Chronological History of the American Civil War

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another, just before nightfall during a thunderstorm. In this 90 minute clash, 2 Union Generals Isaac Stevens and Philip Kearney were killed along with 700 Union and 500 Confederate soldiers. The total for the whole 3 day battle set at 12,000 Union soldiers either killed, wounded or prisoners, and 8,500 Confederates. In Bolivar, John Houston Bills writes in his diary, “Arise early & go up town, hear that my constant friend, Pitser Miller (Magnolia Manor) & others have fled for safety. Poor Fellows, after having lived long & done more good deeds for the people of Hardeman County than any other man who has lived in it, he is now a refugee from his own Countrymen.” Tuesday, September 2, 1862 : Lincoln said of General McClellan (U.S.) ~ “If he can’t fight himself, he excels in making others ready to fight.” Lincoln recalls General McClellan (U.S.) to Washington, D.C. to take charge of the capital’s defences. General John Pope was therefore relieved of command and both armies were now under McClellan’s command. Wednesday, September 3, 1862 : U.S. General John Pope, now without command of his army, sat down and wrote his report to Lincoln; blaming McClellan and others for their mistakes causing him to lose his latest battle. Thursday, September 4, 1862 : War for Southern Independence, had been clear, at least to the Southerners: they were an independent nation, and any battle fought was forced on them by the North’s attempts to force them back into an unwanted union. Today, Robert E. Lee decided to take the battle north to Union States. He begins his march North. Friday, September 5, 1862 : Robert E. Lee took his army toward Maryland. At the same time the Union’s military hierarchy could not make its mind up as to who should lead the Union’s army in the field. Maryland was a tempting target for Lee; as its fields were full of crops and any move north that he made would bring fear to those who lived in the capital, who would have rightly believed that the city was his priority target. General John Pope gets his orders was sent to the Department of the Northwest, which included Minnesota, which had been undergoing an uprising of the Sioux. Neither Pope nor the people he was supposed to protect were thrilled with this development. Saturday, September 6, 1862 : Within just four days, McClellan managed to get together an army of 90,000 men to defend the capital. This feat confirmed to Lincoln, his excellent administrative skills. However, McClellan was known to lack tactical ability, and someone was needed to command these men in a decisive manner. General Lee (CSA) was well aware of General McClellan’s (U.S.) failings as a commander. Sunday, September 7, 1862 : Lee, now heading North, crossed the Potomac River at Leesburg, Virginia. His move north caused the expected panic in the capital and ships were placed on standby to take the President and his Cabinet out of the city to safety. The news finally comes east from Kansas, that the day before, Col. William Quantrill and his Confederate guerilla force entered the town of Olathe at dawn. They surprised the 125-man Union garrison and captured them all. The town was looted and the community newspaper, the Mirror, was destroyed. The Union soldiers were quickly paroled as the Confederates left town. Monday, September 8, 1862 : Moving north through Maryland, Confederates destroy the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad bridge over the Monacacy River. Lee tells the people of Maryland, he is not here to fight them, he figures, if not for the Union Army there, they would be with the South. McClellan (U.S.) marched his men out to meet Lee away from the city. His army of 90,000 was twice as large as Lee’s Army of Virginia, but the men in it were very demoralised after the Second Bull Run, while Lee’s men were full of confidence. Tuesday, September 9, 1862 : The people of Maryland, did not greet Lee’s army with any enthusiasm despite his proclamation, that his intention was to return the state to the Confederacy – which Lee assumed would sell his cause. The expected provisions were not forthcoming and Lee’s army remained short of supplies. Lee gathers his staff, plans were made for their sweep North. The set of plans was given the designation Special Order 191, and copies were made. Wednesday, September 10, 1862 : General George McClellan (U.S.) was sure of only two things: his country was being invaded, and he had no good information as to where the invaders were. He was

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