Information courtesy of the
Minnesota Civil War Commemoration Task Force
(www.mncivilwar150.com and “Minnesota Civil War 150” on Facebook)
Major Highlights for the Week
Wednesday April 22, 1863
A Federal flotilla of six transports and twelve barges attempted to pass the Confederate artillery batteries in front of Vicksburg, Mississippi. One transport and six barges were sunk, but the remainder carried their supplies to Major General Ulysses S. Grant’s troops below the city.
Skirmishing occurred at Fredericktown, Missouri; Bayou Boeuf Road near Washington, Louisiana; Hartsville, Tennessee; Rock Cut near Tuscumbia, Alabama; Point Pleasant, West Virginia; and Fisher’s Hill, Virginia.
Thursday April 23, 1863
President Abraham Lincoln notified Major General William Rosecrans that he had not heard any negative reports about the general, who was quite sensitive at that point.
Four vessels evaded the U.S. Navy’s blockade and landed their cargo at Wilmington, North Carolina.
Friday April 24, 1863
The Confederate Congress levied a comprehensive “take in kind” of one tenth of all produce of the land for the year 1863.
Brigadier General Grenville Dodge’s Federal force captured Tuscumbia, Alabama. Skirmishes were also occurred at Garlandville and Birmingham, Mississippi; Middle Creek Bridges, Missouri; and on the Edenton Road near Suffolk, Virginia.
Saturday April 25, 1863
The British Parliament loudly debated the seizure of British vessels by American cruisers on blockade duty.
Skirmishes occurred near Hard Times Landing, Mississippi, as Major General Ulysses S. Grant’s troops continued to push south after bypassing Vicksburg. Skirmishes also broke out near Fort Bowie, Arizona Territory; Greenland Gap, West Virginia; and at Webber’s Falls, Indian Territory.
Confederate Major General Dabney H. Maury assumed command of the Confederate Department of East Tennessee, a difficult assignment in view of the prevailing pro-Union sentiment.
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Sunday April 26, 1863
Another heavy day of skirmishing as fighting broke out at Cape Girardeau, Independence and Jackson, Missouri; Altamont, Oakland and Cranberry Summit, Maryland; Burlington and Portland, West Virginia; Oak Grove, Virginia; and College Grove, Tennessee.
Monday April 27, 1863
The Federal Army of the Potomac began to move in Virginia. Major General Joseph Hooker’s forces marched from Falmouth, up the Rappahannock River towards the fords that would pass them to the west bank of the river.
Skirmishing continued at Jackson and White Water Bridge, Missouri; Carter Creek Pike, Tennessee; Barboursville and Woodburn, Kentucky; Town Creek, Alabama; and at Morgantown and Independence, West Virginia.
Tuesday April 28, 1863
Major General Joseph Hooker’s Army of the Potomac began crossing the Rappahannock River in the Wilderness area, upstream from Fredericksburg, while a large force still confronted the Confederates across from the city. The ringing of the church bell at the Episcopal Church in Fredericksburg sounded the alarm alerting Confederate General Robert E. Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia of the Federal flank attack.
President Abraham Lincoln commuted the death sentence of Sergeant John A. Chase, convicted of striking and threatening an officer, but ordered him imprisoned at hard labor “with ball and chain attached to his leg” for the remainder of the war.
Where Minnesota Regiments were the week of April 22-28, 1863
1st Minnesota Volunteer Infantry – In camp near Falmouth, Virginia until April 1863.
2nd Minnesota Volunteer Infantry – On duty at Chapel Hill, Tennessee until June 4, 1863.
3rd Minnesota Volunteer Infantry – On duty at Fort Heiman, Kentucky until June 2, 1863.
4th Minnesota Volunteer Infantry – On the march to Bruinsburg and Grand Gulf, Mississippi.
5th Minnesota Volunteer Infantry – On duty at Duckport, Louisiana until April 29, 1863.
6th Minnesota Volunteer Infantry – On duty at Camp Pope near Iowa City, Iowa until June 16, 1863.
7th Minnesota Volunteer Infantry – On garrison duty in Mankato and other points in Minnesota until June 1863.
8th Minnesota Volunteer Infantry – On frontier duty at various points in Minnesota: Anoka, Princeton, Monticello, Kingston, Manannah, Paynesville, Fort Ripley, Sauk Center, Pomme de Terre, Alexandria and Fort Abercrombie until May 1864.
9th Minnesota Volunteer Infantry – On garrison duty in various frontier Minnesota communities until June 1863.
10th Minnesota Volunteer Infantry – Regiment on detached service for garrison duty at various outposts in frontier Minnesota until June 1863.
1st Regiment Minnesota Cavalry “Mounted Rangers” – Organized at St. Cloud, St. Peter and Fort Snelling for frontier duty against Indians until June 1863.
Brackett’s Battalion of Minnesota Cavalry – On duty at Fort Donelson, Tennessee until June 5, 1863.
1st Minnesota Light Artillery Battery – On the march to Bruinsburg and Grand Gulf, Mississippi.
2nd Independent Battery, Minnesota Light Artillery – On duty at Murfreesboro Tennessee until June 4, 1863.
2nd United States Sharpshooters, Company A – On the march to cross the Rappahannock River north of Fredericksburg.
