Compiled by Jim Hachtel, President
Gen. William T. Sherman Memorial Civil War Roundtable
May 20, 1862 - President Lincoln signs the Homestead Act providing western land to settlers who have never borne arms against the Union or aided its enemies. This act insured each settler would receive 160 acres of land if they remain sedentary for five years and work their plot. It greatly hastened western settlement.
May 20, 1862 - General George B. McClellan halts eight miles from Richmond and divides his Army of the Potomac along both sides of the Chickahominy River where they wait for General Irvin McDowell and his army moving from Washington, D.C.
May 20, 1862 - General Thomas Jackson joins General Richard Ewell in the Luray Valley of western Virginia. The combined force now numbers 17,000. General "Stonewall" Jackson plans to pressure General Nathaniel Banks' forces in the valley to prevent them from moving to Richmond to aid McClellan.
May 20, 1862 - The Federal gunboat Oneida begins shelling the town of Vicksburg, Mississippi.
May 21, 1862 - General McClellan calls for reinforcements, ignoring his vast numerical superiority over General Joseph Johnston's Confederate force in Richmond. The Army of the Potomac is eight miles from Richmond and waits for General Irvin McDowell to join them.
May 21, 1862 - General Thomas J. Jackson moves north in the Luray Valley and approaches Front Royal, Virginia. His movement is masked by cavalry commanded by General Ashby Turner.
May 22, 1862 - The 6th Pennsylvania Cavalry (Rush's Lancers) reconnoiters the area around New Castle and Hanovertown, Virginia as a northern approach to Richmond.
May 22, 1862 - Union General Halleck continues his leisurely approach to Corinth, Mississippi. He has been moving south from Tennessee since the Battle of Shiloh on April 6th.
May 23, 1862 - Ashby Turner is promoted to brigadier general, CSA.
May 23, 1862 - President Lincoln travels to Fredericksburg, Virginia to confer with General McDowell. The president has McDowell delay his march toward Richmond.
May 23, 1862 - General Jackson and his 17,000 man army moves on the Union outpost of Front Royal and easily defeats the surprised force of 1,000 men commanded by Colonel John R. Kenly. Confederate spy Belle Boyd aids the Confederates by providing Union troop positions within the town. Colonel Kenly moves only three miles toward Cedarville before 904 of his 1,000 man force is taken captive.
May 23, 1862 - Both Confederate General Jackson and Union General Nathaniel Banks continue the race north to Winchester, Virginia.
May 24, 1862 - The defeat at Front Royal shakes the Union and President Lincoln directs General John C. Fremont to advance to the Shenandoah Valley and confront Confederate forces wherever he finds them. The president also informs General McClellan that reinforcements are not available to join his already large army.
May 24, 1862 - General Thomas Jackson tries to engage General Banks at Newtown, Virginia but catches up only to the rear guard of Banks' Army. Prisoners and a few wagons are captured but Bank's main force moves on toward Winchester. General Jackson's success causes more Union panic and President Lincoln orders General McDowell to move north in the Shenandoah Valley to cut off any Confederate escape routes.
May 25, 1862 - The battle now identified as the First Battle of Winchester takes place. This was a Sunday and the religious General Jackson disregards his habit of honoring the Sabbath and attacks. The Union line buckles and then breaks with a stampede of troops falling all the way back to the Potomac River in Maryland, some 35 miles north and completely out of the Shenandoah Valley. General Jackson is 50 miles from Washington with virtually no Union force in place to stop him. General Jackson is successful in distracting at least 40,000 Union Troops that could otherwise have joined the Army of the Potomac at the door of Richmond.
May 25, 1862 - General P.G.T. Beauregard abandons Corinth, Mississippi with his 50,000 men as General Halleck's much larger army continues to move closer.
May 25, 1862 - Colonel Charles Ellet moves seven steam power rams to join the Union flotilla of gunboats outside of Fort Pillow. Commodore Charles H. Davis is in command.
May 25, 1862 - President Lincoln telegraphs a message to General McClellan that contained this quote: "You must either attack Richmond or give up the job, and come back to the defense of Washington."
May 26, 1862 - Defeated General Nathaniel Banks enters Williamsport, Maryland. General Jackson occupies Winchester, Virginia and Union Generals Fremont and McDowell maneuver to cut the expected Confederate retreat south.
May 26, 1862 - Lt. Isaac Brown is ordered to command the still unfinished armored ram CSS Arkansas at Yazoo City, Mississippi. Union forces continue to study alternate approaches to Vicksburg.
