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 March 16, 1864
Federal troops occupied Alexandria, Louisiana, a salient Red River town. Elsewhere, fighting broke out at Annandale and Bristoe Station, Virginia; Confederates raided the Nashville and Chattanooga Railroad near Tullahoma, Tennessee; and skirmishing broke out at Palatka, Florida and Santa Rosa, Texas.
Major General Sterling Price took command of the Confederate District of Arkansas, succeeding Lieutenant General Theophilus Holmes.
Thursday March 17, 1864
At Nashville, Tennessee, where he was conferring with Major General William T. Sherman, Federal Lieutenant General Ulysses Grant formally assumed command of the armies of the United States and announced that his headquarters would be in the field with the Army of the Potomac “until further orders.”
Fighting was confined to skirmishes as Manchester, Tennessee; near Blue Rock Station, California; and at Corpus Christi, Texas.
Friday March 18, 1864
Arkansas voters ratified a pro-Union constitution which ended slavery in the state.
Federal Major General William T. Sherman officially assumed command of the Military Division of the Mississippi.
Fighting occurred at Monticello and Spring Creek, Arkansas.
Saturday March 19, 1864
The Georgia legislature expressed its confidence in Confederate President Jefferson Davis and resolved that the Confederate government should, after each victory, make an offer of peace to the North based on independence of the South and self-determination by the border states.
Minor fighting occurred with action at the Eel River, California; Beersheba Springs, Tennessee; on the Cumberland River in Kentucky; at Laredo, Texas; and Black Bay, Arkansas.
Sunday March 20, 1864
Skirmishing flared at Arkadelphia and Roseville Creek, Arkansas; while fighting occurred at Bayou Rapides, Louisiana on the Red River.
The famed raider, C.S.S. Alabama, arrived at Cape Town, South Africa.
Monday March 21, 1864
President Abraham Lincoln approved an act of Congress enabling the territories of Nevada and Colorado to become states, despite their relatively small populations.
Skirmishing continued at Reynoldsville, Tennessee; Moulton, Alabama; Velasco, Texas; and at Henderson’s Hill, Louisiana.
Tuesday March 22, 1864
Heavy snow fell in Richmond, Virginia.
Federal Major General Lew Wallace superseded Brigadier General Henry H. Lockwood in command of the Middle Department with the headquarters in Baltimore.
Fighting erupted at Bald Spring Canyon on Eel River, California; Langley’s Plantation in Issaquena County, Mississippi; Fancy Farms, Kentucky; Corpus Christi, Texas; and Winchester, Virginia.
Where Minnesota Regiments were the week of March 16-22, 1864
1st Minnesota Volunteer Infantry – On duty at Fort Snelling prior to mustering out of Federal service on April 29, 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 – Took part in the battle at Henderson’s Hill, Louisiana as part of the Red River Campaign.
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 – On duty at Fort Snelling until May 1, 1864.
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 when the battery was veteranized.
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.
