July 2 In Civil War History

[Jim Klag]

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

July 2 Birthdays

1810 - Robert Toombs, American lawyer and 1st Confederate States Secretary of State, born in Washington, Georgia (d. 1885)
1830 - John Bordenave Villepigue, American Brigadier General (Confederate Army), born in Camden, South Carolina (d. 1862)

July 2 Antebellum Events

1822 - Freeman Denmark Vesey hung at the gallows, Charleston, South Carolina along with 5 co-conspirators.
1855 - The Kansas legislature, meeting in Pawnee and controlled by pro-slave forces, expels all "Free-staters" and moves the legislature to Shawnee Mission, near the Missouri state line.

Tuesday July 2 1861

• Operations in the Shenandoah Valley, VA. (Jul 2-25)
• Brig. Gen. Robert Patterson's, USA, command crosses the Potomac River at Williamsport, MD, to prevent Brig. Gen. Joseph E. Johnston's, CSA, forces in the Shenandoah Valley from moving to reinforce the Confederate forces at Manassas, VA, led by Brig. Gen. P. G. T. Beauregard, CSA.
• Engagement at Falling Waters, or Hoke's Run, WV, or Haynesville, or Martinsburg, MD, in the area of Western Virginia, which results in a Federal victory by Patterson, USA.
• The new Legislature of Western Virginia convenes at Wheeling, WV, under the auspices of the Federal Government.

Wednesday July 2 1862

• Skirmish at Huntsville, AL.
• Attack on Cutterback's House on Van Dusen's Creek, CA.
• The Confederate Districts of the Mississippi and of the Gulf are constituted, under the command of Maj. Gen. Van Dorn and Brig. Gen. John H. Forney, CSA.
• Confederate Dept. No. 2, is extended, and Maj. Gen. Leonidas Polk, CSA, is announced as 2nd in command TN.
• Affair near Haxall's Landing or Elvington Heights, VA.
• Skirmish at Malvern Hill, VA.
• Skirmish near New Kent Court-House, VA.
• Federal reconnaissance up Powell's Big Fort Valley, VA.
• President Lincoln signs into law the Morrill Act, which gives each state 30,000 acres for each senator and representative for proposed future agricultural and mechanical schools, the beginning of the land grant universities.

Thursday July 2 1863

• The Second Day of the Battle of Gettysburg, PA, sees Lieut. Gen. James Longstreet, CSA, pushing Maj. Gen. Daniel Sickles 3rd US Army Corps back from the Peach Orchard, the Wheatfield, Devil's Den, and along the Emmitsburg Road. Maj. Gen. John Bell Hood's Texans are pushed back from their attack on the Big and Little Round Tops. Maj. Gen. Jubal A. Early, CSA, under Lieut. Gen. Richard S. Swell's, CSA, attack on Gulp's Hill is too late and uncoordinated with Longstreet's attack and fails.
• Maj. Gen. William Dorsey Pender, CSA, is mortally wounded on the 2nd day of the Battle of Gettysburg, PA, from a shell fragment that required the amputation of his leg.
• Brig. Gen. William Barksdale, CSA, is mortally wounded during the Confederate assault on the Round Tops, and is captured by the Federals.
• Brig. Gen. Paul Jones Semmes, CSA, is mortally wounded during the Confederate assault on the Round Tops.
• Brig. Gen. Strong Vincent, USA, is mortally wounded, receiving his death wound as he charged down Little Round Top to rally his men after Col. Joshua Lawrence Chamberlin's men, who raced down the mountain after the Confederates in a bayonet charge.
• Brig. Gen. Stephen Hinsdale Weed, USA, is mortally wounded, receiving a fatal chest wound as he led his men in assistance of Col. Joshua Lawrence Chamberlin's command as they used bayonets to charge down the Round Tops into the Confederate advancing battle line.
• Brig. Gen. Samuel Kosciuszko Zook, USA, is mortally wounded as he lead his command in a counterattack against Lieut. Gen. James Longstreet's, CSA, men, receiving his death wound in his stomach, being so severe he died shortly after midnight.
• Brig. Gen. John Hunt Morgan's CSA raid into Kentucky, Indiana, and Ohio. (Jul 2-26)
• Brig. Gen. John Hunt Morgan's CSA command crosses the Cumberland River at and near Burkesville, TN.
• Skirmish at mouth of Coal Run, Pike County, KY.
• Skirmish at Marrowbone, KY, with Brig. Gen. John Hunt Morgan, CSA.
• Affair at Springfield Landing, during the siege of Port Hudson, LA.
• Skirmish near Chambersburg, PA.
• Skirmish at Hunterstown, PA.
• Skirmish at Estill Springs, TN, with Gen. Braxton Bragg, CSA, and Maj. Gen. William S. Rosecrans, USA.
• Skirmish at Morris' Ford, Elk River, TN.
• Skirmishes at Pelham and Elk River Bridge, TN.
• Skirmish at Rock Creek Ford, Elk River, TN.
• Skirmishes at Baltimore, or Crump's, Cross-Roads, and the Baltimore Store, VA, against Maj. Gen. D. H. Hill, CSA.
• Engagement at Beverly, WV, as Col. William L. Jackson, CSA, attacks Brig. Gen. William W. Averell, USA, and his cavalry.

Saturday July 2 1864

• Martin Davis Hardin, USA, is appointed Brig. Gen.
• Gen. Joseph E. Johnston, CS A, withdraws from Kennesaw Mountain to below Marietta, GA.
• Skirmish on the Byhalia, MS, Road, 10 miles south of Collierville, TN, as the Confederates achieve an early victory, but the Federals regroup and drive the Rebels off.
• Federal expedition from Vicksburg to Pearl River, with skirmishes en route, and engagement (Jul 7) near Jackson, MS, as Maj. Gen. Henry W. Slocum, USA, successfully moves to destroy the bridge over the Pearl River, but losing 220 men in the process. (JUl 2-10)
• Skirmish at Fort Johnson, on James Island, Charleston Harbor, SC.
• Skirmish near Secessionville, Charleston Harbor, SC, and vicinity.
• Skirmish at Bolivar Heights, WV, as Lieut. Gen. Jubal Early, CSA, reaches Winchester, VA, and Marches on Harper's Ferry, WV.

Sunday July 2 1865

• Federal expedition against Indians from Camp Lyon, the Idaho Territory, to the headwaters of the Malheur River, Oregon, with skirmish with Snake Indians and possibly some Boise Indians. (Jul 9). (Jul 2-13)