Chronological History of the American Civil War

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Palmer resigns, and returned to his Illinois home. I guess seniority did have its privileges, it got rid of General Palmer (U.S.). U.S. Admiral David Farragut orders the Navy’s 14 wooden ships and 4 ironclad Monitor- class ships into Mobile Bay. The Confederates have only 1 ironclad Monitor-class ( C.S.S. Tennessee ), 3 iron plated gunboats and 3 forts to defend the bay. The U.S.S. Tecumseh fires the first shot; the forts all reply. The U.S.S. Tecumseh hits a torpedo and sinks in seconds. Most of Farragut’s (U.S.) ships made it past the forts, but the C.S.S. Tennessee was still coming to fight, but steaming too slow to ram the Union ships. Instead the C.S.S. Tennessee, becomes the target of the ramming. Soon no longer able to fight, Commander James D. Johnston, (CSA) captain of C.S.S. Tennessee surrenders. A little more than three hours had elapsed since U.S.S. Tecumseh had fired the first shot. One Rebel gunboat was grounded and burned, and another captured, with this Farragut (U.S.) turns the fleet’s attention toward shelling the forts. Fort Powell (CSA) will be the first to surrender. During this battle, is where Admiral Farragut is quoted to have said: “Damn the torpedos, full speed ahead.” Today, eight ships from this battle still remain on the bottom of Mobile Bay. Saturday, August 6, 1864 : In Atlanta, since Generals Palmer and Scholfield could not get along together, their delay allowed the Confederates to strengthen their defenses. The Federals’ attack is repulsed with heavy losses, and breaks in an attack to stop the railroad. Sunday, August 7, 1864 : On Utoy Creek, the small and obscure waterway southwest of Atlanta, Georgia, that has been the scene of fighting for the last three days; Sherman’s forces (U.S.) finally outflanked the Confederates, today. General Sherman's forces (U.S.) cut the railroad lines leading south out of the city, which were the last lines of support to the besieged town. The Rebels were forced to fall back. In eastern Tennessee, arriving in Union County, from Thorn Hill, in Grainger County, the notorious Confederate raider Bill Gibbs is at the head of the most villainous gang of 80 cutthroats, robbers, and assassins. They murder 3 men, taking many prisoners, robbing houses, and killing those who tries to escape. More fighting with guerrillas in Enterprise and Huntsville in Missouri. In Bayou Grande, Florida, Union gunboats shell the Confederate Cavalry there, setting fire to numerous buildings. After burning Chambersburg, Maryland, Generals McCausland’s and Johnson’s cavalry (CSA) are surprised at Moorefield, West Virginia and are pursued by the Union cavalry. This defeat demoralizes the effectiveness of General Early’s Confederate cavalry for the remainder of the year. Monday, August 8, 2014 : Fort Gaines (CSA) on the eastern end of Dauphin Island, Alabama, on Mobile Bay surrenders to Union forces, by Col. Charles D. Anderson (CSA) without the approval of his superiors. Fort Powell has already surrendered, this is now leaving the west side of the bay open to invaders. Brigadier General Richard L. Page (CSA) at Fort Morgan on the eastern shore side said “I am prepared to sacrifice life, and will only surrender when I have no means of defense.” He refuses to surrender. Tuesday, August 9, 1864 : At City Point, Virginia, ships were being loaded with ammunition, so no one notices two men carrying a large box up to one of the ships at the wharf. At one point sentries questioned the two and they said, truthfully, that they had orders to deliver it to a