United States Civil War (1861 – 1865) in Real Time

Day 507 of the United States Civil War, August 29th 1862

District of Columbia

The following are appointed Brigadier Generals in the United States Army:

- John Gregg, CSA.
- Godfrey Weitzel.

Virginia

Reconnaissance to Warrenton.

The United States James River Flotilla had completed its mission to support the withdrawal of General McClellan’s army from the James River. The Navy Department ordered United States Navy, Commodore Charles Wilkes to turn the ships over to United States Navy, Rear Admiral Louis Malesherbes Goldsborough. Wilkes was ordered to proceed to Washington to assume command of the West Indies Squadron in September.

Confederate States Army, General Pierre Gustave Toutant Beauregard returned to duty from sickness absence and was assigned to command the Department of South Carolina and Georgia. Since his replacement by General Braxton Bragg in May, the death of General Albert Sidney Johnston on April 6th , and the wounding of General Joseph Eggleston Johnston on May 31st, only two Confederate Generals of full grade had been in active service. General Robert Edward Lee was leading in Virginia and Bragg was in Tennessee. No new officers had been promoted to fill the void and when J E Johnston returned from convalescence he also was appointed to a major command. Rather than identifying new officers for the highest grade and commands, (Confederate States) President Jefferson Finis Davis relied on using the most senior officers already in grade.

(Virginia) Northern Virginia Campaign - Second Battle of Bull Run (Battle of Second Manassas)

(YouTube) Battle of Bull Run (August 29th 1862)



Day 2 - Jackson defends Stony Ridge:

Lithograph: The second battle of Bull Run, fought Augt. 29th 1862



Jackson had initiated the battle at Brawner's farm with the intent of holding Pope until Longstreet arrived with the remainder of the Army of Northern Virginia. Longstreet's 25,000 men began their march from Thoroughfare Gap at 6 a.m. on August 29; Jackson sent Stuart to guide the initial elements of Longstreet's column into positions that Jackson had preselected. While he waited for their arrival, Jackson reorganized his defense in case Pope attacked him that morning, positioning 20,000 men in a 3,000-yard (2,700 m) line to the south of Stony Ridge. Noticing the buildup of I Corps (Sigel's) troops along the Manassas-Sudley Road, he ordered A.P. Hill's brigades behind the railroad grade near Sudley Church on his left flank. Aware that his position was geographically weak (because the heavy woods in the area prevented effective deployment of artillery), Hill placed his brigades in two lines, with Confederate States Army, Brigadier General Maxcy Gregg's South Carolina brigade and Confederate States Army, Brigadier General Edward L. Thomas's Georgia brigade in the front. In the center of the line, Jackson placed two brigades from Ewell's division (now under the command of Confederate States Army, Brigadier General Alexander Lawton), and on the right, William B. Taliaferro's division, now commanded by Confederate States Army, Brigadier General William E. Starke. Jackson's position straddled a railroad grade that had been dug out by the Manassas Gap Railroad Company in the 1850s and abandoned on the eve of the war. While some parts of the railroad grade were a good defensive position, others were not, moreover the heavily wooded terrain largely precluded the use of artillery aside from the right end of the line, which faced open fields. Fitz Lee's cavalry along with a battery of horse artillery were anchoring the left flank of the Confederate line, in case any United States troops attempted to cross Sudley Ford (as McDowell had done during the battle here 13 months earlier) and get in Jackson's rear. The Confederate right flank was potentially vulnerable, as it was held by Taliaferro's (now Starke's) division, the smallest of Jackson's three divisions and which had also taken significant casualties in the fighting at Brawner's Farm. Jackson thus placed the brigades of Early and Forno on the right end of the line, both large brigades that had not been engaged the previous evening and were fresh. Aside from bolstering Starke's understrength division, they were to watch and give notice of Longstreet's arrival.

At daybreak on the 29th, Pope had learned to his surprise and annoyance that Ricketts and King had both withdrawn south. In addition, John Gibbon arrived at Centreville and informed Pope that the retreat from Groveton was a mistake, ignoring the fact that he had recommended it in the first place. Gibbon also stated that he had no idea what had become of McDowell, to which an infuriated Pope replied "God damn McDowell! He's never where he's supposed to be!" Gibbon rode down to Manassas where he encountered Porter's troops resting and drawing rations. In addition, King, exhausted and ill from epileptic attacks, had turned over command of the division to John Hatch. McDowell was there as well, after spending most of the previous day wandering aimlessly around Prince William County, and not happy to learn of Pope's orders. In effect, King would accompany Porter, while Reynolds was temporarily attached to Sigel's corps, and Ricketts was still some miles away at Bristoe Station in effect leaving McDowell without any command. Pope on the 29th remained firmly wedded to the idea that Jackson was in a desperate situation and almost trapped, not only an incorrect assumption, but one that also depended on the coordination of all the corps and divisions under his command, none of which were where he intended them to be.

The result was that Pope's complicated attack plans for August 29th ended up as a simple frontal assault by Sigel's corps, the only troops in position that morning. I Corps was widely considered one of the army's weakest links, being largely composed of recent German immigrants who spoke little English: Siegel, though a trained and experienced military officer, was German-born and widely considered a political general promoted by Lincoln solely for his ability to recruit and motivate these German-speaking Unionists (many of whom had enlisted solely to fight under him). Having performed poorly in battles against Jackson in the Shenandoah Valley during the spring (and with scant respect or faith from their comrades-in-arms), I Corps' fighting morale was chronically low. Moreover, until Pope himself arrived, Sigel was the ranking officer on the field and would be in overall charge of the battle.

Pope's intention was to move against Jackson on both flanks. He ordered Fitz John Porter to move toward Gainesville and attack what he considered to be the Confederate right flank. He ordered Sigel to attack Jackson's left at daybreak. Sigel, unsure of Jackson's dispositions, chose to advance along a broad front, with United States Army, Brigadier General Robert C. Schenck's division, supported by United States Army, Brigadier General John F. Reynolds's division (McDowell's III Corps) on the left, United States Army, Brigadier General Robert H. Milroy's independent brigade in the center, and United States Army, Brigadier General Carl Schurz's division on the right. Schurz's two brigades, moving north on the Manassas-Sudley Road, were the first to contact Jackson's men, at about 7 a.m.

The actions in Sigel's attack against A.P. Hill's division were typical of all the attacks near Stony Ridge that day. Although the unfinished railroad provided natural defensive positions in some places, in general the Confederates maintained all but a static defense, absorbing the blows and following up with vigorous counterattacks. Schurz's two brigades (under United States Army, Brigadier General Alexander Schimmelfennig and United States Army, Colonel Włodzimierz Krzyżanowski) skirmished heavily with Gregg and Thomas, with both sides committing their forces piecemeal. Hand-to-hand combat ensued in the woods to the west of Sudley Road as Krzyzanowski's brigade clashed with Gregg's. As Milroy heard the sound of battle to his right, he ordered his brigade forward, the 82nd Ohio Infantry Regiment (United States) and 5th West Virginia Infantry Regiment (United States) in front and the 2nd West Virginia Infantry Regiment (United States) and 4th West Virginia Infantry Regiment (United States) in the rear as support troops. The two forward regiments were immediately met with volleys of Confederate musket fire, in the confusion, the 82nd Ohio Infantry Regiment (United States) found an undefended ravine in the middle of the railroad embankment known as "The Dump" and got in the rear of Isaac Trimble's Confederate brigade. However, Trimble was quickly reinforced by part of Bradley Johnson's Virginia brigade and the 82nd Ohio Infantry Regiment (United States) was forced to retreat. Its commander, United States Army, Colonel James Cantwell, was shot dead and the regiment fled in panic, causing the 5th West Virginia Infantry Regiment (United States) behind them to also retreat in disorder. In just 20 minutes of fighting, Milroy's brigade had taken 300 casualties. Schenck and Reynolds, subjected to a heavy artillery barrage, answered with counterbattery fire, but avoided a general advance of their infantry, instead merely deploying skirmishers which got into a low-level firefight with Jubal Early's brigade. While this was going on, Meade's brigade came across wounded men from King's division, who had been abandoned by their comrades and left on the field all night. Medical personnel attempted to evacuate as many of the wounded as possible under the ongoing firefight. With his brigade in shreds, Milroy attempted to rally the survivors. He then came across United States Army, Brigadier General Julius Stahel, one of Schenck's brigadiers, and ordered him to defend against any Confederate counterattack coming from the woods. Although a hundred or so Confederates came bounding out of the woods in pursuit of Milroy, they were quickly driven back by artillery fire and Stahel returned to his original position south of the turnpike.

Map: August 29, 10 a.m.: Sigel's attack



Assuming that Kearny's division of the III Corps was poised to support him, Schurz ordered another assault against Hill around 10 a.m., now that Schimmelfennig's brigade, plus the 1st New York Infantry Regiment (United States) from Kearny's division, had come up to reinforce Krzyzanowski. The fighting in the woods west of Sudley Road resumed and it came down to a standstill until the 14th Georgia Infantry Regiment (Confederate States) came down to reinforce the South Carolinans. They let loose multiple volleys of musket fire that sent Krzyzanowski's men running in panic. The Confederates came charging after the disorganized mass of United States troops, clubbing, bayoneting, and knifing resisters, but as they exited the woods and came out onto open ground, United States artillery positioned on Dogan's Ridge opened fire on them and forced them to retreat. To the north, Schimmelfennig's three regiments, the 61st Ohio Infantry Regiment (United States), 74th Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment (United States), and 8th West Virginia Infantry Regiment (United States), engaged part of Gregg and Branch's brigades, but were forced to retreat. Kearny however did not move forward. His three brigades instead marched to the banks of Bull Run Creek, where Orlando Poe's brigade forded the creek. The arrival of Poe's brigade aroused panic at Jackson's headquarters, as the dreaded scenario of United States troops getting in the Confederate rear seemed to be turning to reality. Jackson ordered his wagons evacuated from the area and Confederate States Army, Major John Pelham's horse artillery wheeled into position. The horse artillery and several companies of the 1st Virginia Cavalry engaged in a firefight with Poe's brigade for several minutes. Nobody on the United States side realized that they were getting in the rear of the Confederate line, and the sight of gray infantry in the distance was enough to discourage Poe from advancing any further, so he pulled back across the creek. Robinson's brigade remained in position along the banks of the creek while Birney's seven regiments scattered. One was directed to support the corps artillery on Matthews Hill, another held idly in reserve, and the remaining three accompanied Poe to the banks of the creek until Confederate artillery fire became too hot for them and they pulled south into the woods where they joined in skirmishing with A.P. Hill's troops.

Sigel for his part was satisfied with the progress of the battle so far, assuming he was merely supposed to perform a holding action until Pope arrived. By 1 p.m., his sector was reinforced by the division of Maj. Gen. Joseph Hooker (III Corps) and the brigade of Brig. Gen. Isaac Stevens (IX Corps). Pope also arrived on the battlefield, where Sigel graciously ceded command to him. He expected to see the culmination of his victory, but instead, he found that Sigel's attack had failed completely with Schurz and Milroy's troops shot up, disorganized, and incapable of further action. Reynolds and Schenck's divisions were fresh, but they were committed to guarding the army's left flank. However, Heintzelman's corps and the two divisions of Reno were also available, giving a total of eight fresh brigades, but Pope also assumed that McDowell would be on the field and that McClellan would come down from Washington, D.C., with the II and VI Corps. Instead, there was no sign of any of these troops anywhere. Pope momentarily considered withdrawing to Centreville, but became worried of the political fallout that would result if he was seen as insufficiently aggressive. Around this time, a messenger arrived and delivered Pope a note announcing that McDowell's corps was close up and would soon be on the field. Pope thus decided that he would drive at Jackson's center. By this time, Longstreet's initial units were in position to Jackson's right. Confederate States Army, Brigadier General John Bell Hood's division straddled the turnpike, loosely connected with Jackson's right flank. To Hood's right were the divisions of Confederate States Army, Brigadier General James L. Kemper and Confederate States Army, Brigadier General David R. "Neighbor" Jones. Confederate States Army, Brigadier General Cadmus M. Wilcox's division arrived last and was placed into reserve.

Stuart's cavalry encountered Porter, Hatch, and McDowell moving up the Manassas-Gainesville Road and a brief but sharp firefight halted the United States column. Then a courier arrived with a message for Porter and McDowell, a controversial document from Pope that has become known as the "Joint Order". Historian John J. Hennessy described the order as a "masterpiece of contradiction and obfuscation that would become the focal point of decades of wrangling". It described the attacks on Jackson's left, which were already underway, but was unclear about what Porter and McDowell were supposed to do. Rather than moving "to" Gainesville and striking Jackson's supposedly unprotected right flank, it described a move "toward" Gainesville and "as soon as communication is established [with the other divisions] the whole command shall halt. It may be necessary to fall back behind Bull Run to Centreville tonight." Nowhere in the order did Pope explicitly direct Porter and McDowell to attack and he concluded the order with, "If any considerable advantages are to be gained from departing from this order it will not be strictly carried out," rendering the document virtually useless as a military order.

Meanwhile, Stuart's cavalry under Confederate States Army, Colonel Thomas Rosser deceived the United States generals by dragging tree branches behind a regiment of horses to simulate great clouds of dust from large columns of marching soldiers. At this time, McDowell received a report from his cavalry commander, United States Army, Brigadier General John Buford, who reported that 17 regiments of infantry, one battery, and 500 cavalry were moving through Gainesville at 8:15 a.m. This was Longstreet's wing arriving from Thoroughfare Gap, and it warned the two United States generals that trouble lay to their front. The United States advance was again halted. For some reason, McDowell neglected to forward Buford's report to Pope until about 7 p.m., so the army commander was operating under two severe misconceptions: that Longstreet was not near the battlefield and that Porter and McDowell were marching to attack Jackson's right flank.

As Longstreet's men were placed into their final positions, General Lee ordered an offensive against the Union left. (Longstreet later remembered that Lee "was inclined to engage as soon as practicable, but did not order".) Longstreet, however, saw that the divisions of Reynolds and Schenck extended south of the Warrenton Turnpike, overlapping half of his line, and he argued against making the attack at that time. Lee eventually relented when Jeb Stuart reported that the force on the Gainesville–Manassas Road (Porter and McDowell) was formidable.

Map: August 29, 12 noon: Longstreet arrives, Porter stalls



Pope, assuming that the attack on Jackson's right would proceed as he thought he had ordered, authorized four separate attacks against Jackson's front with the intent of diverging the Confederates' attention until Porter delivered the fatal blow. Brig. Gen. Cuvier Grover's brigade attacked at 3 p.m., expecting to be supported by Kearny's division. With Isaac Stevens's division behind him as support, Grover moved his brigade into the woods and charged right at Edward Thomas's Georgia brigade. Grover's men got all the way to the railroad embankment and unleashed a volley of near point-blank fire on Thomas's regiments, followed by a bayonet charge. Taken by surprise, the Georgians fell back and fierce hand-to-hand combat ensued. Maxcy Gregg's South Carolinans came to reinforce them, followed by Dorsey Pender's brigade of North Carolinans. Pender hit Grover's brigade in the flank and sent the men fleeing in panic with over 350 casualties. Pender's brigade then surged out of the woods in pursuit of Grover, but once again the Union artillery on Dogan Ridge was too powerful; a strong barrage forced Pender to retreat. Meanwhile, to the north, Joseph Carr's brigade had been engaged in a low-level firefight with Confederate troops, in the process wounding Isaac Trimble, one of Jackson's most dependable brigadiers since the Valley Campaign the previous spring. With Nelson Taylor's brigade of Hooker's division in support, James Nagle's brigade of Reno's division surged forward and slammed into Trimble's brigade, temporarily leaderless. Trimble's men were routed and began to retreat in disorder, but like all the previous Union attacks during the day, Nagle was unsupported and had no chance against overwhelming enemy numbers. Henry Forno's Louisiana brigade counterattacked and drove Nagle back. Bradley Johnson and Col. Leroy Stafford's 9th Louisiana joined in the assault. To the south, John Hood's division had just arrived on the field, forcing back Milroy and Nagle. Milroy's already exhausted brigade fell apart and started to run from the onslaught. To check the Confederate counterattack, Pope pulled Schenck from south of the turnpike and with artillery support, forced the Confederates back to the shelter of the railroad embankment. While all this was going on, Kearny still remained out of the action.[46]

Reynolds was ordered to conduct a spoiling attack south of the turnpike and encountered Longstreet's men, causing him to call off his demonstration. Pope dismissed Reynolds's concern as a case of mistaken identity, insisting that Reynolds had run into Porter's V Corps, preparing to attack Jackson's flank. Jesse Reno ordered a IX Corps brigade under Col. James Nagle to attack the center of Jackson's line again. This time Brig. Gen. Isaac R. Trimble's brigade was driven back from the railroad embankment, but Confederate counterattacks restored the line and pursued Nagle's troops back into the open fields until United States artillery halted their advance.

At 4:30 p.m., Pope finally sent an explicit order to Porter to attack, but his aide (his nephew) lost his way and did not deliver the message until 6:30 p.m. In any event, Porter was in no better position to attack then than he had been earlier in the day. But in anticipation of the attack that would not come, Pope ordered Kearny to attack Jackson's far left flank, intending to put strong pressure on both ends of the line. At 5 p.m. Kearny sent Robinson and Birney's brigades surging forward into A.P. Hill's exhausted division. The brunt of the attack fell on Maxcy Gregg's brigade, which had defended against two major assaults over eight hours that day and was nearly out of ammunition in addition to having lost most of its officers. As they fell back onto the edge of a hillside, Gregg lopped some wildflowers with his old Revolutionary War scimitar and remarked, "Let us die here my men, let us die here." With both Thomas's and Gregg's brigades on the verge of disintegrating, A.P. Hill sent a message to Jackson calling for help. Meanwhile, Daniel Leasure's brigade of Isaac Stevens's division crept around to the south and forced back James Archer's Tennessee brigade. Jubal Early's brigade, which had begun the day on the extreme right of the Confederate line, and Lawrence O'Bryan Branch's brigade, which had thus far been held in reserve, counterattacked and drove back Kearny's division. During the fighting, one of Hill's brigadiers, Charles W. Field, was severely wounded and command of his brigade, which had also taken a beating over the course of the day, fell to Confederate States Army, Colonel John M. Brockenbrough of the 40th Virginia Regiment (Confederate States).

Map: August 29, 3 p.m.: Grover's attack



On the Confederate right, Longstreet observed a movement of McDowell's force away from his front; the I Corps was moving divisions to Henry House Hill to support Reynolds. This report caused Lee to revive his plan for an offensive in that sector. Longstreet once again argued against it, this time due to inadequate time before dusk. Longstreet suggested "that the day being far spent it might be well to advance before night on a forced reconnaissance, get our troops in the most favourable positions, and have all things ready for battle the next morning." To this General Lee reluctantly gave consent and Hood's division was sent forward. As soon as McDowell arrived at Pope's headquarters, the latter urged him to move King's division forward. McDowell then informed Pope that King had fallen ill and relinquished command of the division to Brig. Gen John P. Hatch, whom Pope had taken a considerable disliking to early in the campaign. Hatch had originally led a cavalry brigade and failed to carry out an order from Pope to raid down into the Richmond outskirts. Displeased at this, Pope reassigned Hatch to infantry command. He now ordered Hatch to go up the Sudley Road and attack, but Hatch protested that the road was clogged with Kearny's troops, it would not be possible to clear them out of the way before darkness. Exasperated, Pope repeated his order for Hatch to advance on the Confederate right, but was soon distracted by actions going on the other side of the line. John Hood's division had arrived on Jackson's right and McDowell ordered Hatch to reinforce Reynolds despite Hatch's protests that two of his three brigades (Gibbon and Doubleday's) were exhausted from the fight at Brawner's Farm the previous day. Hatch deployed Doubleday's brigade out in front. Hood's division forced Hatch and Reynolds back to a position on Bald Hill, overrunning Chinn Ridge in the process. As night fell, Hood pulled back from this exposed position. Longstreet and his subordinates again argued to Lee that they should not be attacking a force they considered to be placed in a strong defensive position, and for the third time, Lee cancelled the planned assault.

Map: August 29, 5–7 p.m., Kearny's attack, Hood vs. Hatch



Hood's withdrawal from Chinn Ridge only reinforced Pope's belief that the enemy was retreating. When Pope learned from McDowell about Buford's report, he finally acknowledged that Longstreet was on the field, but he optimistically assumed that Longstreet was there only to reinforce Jackson while the entire Confederate army withdrew; Hood's division had in fact just done that. Pope issued explicit orders for Porter's corps to rejoin the main body of the army and planned for another offensive on August 30. Historian A. Wilson Greene argues that this was Pope's worst decision of the battle. Since he no longer had numerical superiority over the Confederates and did not possess any geographical advantage, the most prudent course would have been to withdraw his army over Bull Run and unite with McClellan's Army of the Potomac, which had 25,000 men nearby.

That evening, Pope wired Halleck with a report of the day's fighting, describing it as "severe" and estimating his losses at 7000–8000 men. He estimated Confederate losses at twice this many, an extremely incorrect estimation given that Jackson had been fighting a mostly defensive battle. Although Confederate casualties were lower, their officer losses had been high; aside from the loss of two division commanders on August 28, three brigade commanders, Trimble, Field, and Colonel Henry Forno, had been wounded. For comparison, only one United States brigade commander had been wounded so far, Colonel Daniel Leasure, and no general officers.

Arkansas

CITY-class ironclad gunboat USS PITTSBURG under the command of United States Navy, Lieutenant Thompson, escorted the steamers WHITE CLOUD Cloud and LATAN transporting troops to Eunice. The gunboat shelled and dispersed Confederate forces from a camp above Carson’s Landing on the Mississippi shore. The troops landed under cover of USS PITTSBURG’S guns and seized a large wharf boat fitted out as a floating hotel.

Kentucky

Confederate States Army, Major General Edmund Kirby Smith’s army ascended Big Hill, the northern rim of the dry Kentucky Barrens and entered the more fertile Bluegrass region. Confederate States Army, Brigadier General Patrick Ronayne Cleburne’s division led the advance with Confederate States Army, Colonel John S Scott’s cavalry scouting ahead. The cavalry was moving north from Big Hill on the road to Richmond when it encountered United States troopers about a mile and a half south of Rogersville, seven miles from Richmond, and began skirmishing. The United States cavalry was joined by the 1st and 2nd Brigades of the Army of Kentucky which had been sent from Louisville. These brigades were made up of hastily trained volunteers under United States Army, Brigadier General Mahlon Dickerson Manson and United States Army, Brigadier General Charles Cruft. Leaving Cruft’s brigade to hold Richmond, Manson ordered his own brigade to march to Rogersville. Manson pushed back the Confederate advance guard and resisted any attempt to drive him from his position. After midday, United States artillery joined the fight, forcing the Confederate cavalry to retreat back to Big Hill. Manson sent a few cavalry to pursue the enemy and withdrew back to Rogersville for the night. During the night, Manson informed United States Army, Major General William Nelson of his situation and ordered Cruft’s brigade to be ready to march to his support when required. Confederate States Army, Major General Edmund Kirby Smith was encouraged by the fight which showed that the United States would make a stand in the open ground rather than along the high bluffs of the Kentucky River eight miles north of Richmond. He ordered Cleburne to attack in the morning and promised to hurry reinforcements forward in the form of Confederate States Army, Brigadier General Thomas James Churchill’s division.

Louisiana

Skirmish near St Charles Court House.

The United States Navy began to contest the guns of Port Hudson for control of the Mississippi. The improvised United States gunboat USS ANGLO-AMERICAN, a wooden side-wheel steamboat, passed Port Hudson moving upriver to join Commodore David Dixon Porter’s fleet at Vicksburg. It was struck many times by shots from Port Hudson but was unable to return fire due to wet cartridges and a shortage of ammunition.

Missouri

Skirmishes at Bloomfield and Iberia.

United States expedition from Waynesville began.

Skirmish at California House

Tennessee

Skirmishes at Short Mountain Cross Roads near McMinnville.

Army of the Southwest (United States)

United States Army, Brigadier General Frederick Steele, assumes the command of the Army of the Southwest, MO, etal.

Day 509 of the United States Civil War, August 31st 1862

District of Columbia

(United States) President Abraham Lincoln still hopes for some reassuring word from Colonel Haupt in Alexandria, wiring him at 7:30 in the morning, “What news? Do you hear firing this morning?”

Virginia

Samuel Gibbs French, is made Major General in the Confederate States Army.

Reconnaissance to Dranesville, Frying Pan, and Herndon Station. Skirmishes at Centreville, and Chantilly.

United States troops hastily evacuated Fredericksburg, after destroying some supplies but also leaving a large quantity to be captured by the Confederates.

Skirmish at Franklin.

Confederate troops occupy Weston.

Skirmish at Germantown.

United States Army, Major General John Pope ordered his Army of Virginia to retreat to Centreville after dark, with United States Army, Major General Irvin McDowell’s III Corps providing the rearguard. The army crossed Bull Run and the last troops across, from United States Army, Major General Franz Sigel’s I Corps, destroyed the Stone Bridge behind them.

Alabama

Evacuation of Huntsville by the United States Army of the Ohio.

Skirmish at Stevenson.

Confederate States Army, Major General Thomas Carmichael Hindman and the leading elements of his small army crossed the border from Arkansas into Missouri.

Kentucky

Skirmish at Yates’ Ford on the Kentucky River.

Confederate States Army, Major General Edmund Kirby Smith’s Army of Kentucky occupied Richmond.

Louisiana

The gunboat USS WILLIAM G ANDERSON under the command of United States Navy, Acting Master D’Oyley, seized the schooner LILY off the coast with a cargo of gunpowder.

Mississippi

Skirmish near Marietta.

Skirmish at Little River Bridge.

Tennessee

United States forces from Cumberland Gap, commanded by United States Army, Brigadier General George Washington Morgan, attacked a Confederate camp at Rogers’ Gap and scattered the Confederates.

Confederate States Army, Colonel Frank Crawford Armstrong led his cavalry brigade towards Medon Station on the Mississippi Central Railroad. The United States force at the railroad station built a defensive position with a barricade of cotton bales. The Confederates attacked at 3 pm but failed to carry the position and Armstrong had to withdraw.

Skirmish at Toone’s Station on the Mississippi Central Railroad.

The United States transport W B TERRY MASTER LEONARD G KLINCK, was captured by the Confederates after running aground at Duck River Shoals in the Tennessee River.

New York

The 122nd New York Infantry Regiment (United States) known as the "Onondagas", is recruited under the command of United States army, Colonel Silas Titus with Central New York Soldiers from Onondaga County.

Day 511 of the United States Civil War, September 2nd 1862

District of Columbia

The Army of Virginia is merged into the Army of the Potomac, under the command of United States Army, Major General George B. McClellan, leaving United States Army, Major General John Pope, without a command.

(United States) President Abraham Lincoln issues a Executive Order:

September 02, 1862
Special Orders, No. 218.

Headquarters of the Army,

Adjutant-General's Office,

Washington, September 2, 1862.

By direction of the President, all the clerks and employees of the civil Departments and all the employees on the public buildings in Washington will be immediately organized into companies, under the direction of Brigadier-General Wadsworth, and will be armed and supplied with ammunition, for the defense of the capital.

By command of Major-General Halleck:

E. D. Towsend,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

Virginia

Abraham Buford is made Brigadier General in the Confederate States Army.

Confederate cavalry under Confederate States Army, Colonel Thomas Tyler Munford discovered a United States detachment near Leesburg and drove them away from their marching column.

A Confederate cavalry raid by Confederate States Army, Brigadier General Albert Gallatin Jenkins reached Spencer Court House and forced the local United States troops to surrender.

United States expedition from Suffolk began.

Evacuation of Winchester by United States Army, Brigadier General Julius White.

Incidents at Hawk’s Nest and Worthington.

Skirmishes at Fairfax Court House, Vienna, Falls Church, and Flint Hill.

Kentucky

Incidents at Richmond and Frankfort.

Confederate States Army, Major General Edmund Kirby Smith’s army occupied Lexington and was received by an adulatory crowd.

Minnesota

Skirmishes against the Sioux at Acton and Birch Coolie (or Birch Cooley).

Missouri

Expedition to Waynesville began.

North Carolina

Incident at Plymouth.

South Carolina

The gunboat USS RESTLESS under the command of United States Navy, Acting Lieutenant Conroy, captured the sloop JOHN THOMPSON off the coast with a cargo of turpentine.

Tennessee

Skirmish near Memphis.

Skirmish near Nashville involving the 5th Tennessee Cavalry Regiment (United States) under the command of United States Army, Colonel William B Stokes.

United States Army, Major General Don Carlos Buell reached Nashville and found the capitol barricaded with cotton bales and defended by artillery. Reinforced by 10,000 men from the army of United States Army, Major General Ulysses Simpson Grant, he decided to leave enough troops behind to defend the state capital city while the bulk of his army continued northwards into Kentucky in pursuit of the Confederate invaders. He remained at Nashville for a further five days preparing for the relocation of his line of supply to the Ohio River.

Day 513 of the United States Civil War, September 4th 1862

(YouTube) Civil War Week By Week - Filling the Coffins of War ( August 29th - September 4th 1862)



District of Columbia

Charles Champion Giblert is appointed Brigadier General in the United States Army.

Virginia

Confederate war clerk John B. Jones rejoices at the recent turn of events in favor of the South: “The enemy’s loss in the series of battles, in killed, wounded, and prisoners, is estimated at 30,000. Where is the braggart Pope now? Disgraced eternally, deprived of his command by his own government, and sent to Minnesota to fight the Indians!”

United States reconnaissance to Lovettsville and Charles Town from Harper’s Ferry ended.

Skirmish at Bunker Hill, involving the 12th Illinois Cavalry (Colonel Arno Voss).

Skirmish at Falls Church.

West Virginia

Governor of the Restored Government of Virginia, Francis Harrison Pierpont returned from Washington, D.C. with reports about United States forces:

Gov. Peirpoint [sic] returned yesterday morning from his trip of ten days to Washington. He reports a good feeling there in official circles, and says the sense of security is strong. No apprehensions are entertained of the entire ability of our army to defend its present line of operations.---

Not the least anxiety is felt as to Jackson's reported intention to cross the Potomac, for the reason that such a maneuver would involve the certain destruction of the whole rebel army. Our force is very large and daily increasing, numbering now as much as 250,000 men, old troops and new. The Gov. regards it as certain that he rebels have spent their entire strength and are now at the end of their rope, and are completely foiled in their determination to whip our army before it was reinforced.:

They have done us great injury, of course, in the way of capturing stores, &c., but their own losses in the way of killed, wounded, disabled and exhausted men are immense and greater than ours. They have used up their men with excessive marching and for want of provisions, and are in no condition to put forth any vigorous demonstration.

Alabama

The Confederate raider CSS FLORIDA under the command of Confederate States Navy, Lieutenant John Newland Maffitt, ran the blockade past the MOHICAN-class screw sloop-of-war USS ONEIDA under the command of United States Navy, Commander George Henry Preble, and also evaded the UNADILLA-class gunboat USS WINONA and the gunboat USS RACHEL SEAMAN (two 32-pounder guns). The ship anchored in a damaged condition under the guns of Fort Morgan in Mobile Bay. Many crewmen were suffering from yellow fever and Maffitt had been desperate to risk the dash dangerous from Havana into Mobile..

Kentucky

Skirmishes at Madisonville and Shelbyville.

Confederate States Army, Major General Edmund Kirby Smith dispersed his troops from Frankfort to occupy Cynthiana, Georgetown, and Paris, with a mission to recruit volunteers for Confederate service. His main force concentrated at Lexington while sizeable detachments of infantry and cavalry were sent to scout towards Louisville and Cincinnati, Ohio, causing consternation and prompting the rapid reconstruction of United States fortifications at Covington and Newport on the Ohio River. Smith sent messages to Confederate States Army, General Braxton Bragg, advising that large numbers of Kentuckians were volunteering for service and that he had decided to remain in the area to maximise the effort.

Louisiana

Skirmishes at Bayou des Allemands and Boutte Station. Texas Rangers pursued a party of 8th Vermont Infantry Regiment (United States) into the swamps, capturing some and dispersing the others.

Maryland

Skirmish at Edwards Ferry.

Skirmish at Point of Rocks

Skirmish at Poolesville.

Skirmish at Monocacy Aqueduct.

Skirmish at Berlin.

Confederate States Army, General Robert Edward Lee advised (Confederate States) President Jefferson Davies of his intention to move into Maryland to exploit the successes of his summer campaigns by making another decisive offensive movement. Lee’s strategy was to seek new supplies and recruits from the border state of Maryland and to influence public opinion prior to the upcoming elections in the Northern states. Some Confederate politicians, including President Jefferson Finis Davis, believed that the prospect of foreign recognition would increase if the Confederates could win a signal military victory on Northern soil. Such a victory might even secure military support from Great Britain or France to prosecute the war. There was a genuine possibility that Britain would offer recognition of Confederate independence and sovereignty if another victory resulted in a serious threat to the Federal capital. It was believed that such a humiliating defeat might even persuade the Union states to concede defeat and recognise the new nation

The Army of Northern Virginia with about 50,000 men began to cross the Potomac River into Maryland by fords near Leesburg.

United States forces evacuated Frederick ahead of the Confederate invaders.

Skirmish with Sioux Indians at Hutchinson.

United States reconnaissance into Callaway County.

Skirmish at Prairie Chapel involving Lieutenant-Colonel Arnold Krekel’s 1st Battalion Missouri Militia Cavalry.

South Carolina

USS SHEPHERD KNAPP under the command of United States Navy, Acting Lieutenant Henry S Eytinge, captured the bark FANNIE LAURIE off the South Edisto River.

Gulf of Mexico

The gunboat USS W G ANDERSON under the command of United States Navy, Acting Master D’Oyley, captured the schooner THERESA with its cargo including salt.

Day 515 of the United States Civil War, September 6th 1862

District of Columbia

United States Navy, Commodore Samuel Phillips Lee assumed command of the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron of the United States Navy, succeeding United States Navy, Rear Admiral Louis Malesherbes Goldsborough.

United States Army, Colonel Timothy Patrick Andrew was appointed Paymaster-General of the United States Army, succeeding United States Army, Colonel Benjamin Franklin Larned.

As United States reinforcements converged to protect the capital, the location of 36 additional regiments moving to reinforce his army was reported to United States Army, Major General George Brinton McClellan. Six regiments intended for IX Corps (Potomac) were at Leesburg, Virginia, a further five regiments for VI Corps (Potomac) were near the Theological Seminary, six regiments for III Corps Potomac) were near Fort Lyon, and there were four regiments intended for II Corps (Potomac) at Rockville, Maryland. A further six regiments for II Corps (Virginia), six regiments for V Corps (Potomac), and four regiments for the 3rd Division of VI Corps (Potomac) were also reported to be approaching the capital.

Virginia

United States Army, Major General Joseph Hooker assumed command of III Corps (Virginia), succeeding United States Army, Brigadier General James Brewerton Ricketts.

Incidents at Cacapon Bridge and Martinsburg.

United States forces continued the destruction of the supply depot and facilities at Aquia Creek.

Confederate States Army, Major General William Wing Loring commenced offensive operations in western Virginia. His troops moved from the Narrows and began a sixteen-day campaign in the Kanawha Valley.

Tennessee

Expedition Cumberland Gap and Pine Mountain began.

Tennessee. Skirmish on the Gallatin Road.

Skirmish at New Providence involving the 5th Iowa Cavalry Regiment (United States) under the command of United States Army, Colonel William W Lowe.

Skirmishes at Clarksville and Rickett’s Hill.

Mississippi

Reconnaissance to Holly Springs ended.

Skirmish at Olive Branch involving the 6th Illinois Cavalry Regiment (United States) under the command of United States Army, Colonel Benjamin Henry Grierson.

Missouri

United States attack on a guerrilla camp south of Roanoke led by Missouri Militia Brigadier-General Lewis Merrill.

North Carolina

The gunboat USS LOUISIANA under the command of United States Navy, Acting Lieutenant Richard T Renshaw, joined United States troops in repelling a Confederate attack on Washington, North Carolina. The United States Army gunboat PICKET was destroyed by an accidental magazine explosion during the engagement.

Kansas

Confederate States Army, Captain William Clarke Quantrill and his guerrillas entered Olathe at dawn. They surprised the 125-man United States garrison and captured them all. The town was looted and the community newspaper office was destroyed.

Maryland

Confederate States Army, Major General Thomas Jonathan Jackson’s troops occupied Frederick.

Arkansas

Skirmish at La Grange.

Dakota Territory (United States)

Skirmish with the Sioux at Fort Abercrombie.

Department of the Northwest (United States)

In response to the Sioux uprising, a new United States Department of the Northwest was established comprising the states of Wisconsin, Iowa, and Minnesota, and the Nebraska Territory and Dakota Territory. Headquarters were located at Madison. Wisconsin. The new Department provided a convenient assignment for United States Army, Major General John Pope whose campaign in Virginia had resulted in a fiasco. He was accompanied by United States Army, Brigadier General Washington Lafayette Elliott, who had recovered from wounds sustained at Second Bull Run.

Day 517 of the United States Civil War, September 8th 1862

District of Columbia

United States Army, Major General Nathaniel P. Banks, assumes the command of the Defenses of Washington, DC.

Even after a night of rest the questions remain as (United States) President Abraham Lincoln asks United States Army, Major General George B. McClellan in an almost plaintive fashion: “How does it look now?”

Interdiction of blockade-runners trying to reach the Confederacy remains a priority. United States Navy, Commodore Charles Wilkes, promoted despite the notoriety associated with the Trent Affair, is now head of the West India Squadron as part of that blockading mission.

A “Flying Squadron” including MOHICAN-class steam sloop-of-war USS WACHUSET, the gunboat USS DACOTAH (1 × 100-pounder rifle, 4 × 32-pounder guns, 1 × 10 in (250 mm) gun, 1 × 12-pounder rifle and 1 × one 12-pounder gun), the gunboat USS CIMARRON (one 100-pounder rifle, one 9-inch smoothbore gun and six 24-pounder howitzers), the gunboat USS SONOMA (1 × 100-pounder Parrott rifle, 1 × 11 in (280 mm) Dahlgren smoothbore, 6 × 24-pounder howitzers and 2 × 12-pounder rifles), the gunboat USS TIOGA (one 10" Dahlgren smoothbore, one 100-pounder gun and six 24-pounder howitzers), the gunboat USS OCTORARA (one 80-pounder Parrott rifle, one 9-inch Dahlgren smoothbore gun and four 24-pounder guns) and the gunboat USS SANTIAGO DE CUBA, was assembled by the United States Navy specifically to seek out and capture the Confederate commerce raiders CSS ALABAMA and CSS FLORIDA on the high seas.

Virginia

The Confederate Congress engaged in a heated debate on the appointment of General Officers. Several Senators believed that too many appointments were made to officers from Virginia compared to the other States. A bill to regulate the appointment of Brigadier Generals to brigades in proportion to the number of troops in service from a particular State was rejected as impracticable by the Judiciary Committee and Military Committee.

Confederate States Army, brigadier Geenral Albert Gallatin Jenkins and a small detachment were attacked by a detachment from the 2nd (West) Virginia Cavalry Regiment (United States). Jenkins was defeated but recovered to move south up the Guyandotte River. He circled north and waited where the Coal River empties into the Kanawha River.

California

Skirmish at Redwood Creek involving the 2nd California Infantry.

Florida

landing party from the the gunboat USS KINGFISHER (4 × 8 in (200 mm) smoothbore Dahlgren guns) destroyed salt works at St Joseph’s Bay.

Kentucky

Skirmish at Barboursville.

Confederate Colonel Joseph Wheeler’s cavalry skirmished along the Kentucky-Tennessee Line.

Louisiana

Incident at St Charles Court House involving the 21st Indiana Infantry Regiment (United States) under the command of United States Army, Colonel James Winning McMillan and the 9th Connecticut Infantry Regiment (United States) under the command of United States Army, Major Frederick Frye.

Maryland

Skirmish at Poolesville.

Mississippi

United States expedition to the Coldwater River and Hernando began.

Missouri

United States expedition in pursuit of Confederate William Clarke Quantrill’s band of guerrillas set out from Fort Leavenworth to Cass County, Jackson County, and Lafayette County.

North Carolina

Zebulon Brank Vance became Governor of North Carolina.

Tennessee

Incident at Pine Mountain.

Azores

The screw sloop-of-war CSS ALABAMA under the command of Confederate States Navy, Captain Raphael Semmes, captured and burned the whaling ship OCEAN ROVER.