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 August 10, 1864
Confederate Lieutenant General Jubal Early moved his Confederate forces southward in the Shenandoah Valley from Bunker Hill, West Virginia to Winchester, Virginia. Federal Major General Phil Sheridan’s forces were marching south from the Halltown-Harper’s Ferry area.
Fighting occurred at Lovejoy’s Station, Georgia; Baldwin, Florida; Tallahatchie River, Mississippi; and near Stone Chapel, Virginia.
Three small Federal vessels suffered severely during a two-day duel with Southern artillery at Gaines’s Landing, Arkansas, on the Mississippi River.
The C.S.S. Tallahassee took seven prizes off of Sandy Hook, New Jersey.
Thursday August 11, 1864
Faced with Federal Major General Phil Sheridan’s advancing forces, Lieutenant General Jubal Early pulled his Confederates out of Winchester, Virginia and headed south towards Cedar Creek. Fighting broke out near Winchester, Newtown and at Toll Gate, near White Post.
Federal troops skirmished with Indians near Sand Creek, Colorado Territory.
Friday August 12, 1864
Federal Major General Phil Sheridan moved towards Lieutenant General Jubal Early’s Confederates in the Shenandoah Valley as the Confederates were entrenched along Cedar Creek, south of Winchester, Virginia. A brief skirmish along the creek occurred as both sides probed the lines of the other.
Operations against Indians in the San Andes Mountains of New Mexico and near Fort Garland, Colorado Territory continued.
Alarm spread along the Mid-Atlantic and New England coasts as the Confederate cruiser C.S.S. Tallahassee gathered in six more Federal ships off the coast of New York.
Some politicians in Washington, including Thurlow Weed, informed President Abraham Lincoln of their concerns that he was in danger of being defeated in the upcoming election.
Saturday August 13, 1864
In Virginia, demonstrations by Federal forces occurred on the north bank of the James River east of Richmond at Four-Mile and Dutch creeks, Deep Bottom, Fussell’s Mill, Gravel Hill, Bailey’s Creek, White’s Tavern, Charles City Road and the New Market Road. The Federals hoped to divert attention from Petersburg and to probe the Confederate defenses. Confederate General Robert E. Lee was attentive but not too concerned about the Federal probing.
In the Shenandoah Valley, fighting broke out at Berryville and near Strasburg as Major General Phil Sheridan’s Federals met resistance from Lieutenant General Jubal Early’s Confederates entrenched at Cedar Creek.
Sunday August 14, 1864
Skirmishing flared near Strasburg, Virginia in the Shenandoah Valley as Federal Major General Phil Sheridan withdrew his forces from Confederate Lieutenant General Jubal Early’s front towards Berryville.
In Georgia, skirmishing occurred near Dalton, at Pine Log Church, and near Fairmount.
Monday August 15, 1864
In Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley, more skirmishing occurred at Cedar Creek and Strasburg, Virginia and near Charles Town, West Virginia. Federal Major General Phil Sheridan began his withdrawal from Cedar Creek at night and moved towards Winchester, believing he could not hold the line nor keep his army supplied.
In Georgia, Federal Major General William T. Sherman’s men moved slowly towards Utoy Creek, southwest of Atlanta, fighting on Peachtree Road, at Buchanan, Sandtown and Fairburn.
Confederate cavalry raided the Nashville and Northwestern Railroad in Tennessee.
Lieutenant General Richard Taylor was assigned to command the Confederate Department of Alabama, Mississippi and East Louisiana.
The C.S.S. Tallahassee captured six schooners off of the New England coast.
Tuesday August 16, 1864
Cavalry skirmished at Allatoona and Fairburn, Georgia.
Federal Major General Phil Sheridan pulled back successfully towards Winchester with little knowledge of his withdrawal reaching Confederate Lieutenant General Jubal Early at Cedar Creek, Virginia, despite an engagement at Front Royal.
The C.S.S. Tallahassee took four schooners and a bark off the New England coast.
Federal troops north of the James River in Virginia unsuccessfully attacked Confederate fortifications near Fussell’s Mill.
Where Minnesota Regiments were the week of August 10-16, 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 Smith’s Expedition to Oxford, Mississippi until August 30, 1864.
8th Minnesota Volunteer Infantry – On Sully’s Expedition to Dakota Territory until October 15, 1864.
9th Minnesota Volunteer Infantry – On Smith’s Expedition to Oxford, Mississippi until August 30, 1864.
10th Minnesota Volunteer Infantry – On Smith’s Expedition to Oxford, Mississippi until August 30, 1864.
11th Minnesota Volunteer Infantry - Organized at Fort Snelling, Minn., until September 20, 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.
