American Civil War Events of 1864

January 1, 1864

General William Smith is named governor of Confederate Virginia.

January 2, 1864

Confederate General Patrick Cleburne suggests that some slaves be made free to help fight in the Southern Cause.

January 19, 1864

The state of Arkansas accepts a new constitution doing away with slavery.

January 30, 1864

The Department of the Missouri is handed over to General Rosecrans of the Union Army.

February 1, 1864

From the period of February 1st to the 3rd, Confederate forces unsuccessfully attempt to retake New Bern, North Carolina from Union defenders.

February 2, 1864

USS Underwriter is claimed and destroyed by Confederate warships in the Neuse River (North Carolina).

February 3, 1864

Union General Sherman begins the Meridian Campaign, the taking of Meridian, Mississippi.

February 5, 1864

Union forces, under General Sherman, meet Confederate forces at Clinton and Jackson, Mississippi.

February 6, 1864

General Sherman reaches Jackson, Mississippi. The city is razed.

February 7, 1864

Jacksonville, Florida is the target of a Union force led by General Truman Seymour. Half of the attacking force is made up of black soldiers. The city is taken.

February 9, 1864

Colonel Thomas Rose and 107 others escape their Confederate prison in Richmond, Virginia. He is recaptured along with forty-seven of the group.

February 9, 1864

From the period of February 9th through the 14th, Union forces continue their march through Florida.

February 10, 1864

Another 109 Union officer-level personnel manage an escape from a Confederate prison in Richmond, Virginia.

February 11, 1864

A Union Army from Memphis, Tennessee crosses into Mississippi and marches on, destroying crop fields along their path.

February 14, 1864

General Sherman's force takes Meridian, Mississippi and destroys much of its infrastructure.

February 17, 1864

CSS Hunley becomes the world's first submarine to sink a surface vessel. The target becomes USS Housatonic in Charleston Harbor. However, CSS Hunley is lost in the action.

February 19, 1864

Like General Grant, General Sherman receives an official thanks for his services in the ongoing war - namely his direction of the Chattanooga victory.

February 20, 1864

The Battle of Olustee (Florida) is had. 5,500 Union troops face 5,000 Confederates. The battle is a Confederate victory with 1,861 Union wounded to the South's 946. Commanding officers are Truman Seymour (Union) and Joseph Finnegan (Confederate).

February 21, 1864

West Point, Mississippi is the site of a Confederate victory over a much larger Union force. Confederate General Nathan Bedford leads the victors.

February 22, 1864

The Battle of Okolona takes place in Chickasaw County, Mississippi. Confederate forces, numbering 2,500 under the leadership of General Forrest, is victorious against a larger Union contingent of 7,000 under the direction of William Sooy Smith.

February 23, 1864

Some 400 Union prisoners are relocated from Belle Isle, Virginia to Libby Prison in Richmond, Virginia.

February 24, 1864

General Bragg is received at Richmond, Virginia to take on the position of Military Adviser to Confederate President Davis.

February 27, 1864

Georgia is home to a new war prison for Union troops. The facility is located in Andersonville, Georgia.

March 2, 1864

Confederates find plans to burn Richmond and kill Confederate President Davis. The information is found on the deceased body of Ulric Dahlgren following his unsuccessful raid into Richmond.

March 2, 1864

Union Colonel Ulric Dahlgren, aged 21, is killed during a raid into Richmond, Virginia. He carries plans for the burning of Richmond and the assassination of Jefferson Davis, the Confederate president.

March 4, 1864

CSS Don, a Confederate Navy blockade runner, is run down and captured by USS Pequot near Beaufort, North Carolina.

March 5, 1864

With the Meridian Campaign completed, General Sherman makes his return to Union-held Vicksburg in Mississippi.

March 8, 1864

Five Union soldiers are murdered by Southern sympathizers on leave in Charleston, Illinois. The group is killed by a mob numbering one hundred.

March 9, 1864

Command of the Union armies in the West are given to General William Sherman.

March 9, 1864

General Ulysses S. Grant is promoted to the newly-created rank of Lieutenant General.

March 12, 1864

General Henry Halleck is replaced with General Grant by President Lincoln. Grant will now head the Union Army as its General-in-Chief.

March 12, 1864

Union gunboats and ironclads make their way towards Shreveport, Louisiana along the Red River.

March 14, 1864

Fort De Russy is taken by Union General Banks in Louisiana.

March 14, 1864

150,000 bales of cotton are ordered burned prior to the arrival of Union forces in Louisiana. The order is from Confederate General Edmund Smith.

March 18, 1864

The Veteran Reserve Corps is formed from the Invalid Corps.

March 18, 1864

Union forces take Alexandria, Louisiana without firing a shot.

March 20, 1864

General George Stoneman undertakes a three-day cavalry raiding campaign into Virginia and North Carolina from a Union base in Tennessee.

March 21, 1864

Henderson's Hill, Louisiana is the site of a capture of 250 unsuspecting Confederate soldiers by Union forces.

March 24, 1864

Union City, Tennessee and its defenders are captured by Confederate General Nathaniel Bedford.

March 25, 1864

Paducah, Kentucky, at the Kentucky-Tennessee border, is raided by Confederate elements of General Nathan Forrest.

April 2, 1864

Cavalry units, under the leadership of Union General James H. Wilson, capture Selma, Alabama.

April 7, 1864

Wilson's Plantation in Louisiana is the site of a meeting of cavalry forces from both sides.

April 8, 1864

Confederate forces at Sabine Crossroads along the Red River stop , and drive back, a Union advance.

April 8, 1864

A move towards abolishing slavery in the United States is made when the 13th Amendment is passed by the U.S. Senate. The measure passes by a vote of 38 to 6.

April 9, 1864

Pleasant Hill, Louisiana is the site of a Union victory over Confederate elements as the Red River Campaign advances. Union General Nathaniel Banks directs the victors.

April 10, 1864

Mary Edwards Walker, the lone female surgeon in the Union Army, is taken prisoner by Southern elements. This occurs at the Tennessee-Georgia border.

April 12, 1864

Fort Pillow, Tennessee, is the site of a Confederate victory by General Nathan Bedford. Black soldiers fighting for the Union are executed.

April 12, 1864

Confederate General Thomas Green is killed during a cavalry attack on a Union gunboat flotilla at Blair's Landing in Louisiana.

April 14, 1864

Around $1 million is raised for the U.S. Army's Sanitary Commission by the Manhattan Fair.

April 17, 1864

Prisoner exchanges with the South are stopped under the order of General Grant.

April 18, 1864

In a speech given at the Sanitary Fair at Baltimore, President Lincoln cautions against retaliation.

April 19, 1864

USS Southfield falls victim to an attack by CSS Albemarle near Plymouth, North Carolina. Southfield is sunk in the act. This loss drives Union naval forces away.

April 20, 1864

Plymouth, North Carolina falls to the Confederates.

April 20, 1864

Macon, Georgia falls to Union cavalry forces under the leadership of General Wilson.

April 21, 1864

Mary Walker, the Union's lone female surgeon, is delivered to the Confederate capital of Richmond in Virginia.

April 22, 1864

"In God We Trust" is added to U.S. coins. The phrase is pushed through by the United States Congress.

April 25, 1864

Marks's Mills, Arkansas is the site of a Confederate capture of over 200 Union supply wagons.

April 27, 1864

Tycoon is captured by the sloop-of-war CSS Alabama. This marks the final ship taken by the Confederate vessel.

May 1, 1864

After a fall from the balcony of the Confederate White House, President Jefferson Davis' son Joe dies of his injuries. he was five years old.

May 1, 1864

By this date in the war, Union troop strength numbers over 660,000.

May 3, 1864

Union General Grant advances towards Richmond, Virginia - the Confederate capital - with a force numbering about 100,000.

May 3, 1864

General Steele's army is forced back into Little Rock, Arkansas.

May 4, 1864

Union General William Sherman begins his move towards Atlanta, Georgia.

May 5, 1864

Attempting to push past the Union blockade, a naval action involving CSS Albemarle takes place at the Roanoke River opening. Neither side makes any headway.

May 5, 1864

The Battle of the Wilderness takes place across Spotsylvania and Orange counties in Virginia. Generals Ulysses Grant and George Meade face-off against Robert E. Lee. Strength includes 124,232 for the Union and about 65,000 for the Confederacy.

May 6, 1864

USS Commodore is sunk during a Confederate attack by way of torpedo. This takes place on the James River (Virginia).

May 6, 1864

Confederate General Micah Jenkins is killed by friendly fire during the Battle of the Wilderness.

May 6, 1864

Confederate General James Longstreet is seriously wounded at the Battle of the Wilderness by friendly fire.

May 7, 1864

The Battle of the Wilderness comes to an end as an inconclusive engagement. Losses and casualties for the Union number 17,666 and the Confederate totals 11,033.

May 7, 1864

The Division of West Mississippi is created under the Union banner.

May 7, 1864

The Battle of Todd's Tavern (Virginia) takes place between cavalry forces from both sides. Union elements are directed by General Philip Sheridan and Confederate forces are led by Jeb Stuart. The clash is inconclusive.

May 8, 1864

The Battle of Spotsylvania Court House begins. Union Generals Grant and Meade square off, once again, against Confederate General Robert E. Lee. The action takes place in Spotsylvania County, Virginia. Union forces number as many as 110,000 against a Confederate army of 63,000.

May 9, 1864

The Battle of Cloyd's Mountain is a limited engagement between 6,100 Union troops against 2,400 Confederates. It takes place in Pulaski County, Virginia and goes down as a Union victory. The battle is significant in eliminating the last Confederate line from Virginia into Tennessee. General George Crook directs the victors against Confederate Generla Albert Jenkins. Losses are 688 to 538, respectively.

May 9, 1864

Union General Sherman pushes towards Richmond, Virginia.

May 10, 1864

Railroad equipment and track sections are destroyed at Beaver Dam Station, Virginia, under the direction of General Custer.

May 10, 1864

Confederate forces, numbering 4,000, at Crockett's Cove, Virginia, stand their ground against a Union charge of 2,500 strong. The attackers are driven back into West Virginia. Confederate General William E. Jones claims the victory over Union General William Averell. The official battle results are listed as inconclusive.

May 11, 1864

The Battle of Yellow Tavern is had in Hanover County, Virginia. It is a Union victory for General Sheridan and a loss for the combined forces of Confederate Generals Jeb Stuart and Fitzhugh Lee. Numbers are 12,000 for the victors and 5,000 for the defeated. Casualties number 625 and 300 respectively.

May 12, 1864

The Battle of Meadow Bridge takes place and is a Union victory as part of the Overland Campaign. General Sheridan is victorious over generals Fitzhugh Lee and James Gordon.

May 12, 1864

Confederate General J.E.B. Stuart, aged 31, dies of wounds suffered at the Battle of Yellow Tavern the day before.

May 12, 1864

Union forces break through Confederate defensive lines at Snake Creek Gap. The action takes place near Dalton, Georgia and Union elements are directed by General Sheridan.

May 15, 1864

Confederate defenders at Resaca (Georgia), led by General Johnstom, are successful in holding their ground against Union attackers (General Sherman). The Battle of Resaca is determined to be inconclusive as the Confederates retreat. Nearly 100,000 Union men fought 60,000 Confederates. Losses were 4,500 to 2,800, respectively.

May 15, 1864

The Battle of Fort Darling - or Battle of Drewry's Bluff - is had pitting five Union warships against an artillery-laden Confederate fort in Chesterfield County, Virginia. It is a Confederate victory for General Beauregard. Union General Benjamin Butler is handed the defeat.

May 15, 1864

Confederate General Johnston withdraws his forces near Dalton, Georgia, under growing pressure from General Sherman.

May 15, 1864

The Battle of New Market takes place in Shenandoah County, Virginia. It is a Confederate victory for General Breckinridge over General Franz Sigel. Forces number 4,087 to 6,275, respectively, and losses total 531 to 841, respectively.

May 18, 1864

The Battle of Yellow Bayou is had in Avoyelles Parish, Louisiana. It results in a Union victory though not without both sides gaining, and eventually losing, the advantage several times during the battle. The Union is directed by Joseph Mower and the Confederates by Richard Taylor. Losses are 360 and 500 respectively.

May 20, 1864

The Battle of Spotsylvania Court House concludes as a Confederate tactical victory. General Lee takes the credit over Union leaders General Grant and Meade. Casualties and losses number 12,687 for the victors and 18,399 for the defeated.

May 20, 1864

The Battle of Ware Bottom Church sees Confederate General Beauregard victorious over Union General Benjamin Butler. The fighting takes place in Chesterfield County, Virginia.

May 21, 1864

Confederate General Albert Jenkins dies of his wounds suffered at the Battle of Cloyd's Mountain, Virginia. He was 33.

May 23, 1864

The Battle of North Anna begins spanning Caroline and Hanover counties in Virginia. Union forces are led by Ulysses Grant and George Meade against Robert E. Lee and the outnumbered Confederate army (Army of Northern Virginia).

May 24, 1864

The Battle of Wilson's Wharf is fought. It is a Union victory at Charles City, Virginia. General Edward Wild claims the victory over General Fitzhugh Lee.

May 25, 1864

CSS Albemarle survives a Union torpedo attack at Albemarle Sound in North Carolina waters.

May 26, 1864

The Battle of North Anna ends with inconclusive results as neither side gains the advantage.

May 26, 1864

The Battle of New Hope Church in Georgia sees the Military Division of the Mississippi, under the leadership of Generals Sherman and Hooker, lose to the Army of Tennessee led by General Johnston.

May 26, 1864

Following their retreat from Alexandria, Louisiana, Union forces and General Nathaniel Banks reside in Donaldsonville.

May 28, 1864

The Battle of Haw's Shop takes place on this date. It is inconclusive. The 4,000-strong Union force is led by General David Gregg against the 4,500 Confederates under the leadership of General Wade Hampton.

May 28, 1864

The Battle of Totopotomoy Creek begins.

May 30, 1864

The Battle of Totopotomoy Creek is inconclusive.

May 30, 1864

The Battle of Old Church takes place. It is a Union victory for General Alfred Torbert.

May 31, 1864

The Battle of Cold Harbor begins as part of the Overland Campaign. Union forces number over 100,000 and are led by generals Ulysses S. Grant and George Meade. They face a Confederate army numbering around 60,000 and are led by General Robert E. Lee.

May 31, 1864

The "Radical Democracy Party", a divisional group of the Republican Party, nominates former Union General John Fremont to run against incumbent Abraham Lincoln in the 1864 election.

June 5, 1864

Piedmont, Virginia is the site of a Union victory under General David Hunter. The Battle of Piedmont spans June 5th and June 6th.

June 6, 1864

Staunton, Virginia falls to Union forces led by General David Hunter. Not a shot is fired.

June 7, 1864

Abraham Lincoln and Andrew Johnson are elected by the Republican Party to run for a second term in office. The party convention is held in Baltimore, Maryland with the war still ongoing.

June 9, 1864

General John Morgan undertakes his last raid on Kentucky soil, this at Mt. Sterling. The results are disastrous as they face Union military opposition.

June 9, 1864

Failing to unseat General Lee's defenders at Petersburg, Virginia, Union General Grant enacts a siege of the city. The siege will last (officially) until March 25th, 1865 and result in a Union victory.

June 10, 1864

The Battle of Brice's Crossroads is recorded. A smaller Confederate force of 3,500 cavalry is victorious against a Union army consisting of 4,800 troops, 3,300 cavalry, and 22 field guns. General Nathan Forrest directs the victors over General Samuel Sturgis of the Union. The action takes place near Guntown, Mississippi.

June 11, 1864

The Second Battle of Cynthiana is had in Kentucky. The Union victory emerges from a two-day contest in which 3,450 Union face-off against 1,200 Confederates. Losses equal 1,092 and 1,000 respectively.

June 11, 1864

The Battle of Trevalian Station is had in Louisa County, Virginia. Confederate Generals Wade Hampton and Fitzhugh Lee are victorious over Union leader General Sheridan. The battle spans into the 12th. Strength is 6,762 Confederates versus 9,286 Union. Casualties are 813 to 1,512 respectively.

June 12, 1864

The Battle of Cold Harbor ends as a much-needed Confederate victory for General Robert E. Lee. Frontal assaults against fortified Confederate positions mar the Union advance which leads to thousands of casualties.

June 12, 1864

Confederate General John Morgan retreats with his cavalry force away from Cynthiana, Kentucky.

June 14, 1864

Petersburg, Virginia is in the crosshairs of General Grant. His forces cross the James River en route to the town.

June 14, 1864

A former planter in Tennessee, Confederate General Leonidas Polk is killed by artillery fire at Kenesaw Mountain in Georgia during the Atlanta Campaign.

June 15, 1864

The 13th Amendment of the Constitution, intended to abolish slavery, is defeated in the House of Representatives by a vote of 95 to 66.

June 16, 1864

During a speech in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, President Lincoln calls for more troops to finish the fight.

June 17, 1864

The Battle of Lynchburg is fought over a two-day span by two small forces. The Confederates numbering 14,000 under General Jubal Early are victorious in beating back 16,643 Union attackers led by General David Hunter.

June 19, 1864

CSS Alabama is targeted and sunk by USS Kearsarge off the coast of Cherbourg, France.

June 24, 1864

The Battle of Saint Mary's Church takes place as part of the Overland Campaign. It is inconclusive.

June 27, 1864

The Battle of Kennesaw Mountin results in a Confederate victory. General Joseph Johnston faces off against Union General William Sherman in the clash. Numbers are 17,733 to 16,225 respectively and losses include 1,000 to 3,000, respectively.

June 28, 1864

The Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 is repealed. The measure is officially signed by President Lincoln. The law called for recaptured runaway slaves in Northern territories to be returned to their masters in the South.

June 30, 1864

To help finance the ongoing war, the United States government passes the Internal Revenue Act. This allows the government to increase income tax rates.

July 2, 1864

The Wade-Davis Bill of 1864, covering a proposal for reconstruction of the South following a conclusion to the war, is passed by both houses of Congress. However, much to the dismay of Radial Republicans, Lincoln does not sign the bill. Instead it is vetoed as Lincoln looks for a less severe plan. Authors of the Wade-Davis Bill are Senator Benjamin Wade (Ohio) and Representative Henry Winter Davis (Maryland).

July 2, 1864

With Washinton, D.C. as the primary target, cavalry forces led by General Jubal Early raid into Maryland. The operation would span into July 13th.

July 3, 1864

James Island, Charleston Harbor is the site of a successful Confederate defense of Fort Johnson against Union attackers.

July 4, 1864

A bill proposing that the U.S. Congress be placed in charge of the reconstruction of the South following the war is vetoed by Presidetn Lincoln.

July 4, 1864

A new provision signed into law by President Lincoln now guarantees a $100 yearly bonus to Union troops.

July 5, 1864

The New York Times is the recipient of a initial peace plan authored by the Confederacy.

July 7, 1864

Another Union attack is beaten back at Charleston, South Carolina, as the defenders continue to deny the important port city to the North.

July 9, 1864

The Battle of Monocacy in Frederick County, Maryland, sees a Union force (commanded by Lew Wallace) of 5,800 strong go up against a much larger Confederate army of 14,000. The successful delay of General Jubal Early's troops, en route to Washington, D.C., makes it a Union strategic victory. Washington, D.C. is reinforced in the mean time.

July 9, 1864

Union cavalry raids begin at Decatur, Alabama under the leadership of General Lovell Rousseau. The raids will head into Marietta, Georgia and span to July 22nd.

July 11, 1864

Fort Stevens in Washington, D.C. is fired upon by elements of Confederate General General Early (the Battle of Fort Stevens). This occurs during a visit by President Lincoln.

July 12, 1864

General Early removes his forces form the vicinity of Washington, D.C.

July 14, 1864

Harrisburg, Mississippi is the site of a successful Union defense against a Confederate attack. However, Union forces still flee and destroy the town in their wake. The force relocates to Memphis, Tennessee.

July 16, 1864

A skirmish is had between opposing forces at Heaton's Crossroads in northern Virginia (Loudoun County). Results of the one-day engagement are inconclusive. The event is also known as the Purcellville Wagon Raid.

July 17, 1864

The Battle of Cool Spring takes place over two days between a Union force of 5,000 against a Confederate army of 8,000. It results in a Confederate victory for General Jubal Early and John Breckinridge.

July 17, 1864

The Army of Tennessee sees a new commanding officer named - General John Hood succeeds General Joseph Johnston. The appointment is made by President Davis himself.

July 17, 1864

The railworks running between Montgomery, Alabama and Columbus, Georgia is destroyed by a Confederate force. This action occurs at Opelika, Alabama and is directed by General Rousseau.

July 18, 1864

The Confederate government sees a new Secretary of the Treasury appointed in George Trenholm. He succeeds outgoing secretary Christopher Memminger.

July 20, 1864

The Battle of Rutherford's Farm takes place (also known as Carter's Farm and Stephenson's Depot). It is a Union victory for General Averell over General Ramseur. Forces number 2,350 Union against 3,300 Confederates.

July 20, 1864

The Battle of Peachtree Creek takes place in Fulton County, Georgia. 21,655 Union troops under George H. Thomas claim the victory over the 20,250 Confederate army led by General John Hood (Army of Tennessee). Losses are 1,900 to 2,500, respectively.

July 22, 1864

Confederate forces attempt another attack on General Sherman's army outside of Atlanta. The attack fails.

July 22, 1864

The Battle of Atlanta becomes a Union victory. 34,863 Union troops under Generals Sherman and McPherson face-off against the Army of Tennessee and its 40,438 troops led by General Hood and Hardee. Losses are 3,641 against 5,500, respectively.

July 24, 1864

Kernstown, Virginia is the site of a successful cavalry attack by General Jubal Early over Union forces. It is recorded as the Second Battle of Kernstown.

July 26, 1864

General George Stoneman directs several cavalry raids across Georgia over the period spanning five days. He begins in Decatur and ends at Macon.

July 28, 1864

Ezra Church, Georgia - outside of Atlanta - is the site of another failed Confederate attack against General Sherman's Union forces.

July 29, 1864

Railworks between Griffin and Jonesboro, Georgia are destroyed by Union forces.

July 30, 1864

A massive underground explosion by Union engineers fails to defeat the defenses of Petersburg, Virginia. General Burnside leads the Union forces.

July 30, 1864

Chambersburg, Pennsylvania is held for ransom by occupying Confederate troops. When the demand is not met, the town is burned.

July 30, 1864

During the Atlanta Campaign, Union General Stoneman is captured along with his aide near Macon, Georgia by Confederates. His prison term becomes just three months as he is released, mainly in part by the direct request of Union General Sherman himself.

August 1, 1864

The Battle of Folck's Mill takes place. It is an inconclusive engagement. Also known as the Battle of Cumberland.

August 2, 1864

The Battle of Mobile Bay begins pitting a Union force of 12 wooden ships, 4 ironclads and 2 gunboats against a Confederate force of 3 gunboats and one ironclad. Additionally, 5,500 Union troops make up a land contingent while the Confederates field 1,500 men. The battle would last until August 23rd. David Farragut and Gordon Granger are the Union leaders. The Confederates are led by Franklin Buchanan and Richard Page.

August 3, 1864

General Horace Capron and his forces near Jug Tavern in Georgia come across a Confederate force.

August 6, 1864

The Confederate raider CSS Tallahassee departs Wilmington, North Carolina.

August 7, 1864

The Battle of Moorefield takes place in Hardy County, West Virginia. It is a Union victory for General William Averell over Confederate leader John McCausland. Union strength is 1,760 against 3,000 Confederates. Casualties are 42 against 488, respectively.

August 8, 1864

The Union Army, directed by Gordon Granger, takes Fort Gaines (Dauphin Island) during the Battle of Mobile Bay. 900 prisoners are taken.

August 16, 1864

The Battle of Guard Hill in Warren County, Virginia is an inconclusive engagement between the two parties. General Thomas Devin leads Union forces against Confederate General William Wofford. Losses are 71 to 480, respectively. The engagement is also known as the Battle of Crooked Run.

August 17, 1864

General Sheridan is forced to retreat back across the Potomac under force from Confederate leader Jubal Early.

August 21, 1864

The Battle of Summit Point, also known under the names of Flowing Springs and Cameron's Depot, takes place in Summit Point, West Virginia. It is an inconclusive engagement involving Union General Sheridan and Confederate Generals Anderson and Early.

August 21, 1864

Union-held Memphis, Tennessee is attacked by Confederate forces under the command of General Nathan Forrest.

August 23, 1864

The Battle of Mobile Bay comes to a close on this date. It is a Union victory with 151 killed and 177 wounded for the Union and 13 killed and 22 wounded for the Confederate. One Union ironclad is sunk. 1,587 Confederate troops are captured in the fighting and one gunboat destroyed.

August 23, 1864

Union General Gordon Granger claims Fort Morgan during the Battle of Mobile Bay. Confederate General Richard Page surrenders the fort.

August 25, 1864

The Battle of Smithfield Crossing is another inconclusive engagement between the two sides in West Virginia. The fighting spans August 25th into August 29th.

August 25, 1864

Atlanta falls under siege to forces led by Union General Sherman.

Aigust 29, 1864

Union General George McClellan is nominated by the Democratic Party in Chicago, Illinois. He will square-off in the Presidential Election of 1864 against incumbent Abraham Lincoln.

August 31, 1864

President Lincoln delivers a speech to the men of the 148th Ohio Regiment.

August 31, 1864

The Battle of Jonesborough begins in Clayton County, Georgia. General Sherman leads 70,000 Union troops against 24,000 Confederates under General Hood and General Hardee.

August 31, 1864

A repulsed attack at Jonesborough effectively marks the last attempt by the Confederacy to hold Atlanta.

September 1, 1864

The Battle of Jonesborough ends as a Union victory for General Sherman.

September 1, 1864

With the situation growing hopeless, Confederate General Hood pulls his men out of Atlanta. Any useful structures and materials are burned.

September 2, 1864

General Sherman's force takes the city of Atlanta. This ends the Atlanta Campaign which began back in May of 1964 and is marked as a major Union victory - certainly helping President Lincoln's reelection chances.

September 3, 1864

From the period of September 3rd until the 4th, the Battle of Berryville takes place in Clarke County, Virginia. It is an inconclusive engagement.

September 4, 1864

Confederate General John Morgan is killed by Union troops. He dies aged 39 in Greeneville, Tennessee.

September 7, 1864

Civilians are ordered out of the city of Atlanta following its capture by Union forces.

September 8, 1864

Union General George McClellan accepts the Democratic candidacy for President of the United States.

September 14, 1864

The "Beefsteak Raid", a Confederate cavalry raid, takes place in Prince George County, Virginia. 300 Union troops are captured as are 2,685 heads of cattle. It is a Confederate victory.

September 16, 1864

General Grant's HQ in Virginia is raided. Some 2,500 cattle are taken. The Confederate force is led by General Wade Hampton.

September 18, 1864

Union defenders stand fast against a Confederate attack at Fort Gibson (Oklahoma / Indian Territory).

September 19, 1864

The Third Battle of Winchester (Battle of Opequon) is had. It is a Union victory in Virginia for General Sheridan over General Early.

September 19, 1864

The Third Battle of Winchester is fought as a Union victory. General Sheridan leads Union forces against Confederate Jubal Early in Virginia.

September 19, 1864

Confederate General Sterling Price begins a series of cavalry raids into Missouri.

September 21, 1864

The Battle of Fisher's Hill takes place in Shenandoah County, Virginia. It is a Union victory for General Sheridan over General Early. Fighting spans the 21st into the 22nd.

September 21, 1864

Middle Tennessee is the target of several cavalry raids by Confederate General Nathan Forrest.

September 22, 1864

General Sheridan of the Union Army is victorious over Jubal Early and his Confederate force at the Battle of Fisher's Hill in Virginia.

September 24, 1864

The Union Defenders at Athens, Alabama are removed by a Confederate cavalry force led by General Forrest.

September 27, 1864

Fort Davidson, Missouri is the site of a Union victory over the Confederates. The victors are commanded by General Thomas Ewing. General Sterling Price leads the Confederate attackers.

September 29, 1864

The Battle of Chaffin's Farm and New Market Heights is had. Union forces, numbering 26,600 strong, are led by General Benjamin Butler. The Confederate force numbers 14,500 and is led by General Robert E. Lee and General Richard Ewell. The battle spans September 29th into the 30th in Henrico County, Virginia and ends as a Union victory.

October 1, 1864

Confederate General Wheeler begins a week-long period of raids into Tennessee against Union targets - namely army supply lines.

October 2, 1864

The Battle of Saltville in Virginia takes place. The one-day battle is a victory for the Confederate Home Guard numbering 300. They face a force of 5,000.

October 2, 1864

Anderson's Cross Roads in Tennessee is the site of one of General Wheeler's raids into Union-held Tennessee. A supply wagon train is taken.

October 2, 1864

Command of the 3rd Cavalry Division is handed to General Custer.

October 3, 1864

McMinnville, Tennessee is taken by General Wheeler's cavalry force.

October 3, 1864

Confederate forces under General Bell take Big Shanty and Acworth - both in Georgia.

October 5, 1864

The Battle of Allatoona is fought in Bartow County, Georgia. Union strength numbers 2,025 against a Confederate army of 3,276. The clash is a Union victory, part of the Franklin-Nashville Campaign, with casualties totaling 706 for the victors and 897 for the South.

October 7, 1864

Union forces are successful against General Wheeler's cavalry at Duck River in Tennessee.

October 7, 1864

CSS Florida is taken by Union naval forces off the coast of Brazil.

October 9, 1864

The Battle of Tom's Brook takes place in Shenandoah County, Virginia. It is a Union victory.

October 11, 1864

The Butler Medal is commissioned by Major General Butler of the Union Army. This award recognizes heroic acts by black soldiers during the Battle of Chaffin's Farm and New Market Heights. The medal is personally funded by Butler.

October 10, 1864

The state of Maryland adopts a new constitution aimed at officially ending the practice of slavery within its borders.

October 15, 1864

Camp Lawton, a large Confederate prison outside of Millen in Georgia opens its doors to the first Union troops.

October 16, 1864

More Confederate raids are had into Tennessee. General Forrest begins a near-month-long campaign targeting Union supply lines. The campaign ends around November 10th.

October 19, 1864

The Shenandoah Valley is made more secure with a Union victory at the Battle of Cedar Creek in Virginia. General Sheridan is victorious over General Early in this one-day affair.

October 19, 1864

CSS Shenandoah (formerly the British vessel Sea King) enters service with the Confederate Navy.

October 21, 1864

The Battle of Little Blue River is recorded as a Confederate victory. General Price leas his men over General Curtis with a force of 8,500 to 2,000, respectively. The fighting takes place in Jackson County, Missouri.

October 22, 1864

A new offensive into Tennessee is begun by Confederate General John Bell.

October 22, 1864

The Battle of Byram's Ford is fought. Union forces are victorious in Kansas City, Missouri.The battle rages into the 23rd.

October 25, 1864

Confederate generals John Marmaduke and William Cabell are taken prisoner (along with 1,000 troops) through actions by Union General Alfred Pleasonton.

October 27, 1864

CSS Albemarle, commissioned as recently as April 1864, is sunk by a Union spar torpedo. She is captured and later raised and sold off.

November 4, 1864

Three Union gunboats in the Tennessee River are claimed by Confederate forces near Johnsonville, Tennessee.

November 8, 1864

Incumbent President Abraham Lincoln (a Republican) wins a second term in the unprecedented election held during the American Civil War. He handily defeats Union General George McClellan (a Democrat) 212 to 21 Electoral Votes. Though Louisiana and Tennessee are firmly under Union control, their electoral votes are not counted officially. Lincoln's running mate is Andrew Johnson. Lincoln carries Illinois but does not win Kentucky.

November 8, 1864

Despite the ongoing war, the President Election is held on this date. Incumbent Abraham Lincoln decisively wins over challenger General George McClellan. Andrew John remains as Vice President.

November 15, 1864

Union General Sherman's "March to the Sea" is begin in Georgia. The campaign would last until December 21st and result in a major Union victory. The offensive starts in Atlanta, Georgia which is now under Union control.

November 22, 1864

The Battle of Griswoldville is fought in Jones County, Georgia. It is a Union victory.

November 22, 1864

Union General Sherman makes a stop at the estate of Confederate General Cobb. The home is razed when the force leaves.

November 23, 1864

Union forces at Fort Fisher in North Carolina fail to unseat Confederate defenders through explosives.

November 23, 1864

The city of Milledgeville - the capital of Georgia from 1804 until 1868 - is captured by Union forces numbering 30,000 under General Sherman. Much damage is had to the city but many of its classic homes are spared.

November 24, 1864

The Battle of Columbia in Tennessee is had between a Confederate force of 35,000, led by General Hood, against a Union Army numbering 28,000 under General Schofield. The fighting lasts until the 29th.

November 25, 1864

Confederate agents set fires across New York City. The plan was hatched by Confederate cavalry commander John Morgan early on in Canada. The actions were modeled after the Draft Day riots of 1863. Some nineteen fires are started by eight agents dressed in civilian clothing.

November 26, 1864

General Wheeler and his Confederate cavalry forces are unsuccessful at Griswoldville, Georgia against the forces of General Sherman.

November 29, 1864

The Battle of Columbia (Tennessee) ends with a Confederate victory.

November 29, 1864

The Battle of Spring Hill is fought in Maury County, Tennessee. Union General Schofield claims the victory over General Hood.

November 30, 1864

The Battle of Franklin takes place on this date. 27,000 Union troops face-off against 27,000 Confederates. The battle is recorded as a Union victory for General Schofield over General Hood. Losses include 2,326 for the victors and 6,252 for the Confederates. An ill-advised charge by Hood costs the Confederate army dearly as losses total 25% of his fighting force.

November 30, 1864

The Battle of Honey Hill is fought in Jasper County, South Carolina, and ends as a Confederate victory despite a force of 1,400 facing 5,000 Union troops.

December 1, 1864

Union cavalry raids are launched throughout the Tennessee east and into the Virginian west. General George Stoneman leads the charges which will last into early January.

December 1, 1864

Confederate forces under the command of General John Hood of the Army of Tennessee amass outside of Nashville. Numbers will soon reach 30,000 for the Battle of Nashville by mid-month.

December 6, 1864

Salmon Chase, the former Secretary of the Treasury, is appointed to the Supreme Court by President Lincoln.

December 6, 1864

The Battle of Tulifinny takes place near Yemassee, South Carolina. 5,000 Union face off against 900 Confederates in what becomes a Confederate victory for leader Sam Jones. Fighting runs into December 9th.

December 12, 1864

Union forces undertake a new offensive to capture the Confederate-held position at Fort Fisher, North Carolina. The offensive will last until the 27th.

December 13, 1864

New York City celebrates the arrival of Admiral David Farragut after his major successes in New Orleans, Vicksburg, and Mobile Bay.

December 13, 1864

Fort McAllister falls to Union guns. The capture is another victory for General Sherman as the Union army inches its way closer to the prize that is Savannah, Georgia.

December 15, 1864

The Battle of Nashville (Tennessee) begins with a Confederate force of 30,000 under General Hood facing General Thomas and his 55,000-strong Union army.

December 16, 1864

The Battle of Nashville ends as a Union victory for General George Thomas. Confederate General Hood's losses are double (6,000 to 3,061) what Union forces see. The end of the fighting also spells the end for the Army of Tennessee.

December 20, 1864

With General Sherman's Union force gaining ground, the Confederates are forced to flee from their positions in Savannah.

December 21, 1864

Sherman's "March to the Sea" campaign ends as a Union victory. It began in captured Atlanta and ended with the fall of Savannah, Georgia.

December 21, 1864

The Confederate Navy's Savannah Squadron fleet is ordered destroyed to keep the vessels from falling into enemy hands.

December 22, 1864

Sherman's 'March to the Sea' comes to a close with the capture of Savannah, Georgia.

December 25, 1864

Again, defenders at Fort Fisher (Wilmington, North Carolina) survive another Union attempt to take their position. This time the Union enacts a combined land and sea attack to no avail.

December 26, 1864

President Lincoln, by letter, personally thanks General William Sherman for his successful campaign - his 'March to the Sea' - which began on November 15th that finally delivered Savannah, Georgia in time for Christmas.

December 27, 1864

Defenders at Fort Fisher, North Carolina, are successful in their defense against a Union offensive to retake the position.

December 28, 1864

Fort Harrison is taken by Union troops led by General Grant. This is significant in that the fort guards the route towards Richmond, Virginia - the Confederate capital.

American Civil War Events of 1864

1864 proved no less bloody a year - but progress was made nonetheless.