Compiled by Jim Hachtel, President
Gen. William T. Sherman Memorial Civil War Roundtable
October 21, 1862 - President Jefferson Davis reveals his plan to clear Tennessee and Arkansas of all Union forces. General Theophilus H. Holmes will lead the offensive.
October 21, 1862 - The USS Louisville and the troop transport "Meteor" capture Bledsoe's Landing and Hamblin's Landing, Arkansas. This in retaliation for guerilla attacks on the vessels. Both towns are burned.
October 22, 1862 - Two weeks after the defeat at Perryville, General Braxton Bragg moves the last of the Confederates through the Cumberland Gap. General Buell's Union force does not impede the move.
October 22, 1862 - London, Kentucky is occupied by General Joseph Wheeler's Confederate Cavalry.
October 22, 1862 - The USS Ellis destroys the blockade-runner Adelaide at New Topsail Inlet and the USS Penobscot seizes the British brig "Robert Bruce" off Cape Fear, North Carolina.
October 23, 1862 - The CSS Alabama commanded by Captain Semmes continues to be active; this time capturing and burning the Union bark "Lafayette" near Halifax, Nova Scotia.
October 24, 1862 - General Don C. Buell is relieved of command of the Army of the Ohio, primarily for his failure to pursue and destroy General Braxton Bragg's army in their retreat from Perryville, Kentucky. Bragg now has his army near Chattanooga and Knoxville, Tennessee.
October 24, 1862 - General William S. Rosecrans takes over Command of the Department of the Cumberland.
October 25, 1862 - General George B. McClellan is again urged by President Lincoln to move his Army of the Potomac into some offensive operation in Virginia. McClellan's response claiming fatigued horses angers the President who responds: "Will you pardon me for asking what the horses of your army have done since the battle of Antietam that would fatigue anything?" (The Battle of Antietam was September 17th.)
October 25, 1862 - General Ulysses S. Grant now has the newly formed XIII Corps added to his Department of the Tennessee.
October 26, 1862 - General Samuel P. Heintzelman takes over the command of all Washington, D.C. defenses, replacing General Nathaniel P. Banks.
October 26, 1862 - General George B. McClellan begins to move, crossing the Potomac River back into Virginia. The president is "rejoiced" at the news but General Robert E. Lee has ample time to move his forces to occupy large areas between the Army of the Potomac and Richmond, Virginia.
October 27, 1862 - General Rosecrans is again promoted, this time to command of the XIV Corps in Tennessee.
October 27, 1862 - The CSS Alabama, a British built Confederate raider commanded by Captain Raphael Semmes, captures and burns the Union schooner Crenshaw near Halifax, Nova Scotia.
