The American Civil War - Chronologically

June 27, 1861 Battle of Mathias Point King George County, Virginia Union Navy: James H. Ward (dies here; and BTW he is Andy Devine 's great grandfather), James Chaplin, and J.P.L Mygatt vs. Confederate Battery: Daniel Ruggles , John M. Brockenbrough, R. M. Mayo * Not a particularly important momment, but part of my effort to visit every location that saw action in the Eastern Theatre of the Civil War; I'm down to just a few minor sites before I can finally complete 1861. But I also keep adding things! [March 2025] * Last year I visited Fort Ward in Alexandria - it was named in honor of this early leadership casuality. And the ship the Navy later named after him is responsible for the first American-caused casualities in the Pacific in WWII.  * Early in the war, Confederates in VA thought they might block the Potomac by building a battery at Mathias Point. Two Union gunboats had other ideas- and there was even a landing party (that got nowhere). Not really a great battle for eti...

June 17, 1861 Railroad Action Vienna, VA 1st Ohio Volunteers vs. 1st -8th Regiments South Carolina https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=1646 "On June 17, 1861, near this spot, a railroad was first used tactically in warfare when units from the 1st to 8th Regiments, South Carolina successfully engaged 1st Ohio Volunteers who were using a train of the Loudoun & Hampshire Railroad. Presented to the Town of Vienna by Potomac Chapter, National Railroad Historical Society. June 1975." https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=26761 " On June 17, 1861, at this bend in the railroad, a Union train carrying 271 men of the 1st Ohio Volunteers was ambushed by nearly 700 South Carolina infantry and cavalry. Amid artillery fire, the Ohioans jumped from the platform cars and took cover in the woods. The engineer immediately sped the locomotive  Clarke , minus the troops and cars, back to Alexandria. Anticipating Union reinforcements, the Confederates burned the abandoned cars and retreated. Eight Fede...

June 13, 1861 Lew Wallace's Raid on Romney   Romney, West[ern] Virginia Col. Lew Wallace: 11st Indiana Infantry (Zouaves!) vs. A few hundred unnamed Confederates * So early! Only three days after "Big Bethel" and ten after " Philippi "  https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=150660 https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=33450 Engagement at Romney: Lew Wallace Storms the Bridge On the night of June 12, 1861, Col. Lewis Wallace led his 11th Indiana (Zouaves) Regiment from Cumberland, Maryland, by train across the Potomac River and into present-day West Virginia. He had learned that “several hundred” Confederate troops were in Romney, as he wrote in his official report, drilling and forcing Unionists into Confederate service. After detraining and marching across the mountains before dawn, Wallace and his men neared Romney about 8 A.M. on June 13 and encountered pickets who fired and ran into town to give the alarm. As Wallace approached the covered wooden bridge that spanned the South...

June 10, 1861 Battle of Big Bethel; or the Battle of Bethel Church or Great Bethel Hampton, VA; near Newport News  Benjamin F. Butler > Ebenezer W. Peirce (leading  seven infantry regiments - 4,400 men of the 4th Massachusetts, 1st Vermont, and 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 5th, and 7th New York) vs. Robert E. Lee > John B. Magruder ( force included Col. Daniel H. Hill’s 1st North Carolina Infantry, Lt. Col. William D. Stuart’s 3rd Virginia Infantry, Maj. Edwin B. Montague’s Virginia Battalion, and Maj. George W. Randolph’s howitzer company) * "Considered by many historians to be the first major land engagement of the American Civil War" * "T he first planned land engagement of the Civil War." * "One of the earliest land battles of the American Civil War" * "The first land battle in Virginia" * "T he first land battle of the Civil War in present-day Virginia ." Winning quote for Most Accurate! * "T he first Regular Army officer and West Poi...