From Warriors of the Rebellion
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Welcome to the WotrWiki!
This wiki is a database of soldiers who fought in the Civil War that spanned the entire continental United States from 1861-1865. Using wiki software and digitized sources published during the time period (which often refer to the conflict as the War of the Rebellion), it is our mission to use modern technology to solve problems of historical organization.
FEATURES OF THE WotRWiki INCLUDE:
- Profiles of 8,313 Union soldiers who served in 3,660 Union units
- Profiles of 4,432 Confederate soldiers who served in 1,522 Confederate units
- Information on 808 battles and skirmishes fought in 310 campaigns and sub-operations
- Check out the most recent site-wide status updates on our Project Status page!
- See it for yourself: check out our SOURCES HOMEPAGE to learn about the sources used in compiling this wiki!
- Got feedback? EMAIL THE WEBMASTER and let us know what you think!
- As of February 10. 2025, there are over 24,929 total articles on this wiki - use the SEARCH feature or check below for day-by-day information!
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What Happened Today in the Civil War?
1861
"A People's Contest"
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In the early months of 1861, every southern state secedes from the Union. Throughout the summer, Union forces enter the border states of Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, and the westernmost mountainous portions of Virginia. These incursions are initially successful, but months of confused skirmishing and unexpected Confederate victories force Union troops to a standstill in Virginia and a retreat in the west. Even farther west, Confederates occupy frontier forts in Texas and New Mexico in hopes of extending the south into recently acquired territory from Mexico. By December, the Union regains most of what it had lost over the summer, but the Confederacy remains intact.
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- Jefferson Davis receives word at his plantation home in Mississippi that he has been elected the first (and only) president of the Confederate States of America
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1862
The Conflict Escalates
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Inconclusive skirmishing breaks out along the borders of the occupied states. The Confederacy sees success in its frontier campaign, taking large portions of modern-day Arizona and northern New Mexico. Union forces press along the entire line, meeting stiff resistance in Tennessee and northern Arkansas, and near-disaster several times in Virginia. Union forces begin landing in Louisiana and moving up the Mississippi River to cut the Confederacy in half. Even as the Union re-occupies the frontier states and ends the Confederacy's hopes of westward expansion, the emboldened Confederacy pushes into Kentucky and Maryland. Though initially successful, these are both beaten back. By December, the Union holds New Mexico, northeastern Arkansas, western Tennessee, southeastern Louisiana, and the easternmost counties of Virginia and North Carolina.
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- James Patton Anderson, CSA, is promoted to Brigadier General
- Action at Elizabeth City or Cobb's Point, North Carolina, between Union (Brinker, Ceres, Commodore Perry, Delaware, Hetzel, Louisiana, Morse, Putnam, JN Seymour, Shawseen, Underwriter, Valley City, and the Whitehead) and Confederate (CSS Ellis, Fanny, Forrest, Seabird, and the Black Warrior) gunboats, resulting in the loss of all remaining Confederate ships
- Skirmish on Barnwell's Island, South Carolina
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1863
The Turning Point
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The Union pushes farther into Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Tennessee. A still hopeful Confederacy launches a second invasion into Maryland and Pennsylvania, and is pushed back into Virginia. The Union gains control of the entire Mississippi River, cutting the Confederacy in two halves. Major activity begins to erupt in the northern counties of the deep south states of Mississippi, Alabama, and Georgia. By December, the Union controls all of the original border states, as well as a large portion of Arkansas and most of Tennessee.
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- Skirmish at Old River, Louisiana, where Union Captain Tucker repels Confederates
- Federal Operations on the Red, Atchafalaya, and Black Rivers, Louisiana (2/10-2/14)
- Affair near Camp Sheldon, Mississippi resulting in the capture of 6 federal guns
- Skirmish at Sarcoxie Prairie, Missouri
- Skirmish at Batchelder's Creek, North Carolina
- Skirmish at Chantilly, Virginia
- Federal operations in Westmoreland and Richmond Counties, Virginia, resulting in the federal capture of 50 barrels of whiskey (2/10-2/16)
- Federal expedition from Beverly into Pocahontas County, West Virginia to capture rebel recruiting parties and supplies
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1864
Total War
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Chaos erupts in the west as Union forces push further into Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Confederate forces push back. In the east, Union troops fight campaigns through the northern and coastal counties of Virginia, cutting off access to the Atlantic and arriving at the brink of the Confederate capital. In between, a late Union campaign through Georgia cuts the larger half of the Confederacy in half, creating three distinct Confederate zones of control.
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- Skirmish at Lake Village, Arkansas
- Skirmish at Barber's Ford, Florida with Brigadier General Truman Seymour, USA
- Federal capture of Camp Cooper, Florida
- The Meridian Expedition with Major General William Tecumseh Sherman, USA:
- Skirmish at Pocahontas, Missouri
- The USS Florida captures and destroys 2 blockade runners off of Masonbrough Inlet, North Carolina
- Major General George Stoneman, USA, supersedes Brigadier General Jacob D. Cox, USA, in command of the 23rd Army Corps, Army of the Cumberland, et al
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1865
"A New Birth of Freedom"
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Another Union campaign in South and North Carolina solidifies Union control along the Atlantic seaboard. The Confederate capital finally succumbs to Union pressure and the armies of Virginia surrender in early April. The Union pushes into Alabama, and within weeks, the Confederate armies in each theater surrender. Action continues in Oklahoma for another month, and unorganized pockets of resistance harass Union garrisons during a long and difficult reunification and reconstruction of the country.
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- Union Army reorganization:
- The Department of the Cumberland is declared to consist of the state of Tennessee and such parts of Northern Georgia, Alabama, and Mississippi as may be occupied by the troops under the command of Major General George H. Thomas, USA
- The Department of Kentucky is created, consisting initially only of the state of Kentucky - Major General John M. Palmer is assigned to its command
- All troops in the Departments of Kentucky and the Cumberland are declared subject to orders of Major General George Thomas, except those posts on the east bank of the Mississippi River which were subject to the order of Major General Edward Sprigg Canby
- The Department of the Gulf is declared to embrace the states of Louisiana and Texas
- The Department of the Mississippi is declared to embrace as much of the State of Mississippi as was occupied by the troops of the Military Division of West Mississippi on the river
- Skirmish at Johnson's Crook, Georgia with Major General James B. Steedman, USA, commanding the District of the Etowah
- Federal expedition from Brashear City to Lake Verret, Louisiana (2/10-2/11)
- Skirmish at Kittredge's Sugar House, near Napoleonville, Louisiana
- Federal expedition from Thibideaux to Lake Verret, Louisiana (2/10-2/13)
- Federal scout from Friar's Point, Mississippi and skirmish with a lone guerilla on his ranch
- Ohio and Missouri become the 11th and 12th states to ratify the 13th Amendment
- Skirmish at James Island, South Carolina
- Skirmish at Johnson's Station, South Carolina
- Affair 9 miles from Triune, Tennessee - Union troops surround and fire into a house where rebel troops and guerillas are enjoying a ball
- Captain Raphael Semmes is promoted to Confederate Rear Admiral, CSN, and placed in command of the James River Squadron in Virginia, replacing Commodore JK Mitchell, CSN
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