August 4 In Civil War History

[Jim Klag]

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On this day in Civil War history

Compiled by Mitchell Werksman and Jim Klag

August 4, 1816 - Israel Vogdes, American Brigadier General (Union Army), born in Chester County, Pennsylvania (d. 1889)

August 4, 1818 - Lovell Harrison Rosseau, American lawyer politician and Major General (Union Army), born in Stanford, Kentucky (d. 1869)

August 4, 1834 - Abraham Lincoln elected to the Illinois House of Representatives.

August 4, 1858 - First trans-Atlantic telegraph cable completed by USS Niagara and British ship Agamemnon.

August 4, 1861 - The Honorable Thomas A. R. Nelson is arrested on his way to the Union lines by the Confederate soldiers, TN.

August 4, 1862 - Ambrose Burnsides [US] arrives at Aquia Creek. As they arrive from North Carolina, his men are sent forward to join John Pope [US]

August 4, 1862 - Confederate attack on Union pickets near Woodville, AL, (Aug 4) and a Federal reconnaissance from Woodville to Guntersville, AL. (Aug 5-7).

August 4, 1862 - Federal expedition from Helena to Clarendon, AR. (Aug 4-17)

August 4, 1862 - President Lincoln declines the offer of two black Indiana regiments, suggesting they be used as laborers instead.

August 4, 1862 - Federal reconnaissance from Jacinto to Bay Springs, MS, and skirmish. (Aug 4-7)

August 4, 1862 - Skirmish at Gayoso, MO.

August 4, 1862 - Federal scout on Sinking Creek, MO, about 25 miles southeast of Salem, MO, with the Federals surprising the Rebels. (Aug 4-11)

August 4, 1862 - Skirmish on White River, near Forsyth, MO.

August 4, 1862 - Federal reconnaissance from Coggins Point beyond Sycamore Church, and White Oak Swamp Bridge, VA. (Aug 4-5)

August 4, 1862 - Maj. Gen. James Ewell Brown Stuart's CSA, Cavalry expedition from Hanover Court-House to the vicinity of Fredericksburg, VA. (Aug 4-8)

August 4, 1863 - The following are appointed Union Brigadier Generals:

Jasper Adalmorn Maltby, USA

Samuel Allen Rice, USA

John Benjamin Sanborn, USA

Giles Alexander Smith, USA

Charles Robert Woods, USA

August 4, 1863 - Affair at the mouth of Vincent's Creek, SC, as Confederates are transported to skirmish with the Federals, capturing several and killing others.

August 4, 1863 - Federal reconnaissance to Rock Island Ferry, TN. (Aug 4-5)

August 4, 1863 - Skirmish at Amissville, VA.

August 4, 1863 - Skirmish at Brandy Station, VA, with Brig. Gen. John Buford, USA, commanding the 1st Cavalry Division, the 1st US Army Corps.

August 4, 1863 - Federal expedition to Fairfax Court-House, VA.

August 4, 1863 - Federal army and naval reconnaissance on the James River, VA, to about 14 miles below Fort Darling, when the gunboat Barney strikes a torpedo and is forced to retire. The ironclad, Sangamon, and the tug, Chassett also assisted. (Aug 6) (Aug 4-7)

August 4, 1863 - Skirmish at Burlington, WV.

August 4, 1864 - The siege of Petersburg is ongoing.

August 4–7, 1864 - The Battle of Utoy Creek was fought, during the Atlanta Campaign

August 4, 1864 - John Calvin Brown, C.S.A., is appointed Maj. Gen.

August 4, 1864 - Bryan Morel Thomas, CSA, is appointed Brig. Gen.

August 4, 1864 - Skirmish at Antietam Ford, MD, with Brig. Gen. John McCausland's, Confederate Cavalry.

August 4, 1864 - Federal expedition from Natchez, MS, to Gillespie's Plantation, LA, about 5 miles below Vidalia and 5 miles east of Trinity, with skirmish. (Aug 4-6)

August 4, 1864 - Federal scout from Fort Union Nation, the New Mexico Territory, where they begin to move against the Kiowa and Comanche Indian tribes. (Aug 4-Sep 15)

August 4, 1864 - Federal operations in the vicinity of Brazos Santiago, TX, with skirmish at Point Isabel (Aug 9). (Aug 4-15)

August 4, 1864 - Skirmish at Tracy City, TN.

August 4, 1864 - Action near Harrison's Landing, VA, the Richmond, VA, Campaign.

August 4, 1864 - Action at New Creek, WV, with Brig. Gen. William W. Averell's, USA, Cavalry command defeating the Rebels, capturing men, property, etc., and reporting back to Maj. Gen. Philip H. Sheridan, USA.

August 4, 1895 - Marcellus Augustus Stovall, American Brigadier General (Confederate Army), dies at 76 in Augusta, GA.

 

[5fish]

August 4, 1863 - Affair at the mouth of Vincent's Creek, SC, as Confederates are transported to skirmish with the Federals, capturing several and killing others.

This the the Confederate OR report on the event but poor details...

LINK: https://ehistory.osu.edu/books/official-records/046/0594
LINK: https://ehistory.osu.edu/books/official-records/046/0595

Reports of Captain M. H. Sellers, Twenty-fifth South Carolina Infantry.

JAMES ISLAND, S. C., August 6, 1863.

CAPTAIN: I have received orders to make a report immediately of the expedition of the night of the 4th of August, and, in obedience to the orders, I would respectfully make the following report, after stating that Captain Warley, of the navy, was in command of the expedition, and I in command of the 30 men detailed from the Twenty-fifth Regiment South Carolina Volunteers:

I proceeded to Fort Johnson, according to the order, and, after waiting some time, Captain Warley, of the navy, came up, and then Brigadier-General Ripley arrived. The officers were then summoned together by Brigadier-General Ripley, and he explained the object of the expedition to us to be the capturing of a party of the enemy supposed to be on a marsh island, between James Island and Morris Island. He then placed Captain Warley in command of the expedition, with instructions to land me at the point of this island, and Captain Warley, with two boats, to follow the creek around, so as to operate with me at the other end of the island, where it was supposed the enemy was.

Having arrived at the point of the island, I landed with a guide, as directed, and obtained from him all the information desired of the locality and direction of the point on which I was to advance. I then returned to my boats (two in number) and landed my men, and proceeded to make my arrangements to advance. I posted a corporal and 5 men at my boats as a guard and to act as a reserve, and after selecting 10 men to post as sentinels at every 200 yards as I advanced, to establish proper communications with my boats, I deployed as skirmishers the remaining 15 men, letting the center of my line rest on the path leading to the point on which I was to advance. I then reported to Captain Warley that I was ready to go forward, and he told me to go ahead. I then proceed very cautiously, establishing posts of 2 men at intervals of 150 or 200 yards, so as to secure communication with my boats.

No signs of the enemy could be seen till my line arrived in full view of the battery thrown up on that part of the island by our engineers some time ago, when I observe an object like a man standing on the battery. I asked several men what it was, pointing to it, and we concluded it was a post, as there seemed to be no motion about it at all. I then advanced more cautiously than ever, and when about 100 yards from the battery several men said they saw a man run, and it proved to be the object on the battery. I then pushed forward my right and left wings of the skirmishers, converging to the battery, so as to allow no escape but by boats.

When the line reached a mound near the battery, the right wing opened on a boat of about 8 men, leaving, and already at some distance, and when last seen but 2 men were airing the boat. When my line reached the water's edge, it was fired upon a boat, taking refuge behind the battery and the hull of the Manigault, from both of which the island was separated by a creek, which I afterward found to contain about 8 feet of water.

Finding it impossible to do anything from my present position, I drew the men back about ten steps behind the mound mentioned

above, and gave them directions to climb upon it and fire into the enemy, and then dropping down, load, so as to escape the enemy's fire.

I fought the enemy from this position for a few minutes, and was in the act of leading a charge upon the battery, across the creek, when I observed Captain Warley, coming around on my left, and about to take the enemy in rear. I then quickly took my position between my own men and Captain Warley's boats, so as to prevent them from firing into Captain Warley.

On the near approach of Captain Warley, the enemy came out from behind the battery and fired into us, to which I replied immediately, and then they surrendered to me immediately. I ordered them to pull up to me as fast as possible, and after securing them prisoners, I turned the boat over to Captain Warley, to be manned by some of his men. With all expedition I then hastened back to my boats, and getting my men in them the expedition left for Fort Johnson, where we arrived without any further incident.

I captured 1 captain, 1 sergeant, and 8 privates. I lost 1 man, B. Fertic, killed. He was a member of my company of the Twenty-fifth Regiment South Carolina Volunteers, and when I ordered the men to climb that mound and shoot the boat, he took the highest point, and there, as cool as if no danger surrounded him, he stood up, firing and loading, without even heeding my order to try and escape the fire of the enemy when loading the guns. A braver man has not died for his country. Private [W. A.] Dotterer, of Captain Carson's company, Twenty-fifth South Carolina Volunteers, received a slight graze on his left arm, and he displayed great coolness and bravery, not heeding the fire of the enemy, calling to them to surrender,and cheering. My men behaved admirably well, and I am proud to report that I saw no flinching at all on the part of any man, but they all stood up like men, returning the enemy's fire with cheers.

Very respectfully submitted.

M. H. SELLERS,

Captain, Commanding Detachment Twenty-fifth Regiment S. C. Vols.

Captain P. K. MOLONY,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

Congratulatory letter.

HDQRS. DEPT. SOUTH CAROLINA, GEORGIA, AND FLORIDA,

Charleston, S. C., August 6, 1863.

Captain SELLERS,

Company C [F], Twenty-fifth South Carolina Volunteers:

CAPTAIN: I am directed by the commanding general to convey to you his thanks and high appreciation of the gallantry and soldierlike conduct of the detachment of the Twenty-fifth South Carolina Infantry engaged in the expedition against the enemy on the night of the 5th instant, and to communicate that portion of Lieutenant-Commander Warley's report in reference thereto:

I cannot speak too highly of the conduct of the Eutaws under Captain Sellers. Had it not been for their strict adherence to directions, and gallant days in finding the enemy, the object of the expedition must have failed.

Respectfully, your obedient servant,

[JOHN M. OTEY],

Assistant Adjutant-General.