Chronological History of the American Civil War

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Carolina, the bombardment of Fort Anderson (CSA) continues, and that night, the Confederates evacuate the fort and set up a defensive line at Town Creek, near Wilmington, and the Cape Fear River. Union forces complete their destruction of Columbia and begin their journey toward Goldsboro, North Carolina. A Union expeditionary force skirmishes with Rebels near Tuscumbia, Alabama. Monday, February 20, 1865 : The Confederate House of Representatives approves, the use of slaves as soldiers. Wilmington, North Carolina is the last port that the Confederates possesses, is under heavy bombardment by Union forces. The Confederate attack, on Fort Myers, Florida is repulsed. Tuesday, February 21, 1865 : The Confederate Senate postpones, its examination of the bill to make slaves soldiers. Lee plans to move his men to Burkeville, Virginia, if they are forced to evacuate Richmond. Lieut. General Jubal A. Early’s (CSA) Partisan Rangers, under Capt. Jesse McNeill (CSA) sweeps into the well fortified town, of Cumberland, Maryland, capturing Major General George Crook (U.S.) and Bvt. Major General Benjamin F. Kelley (U.S.). They are taken to Richmond, but eventually will be paroled. 4,000 Confederates leave Knoxville are reported to be on a raid headed for the Virginia and Tennessee railroad, but are now fighting at Greeneville, Tennessee. During the night. General Braxton Bragg (CSA) orders the evacuation of Wilmington, North Carolina. The Confederates destroy all that they cannot take with them, burning cotton, tobacco, and government stores. Wednesday, February 22, 1865 : Following a bombardment by gunboats under the command of Rear Admiral David Porter, William T. Sherman (U.S.) captures Wilmington, North Carolina, the last major seaport of the Confederacy. There is a skirmish near Camden, South Carolina, as Major General William T. Sherman (U.S.) continues, marching northward. General Robert E. Lee (CSA) appoints Joe Johnston (CSA) as commander, of the only other effective fighting force in what remains of the Confederate States of America, in North Carolina. In Tennessee, voters approve a new constitution, including the abolition of slavery. [Note that the 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution will not be enacted until December 6, 1865 almost a year later, because it needed a 3/4 majority vote of all the states.] Kentucky votes down the Thirteenth Amendment. (Kentucky was a Northern slave holding state, if they believed slavery was ok, then why did they not do more to support the South and their cause? They apparently wanted to keep slavery, but were just not willing to fight for it). Thursday, February 23, 1865 : Federal scouts from Salem and Licking, Missouri continue to punish the rebellious guerrillas with skirmishes, as the Yankees make their way to Spring River Mills, Arkansas. A Federal expedition from Yorktown aboard the gunboat, U.S.S. Mystic , went to West Point, Virginia. Here the Yankees are unsuccessful in their attempt to capture Col. Richardson, a member of General Robert E. Lee’s (CSA) staff, who was home on 60 days leave, as he is warned by a spy. The Yankees also missed, breaking up a wedding, where a band of Rebels was supposed to attend; they got the wrong date, as it is scheduled for March 2. The Yankees proceed to burn Richardson’s home, and other barns, with thousands of pounds of bacon and about 25,000 bushels of corn and grain, before returning to Yorktown. More fighting near Camden, South Carolina as Major General William T. Sherman (U.S.) crosses the Catawba River and heads for North Carolina. Heavy rains will slow his progress over the next several days.