Compiled by Jim Hachtel, President
Gen. William T. Sherman Memorial Civil War Roundtable
July 14, 1863 - General Lee's army continues to move across the Potomac at Williamsport, Maryland and the main body is safely into Virginia. General George Custer's brigade and specifically General Hugh J. Kilpatrick's 6th Michigan Cavalry division attacks two brigades of Confederates at nearby Falling Waters. Confederate General James J. Pettigrew is mortally wounded, 719 Southern soldiers are taken prisoner and three battle flags plus two cannons are captured. The invasion of the North is over.
July 14, 1863 - General Meade failed to defeat the Army of Northern Virginia "in detail" as President Lincoln believed he could have. The President sent this message: "Your golden opportunity is gone and I am distressed immeasurably because of it."
July 14, 1863 - General John H. Morgan's raiders skirmish with Union troops at Camp Dennison, just outside Cincinnati.
July 14, 1863 - General Joseph Johnson attempts to intercept an ammunition train moving from Vicksburg to Jackson to resupply General Sherman's army. The effort fails and Johnson has no recourse except to abandon Jackson, Mississippi.
July 15, 1863 - Jefferson Davis stated: "The clouds are truly dark over us," when he heard all the news from Vicksburg, Gettysburg, and Port Hudson.
July 15, 1863 - Armed boats from the USS Stars and Stripes and Somerset sail to Marsh's Island, Florida, and destroy Confederate saltworks.
July 15, 1863 - Union General James Blunt assembles 3000 men, primarily Indians and African Americans, plus two artillery batteries to strike a larger force of Confederates at Elk Creek, Indian Territory once the Arkansas River becomes fordable as water recedes. Fort Gibson, located in Indian Territory is the prize.
July 16, 1863 - Jackson, Mississippi is evacuated at night as General Joseph Johnson leaves the city before General Sherman's entire force arrives. The "siege" at Jackson resulted in 1120 Union soldiers lost with 600 Confederates killed, injured, or missing.
July 16, 1863 - The USS Wyoming is fired on by several Japanese shore batteries while sailing through Shimonoseki Straits, Japan. Commander of the Wyoming is David S. McDougel. A flotilla of small junks and steamers engage the Wyoming that counters with fire from heavy guns at close range. Out gunned, the Japanese vessels and shore batteries are silenced. The reported reason for this attack is the daimyo of Chosu wanted to embarrass the Tokugawa shogunate to hasten his downfall.
July 17, 1863 - Battery Wagner in Charleston Harbor, South Carolina continues to be assaulted by Federal siege guns. Little damage to the bombproofs and only minor causalities are recorded.
July 17, 1863 - Jackson, Mississippi is occupied by General Sherman's army for a second time. Sherman orders General Frank P. Blair to protect civilians from looting, but vengeful Northern soldiers sack the city.
July 17, 1863 - General Blunt attacks 6,000 Confederate leaning Choctaw, Cherokee, and Texans at Honey Springs, Indian Territory. Honey Springs is the largest action in Indian Territory and is the only time an African American unit meets an Indian unit. Blunt has superior fire power and prevails but the battle was a series of attacks and counterattacks with both units distinguishing themselves in battle.
July 18, 1863 - An early morning major assault at Battery Wagner involves the Massachusetts 54th, an African American unit new to combat. Sergeant William H. Carney led a charge through heavy fire and mounted the Federal flag on the parapet. Sergeant Carney becomes the first African American to win the Medal of Honor. Admiral Dahlgran's ironclads lend heavy fire and move to within 300 yards of the Confederate works, but are repulsed. The Union loss is heavy with 246 dead, 880 wounded, and 389 missing (1,515), while the Confederates suffered 36 killed, 133 injured, and five missing. The Union, under the overall command of General Quincy Gillmore, begins a siege operation after this second assault try.
July 18, 1863 - General Morgan's Raiders are located near Pomeroy, Ohio and the Federal Troops are closing in.
July 19, 1863 - The New York draft riot victims are aided by merchants organizing a massive relief effort.
July 19, 1863 - General Morgan and his cavalry invaders are defeated at Buffington Island on the Ohio River with 800 captives taken. Nine Federal gunboats completed a 500-mile trip in ten days and outflank Buffington Island, cutting off Morgan's retreat. Further pursuit action results in 3,000 additional prisoners and all artillery captured.
July 19, 1863 - The Army of the Potomac reaches Harper's Ferry where they cross the Potomac River and proceed down the Shenandoah Valley.
July 20, 1863 - Survivors of General Morgan's cavalry skirmish with Union troops and local militia at Hockingport and Coal Hill, Ohio, then ride north, away from the Ohio River.
