Chronological History of the American Civil War

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Alexander Davis Betts stationed in Richmond with the 30th North Carolina Troops, writes in his diary: “Rain and sleet. Our Division is ordered off. Three men in my Regiment had to leave their wives in camp. As the troops were ordered to “fall in,” I saw the situation and made haste to tell the brave men, that I would take their wives to the depot and see them start for their homes in North Carolina. The men may have lived, to go to their homes. I wish I knew. That was a touching scene. The wife thought, she might never see her husband again. She heard the men were in camp around Richmond. She got Grandma or someone to take care of the other children, while she took the babe to see its father in camp. They reached the camp. Both, were so happy for two or three days. Now! That drum calls the man to give his babe a hasty kiss, (it may be the last one) and turn away from his wife, and go out to fight and face death. I secured an ambulance and took the three good women to the depot. I wish I now had their names.” At Hatcher’s Run the fighting surges back and forth around Dabney’s Mill, but the Yankees are never able to penetrate the Confederate lines. The Union suffers some 2,000 men killed, wounded, or captured, while the Confederates lost about 1,000. A Federal scout on the Hernando Road in Tennessee, is unable to catch up with several squads of Rebels, belonging to Lieut. General Nathan Bedford Forrest’s Cavalry. These men were making their headquarters, at the home of Mrs. Heldenbrand, about 14 miles from Memphis, between the Hernando and Hollow Ford Roads. Wednesday, February 8, 1865 : Major General William T. Sherman (U.S.) continues to push through South Carolina, with fighting at Cannon’s Bridge Walker’s Bridge on the South Edisto River and at White Pond and Williston. Sherman’s men continue their policy of destroying empty buildings as they advance through South Carolina. This resulted in the Confederate General Wheeler (CSA) complaining to Sherman (U.S.) that accommodations were being destroyed. However, Sherman had given orders that no building that was occupied should be destroyed, but unoccupied ones should be. But many citizens ran from the advancing troops for fear of their own lives and their family’s. In Kentucky, Col. Buckly (U.S.) reports: Guerrillas under Captain Clarke captures a wagon train at New Market, and 3 guards are killed and 4 captured. The prisoners were taken to Bradfordsville; “where they were murdered by the guerrillas under Captain Clarke.” The next morning at 2 o'clock Captain Bridgewater with a squad of militia came upon the guerrilla camp on the Little South Fork, west of Houstonville, killed four of them, captured thirty-five horses, and chased the others into the woods barefooted. The valiant “Captain Clarke” was glad to escape, by running barefooted into the brush, though the snow was fresh and probably deep. None of Captain Bridgewater’s company was even wounded. Thursday, February 9, 1865 : General Robert E. Lee (CSA) who assumed the command of all the Confederate Armies, proposes granting a pardon to all deserters who return to their commands within 30 days. President Jefferson Davis agrees. There is a skirmish near Memphis, Tennessee, where the Confederates attack and capture a Union wood train, and its escort. A Negro moving his family to Memphis, told the pursuing Yankees he passed, a Rebel force with a large number of mules about 12 miles from Hernando. The Yankees moved out in that direction. There is fighting at Binnaker's Bridge and at Holman's Bridge in South Carolina. Friday, February 10, 1865 : Confederates continue their defensive efforts around Charleston. Union and Confederate troops fight near Charleston Harbor. Sherman continues his advance. In the evening, President Lincoln and Generals Ulysses S. Grant and Ambrose E. Burnside attends Ford’s Theater to watch a performance of the comedy, “Everybody's Friend.”