August 25,1864-At Ream's Station, Virginia, General Ambrose P. Hill's 10,000 men assaults the Union II Corps of General Winfield S. Hancock in General Nelson Miles division sector and drives them back. The Confederates then capture several cannon and hundreds of prisoners. When the Union reserves from General John Gibbon's division try to fill the gap, they stumble and eventually run. Nearly 2,000 prisoners are captured in this embarrassing encounter.
August 25,1864-General Early bypasses entrenched Union forces at Harper's Ferry, West Virginia and moves on to Shepherdstown with the intent to try another invasion into Maryland.
August 25,1864-General Sherman is unwilling to attack fully entrenched Confederate forces at Atlanta and his cavalry has failed to cut Confederate supply lines. He commits a large portion of his Division of the Mississippi against the Macon and Western Railroad near Rough and Ready and at Jonesboro, to sever this single supply route. He orders his XX Corps to guard his own supply lines.
August 26,1864-At Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the convention of African Americans calls for a resolution to allow the commissioning of black military officers.
August 26,1864-General Jubel Early crosses the Potomac and enters Maryland for the third time. Union forces skirmish with Early's cavalry at Williamsport.
August 27,1864-Admiral David Farragut requests sick leave from the West Gulf Blockading Squadron at Mobile Bay, Alabama. He has served in the Gulf and Caribbean Sea for over five years.
August 27,1864-General Hood and General Sherman commit large columns of soldiers to the Macon and Western railroad at Jonesboro, Georgia. If Hood fails to save the railroad, he will be trapped inside Atlanta. General Sherman's Army of the Cumberland controls the Montgomery and Atlanta Railroad and his Army of the Tennessee moves to Fairburn, Georgia on the Macon and Western line.
August 28,1864-General Sheridan advances from Harper's Ferry back toward the Shenandoah.
August 29,1864-The Democratic National Convention convenes at Chicago, Illinois. Clement L. Vallandigham, a Copperhead, delivers the keynote speech.
August 29,1864-General Sterling Price again plans to conquer Missouri for the South. He is gathering troops at Princeton, Arkansas for a final attempt.
August 29,1864-A Confederate torpedo mine explodes in Mobile Bay killing five Union sailors with several wounded. Admiral Farragut vows to clear all explosive weapons from the bay before he goes on leave.
August 30,1864-The Democratic Convention adopts a peace platform calling for an immediate end to all hostilities between the North and South. This platform is virtually 'exactly opposite' President Lincoln and the Republican's stand.
August 30,1864-The Northern and the Southern Army units near Jonesboro, Georgia, each with about 20,000 men, make final moves and preparations for a huge battle over the control of the Macon and Western line. General O.O. Howard crosses the Flint River and General Hood moves to push him back across the river.
