January 26,1864-U.S. Minister to France William L. Drayton expresses concern over the presence of several Confederate vessels in French waters and France's inability to act against them.
January 26,1864-Confederate General James Longstreet's forces are dislodged from Russellville, Tennessee by Union cavalry commanded by General Samuel Sturgis, part of the IX Corps of General John G. Parke, currently at Knoxville. Confederate cavalry under the command of General William T. Martin then drives General Sturgis back toward Seiverville, Tennessee.
January 27,1864-General Braxton Bragg, suffering health problems, is summoned to Richmond for conference with President Davis as long as his health permits.
January 27,1864-Continuous skirmishing between General Sturgis' Union cavalry and General William Martin's Confederate cavalry results in Confederate troop losses of 200 and Union losses of about 65 killed, captured, wounded, or missing. Union troops also capture two cannons.
January 28,1864-In an effort to secure forage for their horses and cattle for beef to feed the Confederate Army, General Jubel Early dispatched Generals Edward Thomas and Thomas Rossiter, (Infantry and Cavalry commanders), to raid Union positions around New Market, Virginia.
January 28,1864-General George Stoneman is assigned to lead XXII Corps and General John M. Schofield is promoted to command the Department of the Ohio.
January 28,1864-The skirmishing in Tennessee continues with General William Martin's forces being defeated near Fair Gardens, Tennessee by Union General Sturgis. Confederate General Bushrod R. Johnson's infantry then drives General Sturgis' back to Seiverville, Tennessee and General Martin moves back to Fair Gardens.
January 29,1864-Confederate raiders led by Generals Thomas and Rossiter successfully overtake a Union wagon train, capturing 80 men, 1,200 head of cattle, 500 sheep, and 95 wagons. The 12th Virginia Cavalry and the 35th Battalion of Virginia Cavalry arrive in support of Thomas and Rossiter to complete this raid.
January 30,1864-General Rossiter continues his raid, moving from Medley, Virginia to Petersburg where he takes additional Union supplies, including ammunition.
January 30,1864-At Mattoon, Illinois, men of the 54th Illinois kill a Democrat who refuses to take the Oath of Loyalty.
January 30,1864-William Rosecrans becomes the commander of the Department of the Missouri.
January 31,1864-President Lincoln again urges General Nathaniel Banks to institute civilian authority in New Orleans. General William T. Sherman instructs General Banks to cooperate fully with Admiral David Porter as he prepares for the upcoming Red River Campaign in Louisiana.
January 31 & February 1,1864-A Confederate Army move to New Bern, North Carolina is coordinated by General George Pickett. Pickett leads about 13,000 troops in three Brigades of General Robert Hoke's Division. He has 14 cannons, the off shore assistance of Commander John T. Woods' fleet, and cavalry support. Pickett attacks the Union force of General Innis N. Palmer, inflicting 326 casualties, and driving the Union troops back through New Bern. Two Confederate columns led by General Seth Barton and Colonel James Dearing judge the Union Forces to be too formidable and delay further advance.
February 1,1864-President Lincoln authorizes a draft of 500,000 men for three years service or the duration of the rebellion.
February 1,1864-With a possible promotion for General Ulysses S. Grant in mind, the U.S. House of Representatives creates the rank of lieutenant general, U.S. Army.
February 1,1864-General W.T.Sherman starts to consolidate his army to Meridian, Mississippi by ordering General William Sooy Smith to arrive in Meridian no later than April 10th.
January 19,1864-Arkansas, a Confederate State with slaves but also many Union sympathizers, approves a new anti-slavery constitution.
January 19,1864-Navy Secretary Gideon Wells alerts Admiral Porter to warn all Union boat crews to the possibility of "coal torpedoes", cast iron replicas of coal chunks filled with black powder and powerful enough to explode a boiler.
January 20,1864-General Frederick Steele, District of Arkansas commander is instructed to schedule free elections to form a free civilian government in Arkansas. President Lincoln issues the order.
January 20,1864-Federal warships begin routine patrols at the mouth of Mobile Bay, Alabama.
January 21,1864-At Nashville, Tennessee, Pro-Union citizens gather to urge a constitutional convention to abolish slavery.
January 22,1864-In the parts of Arkansas that are free from slavery, Isaac Murphy becomes governor by vote of the free-state convention.
January 22,1864-Recently disgraced General William Rosecrans is picked to replace General John M. Schofield as commander of the Federal Department of Missouri. The command change actually will occur on January 30,1864.
January 23,1864-President Lincoln's policy directing all plantation owners to recognize the freedom of former slaves and hire them under rules of contract law is distributed.
January 25,1864-Fort Sumter comes under Union bombardment yet again.
January 25,1864-In an effort to improve the defense in middle Tennessee, Federal troops abandon Corinth, Mississippi and consolidate.
January 12,1864-The USS Yankee, Currituck, Anacosta, Tulip, and Jacob Bell make up a squadron in support of Union General Gilman Marston as his cavalry moves between the Rapphannock and Potomac Rivers, Virginia.
January 13,1864-Louisiana and Florida begin to re-establish "civil authority and free government" under the direction of General Nathaniel P. Banks and General Quincy A. Gilmore, at President Lincoln's direction.
January 13,1864-President Jefferson Davis advises General Joseph Johnston to maintain his strong position at Dalton, Georgia. He especially warns Johnston to 'not fall back' by stating "I trust you will not deem it necessary to adopt such a measure."
January 14,1864-The Confederate raider CSS Alabama under Captain Raphael Semmes captures and burns the Union vessel 'Emma Jane' off the coast of Malabar, India.
January 15,1864-The British Blockade Runner 'Minnie' is captured by the USS Beauregard off Mosquito Inlet, Florida.
January 16,1864-General James Longstreet's I Corps defeats the Union forces of General Samual D. Sturgis at Dandridge, Virginia.
January 17,1864-The Union IX Corps at Knoxville, Tennessee is placed under command of General Orlando B. Wilcox. He replaces General Robert B Potter.
January 18,1864-Admiral Davis G. Farragut aboard his flagship 'Hartford' arrives at Mobile Bay, Alabama. He inspects the Confederate defenses and expresses concern that the CSS Tennessee steam ram could be a problem. He lays plans to destroy it.
January 5,1864-A petition to allow African American citizens to vote is circulated in New Orleans. More than 1,000 signatures were gathered, mostly free blacks but some War of 1812 veterans. The petition was sent to President Lincoln.
January 5,1864-Federal troops, supported by Apache warriors, kill or capture a few hostile Navaho along the Pecos River in New Mexico Territory.
January 6,1864-General Joseph Reynolds takes command of the federal forces in New Orleans.
January 6,1864-General James H. Carleton, Commander of the New Mexico Territory, pleads to the Indian Department for clothing and supplies for the many Navaho prisoners suffering in the cold. Most of the prisoners were rounded up by Colonial Christopher "Kit" Carson's campaign in the Canon de Chelly region of the wild New Mexico Territory.
January 7,1864-With mounting Union Army desertions, President Lincoln commutes most death sentences for deserters stating "I am trying to evade the butchering business, lately."
January 7,1864-At Warrenton, Virginia, Major John Mosby's Cavalry routs a large Union force, taking 30 prisoners and 40 horses.
January 8,2864-General John H. Morgan is honored in Richmond, Virginia for his raid through southern Indiana and Ohio and his recent escape from the Ohio State Penitentiary.
January 9,1864-Command of the II Corps, Army of the Potomac is assumed by General Gouverneur K. Warren.
January 9,1864-U.S. Consul at Le Harve, France, James A. Putnam advises Captain John Winslow that Confederate's from the CSS Georgia, CSS Florida, and CSS Rappahannock plan to attack his USS Kearsarge as she leaves the port at Brest.
January 11,1864-Missouri Senator John B. Henderson proposes a joint resolution to the United States Congress to abolish slavery. This is the foundation of the wording of the 13th Amendment to the Constitution.
December 29,1863-General Winfield S. Hancock resumes his active participation in the war by returning to the Army of the Potomac as commander of the Union II Corps five months after suffering serious wounds at Gettysburg.
December 29,1863-Armed boats from the USS Stars and Stripes burn the Confederate Blockade runner Caroline Gertrude near the mouth of the Ocklockonee River, Florida.
December 30,1863-Two Confederate salt works are destroyed at St. Joseph Bay, Florida by crews from the USS Pursuit.
December 31,1863-Navy Secretary Gideon Wells sums up the past year of war saying "The war has been waged with success, although there have been in some instances errors and misfortunes. But the heart of the nation is sounder and it's hopes higher".
December 31,1863-President Davis appoints North Carolina senator George Davis as interim Confederate Attorney General replacing outgoing Wade Keyes.
January 1,1864-Confederate General William "Extra Billy" Smith becomes governor of Virginia. General Smith fought at Gettysburg.
January 2,1864-Suffering manpower shortages, Confederate General Patrick L. Cleburne and other officers petition for the use of African American in the Confederate Army. President Davis ignores the petition and denies a well deserved promotion for Cleburne (to Lieutenant General) because of it.
January 2,1864-George Davis formally replaces Wade Keyes as Attorney General.
January 2,1864-Union troops occupy Santa Catalina Island, off the coast of California.
January 3,1284-General William E. Jones leads his Confederate Cavalry in a surprise attack on General Orlando Wilcox' forces near Jonesville, Virginia. Union losses are 383 prisoners, 27 wagons, and 3 cannons.
January 3,1864-General Fitzhugh Lee's cavalry seizes a large supply train and 250 head of cattle in a raid on Union General Benjamin F. Kelly's force moving in Hardy County, West Virginia.
January 4,1864-President Davis instruct General Robert E. Lee to begin requisitioning food from civilians as necessary in support of Lee's Army.
December 22,1863-Confederate General Leonidas K. Polk becomes commander of the Department of Mississippi and Louisiana.
December 23,1863-Admiral David G. Farragut announced to Navy Secretary Gideon Wells that his flagship, the USS Hartford, is ready to depart. Admiral Farragut is eager to resume active duty but a shortage of crew members delayed his departure.
December 24,1863-Union cavalry leader General William W. Averall concludes his third railroad and bridge raid of the year and returns to Beverly, West Virginia. Confederate General Samuel Jones was unable to intercept Averall's smaller force and was ultimately dismissed as commander of the Western Department.
December 24,1863-Captain Semmes is still active aboard the CSS Alabama, this time capturing and burning the Union bark 'Texan Star' in the Straits of Malacca, Dutch West Indies.
December 25,1863-Major John S. Mosby's partisan raiders encounter a small Union force near Leesburg, Virginia and several raiders are captured.
December 25,1863-In an unexpected bombardment, the USS Marblehead is hit by 20 rounds from Confederate batteries at Lagareville, South Carolina on the Stono River. Landing parties from the nearby USS Pawnee and USS C.P. Williams drive the Confederate raiders off.
December 26,1863-In the Straits of Malacca, the CSS Alabama's crew captures and burns the Union barks Sonora and Highlander.
December 27,1863-President Lincoln and Secretary of War Edwin Stanton visit Confederate prisoners at Point Lookout, Maryland as a goodwill gesture.
December 27,1863-General Joseph E. Johnston arrives in Dalton, Georgia to take command of the battered Confederate Department of Tennessee, recently defeated at Chattanooga. General Johnston replaces General Bragg.
December 28,1863-The Confederate Congress abolishes the practice of allowing hired substitutes to replace drafted men.
December 15,1863-General Jubel A. Early is appointed commander of the Confederate Valley District, Virginia. General Early leads a sortie from Hanover Junction, Virginia to cut off General Averell at Millborough where he continues to destroy railroad assets.
December 16,1863-Union General John Buford dies of tuberculosis at Washington, D.C. at the age of 37.
December 16,1863-General Averell's cavalry column enters Salem, Virginia, occupies the town, destroys the depot and railroad bridges in the area.
December 17,1863-President Lincoln releases plans for a Federal Bureau of Emancipation to assist freed slaves. Congress fails to enact legislation forming this bureau until March, 1865.
December 17,1863-The steamer 'Chesapeake', commandeered by Confederate sympathizers, is apprehended in Sambro Harbor, Nova Scotia and released back to its original owners.
December 18,1863-General John M. Schofield is removed from duty in Missouri due to his poor handling of civilian affairs. President Lincoln simultaneously sacks the General and promotes him to major general to avoid and ugly conflict in Army leadership.
December 19,1863-The USS Restless, Bloomer, and Caroline patrol off Florida near St. Andrews Bay. In 10 days of raids, they eliminate 290 Southern owned saltworks and 268 buildings.
December 20,1863-The USS Sunflower, USS Fox, and USS Governor Buckingham capture Confederate blockade runners near Frying Pan Shoals, North Carolina, Tampa Bay and Suwannee River, Florida.
December 21,1863-General Jacob D. Cox is appointed commander of the Department of Mississippi and Louisiana, replacing General Schofield.
