The American Civil War - Chronologically

July 30, 1863 The Battle of the Crater Petersburg, VA [a bit of a place holder here- I am far from visiting Richmond, much less the other side of Richmond, but wanted to save a place for Maryland's own Sgt. Dorsey] https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=5756 "Howard County native Decatur Dorsey was one of only sixteen African American soldiers to received the Medal of Honor for courage under fire during the Civil War. Sgt. Dorsey, of Company B, 39th United States Colored Troops, earned his medal at the Battle of the Crater at Petersburg, Virginia, on July 30, 1864. He bore the regiments flag during the charge through the Crater to the Confederate line. According to his Medal of Honor citation, Dorsey "planted his colors on the Confederate works in advance of his regiment, and when the regiment was driven back to the Union works he carried the colors there and bravely rallied the men." Regimental color-bearers were especially courageous, because they could not defend themselves...

July 29, 1864 Last Confederate Incursion North of the Potomac River Hagerstown, MD Col. Henry Cole's 1st Maryland Potomac Home Brigade Cavalry vs. Jubal Early: Brigadier General John C. Vaughn's cavalry Brigade https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=20856  On July 29, 1864, elements of Cole's Maryland Cavalry (Union) battled Brigadier General John C. Vaughn's cavalry brigade of Early's command for three hours in the streets of Hagerstown. By late afternoon, the Marylanders retreated north to Greencastle. That evening, the Confederates struck the Franklin Railroad Yards in Hagerstown's West End, broke into the shops, looted and burned the warehouses and captured and destroyed a train filled with supplies intended for the Union forces. These actions on July 29th were diversionary movements directed by Early to cover General John McCausland's raid on Chambersburg. Confederate diversions continued for the next week. On August 5, 1864, elements of General Early's comma...

July 24, 1864 Second Battle of Kernstown Kernstown, VA George Crook: Union infantry anchored by Col. James A. Mulligan's (mortally wounded here) division on Pritchard's Hill; To his right, Col. Joseph Thoburn's division formed on Sandy Ridge, and To his left,  Rutherford B. Hayes's brigade formed east of the Valley turnpike; plus cavalry under Averell   vs. Jubal Early: Maj. Gen. John B. Gordon's division formed the Confederate center along the Valley Turnpike; Ramseur's division formed on his left with its flank resting on Sandy Ridge to the west of Kernstown, screened by Col. William "Mudwall" Jackson's cavalry; Brig. Gen. Gabriel C. Wharton's division, led by Maj. Gen. John C. Breckinridge, formed the Confederate right, with its flank screened by Brig. Gen. John C. Vaughn's cavalry. * Early wins (on the same farm where Jackson lost the first battle) and launches his late-stage raid into Union territory: "the high-water point for the...

July 20, 1864 Action of Rutherford's Farm; or the Battle of Carter's Farm; or Stephenson's Depot near Winchester, Virginia, Frederick County General William W. Averell vs. General Stephen D. Ramseur * Union victory while chasing Jubal Early, before second Kernstown * "Pvt. John Shanes, Company K, 14th West Virginia Infantry, received the Medal of Honor for his actions in the fighting near Carter's Farm, where he, 'charged upon a Confederate fieldpiece in advance of his comrades and by his individual exertions silenced the piece.'" * There's just this sliver left on the edge of a shopping center, but I'm glad they kept this little pocket park at least to remember what happened here.    Lovely. unplanned finds on the way to Romney, WV https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=12091 Also a thing. And the Civil War Trails markers are updated since construction. https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=261495 "Run or Die" Desperate Fighting Occurred Here  On three...

July 19, 1864 Capt. Martindale burns down Boteler's home, Fountain Rock & Elmwood Cemetery Shepherdstown, WV https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=161830 Fountain Rock "Crows… will have to carry their provender with them" —1864 Valley Campaign— The Federal offensive in the Shenandoah Valley begun in May 1864 faltered in the summer with Confederate victories and Gen. Jubal A. Early's Washington Raid in July. Union Gen. Philip H. Sheridan took command in August, defeated Early at Winchester in September and Cedar Creek in October, burned mills and barns, and crushed the remnants of Early's force at Waynesboro on March 2, 1865. Sheridan's victories contributed to President Abraham Lincoln's reelection in November 1864 and denied Gen. Robert E. Lee's army much-needed provisions from the "Breadbasket of the Confederacy." In 1864, the conduct of the Civil War in the Shenandoah Valley, the “Breadbasket of the Confederacy” and an avenue of invasion, under...