west Tennessee and northern Mississippi Confederate cavalry under J.R. Chalmers ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J.R._Chalmers ) operated until Oct 17. President Lincoln told Gen Rosecrans at Chattanooga, “If we can hold Chattanooga and East Tennessee, I think the rebellion must dwindle and die. I think you and Burnside can do this….” He further suggested harassing or attacking Bragg’s besieging Confederate army. Mark Perrin Lowrey, CSA, was appointed to Brigadier General.

_________________
Gen Ned Simms
2/XVI Corps/AotT
Blood 'n Guts hisself, a land lovin' pirate. Show me some arty tubes and we'll charge 'em.
VMI Class of '00

October 5, 1863 Monday
At ten o’clock on a hazy night, a cigar-shaped, steam-driven vessel, barely visible above the waterline, moved out of Charleston Harbor toward the formidable Federal fleet. C.S.S. David ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CSS_David ), commanded by Lieutenant Glassell, exploded a torpedo against U.S.S. New Ironsides ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_New_Ironsides_(1862) ), commanded by Captain Rowan, in Charleston harbor but did not destroy the heavy warship. Mounting a torpedo containing some 60 pounds of powder on a 10-foot spar fixed to her bow, the 50-foot David stood out from Charleston early in the evening. Riding low in the water, the torpedo boat made her way down the main ship channel and was close aboard her quarry before being sighted and hailed. Almost at once a volley of small arms fire was centered on her as she steamed at full speed at New Ironsides, plunging the torpedo against the Union ship's starboard quarter and "shaking the vessel and throwing up an immense column of water. . . ." As the water fell, it put out the fires in David's boilers and nearly swamped her; the torpedo boat came to rest alongside New Ironsides. Believing the torpedo boat doomed, Lieutenant Glassell and Seaman James Sullivan abandoned ship and were subsequently picked up by the blockading fleet. However, Engineer Tomb at length succeeded in relighting David's fires and, with pilot Walker Cannon, who had remained on board because he could not swim, took her back to Charleston. Though David did not succeed in sinking New Ironsides, the explosion was a "severe blow" which eventually forced the Union ship to leave the blockade for repairs.

Citizens and soldiers of Federally occupied Nashville were alarmed. Confederate cavalry under Joe Wheeler skirmished near Readyville, Tennessee and then destroyed an important railroad bridge over Stone’s River near Murfreesboro, temporarily breaking the vital supply line to troops near Chattanooga. Other Confederate raiders under Jo Shelby fought Federals at Stockton and Greenfield, Missouri. Still a third raider, James Ronald Chalmers, was active for the South in fighting at New Albany, Mississippi. Additional skirmishing took place at Syracuse, Missouri; Greenwell Springs Road, Louisiana; and Blue Springs in east Tennessee. More troops moved from Memphis toward Chattanooga to help Rosecrans’ beleaguered army. President Lincoln told a group of Missouri dissidents that he would not fire Gen Schofield from command in St Louis and added that “I hold whoever commands in Missouri, or elsewhere, responsible to me, and not to either radicals or conservatives.” British blockade runner Concordia was destroyed by her crew at Calcasieu Pass, Louisiana, to prevent her capture by boats from U.S.S. Granite City, commanded by Acting Master Lamson.

_________________
Gen Ned Simms
2/XVI Corps/AotT
Blood 'n Guts hisself, a land lovin' pirate. Show me some arty tubes and we'll charge 'em.
VMI Class of '00

October 6, 1863 Tuesday
Wheeler’s Confederate cavalry continued to cause trouble in Tennessee, this time with skirmishing at Christiana, Readyville, Wartrace, and Garrison’s Creek near Fosterville. Chalmer’s Confederate cavalry fought at Lockhart’s Mill on the Coldwater River, Mississippi. Shelby’s men were engaged at Humansville, Missouri. Additional fighting broke out in the East Tennessee Campaign at Glasgow, Kentucky and Morgan County, Tennessee. Other action occurred in Arkansas at Waldron; in Kansas at Baxter Springs; and near Catlett’s Station, Virginia. U.S.S. Beauregard, commanded by Acting Master Burgess, captured sloop Last Trial at Key West with cargo of salt. U.S.S. Virginia, commanded by Lieutenant C. H. Brown, seized British blockade runner Jenny off the coast of Texas with cargo of cotton.

President Davis left Richmond on a trip to South Carolina, including threatened Charleston, to north Georgia, and to Bragg’s army besieging Chattanooga. Davis hoped “to be serviceable in harmonizing some of the difficulties” in Bragg’s command.

_________________
Gen Ned Simms
2/XVI Corps/AotT
Blood 'n Guts hisself, a land lovin' pirate. Show me some arty tubes and we'll charge 'em.
VMI Class of '00

October 7, 1863 Wednesday
Federal signalmen observed unusual movement in the Confederate army along the Rapidan River; something was about to happen. Skirmishing flared at Hazel River, and at Utz’s and Mitchell’s fords, Virginia. Still the Confederate raiders were active in the West, Wheeler at Farmington, Blue Springs, and Sim’s Farm near Shelbyville, Tennessee; Shelby near Warsaw, Missouri. Other action was seen at Evening Shade and Ferry’s Ford, Arkansas; in the Choctaw Nation, Indian Territory; and at Charles Town and Summit Point, West Virginia. Federals scouted in the Spring River country of Arkansas until the tenth. A Union expedition from Sedalia to Marshall, Missouri lasted until the seventeenth. U.S. Navy men burned two steamers on the Red River. President Lincoln asked Gov Andrew Johnson of Tennessee, “What news have you from Rosecrans’ Army….?”

Boat crew from U.S.S. Cayuga, commanded by Lieutenant Commander Dana, boarded and destroyed blockade runner Pushmataha which had been chased ashore and abandoned off Calcasieu River, Louisiana. Pushmataha carried a cargo of a ram, claret, and gunpowder, and had been set on fire by her crew. "One of a number of kegs of powder had been opened," reported Dana, "and a match, which was inserted in the hole, was on fire; this was taken out and, with the keg, thrown overboard by Thomas Morton, ordinary seaman"--an unsung act of heroism. Dana chased ashore another schooner carrying gunpowder which was blown up before she could be boarded.

_________________
Gen Ned Simms
2/XVI Corps/AotT
Blood 'n Guts hisself, a land lovin' pirate. Show me some arty tubes and we'll charge 'em.
VMI Class of '00

October 8, 1863 Thursday
A quiet day, but fighting broke out near James City and along Robertson’s River, Virginia and near Chattanooga. In the East Tennessee Campaign there was a Federal reconnaissance to Olympian Springs, Kentucky. Leroy Augustus Stafford, CSA, was appointed to Brigadier General.

_________________
Gen Ned Simms
2/XVI Corps/AotT
Blood 'n Guts hisself, a land lovin' pirate. Show me some arty tubes and we'll charge 'em.
VMI Class of '00

October 9, 1863 Friday
Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia was on the move. After crossing the Rapidan, the Confederate troops moved west and northward once more, attempting to turn Meade’s right flank and head toward Washington. Meade’s army had suspected a major move for several days and now it was under way. Lee in initiating the Bristoe Campaign ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bristoe_Campaign ) was trying both to take advantage of the Federal reduction in force caused by sending troops west, and to prevent any more such movement. However, the Army of the Potomac still greatly outnumbered the Confederates. Action in Virginia included a skirmish near James City and a five-day Federal expedition to Chesnessex Creek. Down in the Teche country of Louisiana troops fought at Vermillion Bayou; in Missouri Shelby’s raiders skirmished near Cole Camp; in the East Tennessee Campaign fighting broke out at Cleveland, and skirmishing at Elk River, near Cowan, and at Sugar Creek. Wheeler’s Confederate raiders concluded their operations against Federal communications between Nashville and Chattanooga by recrossing the Tennessee River at Muscle Shoals, Alabama. C.S.S. Georgia, commanded by Lieutenant W. L. Maury, captured and burned ship Bold Hunter off the coast of French West Africa. She had been bound for Calcutta with cargo of coal.

President Davis had arrived in Atlanta Oct 8 and this day proceeded northward through Marietta toward Bragg’s army. At Atlanta and Marietta Davis praised Georgia’s war effort, eulogizing the patriotism of the troops. He was greeted by cheers.

_________________
Gen Ned Simms
2/XVI Corps/AotT
Blood 'n Guts hisself, a land lovin' pirate. Show me some arty tubes and we'll charge 'em.
VMI Class of '00

October 10, 1863 Saturday
Extensive skirmishing broke out in the Rapidan River area of Virginia as Federals probed to find the meaning of Lee’s advance northward. Fighting took place at Russell’s Ford on Robertson’s River, Bethesda Church, James City, and Raccoon, Germanna, and Morton’s fords. Once more President Lincoln wired his commander Meade the familiar words, “How is it now?” Meade thought Lee would move into the Shenandoah Valley. Then, on the morning of the eleventh, Meade told President Lincoln he was falling back to the Rappahannock River: “The enemy are either moving to my right and rear or moving down on my flank.” Actually they were moving by the Federal right flank, seeking to get behind the Army of the Potomac.

Shelby’s Confederates were active again in Missouri, with fighting at Tipton, Syracuse, and La Mine Bridge. Elsewhere action occurred at Tulip, Arkansas; Ingraham’s Plantation near Port Gibson, Mississippi; and, in the East Tennessee Campaign, at Blue Springs and Sweet Water, Tennessee and Salyersville, Kentucky. Three Federal expeditions operated for several days: from New Berne to Elizabeth City and Edenton, North Carolina; from Memphis to Hernando, Mississippi; and from Gallatin to Carthage, Tennessee. Major General Gordon Granger ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gordon_Granger ), USA, assumes command of the 4th Army Corps, Federal Army of the Tennessee, consolidated from the 20th Army Corps and the 21st Army Corps. U.S.S. Samuel Rotan, commanded by Acting Lieutenant Kennison seized a large yawl off Horn Harbor, Virginia, with cargo including salt.

President Davis, with Bragg’s army in north Georgia, surveyed the military scene and tried to establish harmony among the dissident generals.

_________________
Gen Ned Simms
2/XVI Corps/AotT
Blood 'n Guts hisself, a land lovin' pirate. Show me some arty tubes and we'll charge 'em.
VMI Class of '00

October 11, 1863 Sunday
Heavy skirmishing continued between the Rapidan and Rappahannock rivers in Virginia as Lee’s army gained momentum in its newest move northward. Fighting erupted near Culpeper Court House, Griffinsburg, Brandy Station, Morton’s Ford, Stevensburg, near Kelly’s Ford, and near Warrenton or Sulphur Springs.

In the West Shelby’s Confederates captured Boonville, Missouri on the Missouri River. Other action included fighting near Fayetteville, Arkansas and at Brazil Creek, Choctaw Nation, Indian Territory. In Tennessee Chalmers’ Confederate cavalry fought at Collierville, and in east Tennessee skirmishes broke out at Henderson’s Mill and Rheatown.

U.S.S. Nansemond, commanded by Lieutenant Roswell H. Lamson, chased ashore and destroyed at night steamer Douro near New Inlet, North Carolina. She had a cargo of cotton, tobacco, turpentine, and rosin. Douro had been captured previously on 9 March 1863 by U.S.S. Quaker City, but after being condemned she was sold and turned up again as a blockade runner. Noting this, Commander Almy, senior officer at New Inlet, wrote: "She now lies a perfect wreck . . . and past ever being bought and sold again."

U.S.S. Union, commanded by Acting Lieutenant Conroy, seized steamer Spaulding at sea cast of St. Andrew's Sound, Georgia. She had run the blockade out of Charleston the previous month with cargo of cotton and was attempting to return from Nassau.

U.S.S. Madgie, commanded by Acting Master Polleys, in tow of U.S.S. Fahkee, commanded by Acting Ensign Francis R. Webb, sank in rough seas off Frying Pan Shoals, North Carolina.

_________________
Gen Ned Simms
2/XVI Corps/AotT
Blood 'n Guts hisself, a land lovin' pirate. Show me some arty tubes and we'll charge 'em.
VMI Class of '00

October 12, 1863 Monday
President Lincoln, for the third time, asked Gen Meade, “What news this morning?” Reports of the Confederate offensive in Virginia circulated widely. Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia was indeed moving west and north of Meade in the general direction of Manassas and Washington. Skirmishing flared at Jeffersonton and Gaines’ Cross Roads, Brandy Station or Fleetwood, Hartwood Church, and near Warrenton Springs in Meade’s rear.

Raids continued in the West: Wheeler fought at Buckhorn Tavern near New Market, Alabama; Shelby at Merrill’s Crossing and Dug Ford near Jonesborough, Missouri; and Chalmers near Byhalia, Quinn, and Jackson’s Mill, Mississippi. Skirmishes took place at West Liberty, Kentucky, part of the east Tennessee campaigning; at Webber’s Falls, Indian Territory; and at Tulip, Arkansas. Troops operated against outlaws from Fort Garland, Colorado Territory for several days. U.S.S. Kanawha, commanded by Lieutenant Commander Mayo, and U.S.S. Eugenie, commanded by Lieutenant Henry W. Miller, attempted to destroy a steamer aground under the guns of Fort Morgan in Mobile Bay and were taken under fire by the fort. Kanawha was damaged during the engagement.

President Lincoln wrote Gen Rosecrans at Chattanooga that he and Burnside in east Tennessee now had the enemy “by the throat.”

_________________
Gen Ned Simms
2/XVI Corps/AotT
Blood 'n Guts hisself, a land lovin' pirate. Show me some arty tubes and we'll charge 'em.
VMI Class of '00