Civil War Events by State

January 9, 1861

The state of Mississippi moves to secede from the Union, strengthening the growing Confederacy in the south.

September 3, 1861

Confederate forces move into Western Kentucky and take Columbus along the all-important Mississippi River.

September 7, 1861

Ship Island, off the coast of Biloxi, Mississippi, is claimed by Union forces.

September 17, 1861

Ships of the United States Navy move in to secure Ship Island off the coast of Mississippi.

February 20, 1862

Union Captain David Farragut arrives outside of New Orleans, Louisiana with his naval forces in tow. He takes up position at Ship Island near Biloxi, Mississippi. This is part of the campaign to retake the strategically important port city.

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February 20, 1862

Union Captain David Farragut takes command of the West Gulf Squadron.

March 5, 1862

The Department of the Mississippi is given to Confederate General Beauregard.

March 11, 1862

Union General Henry Halleck is named in charge of the Department of the Mississippi.

March 23, 1862

Union General Benjamin Butler arrives at Ship Island, Mississippi to join in the plans for the ultimate battle to take New Orleans.

April 4, 1862

Gneeral John Pope's Union forces at New Madrid, Missouri, complete the construction of a canal intended to bypass Confederate firepower along the Mississippi River at Island Number Ten.

April 7, 1862

Union General Pope and his men cross the Mississippi River.

April 7, 1862

Island Number Ten along the Mississippi River, south of New Madrid, Missouri, is given up by the defending Confederate garrison.

April 28, 1862

Union forces lay siege to Corinth, Mississippi.

May 5, 1862

A Confederate river fleet voyages out of Memphis, Tennessee and meet a Union squadron - Southern forces are repelled in the ensuing battle.

May 12, 1862

Natchez, Mississippi is claimed by Union forces.

May 30, 1862

Falling to Union pressure, General Beauregard orders a withdrawal from Corinth, Mississippi.

June 24, 1862

Construction on a canal is started by Union engineers along the Mississippi River near heavily-defended Vicksburg. General Thomas Williams directs.

June 28, 1862

Union Navy boats pass under the guns of Vicksburg to reach friendly forces up the Mississippi River.

July 1, 1862

The Battle of Booneville is fought at Booneville, Mississippi. Losses are light for both sides with the Union claiming the victory.

July 15, 1862

Confederate warship CSS Arkansas engages Union ships north of Vicksburg, Mississippi.

September 19, 1862

The Union Army claims a victory at the Battle of Iuka, driving off the now-retreating Confederates. The battle takes place near Iuka, Mississippi and involves 4,500 Union and 3,179 Confederates.

October 3, 1862

Union forces gain the upper hand against the Confederates at Corinth, Mississippi. The battle marks one of the few uses of the bayonet charge in the whole of the war.

December 12, 1862

USS Cairo is sunk by an electrically-detonated Confederate naval mine. The action takes place at Yazoo River near Haines Bluff, Mississippi.

December 17, 1862

General Grant forces out all merchant Jews under his district control due to Treasury violations (black market dealings involving cotton). This is known as General order No.11 and includes Jews in Tennessee, Mississippi and Kentucky.

December 20, 1862

Confederate forces destroy General Grant's base at Holly Springs in Mississippi.

December 26, 1862

In a speech to Mississippi lawmakers, President Davis details Northern aggression and violations of southern women and property.

December 26, 1862

Union forces are beaten back at Chickasaw Bayou in Vicksburg, Mississippi. This two-day engagement marks the Battle of Chickasaw Bayou. Again, a much smaller Confederate force bests a larger Union army. The battle spans into December 29th.

January 30, 1863

General Ulysses S. Grant assumes command of Union forces near Vicksburg, Mississippi.

February 24, 1863

USS Indianola is grounded by Confederate warships and taken over. The action takes place near Warrenton in Mississippi.

March 8, 1863

The under-construction Union canal at Vicksburg, Mississippi is flooded out due to a levee break.

March 11, 1863

In an action at Greenwood, Mississippi, Union warships fail to neutralize Fort Pemberton.

March 14, 1863

Steele's Bayou Expedition is begun. The operation sees a combined Union force directed by General Grant and Rear Admiral Porter attempt to reach the rear of Vicksburg, Mississippi. The expedition would last until March 27th.

March 17, 1863

Confederate forces at Fort Pemberton block General Grant's passage along the Yazoo River in Mississippi.

March 27, 1863

Union forces attempting to reach Vickerburg's rear are repulsed as part of Steele's Bayou Expedition. Union leaders included General Grant and Admiral Porter.

April 17, 1863

Union Navy boats attempt to bypass the guns of Vicksburg through night time voyages.

April 27, 1863

Confederate forces are successful in driving back a Union navy attack at Grand Gulf, Mississippi.

May 1, 1863

Union troops are victorious at Port Gibson in Mississippi.

May 3, 1863

Grand Gulf, Mississippi is evacuated.

May 7, 1863

General Grant departs the Grand Gulf, Mississippi region.

May 9, 1863

Confederate General Joseph Johnson is named commander of Mississippi forces.

May 12, 1863

Union forces outside of Jackson, Mississippi are victorious at Raymond (Battle of Raymond). General James McPherson is the commander of the Army of the Tennessee and heads a force 12,000 strong against 4,400 Confederates (under John Gregg). Losses are 446 Union to 820 Confederates.

May 13, 1863

Union forces reach Clinton, Mississippi.

May 14, 1863

General Grant captures Jackson, Mississippi (Battle of Jackson, Mississippi). Losses include 286 Union and 850 Confederates.

May 16, 1863

The Battle of Champion Hill (Baker's Creek) is a one-day engagement between the Army of the Tennessee under General Grant and the Department of Mississippi and East Louisiana. Force strength includes 32,000 and 22,000 respectively. Losses amount to 2,457 and 3,840 respectively. It is a Union victory.

May 17, 1863

Confederate forces are pushed back over Big Black River in Mississippi.

May 19, 1863

The Confederate defenders at Vicksburg (Mississippi) repel a Union push.

May 22, 1863

General Grant attempts, and fails, to take Vicksburg in a second offensive.

May 23, 1863

Vicksburg, Mississippi is besieged by Union forces.

May 27, 1863

The guns of Vicksburg aid in the sinking of USS Cincinnati.

June 25, 1863

Despite an attempt by Union engineers to destroy the Vicksburg defenses from below, Vicksburg remains under Confederate control.

July 1, 1863

Union engineers attempt a second demolition of Union defenses at Vicksburg, Mississippi. This attempt also fails to make progress.

July 4, 1863

Vicksburg, Mississippi finally surrenders to General Grant and his Union forces. Some 30,000 prisoners are granted release with the promise not to engage the Union militarily again.

July 9, 1863

Port Hudson, Mississippi is given up by Confederate defenders after a siege lasting six long weeks. This gives the Union a vast amount of control concerning the Mississippi waterway.

July 9, 1863

Jackson, Mississippi is under siege from forces directed by Union General William Sherman.

July 12, 1863

Union forces at Jackson, Mississippi, attempt to overtake Confederate positions but are heavily repulsed. General Jacob Lauman directs the unsuccessful Union charge.

July 13, 1863

Union forces take Yazoo City, Mississippi.

July 16, 1863

With Jackson, Mississippi fallen to Union forces, General Joseph Johnson's Confederate forces abandon the area.

July 16, 1863

The Mississippi River waterway is firmly in control of Union forces.

July 18, 1863

The Confederate's Army of Mississippi cavalry forces command is given to General Joseph Wheeler.

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 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 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.

March 5, 1864

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

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.

May 7, 1864

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

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.

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.

May 26, 1865

The last major Confederate force is surrendered to authorities of the North in Galveston, Texas. This involves Confederate General Edmund Kirby Smith and his Trans-Mississippi Department. General Edward Canby presides over the event.

November 24, 1865

'Black Codes' are enacted by Mississippi to limit the rights of freed slaves.

Civil War Events by State - Mississippi

Listing of all day-by-day events of the American Civil War related to the state of Mississippi.