February 14 In Civil War History

Jim Klag

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On this day in Civil War history
Compiled by Mitchell Werksman and Jim Klag

February 14 Birthdays

1813 - John McNeil, American Brevet Major General (Union Army), born in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada (d. 1891)
1818 - Frederick Douglass, African-American abolitionist, lecturer and escaped slave (exact birth year unknown), born in Talbot County, MD. (d. 1895)
1819 - James Green Martin, Brigadier General (Confederate Army), born in Elizabeth City, North Carolina (d. 1878)
1824 - Winfield Scott Hancock, American politician and Major General (Union Army), born in Montgomeryville, Pennsylvania (d. 1886)
1829 - Alfred Iverson Jr., Brigadier General (Confederate Army), born in Clinton, Georgia (d. 1911)
1846 - Julian Scott, American artist and Civil War Medal of Honor recipient, born in Johnson, Vermont (d. 1901)

February 14 Antebellum Events

February 14, 1824 - Congressional caucus nominates William Crawford for President.
February 14, 1851 - Baltimore and Ohio Railroad receives a charter to build the Northwestern Virginia Railroad from Grafton to Parkersburg.
February 14, 1859 - Oregon enters the United States as a free state.

Thursday February 14 1861

No events on this date.

Friday February 14 1862
  • Joseph Lewis Hogg, CS A, is appointed Brig. Gen.
  • Brig. Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman, USA, is assigned to the command of the District of Cairo, IL.
  • Bowling Green, KY, is evacuated by the Confederates and occupied by the Union forces under Brig. Gen. Ormsby M. Mitchel, USA. (Feb 14-15)
  • Skirmish at Flat Lick Ford, KY.
  • Skirmish at Crane Creek, MO, with Brig. Gen. Samuel Curtis, USA.
  • Skirmish near Cumberland Gap, TN, with the Confederate post defended by Col. James E. Rains, CSA, against Lieut. Col. Munday, USA, 1st Kentucky Cavalry.
  • The Federal ironclads, St. Louis and Louisville, are severely damaged during the siege of Fort Donelson, TN.
  • Brig. Gen. Ulysses Simpson Grant, USA, is assigned to the command of the District of West Tennessee.
  • Affair at Bloomery Gap, WV.
Saturday February 14 1863
  • Federal expedition to Greenville, MS, and Cypress Bend, AR, with skirmishes:
    • at Cypress Bend, AR, (Feb 19) and
    • at Deer Creek and Fish Lake Bridge, near Greenville, MS. (Feb 23).
      (Feb 14-26)
  • The Queen of the West captures the Confederate vessel, the New Era Number Five, and is subsequently captured by the Confederates after running aground. The USS DeSoto rescues the crew of the Queen of the West from capture on the Mississippi River, near Vicksburg.
  • Affair about 3 miles from Union Mills, VA, as the Rebel cavalry lay an ambush on the Federal Cavalry.
  • Affair on the Hillsborough Road, and Federal scout to Leesburg, VA.
Sunday February 14 1864
  • Affair near Larkinsville, AL, with an attack by bushrangers.
  • Skirmish at Ross' Landing, AR.
  • Skirmish at Scott's Farm, Washita Cove, AR.
  • Skirmish at Gainesville, FL, with Brig. Gen. Truman Seymour, USA.
  • Union forces under Maj. Gen. Quincy A. Gillmore, USA, occupy Gainesville, FL.
  • Meridian, MS, is occupied by Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman, USA, who promptly begins to destroy all Confederate contraband of importance; Brig. Gen. William S. Smith, USA, not having arrived as of yet, while Lieut. Gen. Leonidas Polk, CSA, watches the destruction taking place from outside the city, the Meridian, MS, Expedition. (Feb 14-20)
  • Affair near Brentsville, VA, where Confederates ambush a Union escort, killing 2, wounding 4 Federals.
Tuesday February 14 1865
  • Wade Hampton. C.S.A.. is appointed Lieut. Gen.
  • Maj. Gen. Francis J. Herron, USA, assumes the command of the Northern Division of Louisiana.
  • Federal expeditions from Donaldsonville to Gand Bayou and Bayou Goula, LA, with skirmish (Feb. 15) at Martin's Lane, with guerrillas, most from the 2nd LA Cavalry. (Feb 14-18)
  • Skirmish at Gunter's Bridge, North Edisto River, SC, as Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman, USA, crosses the Congaree River and pushes on for Columbia, SC.
  • Skirmish at Wolf's Plantation, SC, as Lieut. Gen. William J. Hardee, CSA, contemplates the evacuation of Charleston.SC.
  • Maj. Gen. George Stoneman, USA, is assigned to the command of the District of East Tennessee.
  • Maj. Gen. Horatio G. Wright, USA, resumes the command of the 6th US Army Corps, the Richmond, VA, Campaign.
February 14 Deaths

1870 - St. John Richardson Liddell, American Civil War Confederate General, murdered in New Orleans, LA.
1891 - William Tecumseh Sherman dies at 71 in New York City.
 
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