Compiled by Jim Hachtel, President
Gen. William T. Sherman Memorial Civil War Roundtable
January 15, 1862 - The poem "Battle Hymn of the Republic" written by Julia Ward Howe is published in the New York Herald Tribune.
January 15, 1862 - The U.S. Senate confirms Edwin M. Stanton as the new Secretary of War. Stanton from Ohio replaces Simon Cameron of Pennsylvania.
January 15, 1862 - At St. Louis Confederate General Lovell Mansfield confiscates 14 private civilian steamers to augment the defense of the city.
January 16, 1862 - Three new Eads (James B. Eads - designer) gunboats are commissioned by the Union. The Carondelet, St. Louis, and Cincinnati join the four existing gunboats to become the force assuring Union control of western waters. The three new gunboats are iron clad while the earlier gunboats had wood hulls and decks with some cladding added.
January 16, 1862 - Confederate General George B. Crittenden orders all Confederate troops to move to the south side of the Cumberland River (Kentucky) to avoid a battle with their backs to the river. General Felix K. Zollicoffer ignores the order and when Crittenden arrives with reinforcements, he decides to stay on the north side and engage the Union column at Logan's Crossroad.
January 17, 1862 - General George H. Thomas takes charge of 4,000 troops near Logan's Crossroads. The nearest Confederate troops are near Mills Springs, about ten miles away on the Cumberland River, and General Thomas expects an attack.
January 17, 1862 - Union General Charles F. Smith leads a probe in the direction of Ft. Henry, held by the Confederates on the Tennessee River. The Federal gunboats USS Conestoga and USS Lexington are able to acquire detailed knowledge of the position and formulate a plan for capture of the fort.
January 18, 1862 - General George H. Thomas sends reconnaissance parties toward the Cumberland River to assure that the Confederate forces are still on the north side of the river. Thomas learns that General Crittenden is planning to strike the Union camp at dawn. General Thomas moves two brigades of reinforcement troops nearer to Logan's Crossroads.
January 19, 1862 - At daybreak Generals Zollicofer and William H. Carroll attack the Union forces at Logan's Crossroads. In heavy rain and mud, the 4th Kentucky under Union Colonel Speed S. Fry forces a standoff with units of equal strength. General Zollicoffer is killed by Fry's troops when he is lost in the fog. The forces disengage and General Thomas follows the Confederate retreat. General Crittenden leads the Confederate troops to transports and escapes back to Nashville late in the evening. This battle is sometimes called the Battle of Mills Springs.
January 20, 1862 - Reports of the overwhelming Union victory at Logan's Creek revives Union sentiment in the region and Kentucky remains neutral. The Union gains control of the Cumberland, an important invasion route into eastern Tennessee.
January 20, 1862 - Navy Secretary Gideon Wells splits the Union Gulf Blockading Squadron into two districts; the Eastern and Western Blockading Squadrons. Commodore David G. Farragut commands the Eastern unit and Commander David D. Porter (Farragut's foster brother) commands the Western Squadron. They plan a campaign against New Orleans.
January 21, 1862 - Union forces move on Columbus, Kentucky lead by General John A. McClernand with no engagement.
