Chronological History of the American Civil War

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Tuesday, December 27, 1864 : After extensive naval bombardment of Fort Fisher, and the landing of an expeditionary force, Major General Benjamin F. Butler's (U.S.) infantry, under Brig. General Adelbert Ames (U.S.) is transported back to Fortress Monroe, Virginia. General Hood’s (CSA) Army of Tennessee survives to cross the river safely on December 26- 28, barely hours ahead of their pursuers, and will continue to fight into the following spring is due almost completely to Forrest's performance in delaying the Union pursuit. Wednesday, December 28, 1864 : In May 1864, some 65,000 Confederates faced Sherman in northern Georgia. On September 20, after Atlanta fell, Hood’s force numbered around 40,400. After crossing the Tennessee River now in December, Hood reports some 18,700 officers and enlisted men, a figure that another Confederate general, Pierre Beauregard, thought was significantly inflated. The Confederate Army of Tennessee was no longer a viable fighting force. General Benjamin Grierson (U.S.) captures 500 Confederate soldiers, when his forward command attacks a train near Egypt Station, Mississippi. Thursday, December 29, 1864 : The Third Regiment of North Carolina Mounted Infantry, under Colonel George W. Kirk (U.S.), engages about 400 Confederate Infantry and Cavalry under Lt. Colonel James A. Keith (CSA) at Red Banks of the Nolichucky. Seventy three Confederates are killed and 32 officers and privates were captured. The Union forces sustain only 3 wounded men. Friday, December 30, 1864 : President Lincoln proposes to remove General Benjamin Butler (U.S.) from the command of the Army of the James. It was Butler who commanded the aborted landing at Fort Fisher. Grant also had a very low opinion of Butler’s ability. General Grant writes to Rear Admiral Porter, who is still determined to take Wilmington: “Please hold on where you are for a few days, and I will endeavor to be back again with an increased force and without the former commander.” Saturday, December 31, 1864 : New Year’s Eve, in Savannah, Georgia, General Sherman’s (U.S.) army is resting in preparation for its advance north to support Grant. Two ships, the U.S.S. Wabash and U.S.S. Pawnee run aground and are captured in Charleston harbor by Confederate pickets. While on guard duty in the harbor, the two ships are driven aground close to Fort Sumter by a strong good tide and freshening wind. A total of 27 sailors are captured. From the diary tonight of Bolivar, Tennessee’s Sally Wendel Fentress: “ If I am tired of life at seventeen, what will I be at twenty seven! A perfect misanthrope. (A person who dislikes humankind and avoids human society) Yes, in a great deal less time to be the gayest in the crowd, but if anyone knew the insatiable longing of my soul they would pity me. But it may be all my fault. I am so cold, inconstant and deceitful, no society is congenial to me. Oh, how I strive to show a cheerful countenance and be affectionate and agreeable. I confess that I have no love of the world. Any but, the few that I love, I find hypocritical, mean and selfish.” War has taken its toll on young and old. The public has been impatient with Grant and the lack of movement in the Peterburg theater of the war, but are encouraged – as they were by the twin victories at Gettysburg and Vicksburg in 1863 – by the triumphs of Sherman in Georgia and Thomas in Tennessee. By the end of the month of December 1864, the Civil War has taken another 19,734 casualties. This is the end of the year, the yearly totals were 169,360 casualties and this count just keep rising and rising each month. 1865, will bring more death and destruction for both sides, but an end will come; but not soon enough for hundreds of thousands of men, women and children that gave their all for their causes.