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 December 23, 1863
Fighting broke out at Jacksonport, Arkansas; Culpeper Courthouse, Virginia; Corinth, Mississippi; along with Mulberry Village and Powder Springs Gap, Tennessee. Confederate President Jefferson Davis hoped that General Joseph E. Johnston and the Department of Tennessee would be able to “commence active operations against the enemy” soon.
Thursday December 24, 1863
While the major fronts in Virginia and north Georgia remained quiet, skirmishing flared near Germantown and in Lee County, Virginia; Rodney, Mississippi; at Estenaula, Jack’s Creek, Peck’s House near New Market, Mossy Creek Station, and at Hays’s Ferry near Dandridge, Tennessee.
Friday December 25, 1863
On the third Christmas Day of the Civil War, Federal gunboats operated in the Stono River, South Carolina. Confederate field and siege artillery damaged the U.S.S. Marblehead.
Fighting occurred at Fort Brooke, Florida, and Federals destroyed Confederate salt works on Bear Inlet, North Carolina. Union cavalry reached Beverly, West Virginia. Federals skirmished with Indians near Fort Gaston, California. Shore batteries and the U.S.S. Pawnee dueled at John’s Island near Charleston, South Carolina.
Saturday December 26, 1863
Despite the winter season, skirmishing continued at Fort Gibson, Indian Territory; Sand Mountain, Alabama; Port Gibson, Mississippi; near Fort Gaston, California; and at Somerville, New Castle and Mossy Creek, Tennessee.
The C.S.S. Alabama captured two vessels near the Straits of Malacca, which connect the Indian Ocean with the South China Sea near the Indonesian island of Sumatra.
Sunday December 27, 1863
President Abraham Lincoln and Secretary of War Edwin Stanton visited Confederate prisoners at Point Lookout, Maryland.
General Joseph E. Johnston assumed command of the Confederate Department of Tennessee at Dalton, Georgia.
Skirmishing occurred at Huntington, Collierville, Grisson’s Bridge, Moscow, and Talbott’s Station, all in Tennessee.
Monday December 28, 1863
Confederate congressional acts abolished substitution for military service and authorized changes in the tax in kind. Other methods of increasing manpower for the Army were under consideration.
Skirmishing broke out at Charleston and Calhoun, Tennessee; John’s Island, South Carolina; Moorefield, West Virginia; and Mount Pleasant, Mississippi.
Tuesday December 29, 1863
Skirmishing increased with fighting at Waldron, Arkansas; on Matagorda Peninsula, Texas; Coldwater, Mississippi; and at Mossy Creek, Talbott’s Station, Cleveland and La Vergne, Tennessee.
Where Minnesota Regiments were the week of December 23-29, 1863
1st Minnesota Volunteer Infantry – In camp at Stevensburg, Virginia until February 5, 1864.
2nd Minnesota Volunteer Infantry – On duty at Ringgold, Georgia until April 29, 1864.
3rd Minnesota Volunteer Infantry – On garrison duty in Little Rock, Arkansas until April 28, 1864.
4th Minnesota Volunteer Infantry – On duty in Huntsville, Alabama until June 22, 1864.
5th Minnesota Volunteer Infantry – On duty in LaGrange, Tennessee to guard Memphis & Charleston Railroad until January 26, 1864.
6th Minnesota Volunteer Infantry – On duty at various Minnesota outposts for garrison duty until June 9, 1864.
7th Minnesota Volunteer Infantry – On duty in St. Louis, Missouri until April 20, 1864.
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 – Stationed at Rolla, Jefferson City, LaMine Bridge, Warrensburg, Independence, Knob Noster, Kansas City, Waynesville and Franklin with headquarters in Jefferson City until April 14, 1864.
10th Minnesota Volunteer Infantry – On garrison and provost duty at Benton Barracks, Missouri until April 21, 1864.
1st Regiment Minnesota Cavalry “Mounted Rangers” – Formally mustered out of service on December 7, 1863. Inactive.
2nd Regiment Minnesota Cavalry - Organized at Fort Snelling between December 5, 1863 and January 5, 1864.
Brackett’s Battalion of Minnesota Cavalry – Outpost duty on line of Tennessee River from south of Huntsville to Bellefonte, Alabama.
Hatch’s Independent Battalion of Cavalry - Companies A,B,C and D on frontier duty in Pembina until May 5, 1864.
1st Minnesota Light Artillery Battery – On duty at Vicksburg, Mississippi until April 4, 1864.
2nd Independent Battery Minnesota Light Artillery – On duty at Rossville, Georgia until March 21, 1864.
3rd Independent Battery Minnesota Light Artillery - Various sections of the battery were stationed at Fort Snelling, Fort Ridgely, Fort Ripley and Pembina until June 5, 1864.
2nd United States Sharpshooters, Company A – On duty around the Rapidan River, Virginia until May 4, 1864.
