Troop engagements of the American Civil War, 1861

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The following is a list of engagements that took place in 1861 during the American Civil War.

Contents

History

The war started on April 12 when Confederate forces commanded by General P. G. T. Beauregard opened fire on the Union garrison of Fort Sumter in the harbor of Charleston, South Carolina; after a thirty-four-hour bombardment, the Union garrison surrendered. There had been no casualties during the bombardment; but the following day while the Union garrison commander, Major Robert Anderson, was firing a fifty-gun salute, there was an explosion that resulted in one man being killed and five wounded. [1] United States president Abraham Lincoln issued a proclamation calling for the states to raise 75,000 volunteers for ninety days to suppress the South; in response to the proclamation, an additional four states (Virginia, Arkansas, Tennessee, and North Carolina) seceded and joined the Confederacy, pledging troops to the volunteer forces it was raising. [2]

First Battle of Bull Run, chromolitograph by Kurz & Allison First Battle of Bull Run Kurz & Allison.jpg
First Battle of Bull Run, chromolitograph by Kurz & Allison

In the Eastern Theater, there were two major campaigns in Virginia. The first, the Western Virginia Campaign, started in May. Union forces commanded by Major General George B. McClellan invaded western Virginia and drove the Confederate forces from the area following a series of small skirmishes. Although these fights involved only a few hundred men on either side, the newspaper coverage of the campaign turned McClellan into a national hero. After McClellan was transferred to command the Army of the Potomac, Confederate General Robert E. Lee was assigned to drive the Union forces out of the state but failed to do so at Cheat Mountain and in the Kanawha Valley; Lee was subsequently transferred to other duties in November. [3] The other major campaign ended with the First Battle of Bull Run on July 17, when Union forces commanded by Major General Irvin McDowell attacked the Confederate Army of the Potomac, commanded by Brigadier General P.G.T. Beauregard; although initially successful, Confederate reinforcements from the Shenandoah Valley routed McDowell and forced him back to Washington, D.C. [4] McDowell was replaced by McClellan, who renamed his force the Army of the Potomac and spent the rest of the year training his men and stockpiling supplies, despite pressure from the Union government to launch an offensive as soon as possible. There were several minor skirmishes in Virginia during the remainder of the year, the most significant being the Battle of Ball's Bluff, due to the death of Colonel Edward Baker, a senator from Oregon. Outrage in Congress over his death led to the creation of the Joint Committee on the Conduct of the War, which was used by the Radical Republicans in Congress in an attempt to prosecute the war according to their views. [5]

In the Western Theater, there were several skirmishes in the border southern state of Kentucky but no major battles. Kentucky, with divided sympathies, attempted to declare itself neutral; however, Confederate Major General Leonidas Polk sent a force to occupy Columbus, Kentucky, saying it was necessary for the defense of the Mississippi River. The Kentucky legislature then requested Union help in driving the Confederates out of the state, at which point both armies set up defensive positions all through the state. Most of the legislature were Unionists, but a pro-Confederate state government, with some members of the legislature and delegates sent by 68 Kentucky Counties was organized in the Russellville Convention forming the Confederate government of Kentucky and bringing more than half of Kentucky under Confederate control; both armies then began recruiting efforts. [6] Along the Atlantic seacoast and Gulf coast, Union forces captured several coastal areas for use as naval ports for the Union blockade, including Port Royal, South Carolina and the Outer Banks of North Carolina. Lincoln declared on April 19 a blockade of the Confederate coastline and ports; this required the Union navy to build hundreds of ships to enforce the blockade, growing from forty-two ships in April to a total of 264 ships at the end of the year. [7]

Battle of Wilson's Creek by Kurz and Allison Battle of Wilsons Creek.png
Battle of Wilson's Creek by Kurz and Allison

In the Trans-Mississippi Theater, most of the fighting took place in Missouri between the pro-secessionist Missouri State Guard, commanded by Major General Sterling Price, and the Union Department of the West. Union forces under the command of Brigadier General Nathaniel Lyon drove the Missouri State Guard and the pro-secessionist portion of the state government into the southwestern part of the state, where it united with the Confederate Western Army commanded by Brigadier General Benjamin McCulloch. There, on August 10 in the Battle of Wilson's Creek, Lyon attacked the combined forces of Price and McCulloch and was defeated, with Lyon being killed during the battle. McCulloch returned to Arkansas, while Price moved north, attempting to recapture the state from Union forces. [8] Another Confederate offensive took place in the New Mexico Territory, where a Confederate cavalry battalion moved into the southwestern part of the territory and captured Fort Filmore, forcing the surrender of the Union garrison. A secessionist convention in Mesilla declared the southern portion of the territory to be the Confederate Territory of Arizona and raised several militia companies, which fought several skirmishes with both the Union forces remaining in the territory and the Apache tribes. [9]

Engagements

DateEngagementMilitary unitsLossesVictor (if applicable)
April 12–14 Fort Sumter, South CarolinaConfederate artillery, Union garrison of Fort SumterNoneCSA
April 15 Evacuation of Fort Sumter, South Carolina Union garrison of Fort Sumter Union One soldier was killed and five others wounded by a premature explosion of a cannon in firing a salute to the United States flag. [10] USA
April 19 Riots in Baltimore, Maryland Union 6th Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Militia, 26th Pennsylvania Infantry, pro-secessionist crowdUnion 34; civilians 4 killed, unknown wounded [11] USA
May 10 Camp Jackson, located just west of St. Louis, Missouri Missouri State Guard, Union Department of the West Missouri State Guard 639 (all prisoners), Union none [12] USA
May 10 Riots in St. Louis, Missouri Union forces and pro-secessionist crowdUnion 4 killed, prisoners 3 killed, civilians 28 killed (unknown wounded) [13] USA
May 18–19 Sewell's Point, VirginiaConfederate artillery, Union naval squadron10 total [14] Inconclusive
May 29 – June 1 Aquia Creek, VirginiaConfederate artillery, Union naval squadron10 total [15] Inconclusive
June 1 Fairfax Court House, Virginia detachments from Confederate Army of the Potomac and Union Department of Northeastern VirginiaConfederate 1 killed, 2 wounded, 5 captured, Union 1 killed, 4 wounded, 3 captured [16] [17] Inconclusive
June 1 Arlington Mills, Virginia small Confederate infantry squad; two Union infantry companiesConfederate 1 wounded; Union 1 killed, 1 wounded [18] Inconclusive
June 3 Philippi, West VirginiaConfederate infantry, Union Department of the OhioConfederate 6, Union 5 [19] USA
June 10 Big Bethel, VirginiaConfederate and Union infantryConfederate 8, Union 76 [20] CSA
June 17 Vienna, Virginia Detachments from Confederate Army of the Potomac and Union Department of Northeastern VirginiaConfederate none reported, Union 8 killed, 4 wounded [21] [22] CSA
June 17 Boonville, MissouriMissouri State Guard, Union Western DepartmentMissouri State Guard 70, Union 12 [23] USA
June 18 Camp Cole, MissouriMissouri State Guards, Union Missouri Home Guards.Missouri State Guard 32, Union 125 [24] CSA
June 27 Matthias' Point, VirginiaConfederate garrison, Union gunboats Pawnee and Freeborn.Confederate none, Union 5 [25] CSA
June 29 Bowman's Place, West VirginiaConfederate irregulars and Union infantryConfederate 4, Union 2USA
July 2 Hoke's Run, West Virginia Confederate Army of the Shenandoah, Union Army of the Shenandoah Confederate 25, Union 73 [26] USA
July 5 Carthage, MissouriMissouri State Guard, Union Department of the West Missouri State Guard 74, Union 44 [27] CSA
July 5Neosho, MissouriConfederate cavalry, Union detachment of 3rd Missouri Infantry Confederate none, Union 137 (captured) [28] CSA
July 8 Laurel Hill or Belington, West Virginia Confederate Army of the Northwest, Union Department of the OhioConfederate unknown, Union 8 [29] USA
July 11 Rich Mountain, West VirginiaConfederate infantry, Union Department of the OhioConfederate 88, Union 74 [30] USA
July 12 Cedar Lane Virginia PeninsulaConfederate cavalry, Union infantryConfederate 0, Union 20+CSA
July 13 Corrick's Ford, West VirginiaConfederate Infantry, Union Department of the OhioConfederate 620, Union 10–53 [31] USA
July 12Barboursville or Red House, VirginiaConfederate infantry, Union Department of the Ohiounknown [32] USA
July 12Beverly, West VirginiaConfederate Army of the Northwest, Union Department of the OhioConfederate 553 (prisoners), Union none [33] USA
July 14 Corrick's Ford, West VirginiaConfederate infantry, Union Department of the OhioConfederate 620, Union 10–53 [34] USA
July 17 Scary Creek, West VirginiaConfederate Army of the Kanawha, Union Department of the OhioConfederate 10, Union 47 [35] CSA
July 17 Bunker Hill, VirginiaConfederate Army of the Shenandoah, Union Army of the Shenandoahunknown [36] CSA?
July 18 Blackburn's Ford, Virginia Confederate Army of the Potomac, Union Department of Northeast VirginiaConfederate 70, Union 83 [37] CSA
July 21 Manassas, VirginiaConfederate Army of the Potomac and Army of the Shenandoah, Union Department of Northeast VirginiaConfederate 1,897, Union 2,708 [38] CSA
July 22Forsyth, MissouriMissouri State Guard, Union Department of the WestMissouri State Guard 15, Union 3 [39] USA
July 26 Mesilla, New Mexico TerritoryConfederate battalion from 2nd Texas Mounted Rifles, Union Southern Military District, Department of New Mexico Confederate none, Union 9 [40] CSA
July 27Fort Fillmore, New MexicoConfederate battalion from 2nd Texas Mounted Rifles, Union Southern Military District, Department of New MexicoConfederate none, Union 500 (surrendered) [41] CSA
August 2 Dug Springs, Missouri Missouri State Guard, Union Department of the WestMissouri State Guard 6, Union 10 [42] USA
August 3Curran Post Office, MissouriConfederate Western Army, Union Department of the Westunknown [43] Inconclusive
August 5 Athens, Missouri Confederate Missouri State Guard, Union Home Guards and 21st Missouri Infantry Confederate 28, Union 11 [44] USA
August 7Hampton, VirginiaConfederate cavalry, Union 20th New York.Confederate 9, Union unknown [45] USA?
August 8Lovettsville, VirginiaConfederate and Union forcesConfederate 6, Union unknown [46] USA?
August 10 Wilson's Creek, MissouriMissouri State Guard and Confederate Department No. 2, Union Department of the WestConfederate 464, Missouri State Guard 758, Union 1,317 [47] CSA
August 10Potosi, MissouriConfederate cavalry, Union Missouri Home Guards.Confederate 5, Union 5 [48] USA
August 17Palmyra, MissouriConfederate and Union forcesunknown [49] USA?
August 25Mason's Hill, Virginiadetachments from Confederate Army of the Potomac and Union Department of the Potomacunknown [50] USA
August 26 Kessler's Cross Lanes, West VirginiaConfederate infantry, Union Department of the OhioConfederate 40, Union 132 [51] CSA
August 28–29 Hatteras Inlet, North CarolinaConfederate garrison of Fort Hatteras and Fort Clark, Union North Carolina ExpeditionConfederate 670, Union 3 [52] USA
August 29Lexington, MissouriConfederate cavalry, Union Missouri Home Guards.unknown [53] CSA
August 31Munson's Hill, VirginiaConfederate detachment, Department of Northern Virginia, Union detachment, Army of the Potomac.Confederate unknown, Union 5 [54] USA
September 2 Dry Wood Creek, MissouriMissouri State Guard, Union Department of the WestMissouri State Guard unknown, Union 14 [55] CSA
September 3Bailey's Cross Roads, Virginiadetachments of Confederate Army of the Potomac and Union Department of the PotomacConfederate none, Union 8 [56] CSA
September 10 Carnifax Ferry, West VirginiaConfederate infantry, Union Department of the OhioConfederate 32, Union 158 [57] USA
September 11 Lewinsville, Virginia detachments of Confederate Army of the Potomac and Union Department of the PotomacConfederate none, Union 18 [58] CSA
September 12–15 Cheat Mountain, West VirginiaConfederate infantry, Union Department of the OhioConfederate 100, Union 71 [59] USA
September 13–20 Lexington, MissouriMissouri State Guard, Union garrison of Lexington, MissouriMissouri State Guard 100, Union 3,500 [60] CSA
September 17 Blue Mills Landing, MissouriMissouri State Guard, Union 3rd Iowa InfantryMissouri State Guard 70, Union 56 [61] CSA
September 19 Barbourville, KentuckyConfederate Department No. 2, Union Kentucky home guardConfederate 5, Union 15 [62] CSA
September 23–25 Hanging Rock Pass, West VirginiaConfederate cavalry and infantry, Union cavalry and infantryConfederate 5+, Union 60+
September 25 Alamosa, New Mexico Territory Confederate cavalry, Union Department of New MexicoConfederate none, Union 10 [63] CSA
September 25 Kanawha Gap, West VirginiaConfederate and Union infantryConfederate 130, Union 14USA
September 26 Hunter's Farm, MissouriConfederate Missouri State Guard, Union Department of the WestConfederate 10, Union unknown [64] USA
September 27near Fort Craig, New Mexico TerritoryConfederate and Union cavalryConfederate 10, Union 10 [65] CSA?
September 27 Pinos Altos, New Mexico Territory Confederate Arizona Guards and civilians, Chiricahua, Minibreno, and allied ApachesConfederate and civilians 12, Apaches 30 [66] CSA
October 3 Greenbrier River, West VirginiaConfederate infantry, Union Department of the OhioConfederate 52, Union 43 [67] Inconclusive
October 9 Santa Rosa Island, FloridaConfederate brigade, Union garrison of Fort PickensConfederate 87, Union 67 [68] USA
October 12 Head of the Passes, LouisianaConfederate naval squadron, Union detachment of West Gulf Blockading Squadronnone (one Confederate and three Union ships damaged) [69] CSA
October 21 Fredericktown Missouri State Guard, Union garrisonMissouri State Guard 62, Union unknown [70] USA
October 21 Ball's Bluff, VirginiaConfederate Army of the Potomac, Union Army of the PotomacConfederate 149, Union 1,000 [71] CSA
October 21 Camp Wildcat, KentuckyConfederate Department No. 2, Union Army of the Ohio Confederate 53, Union 43 [72] USA
October 25 Springfield, Missouri Missouri State Guard, Union infantryMissouri State Guard 133, Union 85 [73] USA
November 3–7 Port Royal, South CarolinaConfederate Department of South Carolina, Union South Atlantic Blockading SquadronConfederate 40, Union 31 [74] USA
November 7 Belmont, MissouriConfederate Department No. 2, Union Department of the WestConfederate 641, Union 607 [75] USA
November 8–9 Ivy Mountain, KentuckyConfederate Department No. 2, Union Army of the OhioConfederate 263, Union 30 [76] USA
November 19 Round Mountain, OklahomaConfederate and Union IndiansConfederate 10, Union unknown [77] CSA
November 20Brownsville, KentuckyConfederate detachment from Department No. 2, Union Department of the CumberlandConfederate 1, Union 12 [78] CSA
November 26Hunter's Mills, VirginiaConfederate Department of Northern Virginia, Union Army of the Potomacunknown [79] CSA
December 9 Chusto-Talasah, OklahomaConfederate and Union IndiansConfederate 52, Union 412 [80] CSA
December 13 Camp Allegheny, West VirginiaConfederate infantry, Union Department of the OhioConfederate 146, Union 137 [81] Inconclusive
December 17 Rowlett's Station, KentuckyConfederate Department No. 2, Union Army of the OhioConfederate 91, Union 40 [82] Inconclusive
December 20 Dranesville, VirginiaConfederate cavalry from Army of the Potomac, Union detachment from Army of the PotomacConfederate 230, Union 71 [83] USA
December 26 Chustenahlah, OklahomaConfederate and Union IndiansConfederate 40, Union 211 [84] CSA
December 28 Mount Zion Church, MissouriMissouri State Guard, Union Department of the WestMissouri State Guard 210, Union 72 [85] USA
December 28 Sacramento, Kentucky Confederate and Union cavalryConfederate 5, Union 23 [86] CSA

See also

Notes

  1. Foote, pp. 4850.
  2. Foote, pp. 5055.
  3. Foote, pp. 6970, 127130.
  4. Foote, pp. 7882.
  5. Foote, pp. 99, 104108, 140141.
  6. Foote, pp. 8688.
  7. Foote, pp. 112, 115120.
  8. Foote, pp. 9095, 98.
  9. Josephy, pp. 4451.
  10. Foote, p. 50.
  11. Davis, p. 5.
  12. Brooksher, p. 60.
  13. Brookser, p. 63.
  14. Kennedy, p. 5.
  15. Kennedy, p. 5.
  16. Davis, pp. 3334.
  17. Poland, p. 40.
  18. Poland, p. 84.
  19. Newell, p. 99.
  20. Kennedy, p. 6.
  21. Davis, pp. 7172.
  22. Poland, p. 45.
  23. Brooksher, p. 90.
  24. Brooksher, p. 100.
  25. Wills, p 39.
  26. Kennedy, p. 11.
  27. Kennedy, p. 20.
  28. Piston & Hatcher, pp. 102103.
  29. Newell, p. 137.
  30. Kennedy, pp. 7–9.
  31. Newell, pp. 138140.
  32. Newell, p. 141.
  33. Newell, p. 133.
  34. Newell, pp. 138139.
  35. Newell, p. 158.
  36. Davis, p. 148.
  37. Gottfried, p. 18.
  38. Gottfried, p. 74.
  39. Piston & Hatcher, pp. 128130.
  40. Josephy, pp. 4546.
  41. Frazier, p. 60.
  42. Piston & Hatcher, pp. 140141.
  43. Piston & Hatcher, pp. 142143.
  44. "Civil War Reference, Athens, Missouri page". History. Civil War Reference. Retrieved September 22, 2011.
  45. "Civil War Timeline, Chronology for August 1861". History. Blue and Gray Trail. Retrieved September 19, 2011.
  46. "Civil War Reference, Lovettsville, Virginia page". History. Civil War Reference. Retrieved September 19, 2011.
  47. Brooksher, p. 236.
  48. "Civil War Reference, Potosi, Missouri page". History. Civil War Reference. Retrieved September 19, 2011.
  49. "Civil War Reference, Palmyra, Missouri page". History. Civil War Reference. Retrieved September 19, 2011.
  50. Robertson, p. 43.
  51. Kennedy, p. 9.
  52. Kennedy, pp. 5960.
  53. "Civil War Reference, Lexington, Missouri page". History. Civil War Reference. Retrieved September 19, 2011.
  54. "Civil War Reference, Munson's Hill, Virginia page". History. Civil War Reference. Retrieved September 19, 2011.
  55. Kennedy, pp. 2324.
  56. Robertson, p. 44.
  57. Kennedy, p. 9.
  58. Robertson, pp. 4445.
  59. Kennedy, p. 10.
  60. Kennedy, p. 24.
  61. Kennedy, p. 24.
  62. Kennedy, p. 28.
  63. Frazier, pp. 106107.
  64. "Civil War Reference, Hunter's Farm, Missouri page". History. Civil War Reference. Retrieved September 22, 2011.
  65. Frazier, pp. 107108.
  66. Frazier, pp. 108109.
  67. Kennedy, p. 10.
  68. Kennedy, pp. 2728.
  69. "Naval Historical Center, CSS Manassas (1861-1862) page". History. Naval Historical Center. Archived from the original on October 30, 2001. Retrieved September 22, 2011.
  70. Kennedy p. 24.
  71. Gottfried, p. 104.
  72. Kennedy, p. 29.
  73. Kennedy, p. 25.
  74. Foote, p. 119.
  75. Hughes, pp. 184185.
  76. Kennedy, p. 29.
  77. Josephy, p. 331.
  78. Neal and Kremm, pp. 9697.
  79. "Civil War Reference, Hunter's Mills, Virginia page". History. Civil War Reference. Retrieved September 22, 2011.
  80. Josephy, p. 332.
  81. Kennedy, p. 10.
  82. Kennedy, pp. 2930.
  83. Kennedy, pp. 1819.
  84. Kennedy, p. 34.
  85. Kennedy, p. 27.
  86. Hurst, p. 79.

Sources