American Civil War Game Club (ACWGC)

June 15, 1863 Monday
About 1 A.M. Milroy began to withdraw his Federal garrison from Winchester. But his route had been effectively stopped by Edward Johnson’s division of Ewell’s corps at Stephenson’s Depot, about four miles north of Winchester. After a sharp fight some Federal units managed to escape toward Harper’s Ferry, but the loss was high; 4000 men were reported captured or missing. Federal dead totaled 95, and 348 were wounded. The Confederates also seized 23 guns, 300 loaded wagons, over 300 horses, and large quantities of commissary and quartermasters’ stores. Ewell suffered 47 killed, 219 wounded, and 3 missing for 269. Gen Rodes of Ewell’s corps crossed the Potomac River with three brigades near Williamsport, engaged in minor skirmishing, and sent the cavalry forward toward Chambersburg. Longstreet began moving his corps north and west from Culpeper Court House via Ashby’s and Snicker’s gaps, with Stuart’s cavalry in front. Excitement mounted in Baltimore and elsewhere in Maryland and Pennsylvania as the threat of invasion developed. Hooker told President Lincoln, “it is not in my power to prevent” invasion.

Other fighting included an affair near Trenton, Tennessee; action near Richmond, Louisiana; a two-day Federal expedition near Lebanon, Tennessee; and operations by both sides in northwestern Mississippi which lasted for nearly the rest of the month.

The British House of Lords debated seizures of British ships by U.S. naval vessels. A Federal enrolling officer in Boone County, Indiana was seized by a group of men who held him while women pelted him with eggs. At Pittsburg business was suspended and bars and saloons closed, in alarm over Lee’s invasion.

In Washington President Lincoln reacted to the new threat by calling for 100,000 militia from Pennsylvania, Ohio, Maryland, and West Virginia. The Navy Department dispatched a considerable force to seek out C.S.S. Tacony, commanded by Charles Read, whose raiding along the Atlantic seaboard was causing damage to Union shipping.

C.S.S. Atlanta, Commander Webb, got underway in the early evening and passed over the lower obstructions in the Wilmington River, preparatory to an anticipated attack on the Union forces in Wassaw Sound, Georgia. Webb dropped anchor at 8 p.m. and spent the remainder of the night coaling. The next evening, "about dark," the daring Confederate later reported, "I proceeded down the river to a point of land which would place me in 5 or 6 miles of the monitors, at the same time concealing the ship from their view, ready to move on them at early dawn the next morning."

C.S.S. Tacony, commanded by Lieutenant Read, captured and burned brig Umpire with cargo of sugar and molasses off the Virginia coast (37º40' N., 70º31' W.). Secretary Welles noted in his diary: "None of our vessels have succeeded in capturing the Rebel pirate Tacony which has committed great ravages along the coast."

U.S.S. Juliet, commanded by Acting Lieutenant Shaw, seized steamer Fred Nolte on the White River, Arkansas.

U.S.S. Lackawanna, commanded by Captain Marchand, captured steamer Planter with cargo of cotton in the Gulf of Mexico.

_________________
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

June 16, 1863 Tuesday
As the Confederates began to cross the Potomac River, their army strung out over a large part of Virginia, Hooker moved most of his Army of the Potomac to Fairfax Court House. He now became involved in argument with Halleck in Washington. Hooker wanted to move north of Washington to confront Lee. Halleck wanted Hooker to follow Lee and possibly to relieve Harper’s Ferry, now severely menaced. Hooker wire President Lincoln that he did not have the confidence of Halleck. President Lincoln replied, “You do not lack his confidence in any degree to do you any harm.” Hooker had been reporting directly to President Lincoln, bypassing Halleck. Now, late in the day, President Lincoln told Hooker he was in strict military relation to Halleck and that Halleck would give the orders.

At Harrisburg, Pennsylvania a reporter described the scene as “perfect panic.” “Every woman in the place seemed anxious to leave,” and people loaded down with luggage crowded the trains. At the state Capitol books, papers, paintings, and valuables were packed for evacuation.

In Kentucky skirmishes occurred at Maysville, Mount Carmel, Fox Springs, and Triplett’s Bridge. Other action included a demonstration on Waterloo in west Louisiana; a skirmish in the Jornada del Muerto desert area in New Mexico; a Confederate raid on Union lines at Port Hudson, Louisiana; a skirmish at Quinn’s Mills on the Coldwater in Mississippi; a Federal scout from Memphis to the Hatchie River; and two days of skirmishes near Holly Springs, Mississippi. A Federal expedition against the Sioux Indians in the Dakotas lasted until Sept 13. Opposition to the draft and the war in general caused trouble in Holmes County, Ohio and a Federal expedition from La Grange, Tennessee to Panola, Mississippi operated until June 24.

U.S.S. Circassian, commanded by Acting Lieutenant William B. Eaton, captured blockade running sloop John Wesley off St. Marks, Florida, bound for Havana with cargo of cotton.

C.S.S. Florida, Commander Maffitt, captured ship B. F. Hoxie in West Indian waters. After removing silver bars valued at $105,000, Maffitt burned the prize.

_________________
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

June 17, 1863 Wednesday
In early morning at the mouth of the Wilmington River in Wassaw Sound, Georgia the Confederate ironclad C.S.S. Atlanta, Commander Webb, with wooden steamers Isondiga and Resolute, engaged U.S.S. Weehawken, commanded by Captain J. Rodgers, and U.S.S. Nahant, Commander Downes, in Wassaw Sound. A percussion torpedo was fitted to the ram's bow, "which," Webb wrote, "I knew would do its work to my entire satisfaction, should I but be able to touch the Weehawken. . . ." Atlanta grounded coming into the channel, was gotten off, but repeatedly failed to obey her helm. Weehawken poured five shots from her heavy guns into the Confederate ram, and Nahant moved into attacking position. With two of his gun crews out of action, with two of three pilots severely injured, and with his ship helpless and hard aground, Webb was compelled to surrender. His two wooden escorts had returned upriver without engaging.

Captain Rodgers reported: "The Atlanta was found to have mounted two 6-inch and two 7-inch rifles, the 6-inch broadside., the 7-inch working on a pivot either as broadside or bow and stern guns. There is a large supply of ammunition for these guns and other stores, said to be of great value by some of the officers of the vessel. There were on board at the time of capture, as per muster roll, 21 officers and 124 men, including 28 marines."

As Lee’s movement in Virginia and into Maryland continued, there were skirmishes at Catoctin Creek and Point of Rocks, Maryland. Cavalry units skirmished at Middleburg, Thoroughfare Gap, and Aldie, Virginia.

In the Vicksburg area the siege continued. Federals were constantly annoyed by attacks on transports and other vessels on the Mississippi River, such as one this day near Commerce, Mississippi. In Missouri fighting erupted near Westport and Wellington; in Tennessee at Wartburg near Montgomery. In North Carolina Yankees scouted from Rocky Run to Dover and Core Creek. For five days a Federal expedition operated from Pocahontas, Tennessee toward Pontotoc, Mississippi. Brigadier General Isham Warren Garrott ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isham_Warren_Garrott ), CSA, is killed on a skirmish line while firing a rifle at Federal troops during the Battle of Vicksburg, Mississippi.

Boat expedition under Acting Master Sylvanus Nickerson from U.S.S. Itasca captured blockade runner Miriam at Brazos Santiago, Texas, with cargo of cotton.

_________________
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

June 18, 1863 Thursday
At Vicksburg Gen Grant relieved Maj Gen John A. McClernand ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Alexander_McClernand ) from command of the Thirteenth Army Corps. For a long time McClernand had posed a difficult problem for Grant. He had originally been given permission by Washington to organize and probably command the Vicksburg expedition. Grant thought him insubordinate, self-seeking, and incompetent. The final break came when McClernand issued a congratulatory order to his troops after the assault on Vicksburg, praising his men and casting aspersions on other segments of the army. McClernand could never forget he was a politician. Maj Gen E.O.C. Ord ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Ord ) was appointed to command the corps, creating more peace and cooperation in Grant’s official family. Other action in Mississippi involved skirmishing at Coldwater Bridge and Belmont, and an affair at Birdsong Ferry on the Big Black River.

In Virginia Lee reported that his three corps were continuing their northward advance and that Stuart’s cavalry held the approaches to the Blue Ridge. There was skirmishing near Aldie.

Federals scouted on the Peninsula of Virginia. Skirmishes broke out on Edisto Island, South Carolina; near Rocheport, Missouri; and at Plaquemine, Louisiana. A two-day Union scout operated on the Big and Little Coal rivers of West Virginia.

U.S.S. Tahoma, commanded by Lieutenant Commander A. A. Semmes, captured British blockade runner Harriet near Anclote Keys, Florida; Tahoma chased British blockade runner Mary Jane ashore and destroyed her at Clearwater.

U.S.S. James S. Chambers, commanded by Acting Master L. Nickerson, captured schooner Rebekah off Tampa Bay.

_________________
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

June 19, 1863 Friday
In the east Ewell moved north of the Potomac River toward Pennsylvania while A.P. Hill and Longstreet followed from Virginia. Federal probes toward the passes of the Blue Ridge Mountains, including one at Middleburg, Virginia were beaten off.

Otherwise events fell into the usual pattern of siege at Vicksburg. Nearby, fighting erupted on the Coldwater near Hernando, Mississippi and at Panola, Mississippi. There was Confederate raiding on Bayou Goula, Louisiana; an affair at Lenoir’s Station and skirmishing near Knoxville and at Triune, Tennessee also marked the day. President Lincoln receives news that Rear Adm Foote ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_Hull_Foote ), suffering from incurable disease, is in critical condition. Colonel Ferris Forman, 4th California Infantry, is relieved of command of the District of Southern California and Lieutenant Colonel James F. Curtis, 4th California Infantry, assumes command.

On the Vicksburg siege lines most evenings the sharpshooters ceased firing at dusk. Truces were made, “Johnny Reb and Jonathan Fed had many a set-to to see who could say the funniest things, or who could outwit the other in a trade, which generally ended by a warning cry, ‘going to shoot, Johnny.’”

Mortar schooner U.S.S. Para, commanded by Acting Master Edward G. Furber, captured blockade running schooner Emma off Mosquito Inlet, 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

June 20, 1863 Saturday
West Virginia officially took its place in the Union as the thirty-fifth state by virtue of a presidential proclamation.

A skirmish occurred at Middletown, Maryland; another at Diascund Bridge, Virginia; and one involved Indians near Government Springs, Utah Territory. Federal scouts probed for three days from Waynesville, Missouri. At La Fourche Crossing, Louisiana Federals repulsed Confederate attacks in two days of spirited fighting ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_ ... e_Crossing ). There was an especially heavy six-hour Union bombardment by both army and navy guns at Vicksburg. Supporting the Army, Porter pressed mortars, gunboats, and scows into action front 4 a.m. until 10. The naval force met with no opposition, and the Admiral noted: "The only demonstration made by the rebels from the water front was a brisk fire of heavy guns from the upper batteries on two 12-pounder rifled howitzers that were planted on the Louisiana side by General Ellet's Marine Brigade, which has [sic] much annoyed the enemy for two or three days, and prevented them from getting water." After this extensive bombardment, reports reached Porter that the Southerners were readying boats with which to make a riverborne evacuation of the city. Emphasizing the need for continued vigilance, the Admiral informed his gunboat commanders: "If the rebels start down in their skiffs, the current will drift them to about abreast of the houses where the mortars are laid up, and they will land there. In that case the vessels must push up amidst them, run over them, fire grape and canister and destroy all they can, looking out that they are not boarded."

In Baltimore breastworks were being erected north and west of the city as a precaution against Confederate raids. At Shippensburg, Pennsylvania the owner of the Union Hotel blurred his sign with brown paint.

C.S.S. Alabama, commanded by Captain Semmes, captured bark Conrad from Buenos Aires for New York with cargo of wool. Semmes commissioned her as a cruiser under the name C.S.S. Tuscaloosa and wrote: "Never perhaps was a ship of war fitted out so promptly before. The Conrad was a commissioned ship, with armament, crew, and provisions on board, flying her pennant, and with sailing orders signed, sealed, and delivered, before sunset on the day of her capture."

C.S.S. Tacony, commanded by Lieutenant Read, captured ship Isaac Webb, bound from Liverpool to New York. The prize had some 750 passengers on board and, being unable "to dispose of the passengers, I bonded her for $40,000. The same day, Tacony captured and burned fishing schooner Micawber at sea off the New England coast.

U.S.S. Primrose, commanded by Acting Master Street, captured sloop Richard Vaux off Blakistone Island, Potomac River.

_________________
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

June 21, 1863 Sunday
Relatively heavy skirmishing continued along the fringes of Lee’s advance northward, with action at Upperville, near Gainsville, at Haymarket Thoroughfare Gap, Virginia and at Frederick, Maryland.

In Mississippi fighting erupted at Hudsonville and on Helena Road; in Louisiana at Brashear City; in Tennessee at Powder Springs Gap; and in South Carolina on Dixon’s Island.

At Vicksburg a Confederate major said, “One day is like another in a besieged city – all you hear is the rattle of the Enemy’s guns, with the sharp crack of the rifles of their sharp-shooters going from early dawn to dark and then at night the roaring of the terrible mortars is kept up sometimes all this time.”

C.S.S. Tacony, commanded by Lieutenant Read, captured and burned ship Byzantium, with cargo of coal, and bark Goodspeed, in ballast, off the coast of New England.

U.S.S. Owasco, commanded by Lieutenant Commander Madigan, and U.S.S. Cayuga, commanded by Lieutenant Commander William H. Dana, took sloop Active attempting to run blockade out of Sabine Pass, Texas, with cargo of cotton.

U.S.S. Santiago De Cuba, Commander Robert H. Wyman, seized blockade running British steamer Victory off Palmetto Point, Eleuthera Island, after a long chase; Victory was from Wilmington and carried a cargo of cotton, tobacco, and turpentine.

U.S.S. Florida, Commander Bankhead, captured schooner Hattie off Frying Pan Shoals, North Carolina, with cargo of cotton and naval stores.

_________________
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

June 22, 1863 Monday
In another day of lesser fighting, Confederates continued to move north in Maryland and Virginia, with skirmishes near Aldie and Dover, Virginia and Greencastle, Pennsylvania. Around Vicksburg troops fought again on the Big Black River, at Jones’ Plantation near Birdsong Ferry, and at Hill’s Plantation near Bear Creek. A skirmish occurred at Powell Valley, Tennessee. President Lincoln begins summer residence at Soldiers' Home. Alfred Pleasonton, USA, is appointed to Major General.

C.S.S. Tacony, commanded by Lieutenant Read ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Re ... al_officer) ), captured fishing schooners Florence, Marengo, E. Ann, R. Choate, and Ripple off the New England coast. Read reported: "The Florence being an old vessel I bonded her and placed seventy-five prisoners on her. The other schooners were burned."

U.S.S. Shawsheen, commanded by Acting Master Henry A. Phelon, while on a reconnaissance in Bay River, North Carolina, captured schooner Henry Clay up Spring Creek. An armed boat went up Dimbargon Creek and captured a small schooner carrying turpentine before Shawsheen returned to New Bern.

U.S.S. Itasca, commanded by Lieutenant Commander Robert F. R. Lewis, seized British blockade runner Sea Drift near Matagorda Island, Texas, with cargo including gunpowder, lead, and drugs.

_________________
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

June 23, 1863 Tuesday
From Murfreesboro, Tennessee Federal Maj Gen William S. Rosecrans, after much urging, finally moved toward Gen Braxton Bragg’s Confederates at Tullahoma. Exhorted to take the pressure off Grant at Vicksburg by preventing Confederate reinforcements, Rosecrans conducted the Tullahoma or Middle Tennessee Campaign brilliantly ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tullahoma_Campaign ). Rosecrans outflanked Bragg and finally forced him to fall back behind the Tennessee River by the end of the month. The campaign ended in early July. No major fighting marked the campaign, but a number of skirmishes occurred, including two this day at Rover and Unionville, Tennessee. Now all three major fronts of the war – Virginia, the Mississippi, and middle Tennessee – were active.

Lee believed the Federals were preparing to cross the Potomac River in Virginia, and he was right. Hooker was considering such a move as he groped after the Confederates.

At Brashear City, Louisiana about a thousand Federals surrendered after a Confederate attack ( http://youngsanders.org/youngsandersbrashear.html ). Other fighting included action at Sibley and Papinsville, Missouri; Pawnee Agency, Nebraska Territory; a three-day Union raid on Brookhaven and a skirmish at Rock Creek, near Ellisville, Mississippi; and an affair with Indians at Canon Station, Nevada Territory. June 23-28 a Federal expedition operated from Yorktown, Virginia to the South Anna Bridge, and involved skirmishing. Alfred Napoleon Alexander Duffie, USA, and Alexander Stewart Webb, USA, were appointed to Brigadier General.

C.S.S. Tacony, commanded by Lieutenant Read, captured and burned fishing schooners Ada and Wanderer off the New England coast.

U.S.S. Pursuit, commanded by Lieutenant William P. Randall, took sloop Kate in Indian River, Florida.

U.S.S. Flambeau, commanded by Lieutenant Commander John H. Upshur, seized British schooner Bettie Cratzer, off Murrell's Inlet, South Carolina, bound from New York to Havana and suspected of being a blockade runner.

_________________
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

June 24, 1863 Wednesday
Longstreet’s and A.P. Hill’s corps of the Army of Northern Virginia began crossing the Potomac River in order to join Ewell in Maryland and then invade Pennsylvania ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gettysburg_Campaign ). A skirmish broke out at Sharpsburg, Maryland.

Rosecrans, moving forward in middle Tennessee, fought Bragg’s men at Middleton, near Bradyville, Big Springs Ranch, and Christiana. June 24-26 saw skirmishes at Hoover’s Gap, and June 24-27 at Liberty Gap, Tennessee.

On the third front, the situation inside Vicksburg grew more and more serious; Federal shelling continued and the people suffered from lack of food and other supplies. With reinforcements, the Federal grip became even stronger.

Skirmishes flared at Mound Plantation and near Lake Providence, Louisiana and at Bayou Boeuf Crossing and Chacahoula Station in western Louisiana.

Gen Hooker, at Headquarters of the Army of the Potomac, wrote Washington that he would send a corps or two across the Potomac, make Washington secure, and then strike on Lee’s probably line of retreat. He asked for orders, since, he said, except in relation to his own army, “I don’t know whether I am standing on my head or feet.”

Brigadier General Benjamin Franklin Kelley, USA, assumes command of the newly created Federal Department of West Virginia. Rear Admiral Dahlgren was detached from duty at the Washington Navy Yard and as Chief of the Bureau of Ordnance and ordered to relieve Rear Admiral Du Pont at Port Royal in command of the South Atlantic Blockading Squadron. Originally, the Navy Department ordered Rear Admiral Foote to the Blockading Squadron, but the hero of the western waters suffered a relapse from his long illness occasioned by the wound sustained at Fort Donelson and was unable to accept the command.

C.S.S. Tacony, commanded by Lieutenant Read, captured ship Shatemuc, from Liverpool to Boston with a large number of emigrants on board. Read bonded her for $150,000. Tacony later captured fishing schooner Archer. "As there were now a number of the enemy's gunboats in search of the Tacony," Read wrote, "and our howitzer ammunition being all expended, I concluded to destroy the Tacony, and with the schooner Archer to proceed along the coast with the view of burning the shipping in some exposed harbor, or of cutting out a steamer." Therefore, the next morning Read, applied the torch to the Tacony and stood in for the New England coast with Archer.

U.S.S. Sumpter, commanded by Acting Lieutenant Peter Hays, collided with transport steamer General Meigs in heavy mist near Hampton Roads and sank.

_________________
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

June 25, 1863 Thursday
At 1 A.M. Jeb Stuart left from Salem Depot, Virginia receiving permission from Gen Lee to join the Confederate army north of the Potomac after passing between the Federal army and Washington. It was the beginning of a ride which took his cavalry away from much of the Gettysburg operations and over which controversies rage still. Ewell’s men and Federals skirmished near McConnellsburg, Pennsylvania.

President Davis, deeply disturbed, wrote Bragg at Shelbyville, Tennessee and Beauregard at Charleston, South Carolina for reinforcements for Mississippi: unless Johnston was substantially and promptly reinforced, “the Miss. will be lost.” Johnston still tried to operate in the rear of Grant’s line to relieve Vicksburg. There was a skirmish at Milliken’s Bend, Louisiana near Vicksburg, and a Federal expedition June 25-July 1 from Snyder’s Bluff to Greenville, Mississippi. The mine at Vicksburg, Mississippi, is exploded, but this fails to breach the Confederate defenses sufficiently to make a Federal attack succeed ( http://www.civilwarhome.com/vicksburgmine.htm ).

In middle Tennessee skirmishing erupted at Guy’s Gap and Fosterville, and in Arkansas at Madison. George Washington Custis Lee, CSA, and Walter Chiles Witaker, USA, were appointed to Brigadier General.

C.S.S. Georgia, commanded by Lieutenant W. L. Maury, captured ship Constitution bound from Philadelphia to Shanghai with cargo of coal.

Boats from U.S.S. Crusader, commanded by Acting Master Roland F. Coffin, on a reconnaissance of Pepper Creek, near New Point Comfort, Virginia, to determine if an armed boat was being outfitted for "preying on the commerce of Chesapeake Bay" was fired on by a Confederate party. In retaliation Master Coffin burned several houses in the area one belonging to "a noted rebel and blockade runner named Kerwan."

Lieutenant Commander English, U.S.S. Sagamore, reported the capture of blockade running British schooner Frolic off Crystal River, Florida, with cargo of cotton and turpentine, bound for Havana.

U.S.S. Santiago De Cuba, Commander Wyman, took steamer Britannia off Palmetto Point, Eleuthera Island, with cargo of cotton.

_________________
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

June 26, 1863 Friday
Confederate Gen Early and a portion of his command entered Gettysburg, Pennsylvania in their advance north of the Potomac River. The next day they marched toward York. Federal militia fled after a brief skirmish near Gettysburg and a number were captured. Federal Gen Hooker reported himself on the way to Frederick, Maryland and said he wanted to evacuate Maryland Heights at Harper’s Ferry. Washington appeared to doubt Hooker’s ability to act against the Confederate invasion. Gov Andrew G. Curtin of Pennsylvania called for sixty thousand men to serve three months to repel the invasion.

In the Tullahoma Campaign troops skirmished at Beech Grove, Tennessee ( http://www.southernreader.com/SouthRead13.9.html ); and in West Virginia a skirmish broke out on Loup Creek; at besieged Port Hudson, Confederates captured some Union outposts.

Rear Admiral Andrew H. Foote ( http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/pe ... te_ah.html ), hero of much fighting on Western waters, died in New York City.


Excitement raged on the coast of Maine. Rumors of Confederate raiders off eastern shores had been rife. C.S.S. Archer, commanded by Lieutenant Read, made the Portland, Maine, light. Read picked up two fishermen, "who," he reported, "taking us for a pleasure party, willingly consented to pilot us into Portland." From the fishermen Read learned that revenue cutter Caleb Cushing and a passenger steamer, Chesapeake, "a staunch, swift propeller," were at Portland and would remain there over night. Steamer Forest City was also in Portland and two gunboats were building there. At once Read made a daring plan: he would enter the harbor and at night "quietly seize the cutter and steamer."

At sunset he boldly sailed in, anchoring "in full view of the shipping." Read discussed the plan with his crew and admitted there were difficulties in the scheme. Engineer Eugene H. Brown was doubtful that he could get the engines of the steamer started without the assistance of another engineer, and Read pointed out that "as the nights were very short it was evident that if we failed to get the steamer underway, after waiting to get up steam, we could not get clear of the forts before we were discovered." Read decided to concentrate on capturing the revenue cutter. At 1:30 in the morning, 27 June, Read's crew boarded and took Caleb Cushing, "without noise or resistance." Luck and time were running out on Read's courageous band, however, for, with a light breeze and the tide running in, the cutter was still under the fort's guns at daybreak. By midmorning, when Caleb Cushing was but 20 miles off the harbor, Read saw ,.two large steamers and three tugs . . . coming out of Portland." He cleared for action and fired on the leading steamer, Forest City, as soon as she was in range. After firing five shells from the pivot gun, Read "was mortified to find that all the projectiles for that gun were expended." About to be caught in a crossfire from the steamers and in a defenseless position, Read ordered the cutter destroyed and the men into the lifeboats. "At 11:30 I surrendered myself and crew to the steamer Forest City [First Lieutenant James H. Merryman, USRS]." Read had yet another moment of success: at noon Caleb Cushing blew up.

The U.S. Navy had deployed forty-seven vessels to look for Read, who had captured twenty-one ships in nineteen days. Read had done much of his raiding in Tacony but transferred to a prize, Archer, near the end of his adventures.


President Lincoln commutes six death sentences pending in army. http://quod.lib.umich.edu/cgi/t/text/te ... oln6%3A637 and http://quod.lib.umich.edu/cgi/t/text/te ... oln6%3A638 and http://quod.lib.umich.edu/cgi/t/text/te ... oln6%3A639 and http://quod.lib.umich.edu/cgi/t/text/te ... oln6%3A640 and http://quod.lib.umich.edu/cgi/t/text/te ... oln6%3A641 and http://quod.lib.umich.edu/cgi/t/text/te ... oln6%3A642

_________________
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

June 27, 1863 Saturday
In Washington President Lincoln decided to relieve Maj Gen Hooker and name Maj Gen George Gordon Meade commander of the Army of the Potomac. Meanwhile, the Confederates in Pennsylvania had nearly a free hand. The main forces of Lee, Hill, and Longstreet’s corps, arrived at Chambersburg. Gen Early accepted the surrender of undefended York, Pennsylvania from local officials near the city, as Confederates moved near Harrisburg, the state capital. By this time Hooker was well across the Potomac River at Frederick with three corps at Middletown, one at Knoxville, two at Frederick, and the remaining corps near there. Hooker had advised evacuation of Harper’s Ferry, and if this advice were not taken, he asked to be removed from the command of the Army of the Potomac.

General-in-Chief Halleck sent a message to Gen Meade putting him in command of the Army of the Potomac. He was expected to deal with Lee. Hooker’s argument over Harper’s Ferry appeared to be only the last straw of the case. His removal for failure to win at Chancellorsville and again to stop Lee’s invasion had been urged repeatedly for some time.

In Tennessee there was action at Shelbyville, and skirmishes broke out at Fosterville, Guy’s Gap, and Fairfield. Federals occupied Manchester, as part of Rosecrans’ campaign against Bragg. Stuart’s cavalry skirmished near Fairfax Court House, Virginia. Minor action occurred at Carthage, Missouri. Brigadier General Martin Edwin Green ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_E._Green ), CSA, is killed instantly by a shot through the head by a Federal sharpshooter while scanning Union position's at Vicksburg, Mississippi.

C.S.S. Florida, commanded by Lieutenant Maffitt, seized and bonded whaling schooner V. H. Hill en route to Bermuda.

Commander A. G. Clary, U.S.S. Tioga, reported the capture of blockade running British schooner Julia off the Bahamas with cargo of cotton.

_________________
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

June 28, 1863 Sunday
At 7 A.M. at Frederick, Maryland Maj Gen George Gordon Meade received Halleck’s orders placing him in command of the Army of the Potomac. Meade wrote that it was unexpected and that he was in ignorance of the “exact condition of the troops and the position of the enemy,” but he would move toward the Susquehanna River, cover Washington and Baltimore, and give battle. Washington concurred. The Federals had over 100,000 men in and around Frederick. Scattered fighting erupted between Offutt’s Cross Roads and Seneca, and near Rockville, Maryland; and at Fountain Dale and Wrightsville, Pennsylvania. Lee, planning a drive on Harrisburg, learned the Federals were north of the Potomac River. Lee then changed his plans and ordered Longstreet, Hill, and Ewell to march toward Gettysburg and Cashtown. Early entered York, Pennsylvania, requisitioned shoes, other clothing, rations, and $100,000. He got some of the supplies and $28,600. Meanwhile, part of Early’s men fought with militia near Wrightsville and Columbia.

In the Middle Tennessee or Tullahoma Campaign there was skirmishing at Rover, Tennessee. Other fighting broke out at Russellville, Kentucky and near Nichol’s Mills, North Carolina. Confederates attacked Donaldsonville, Louisiana and were repulsed with the aid of gunboats ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Bat ... ldsonville ). On the Mississippi River at Vicksburg and at Port Hudson the sieges ground on. Brigadier General Benjamin F. Kelley ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benjamin_Franklin_Kelley ), USA, assumes command of the Department of West Virginia.

C.S.S. Georgia ( http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/sh-u ... eorgia.htm ), commanded by Lieutenant W. L. Maury, captured ship City of Bath off Brazil.

Armed boats from U.S.S. Fort Henry, commanded by Lieutenant Commander McCauley, captured schooner Anna Maria in Steinhatchee River, Florida, with cargo of cotton.

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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

June 29, 1863 Monday
Meade’s new command moved rapidly forward in Maryland and by evening the Federals had their left at Emmitsburg and their right at New Windsor. John Buford’s ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Buford ) cavalry had his advance at Gettysburg. Judson Kilpatrick’s ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Judson_Kilpatrick ) cavalry had contacted Stuart’s Confederates on the right flank of the Federals. Stuart, now well north of the Potomac River, was ranging far and wide. Both armies were heading in the general direction of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. Skirmishing broke out at McConnellsburg, Pennsylvania and Westminster and Muddy Branch, Maryland.

Meanwhile, there was considerable fighting near Tullahoma, Hillsborough, Decherd, and Lexington, Tennessee as part of Rosecrans’ Tullahoma Campaign. Skirmishes flared at Mound Plantation, Louisiana; Columbia and Creelsborough, Kentucky; Messinger’s Ferry on the Big Black River in Mississippi; and around Beverly, West Virginia. President Lincoln and Sec Stanton agree to plan of Asst Sec Fox for Rear Adm Foote and task force commanded by Gen Dix to attempt the capture of Richmond. Gen Halleck vetoes the plan. President Lincoln approves the arrest of Gen Milroy for the loss of his division at Winchester, Virginia. George Armstrong Custer, USA, and Elon John Farnsworth, USA, and Wesley Merritt, USA, were appointed to Brigadier General.

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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