Courtesy of the Minnesota Civil War Commemoration Task Force
Major Highlights for the Week
Wednesday June 4, 1862
Confederate troops regretfully completed their evacuation of Fort Pillow on the Mississippi River. Meanwhile, frightened Southern planters were burning immense amounts of cotton on the Yazoo and the Mississippi rivers to prevent its capture. In Richmond, Jefferson Davis had to deal with requests for troops in many places, but if he weakened one area to support another, he might be in worse trouble.
Thursday June 5, 1862
Northern troops occupied Fort Pillow and found it deserted. The navy gunboats pushed rapidly down the Mississippi River towards Memphis. While heavy rains hindered Federal actions on the Chickahominy River, adding to Federal Major General George B. McClellan’s delays on the Peninsula near Richmond.
Friday June 6, 1862
BATTLE OF MEMPHIS
Throngs of people lined the Mississippi River bluffs at Memphis early in the morning to witness the last “fleet action” of the war on the rivers. Commodore Charles Davis, with five Federal ironclads and four rams, mounting a total of 68 guns, passed Fort Pillow and headed for Memphis. Opposing this force was a small fleet of Confederate vessels under command of Captain James E. Montgomery with a total of 28 guns. After notable action by the Queen of the West and other Federal rams, only the Southern gunboat Van Dorn escaped. The Federals suffered some damage to the Queen of the West and Carondelet. After a two-hour fight, it was over. The crowd on the bluffs went home in tears.
Saturday June 7, 1862
Federal Major General Benjamin F. Butler ordered William B. Mumford hanged for tearing down and destroying the United States flag that was flying over the New Orleans Mint. The event raised bitter recriminations in Richmond and throughout the South. Many who were favorable to Butler considered this an unjust punishment.
Sunday June 8, 1862
BATTLE OF CROSS KEYS
Confederate Major General Thomas J. “Stonewall” Jackson, at Port Republic, Va., faced two Federal columns coming south up the Shenandoah River valley, one commanded by Major General John C. Fremont and the other by Brigadier General James Shields. Jackson was attacked by Fremont on the west side of the South Fork of the Shenandoah at Cross Keys , and nearly captured by a small Federal party from the north at nearby Port Republic. Jackson’s troops fought them off, suffering 41 killed, 232 wounded and 15 missing for a combined loss of 288. The Federals lost 114 killed, 443 wounded and 127 missing for a loss of 684.
Monday June 9, 1862
BATTLE OF PORT REPUBLIC
Confederate Major General Thomas J. “Stonewall” Jackson left an enlarged brigade west of the south fork of the Shenandoah River to watch Federal Major General John C. Fremont while Confederate Major General Richard Ewell’s forces were brought across the stream to Port Republic. Jackson’s command was opposed by Brigadier General James Shields’s main force and were driven back until Ewell’s arrival allowed them to envelop a portion of the Federal line. The Federals engaged 3,000 troops and sustained losses of 67 killed, 393 wounded and 558 missing for a total of 1,018. Jackson’s Confederates lost 804 of the 5,900 they brought into battle.
The action at Port Republic was the conclusion of Jackson’s Shenandoah Valley campaign. His troops covered 676 miles and fought in five battles in forty-eight marching days. Not only did Jackson keep reinforcements from McClellan on the Peninsula, but he helped lead the South out of the doldrums of near continuous defeat.
Tuesday June 10, 1862
Skirmishing occurred on James Island, South Carolina; Winchester, Rogers’ Gap and Wilson’s Gap, Tennessee; the mouth of the West Fork, Virginia; and on the White River in Arkansas. At Corinth, Mississippi, Federal Major General Henry W. Halleck reassigned Major Generals Ulysses Grant, Don Carlos Buell and John Pope to their separate army corps.
Where Minnesota Regiments were the week of June 4-10, 1862
1st Minnesota Volunteer Infantry – In camp near Richmond, Va., as part of McClellan’s Peninsula Campaign.
2nd Minnesota Volunteer Infantry – After the fall of Corinth, pursued the Confederate forces to Booneville, Mississippi.
3rd Minnesota Volunteer Infantry – On garrison duty at Murfreesboro, Tenn.
4th Minnesota Volunteer Infantry –After the fall of Corinth, pursued the Confederate forces to Booneville, Mississippi.
5th Minnesota Volunteer Infantry – Companies B, C and D remained in Minnesota and Dakota Territory on garrison duty while the remaining companies were at Camp Clear Creek near Corinth, Mississippi.
Brackett’s Battalion of Minnesota Cavalry – After the fall of Corinth, pursued the Confederate forces to Booneville, Mississippi.
1st Minnesota Light Artillery Battery – On garrison duty at Corinth, Miss.
2nd Independent Battery, Minnesota Light Artillery – After the fall of Corinth, pursued the Confederate forces to Booneville, Mississippi.
1st United States Sharpshooters, Company I – Assigned to the 1st Minnesota Volunteer Infantry as Company L.
2nd United States Sharpshooters, Company A – Participated in operations against Confederate Major General Thomas J. “Stonewall” Jackson.
