Chronological History of the American Civil War

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Sunday, August 14, 1864 : Fighting continues along the James River crossing at Deep Bottom Run that threatens Richmond as Major General Winfield Scott Hancock (U.S.) troops closes in on New Market Heights, while the II Corps (U.S.) extended the Federal line to the right along Bailey’s Creek. During the night, the X Corps (U.S.) was moved to the far right flank of the Union line near Fussell’s Mill. The Confederate lines are holding. This causes General Lee to move some troops, by the time Grant moves his men again, the heat was so bad, units moved suffered numerous deaths from heat stroke. Back in Mississippi, at Lamar, just north of Holly Springs, U.S. General A. J Smith found what he was looking for… General Forrest, but this time Forrest fought his own fight and hit Smith hard and gone, before he knows what hit him. In Georgia, Confederate General Joe Wheeler raids and besieges the town of Dalton, Georgia. This sends the few Union soldiers into their fort, and Wheeler looting and destroying railroad tracks.

Monday, August 15, 1864 : Raphael Semmes may have been the most famous of the Confederate commerce raiders, but John Taylor Wood (CSA) (pictured) was doing okay for himself. In his reign of terror off the coast of New England, today his C.S.S. Tallahassee takes another six ships. Guerrillas led by “Bloody” Bill Anderson at Dripping Spring, Missouri leaves several Federal casualties. A Confederate raid on the Nashville and Northwestern Railroad at Nashville, destroys 600 cords of wood and some employees missing feared murdered by the Rebels.

Tuesday, August, 16, 1864 : The C.S.S. Tallahassee captures and burns five more Union ships off the seacoast of New England. Confederate military personnel are sent to reinforce General Early in the Shenandoah Valley, but 300 are captured while crossing the Shenandoah River. Union assaults at Fussell’s Mill near Richmond, Virginia are initially successful, but Confederate counterattacks drive the Federals out of a line of captured works. General John R. Chambliss (CSA) was killed during the battle. His body is recovered by a former West Point classmate, Union General David Gregg, who makes a surprising discovery: a detailed map of the Richmond defenses. Using a new photographic technique known as Margedant’s Quick Method, which does not require a camera, the engineer traces Chambliss’s map, and lays it over a sheet of photographic paper. The paper is then exposed to the sun’s rays, which darkened the paper except under the traced lines. The result is distributed to all Union officers in the area within 48 hours. It may not have aided the Union capture of Richmond, that would require another seven months, but it may have reduced casualties by preventing foolhardy attacks on well-supported positions. Wednesday, August 17, 1864 : At Petersburg, a truce is called to allow the two sides to recover their dead and injured. Some action at Winchester, Virginia, as Lieut. General Jubal Early (CSA) attacks the rear guard of Major General Philip Sheridan (U.S.) who is withdrawing toward Berryville, Virginia. In South Newport, Georgia the Federals land and surprise the Rebels, capturing 38, in addition to 5 citizens and 51 Negroes, and burn the bridge over the South Newport River as they leave. Thursday, August 18, 1864 : General Nathan Bedford Forrest (CSA) knew he could not take on the Union army head on, but he still had to pull off an impressive attack that would get him back into the graces of his Confederate superiors. So he gathers 2,000 of his remaining men, and leaves Holly Springs, Mississippi, then heads toward Memphis; leaving behind a small military unit under the control of General James R. Chalmers (CSA) to make General A. J. Smith (U.S.) believe that Forrest is still in the area. In Georgia, Sherman (U.S.) orders another attack along