Today in the American Civil War

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1861 Georgia militia under the command of Francis "Frank" Bartow seize Fort Pulaski, at the mouth of the Savannah River, from a single federal soldier and a contractor.

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1861 Senators from 7 Southern states met in Washington to discuss leaving the US Congress.

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1861 The state of Florida takes over the Apalachicola Arsenal.

1862 Stonewall Jackson shells Hancock, MD for 2 days from the West Virginia side of the Potomac. Battle of Hancock - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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1861: Jacob Thompson of Mississippi, Sec. of Interior & last Southerner in Cabinet, resigns

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1861 Artillery fires on the Star of the West from Morris Island as it crosses into the main entrance channel to Charleston Harbor.

Mississippi secedes from the Union.

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1861 Florida secedes from the Union

1862 Engagement at Middle Creek, Kentucky Battle of Middle Creek - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Along with Mill Springs, Middle Creek secured Kentucky which allowed the Union to move into Tennessee later in February

1863 Engagement of Post of Arkansas (Fort Hindman), Arkansas Battle of Arkansas Post - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Despite his political failings later that year, McClernand actually was smart to secure the Union rear before moving South to Vicksburg. This is what Sherman's troops did after withdrawing from Chickasaw Bayou.

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1861 Alabama secedes from the Union.

1863 Confederates surrender to Union forces at Fort Hindman at the Arkansas Post. Grant's rear will be secure.

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1865 Second attack on Fort Fisher, North Carolina begins. What is apparent from the readings this was one hell of a fight, with the Confederates fighting desperately to keep their last lines of communications open and the Union forces fighting grimply to excise this festering sore once and for all. The Battle of Fort Fisher Summary & Facts | Civilwar.org and Second Battle of Fort Fisher - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. The Confedserates took 34% battle casualties and the entire garrison captured and the attacking American forces took 14%.

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1861 Federal troops occupy Fort Taylor at Key West to prevent seizure by state forces

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1861 Albert Sidney Johnston takes command of the Department of the Pacific.

1862 Edwin Stanton replaces Simon Cameron as Secretary of War.

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1861 The Crittenden Compromise goes down to defeat. Crittenden Compromise - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Georgia votes to secede on 19 JAN 61.

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1864 Ross' Texas Cavalry and the Mississippi MArine Brigade skirmish near Grand Gulf, MS.

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1862 The Battle of Mill Springs. The Battle of Mill Springs Summary & Facts | Civilwar.org

1865. Sherman begins the Carolina Campaign.

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1861 Mississippi state troops take over Ship Island in the Gulf off Mississippi

1863 The Mud March begins. Mud March (American Civil War) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

1864 President Lincoln directs MG Frederick Steele, Military Governor of Arkansas, to allow elections following the proposed anti-slavery constitution of the state.

And Thanks to Shek....

MG Ulysses Grant sends the following letter to General in Chief Henry Halleck proposing a war of maneuver against the army of Northern Virginia. It was nbot he plan adopted but it showed that the way the war was to be fought was to fundamentally changed.

"CONFIDENTIAL. HDQRS. MIL. DIV. OF THE MISSISSIPPI,
Nashville, Tenn., January 19, 1864.

Major General H. W. HALLECK,
General-in-Chief of the Army, Washington, D. C.:

GENERAL: I would respectfully suggest whether an abandonment of all previously attempted lines to Richmond is not advisable, and in lieu of these one be taken farther south. I would suggest Raleigh, N. C., as the objective point and Suffolk as the starting point. Raleigh once secured, I would make New Berne the base of supplies until Wilmington is secured.

A moving force of 60,000 men would probably be required to start on such an expedition. This force would not have to be increased unless Lee should withdraw from his present position. In that case the necessity for so large a force on the Potomac would not exist. A force moving from Suffolk would destroy first all the roads about Weldon, or even as far north as Hicksford. From Weldon to Raleigh they would scarcely meet with serious opposition. Once there, the most interior line of railway still left to the enemy, in fact the only one they would then have, would be so threatened as to force him to use a large portion of his army in guarding it. This would virtually force an evacuation of Virginia and indirectly of East Tennessee. It would throw our armies into new fields, where they could partially live upon the country and would reduce the stores of the enemy. It would cause thousands of the North Carolina troops to desert and return to their homes. It would give us possession of many negroes who are now indirectly aiding the rebellion. It would draw the enemy from campaigns of their own choosing, and for which they are prepared, to new lines of operations never expected to become necessary. It would effectually blockade Wilmington, the port now of more value to the enemy than all the balance of their sea-coast. It would enable operations to commence at once by removing the war to a more southern climate, instead of months of inactivity in winter quarters.

Other advantages might be cited which would be likely to grow out of this plan, but these are enough. From your better opportunities of studying he country and the armies that would be involved in this plan, you will be better able to judge of the practicability of it than I possibly can. I have written this in accordance with what I understand to be an invitation from you to express my views about military operations, and not to insist that any plan of mine should be carried out. Whatever course is agreed upon, I shall always believe is at least intended for the best, and until fully tested will hope to have it prove so.

I am, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

U. S. GRANT,
Major-General."

I will have an essay soon on the coming events of 1864

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1862. The Battle of Fort Henry.

1864. William Rosecrans takes over command of the Department of Missouri from John Scoffield.