Chronological History of the American Civil War

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intended to anchor off Cherbourg Harbor, France for as long as necessary to wait for the C.S.S. Alabama to sail. Tuesday, June 14, 1864 : Lieutenant General Leonidas Polk (CSA) (pictured) is mortally

wounded at Pine Mountain, near Marietta, Georgia, during the opening of the Atlanta, Georgia, Campaign. Polk is killed instantly by a Federal Artillery shell through his chest, while he sat upon his horse examining the Federal position with Confederate Lieutenant Generals Joseph E. Johnston and William Joseph Hardee. While, he was not a great strategic commander, he was popular with his men, and his loss is a bitter blow to the morale of the Army of the Tennessee. Polk was the only ordained bishop to gain the rank of general in either army. Polk from Columbia, he was Tennessee’s first Confederate military commander. In Melville, Missouri bushwhackers burn the town. Wednesday, June 15, 1864 : General Grant attacks at Petersburg,

Virginia, with another frontal assault, hoping to break the Southern defenses before they could be soundly built. Petersburg,Virginia is considered the backdoor to Richmond, and a win here would mean the war could be over in days or weeks, but the 3,000 Rebels hold off the advance of 30,000 Union men. A small skirmish breaks out at Moscow, Tennessee as the last of General Sturgis men return to Tennessee from their terrible lost at Brice’s Crossroads. General Sherman (U.S.), learning of the defeat at Brice’s Crossroads, writes the Secretary of War, Edwin Stanton “But Forrest is the very devil...There never will be peace in Tennessee till Forrest is dead.” General Robert E Lee’s (CSA) wife’s plantation home area was called “Arlington,” officially becomes a military cemetery. This is done so regardless which side won the war, the Lee family will never live

again at Arlington in Virginia. On the Arkansas River, Cherokee chief, Col. Stand Watie (CSA) (pictured) and his Confederate Indian force captured the U.S.S. J.R. Williams . The ship contained $100,000 worth of supplies. Watie was awarded a promotion to brigadier general for this victory and given a command of his own brigade. Stand Watie, would be the only Native American to attain a general's rank in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. He commanded the Confederate Indian cavalry of the Army of the Trans-Mississippi, (CSA) made up mostly of Cherokee, Muskogee, and Seminole, and was the final Confederate general in the field to cease hostilities at war's end.

Thursday, June 16, 1864 : More units from the Army of the Potomac (U.S.) joined the attack on Petersburg, Virginia. Against the odds, the defenders hold out. The Siege at Petersburg is on. This is the very last and final line of defense for Richmond. Friday, June 17, 1864 : The defenders of Petersburg managed a counter-attack. It was not successful, but it did stop the Union troops from advancing any closer to Petersburg. General Lee (CSA) sends more troops to help the defenders. At Lynchburg, Virginia, the forces of Major General David Hunter (U.S.) get within 2 miles of town, when Lieut. General Jubal A. Early (CSA) joins with Major General John C. Breckinridge (CSA) and together force Hunter (U.S.) to retreat toward Parkersburg and Martinsburg, Virginia, clearing the Shenandoah Valley of Federals.