August 10, 1861 Battle of Wilson’s Creek [US], Battle of Springfield [CS]: A mixed force of Confederate, Missouri State Guard, and Arkansas State troops defeat outnumbered attacking Union forces in the southwestern part of the Missouri. Brigadier General Nathaniel Lyon [US] is killed in the Confederate victory A Chronological History of the Civil War in [...]

August 9, 1861 A Chronological History of the Civil War in America1 Rebels attacked and routed at Potosi, Mo. A Chronological History of the Civil War in America by Richard Swainson Fisher, New York, Johnson and Ward, 1863

August 8, 1861 A Chronological History of the Civil War in America1 Rebels routed at Lovettsville, Va. Of?ce of the Democratic Standard, a secession paper, at Concord, N. H., cleaned out by a mob, and the materials burned in the street. A Chronological History of the Civil War in America by Richard Swainson Fisher, New [...]

August 7, 1861 John Bankhead Magruder burns the village of Hampton, near Fort Monroe. General Benjamin Butler had been planning to use it to house “contraband.” (Butler’s word for slaves) The Maryland legislature adjourns without seceding, but votes to reconvene in September A Chronological History of the Civil War in America1 Hampton, Va., burned by [...]

August 6, 1861 First Confiscation Act or The Confiscation Act of 1861 allows federals to seize property used in the insurrection, essentially freeing slaves forced to participate in the Confederate war effort. Second Session of the Second Wheeling Convention is called to order Lt. Bull Nelson of the U. S. Navy is ordered to build [...]

August 5, 1861 In order to help pay for the war effort, the United States government levies the first income tax as part of the Revenue Act of 1861 (3% of all incomes over US$800; rescinded in 1872). The United States Army abolishes flogging. Abraham Lincoln approves a wide variety of bills passed during a [...]

August 4, 1861 A Chronological History of the Civil War in America1 Skirmish at Point of Rocks, Va. Rebels routed at Athens, Mo. A Chronological History of the Civil War in America by Richard Swainson Fisher, New York, Johnson and Ward, 1863

August 3, 1861 Off the coast of Virginia, a Union naval officer ascends in a tethered balloon to look at Confederate-controlled Hampton Roads. It is the first balloon ascent from a ship in naval history A Chronological History of the Civil War in America1 U. S. blockading ?eet threw a few shells into Galveston, Tex.; [...]

August 2, 1861 A Chronological History of the Civil War in America1 War-Tax and Tarif bill passed Congress—500,000 men and $500,000,000 to be raised. Battle of Dug Spring, Mo. (Lyon v. McCulloch.) Fort Fillmore, New Mexico, traitorously surrendered, with 750 men, by Major Lynde. Rebel vessels and stores destroyed in Pocomoke Sound. A Chronological History [...]

August 1, 1861 Tennessee votes to adopt the Constitution of the Confederate States of America A Chronological History of the Civil War in America1 Gen. McClellan began the reorganization of the Army of the Potomac. Rebels left Harper’s Ferry and fell back on Leesburg. C. S. privateer “Petrel” sunk by the “St. Lawrence”—crew captured. A [...]

July 31, 1861 11 Union officers are submitted to Congress to be promoted to brigadier general. Includes William B. Franklin, Ulysses S. Grant, Samuel Heintzelman, Joseph Hooker, William Tecumseh Sherman, Ulysses S. Grant A Chronological History of the Civil War in America1 Missouri State Convention elected Hamilton R. Gamble Governor, Willard P. Hall Lieutenant Governor, [...]

July 30, 1861 A Chronological History of the Civil War in America1 Missouri State Convention declared vacant the offices of Governor, Lieutenant-Governor, and Secretary of State, by a vote of 56 to 25. The seats of the members of the Legislature were also declared vacant. The State officers and a majority of the Legislature were [...]

July 29, 1861 A Chronological History of the Civil War in America1 Robert Toombs, of Georgia, resigned his position as C. S. Secretary of State, and was succeeded by Robert M. T. Hunter,of Virginia. A Chronological History of the Civil War in America by Richard Swainson Fisher, New York, Johnson and Ward, 1863

July 28, 1861 A Chronological History of the Civil War in America1 Gen. Banks at Harper’s Ferry withdrew his troops  to the Maryland side of the Potomac. A Chronological History of the Civil War in America by Richard Swainson Fisher, New York, Johnson and Ward, 1863

July 27, 1861 A Chronological History of the Civil War in America1 Return of the 69th and other regiments to New York. A Chronological History of the Civil War in America by Richard Swainson Fisher, New York, Johnson and Ward, 1863

July 26, 1861 George McClellan appointed commander, Army of the Potomac, replacing Irvin McDowell. Some sources give the date as July 27, the day he received the orders. A Chronological History of the Civil War in America1 Union troops drove out the rebels and occupied Forsyth, Mo. A Chronological History of the Civil War in [...]

July 25, 1861 With his troops’ enlistment expiring, Robert Patterson is relieved of duty in the Shenandoah Valley. He had failed to hold Joseph Johnston in Winchester to prevent Johnston from moving east to support Beauregard at Bull Run. The United States Congress passes the Crittenden–Johnson Resolution, stating that the war is being fought to [...]

July 23, 1861 Major General John Dix ordered to take command of the Department of Maryland; Brigadier General William S. Rosecrans ordered to take command of the Department of the Ohio A Chronological History of the Civil War in America by Richard Swainson Fisher, New York, Johnson and Ward, 1863

July 22, 1861 George B. McClellan [US] ordered to Washington to take command of the Army of the Potomac following the defeat at Bull Run In a proclamation, Jefferson Davis accepts Tennessee as a member of the Confederacy A Chronological History of the Civil War in America1 Gens. McDowell and Mansfield superseded in command of [...]

Battle of Bull Run, Va., July 21st, 1861, Between the Federal Army, Commanded By General McDowell, and the Confederate Army, Commanded by Generals Beauregard and Johnston. (from Frank Leslie’s Illustrated History of the Civil War…, edited by Louis Shepheard Moat, Published by Mrs. Frank Leslie, New York, 1895) “The battle of Bull Run, which the [...]

July 21, 1861 First Battle of Bull Run: At Manassas Junction, Virginia, the first major battle of the war begins and ends in a victory for the Confederate army. About 25 miles southwest of Washington the first major battle of the Civil War pits Irvin McDowell [US] against P. G. T. Beauregard [CS] and Joe [...]

July 20, 1861 A Chronological History of the Civil War in America1 C. S. Congress met at Richmond. Union army moved from Fairfax Court House and vicinity toward Manassas Junction. The rebels under Gen. H. A. Wise fled from the valley of the Big Kanawha on the approach of the Union troops. A Chronological History [...]

July 19, 1861 A Chronological History of the Civil War in America1 Gen. Banks superseded Gen. Patterson in command on the Potomac. A Chronological History of the Civil War in America by Richard Swainson Fisher, New York, Johnson and Ward, 1863

July 18, 1861 A Chronological History of the Civil War in America1 First Battle of Bull Run2: an engagement took place at Blackford’s Ford, Bull Run, between Union troops under Gen. Tyler and the rebels under Beauregard. Gen. Tyler fell back to Centreville. A Chronological History of the Civil War in America by Richard Swainson [...]