Chronological History of the American Civil War

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In Virginia, near the Jerusalem Plank Road, Petersburg, Lieut. General Ambrose Powell Hill (CSA) repels the forces under Major Generals David B. Birney and Horatio G. Wright (US). Birney loses 604 killed, 2,494 wounded and 1,600 captured. The Confederates lost in total 500 men. Just back from Kentucky raids, Brig. General John Hunt Morgan (CSA) assumes the command of the Dept. of Western Virginia and East Tennessee. Thursday, June 23, 1864 : With the tactics that General William T. Sherman (U.S.) had demonstrated in Georgia, General David Hunter (U.S.) was possibly the most hated man in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. He had conducted a campaign of thorough destruction of everything in his path. Now, with Jubal Early’s army (CSA) in hot pursuit, Hunter was withdrawing towards West Virginia. He stops at Sweet Sulfur Springs, West Virginia and wants to burn a famous hotel located there, but was talked out of it by his staff. (William Lewis constructed a courthouse and jail, and used both as guest quarters in the off-season. The stone jail still remains, and is one of the oldest, if not the oldest, jail building west of the Alleghenies. The circuit court operated out of Sweet Springs from 1795 to 1817, and when the court was not in session, the rooms were reused as guest cottages, sadly it is closed now and in need of repair). Meanwhile, Lincoln returns from the front lines sunburned and tired, but refreshed and cheered. Friday, June 24, 1864 : Buck Brown and his 200 bushwhackers near Fayetteville, Arkansas steal the entire Yankee mule herd of 240 and flee 40 miles with the mules to Maysville. Also in Arkansas, General Joseph O. Shelby (CSA) captures the steamer, U.S.S. Queen City on the White River. At Saint Mary’s Church, Virginia, Major General Philip H. Sheridan (U.S.) troops are driven off toward the James River. There is an Indian attack on a wagon train on the John Day’s Road, near Fort Klamath, Oregon. General Sherman (U.S.) was in a difficult position, stalled 15 miles north of Atlanta. He could not continue his strategy of moving around Johnston’s flank because of the impassable roads, and his railroad supply line was dominated by Johnston’s position on the top of 691 foot, Kennesaw Mountain. He reported to Washington, “The whole country is one vast fort, and Johnston (CSA) must have at least 50 miles of connected trenches with abatis {barricade of trees or sharpened branches directed toward an enemy} and finished batteries. We gain ground daily, fighting all the time. Our lines are now in close contact, and the fighting incessant with a good deal of artillery. As fast as we gain one position, the enemy has another all ready. ... Kennesaw ... is the key to the whole country.” Sherman decides to break the stalemate by attacking Johnston’s position on Kennesaw Mountain. He issues orders for an 8 a.m. attack on June 27. Saturday, June 25, 1864 : At the siege of Petersburg, Lieutenant Colonel Henry Pleasants and the men of the 48th Pennsylvania (U.S.) sought to break the stalemate with an ambitious project. If you can’t go through them, or around them, or over them, … try under them. The idea was to construct a tunnel to the Confederate line, fill it with powder, and blow a gap in the fortifications. Both Generals Grant and Meade, are not impressed with the idea, but let it proceed. They figured the tunnel would be just over 500 feet long, and if digging at 40 feet a day; it's going to take a while. Sunday, June 26, 1864: Lieut. General Jubal Early (CSA) occupies Staunton, Virginia, as he is still in pursuit of General Phil Sheridan (U.S.) who had captured a supply depot at White House, Virginia. The supplies were badly needed goods to sustain the siege of Petersburg. Even though Early’s men (CSA) had harassed the Federals daily along the route, things have become safer today, as they neared the main body of the Army of the Potomac (U.S.). General Sheridan recrossed the James River by loading the wagons onto ferry boats at a place called Coulthard’s