American Civil War Game Club (ACWGC)

December 27, 1863 Sunday
President Lincoln and Sec of War Stanton visited Confederate prisoners at Point Lookout, Maryland ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Point_Look ... #Civil_War and http://www.plpow.com/PrisonHistory.htm ). Gen Joseph E. Johnston assumed command of the Department of Tennessee at Dalton, Georgia. Skirmishing occurred at Huntington, Collierville, Grisson’s Bridge, Moscow, and Talbott’s Station, all in Tennessee. In North Carolina a Federal expedition operated from Newport Barracks to Young’s Cross Roads, Swansborough, and Jackson.

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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

December 28, 1863 Monday
Confederate congressional acts abolished substitution for military service and authorized changes in the tax in kind. Other methods of increasing manpower for the Army were under consideration. Skirmishing broke out at Charleston and Calhoun, Tennessee; John’s Island, South Carolina; Moorefield, West Virginia; and Mount Pleasant, Mississippi. Federal troops operated for a number of days from Vienna to Hopewell Gap, Virginia and from Nashville, Tennessee to Creelsborough, Kentucky in efforts to keep down activities of Confederate guerrillas.

_________________
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

December 29, 1863 Tuesday
Skirmishing increased, with fighting at Waldron, Arkansas; on Matagorda Peninsula, Texas; at Coldwater, Mississippi; and in Tennessee at Mossy Creek, Talbott’s Station, Cleveland, and La Vergne. Major General Winfield Scott Hancock ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winfield_Scott_Hancock ), USA, resumes command of the 2nd Army Corps, Federal Army of the Potomac.

Under Captain Green, U.S.S. Nipsic, Sanford, Geranium, Daffodil, and Ethan Allen departed Morris Island for Murrell's Inlet to destroy a schooner readying to run the blockade and disperse Confederate troops that had been harassing Union gunboats. The force arrived at an anchorage some 15 miles from Murrell's Inlet the following day, rendezvousing with U.S.S. George Mangham. Preparations for landing commenced immediately, but debarkation was delayed by heavy seas. With surprise lost, part of the purpose of the landing was frustrated. However, on 1 January, U.S.S. Nipsic, Commander James H. Spotts, landed sailors and Marines at Murrell's Inlet and succeeded in destroying the blockade runner with cargo of turpentine. The ships then returned to Charleston.

Boat crews from U.S.S. Stars and Stripes, commanded by Acting Master Willcomb, destroyed blockade running schooner Caroline Gertrude, aground on a bar at the mouth of Ocklockonee River, Florida. Attempting to salvage the schooner's cargo of cotton, the Union sailors were taken under heavy fire by Confederate cavalry ashore and returned to their ship after setting the blockade runner ablaze.

_________________
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

December 30, 1863 Wednesday
There were skirmishes near St Augustine, Florida and Greenville, North Carolina. Gov Z. B. Vance of North Carolina wrote President Davis of the discontent in his state: “I have concluded that it will be perhaps impossible to remove it, except by making some effort at negotiation with the enemy.” Expedition under command of Acting Ensign Norman McLeod from U.S.S. Pursuit, destroyed two salt works at the head of St. Joseph's Bay, Florida.

_________________
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

December 31, 1863 Thursday
For the last day of 1863 a skirmish in Searcy County, Arkansas was the only recorded fighting. The Richmond Examiner reflected the opinion of many Confederates when it said, “To-day closes the gloomiest year of our struggle.” Spring had seen Confederate successes in Virginia, but the Battle of Gettysburg, the loss of the Mississippi Valley, the Federal occupation of Chattanooga had disillusioned many. President Davis nominated Confederate Sen George Davis of North Carolina as attorney general, succeeding Wade Keyes, ad interim appointee. U.S.S. Kennebec, commanded by Lieutenant Commander McCann, captured blockade runner Grey Jacket, bound from Mobile to Havana, with cargo of cotton, rosin, and turpentine.

_________________
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

The rest of 1863 has been included due to my unavailability for the remainder of the year. They are posted separately so that you can continue to read them daily or all at once. The 1864 thread will be started a couple of days late.

_________________
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