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 July 20, 1864
BATTLE OF PEACHTREE CREEK, GEORGIA
Major General George H. Thomas led his Federal Army of the Cumberland over Peachtree Creek heading towards the fortifications of Atlanta, from the north. Confederate Lieutenant General John Bell Hood decided to attack, although there were delays of over three hours. After some success, the fierce Southern assaults failed. Thomas and his men steadfastly held off the frantic Confederates, who charged for about two hours. Approximately 20,000 Federals were engaged with 1,779 killed, wounded and missing. Hood’s Confederates faced losses of 4,796 out of roughly the same number engaged. Hood, who was not present at the battle, failed his first big test in command.
Other action occurred at Leggett’s Hill, Decatur, Flint Hill Church and Howard House, Georgia; Newtown, Philomont and Berryville, Virginia; Blount County, Tennessee; and at Arrow Rock, Missouri.
Thursday July 21, 1864
Confederate Lieutenant General John Bell Hood sent Lieutenant General William J. Hardee’s reinforced corps out of Atlanta on a fifteen-mile night march to the south and then east, to attack the flank and rear of Federal Major General James B. McPherson’s Army of the Tennessee between Atlanta and Decatur. Hood placed the blame of the previous day’s failure at Peachtree Creek squarely on Hardee’s shoulders. Federal Major General William T. Sherman’s three armies were all closing in on the city of Atlanta, making Hardee’s efforts futile. McPherson’s army assaulted Confederate positions on Leggett’s Hill, taking the position despite a valiant defense by Major General Patrick Cleburne’s troops. From the hill, the Federals had a full view of Atlanta.
Friday July 22, 1864
BATTLE OF ATLANTA
After the tiring, hot, night march, Lieutenant General William J. Hardee’s Confederates hit the right flank of Major General James B. McPherson’s Federals between Decatur and Atlanta. During the hard fought battle, Confederate Major General William Henry Talbot Walker and Federal Major General McPherson were both killed in action during the battle, which took place on the city’s east side. The Federals had an effective strength of 34,863 and took casualties amounting to 3,641 killed, wounded and missing. The Confederates engaged 40,438 and took an aggregate loss of approximately 5,500. Fighting took place at the fringes of the battle at Decatur and at Beachtown, along the Chattahoochee River. The Confederates still held Atlanta proper, but the Federals ringed it with unrelenting force. The Siege of Atlanta had now begun.
Saturday July 23, 1864
Both Federal and Confederate forces in Atlanta rested and repaired their damages from the previous day’s battle and cared for the dying and wounded. The only fighting in the area was a skirmish at Sweetwater, Georgia.
The Louisiana Constitutional Convention adopted a constitution which included an end to slavery, one of the steps necessary to restoring Louisiana to the Union. It would not be ratified for six weeks.
Sunday July 24, 1864
SECOND BATTLE OF KERNSTOWN
Marching north on the Valley Pike, Confederate Lieutenant General Jubal Early’s entire army headed towards Kernstown, south of Winchester, where Federal Brigadier General George Crook’s Army of West Virginia was in position on the same ground which Thomas J. “Stonewall” Jackson had struck in 1862 at the First Battle of Kernstown. After a strong initial attack by Early’s forces, Crook became impatient by his divisional commander’s reluctance to attack the Confederate position. Colonel Rutherford B. Hayes, who would later serve as the 19th President of the United States, brought his division up to support the advance, but its flank was slammed by Confederate Major General John C. Breckinridge’s troops who were hiding in a ravine. Hayes’s division took major casualties and retreated back to Winchester. Brigadier General William W. Averill’s Federal cavalry attempted to counterattack the Confederates but were surprised by Confederate cavalry under Brigadier General John C. Vaughn. Most of the Federal troops, disconnected from their units, spent the night in the rain, scattered across the countryside while trying to evade capture.
Monday July 25, 1864
Confederate Lieutenant General Jubal Early’s Confederates, in the northern Shenandoah River Valley, followed Federal Brigadier General George Crook’s Army of West Virginia in a heavy rain to Bunker Hill, north of Winchester, Virginia. Fighting erupted at Bunker Hill, Williamsport, Maryland; and at Martinsburg, West Virginia. The Federals were forced to camp on the banks of the Potomac River.
Tuesday July 26, 1864
Federal cavalry under Major General George Stoneman left on a raid from the Atlanta area towards Macon, Georgia. Skirmishing also flared near Decatur on the Atlanta front.
Confederates under Lieutenant General Jubal Early pursued Brigadier General George Crook’s Federals at Falling Waters, West Virginia and at Muddy Branch, Maryland. Crook’s command was attempting to cross into Maryland. Early’s troops then began breaking up the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad near Martinsburg, West Virginia.
Indian scouts under Brigadier General Alfred Sully engaged approximately 30 Dakota warriors near modern-day Richardson, North Dakota as part of Sully’s Expedition in Dakota Territory.
Where Minnesota Regiments were the week of July 20-26, 1864
Active units:
1st Battalion Minnesota Infantry - Participated in Siege of Petersburg, Virginia until April 2, 1865.
2nd Minnesota Volunteer Infantry – Assigned as provost and depot guard at Marietta, Georgia until Aug. 19, 1864.
3rd Minnesota Volunteer Infantry – On duty at Pine Bluff, Arkansas until October 10, 1864.
4th Minnesota Volunteer Infantry – On garrison duty at Allatoona, Georgia until October 5, 1864.
5th Minnesota Volunteer Infantry – Veterans on furlough until Aug. 17, 1864. Remainder of regiment remained at Memphis, Tennessee for duty.
6th Minnesota Volunteer Infantry – On duty at Helena, Arkansas until Nov. 4, 1864.
7th Minnesota Volunteer Infantry – On duty in Memphis, Tennessee until August 1, 1864.
8th Minnesota Volunteer Infantry – On Sully’s Expedition to Dakota Territory until October 15, 1864.
9th Minnesota Volunteer Infantry – On duty at Memphis, Tennessee until August 1, 1864.
10th Minnesota Volunteer Infantry – On duty at Memphis, Tennessee until August 1, 1864.
2nd Regiment Minnesota Cavalry - On Sully’s Expedition to Dakota Territory until October 15, 1864.
Brackett’s Battalion of Minnesota Cavalry – On Sully’s Expedition to Dakota Territory until November 10, 1864.
Hatch’s Independent Battalion of Cavalry - Companies A, B, C and D moved to Fort Abercrombie. Companies A and B assigned to garrison at Fort Abercrombie. Company C assigned to garrison at Alexandria and Pomme de Terre. Company D on patrol duty from Fort Abercrombie to Pembina. Companies E and F on frontier duty. The battalion would remain in these duty locations for the duration of the war - until April 26, 1866.
1st Minnesota Light Artillery Battery – On duty for the Siege of Atlanta until August 25, 1864.
2nd Independent Battery Minnesota Light Artillery – Mounted and engaged in scouting duty around Chattanooga, Tennessee until October 1864.
3rd Independent Battery Minnesota Light Artillery - On Sully’s Expedition to Dakota Territory until October 15, 1864.
1st United States Sharpshooters Company I- Attached to the 1st Battalion, Minnesota Infantry at Petersburg, Virginia until Feb. 20, 1865.
2nd United States Sharpshooters, Company A – Participated in the Siege of Petersburg until Feb. 20, 1865.
Inactive units:
1st Regiment Minnesota Cavalry “Mounted Rangers” – Formally mustered out of service on December 7, 1863. Inactive.
1st Minnesota Volunteer Infantry – Mustered out of Federal service on April 29, 1864. Inactive.
