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 January 27, 1864
Confederate President Jefferson Davis asked General Braxton Bragg to come to Richmond, Virginia from Montgomery, Alabama, if his health permitted.
President Abraham Lincoln told Major General Frederick Steele in Arkansas that Steele and the civilian authorities could handle details of the new Arkansas government so long as the free state constitutional provisions were retained.
Fighting on this day included action at Fair Gardens or Kelly’s Ford, and near Knoxville, Tennessee; on the Cumberland River, Kentucky; and near Thoroughfare Mountain, Virginia.
Thursday January 28, 1864
Fighting was light today with a skirmish at Dallas, Arkansas; Lee’s House on Cornersville Pike, Tennessee; and at Jonesville, Virginia.
Friday January 29, 1864
Cavalry skirmished at Medley, West Virginia while Confederates attacked the steamer Sir William Wallace on the Mississippi River, an example of their continuous harassment of Union shipping.
Confederates added the C.S.S. Charleston, a new ironclad, to their defenses.
Saturday January 30, 1864
Federal Major General William S. Rosecrans superseded Major General John M. Schofield in command of the Federal Department of the Missouri and Major General Frederick Steele assumed full command of the Department of the Arkansas.
Action today included skirmishing at Chickamauga Creek, Georgia; Windsor, North Carolina; and at Medley, West Virginia.
Sunday January 31, 1864
President Abraham Lincoln told Major General Nathaniel Banks, who was in New Orleans, that he was “at liberty to adopt any rule which shall admit to vote any unquestionably loyal free state men and none others. And yet I do wish they would all take the oath.”
Monday February 1, 1864
President Abraham Lincoln, acting under the congressional conscription act, ordered that 500,000 men be drafted on March 10 to serve for three years or the duration of the war. Furthermore, the President ordered Secretary of War Edwin Stanton to send a transport to the coast of San Domingo to bring back Negro colonists who desired to return. The decision reflected further frustration at Lincoln’s plans for the colonization of Negroes.
The U.S. House of Representatives passed a measure reviving the rank of lieutenant general, after some debate. Congress had Major General Ulysses Grant in mind for the promotion.
Tuesday February 2, 1864
Confederate navy men in small boats captured the U.S. gunboat Underwriter in the Neuse River near New Berne, North Carolina, but were forced to set fire to her and flee.
Near New Beaufort, North Carolina, fighting occurred at Gale’s Creek, Bogue Sound Blockhouse, and Newport Barracks, as Federals drew in their defenses. No further attack was made by Confederates either at New Berne or Beaufort.
Where Minnesota Regiments were the week of January 27 - February 2, 1864
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 - On duty at Fort Snelling and at frontier posts throughout Minnesota until May 24, 1864.
Brackett’s Battalion of Minnesota Cavalry – Battalion veteranized and detached from the 5th Iowa Cavalry, left Alabama and headed to Minnesota, where it arrived on February 25 for duty at Fort Snelling.
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.
