The American Civil War - Chronologically

June 5, 1861 Battle of Pig Point (or Pig's Point) Suffolk, VA (across the Nansemond River from Newport News) Maj. Gen. Benjamin Butler: Union gunboat, USS Harriet Lane , commanded by Capt. John Faunce  vs. Confederate battery commanded by Capt. Robert Pegram: The Portsmouth Rifles * Let's get this [naval blockade] started! How early in the war is this? So early that it is sandwiched in-between Philippi and Big Bethel , which both sometimes claim to be the first land battle. * Please note that this marker is not at Pig Point. In fact, it is nowhere near it, and further than 3 miles away. Read more about this titillating debate at the marker's HMDB.org entry .  * Maybe not a well-known battle (if we can even call it that), but when I googled "june 5, 1861" it was at least the first five hits. So take that. * The wonderful folks at Spirit of '61 have compiled some of the primary documents supporting this event. Support them,  if you can.  https://www.hmdb.org/m....

June 3, 1861 The Battle of Philippi Philippi, [West] Virginia Maj. Gen. George B. McClellan > Brig. Gen. Thomas A. Morris, commanding U.S. Army, Western Virginia (Col. Ebenezer Dumont; Col. Frederick Lander; Col. Benjamin F. Kelley, plus Crittenden, Milroy, Steedman, and Irvine [Indiana and Ohio Volunteers]) vs. Maj. Gen. Lee > Col. George Porterfield, commander of the Midwest (both leading Virginia Militia) * First land battle of the Civil War (sure- some boats fought each other before this, but Butler's Battle of Big Bethel is a full week later) * Kelley commands the First Virginia (Union) Infantry - technically, the first Union regiment raised in the South.  * After this debacle, Lee immediately replaces Porterfield with Gen. Robert S. Garnett, who gets himself killed shortly thereafter at Corrick's Ford . Great start, guys!  * " Compared to later battles...Philippi was a skirmish. Casualties were light, four Union soldiers and 26 Confederates.  But the fight did...

June 1, 1861 <later> Skirmish at Arlington Mills Arlington, VA U.S. Troops ( Co. E 1st. Michigan Volunteer Infantry &  Co. G, of the 11th New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment (1st New York Fire Zouaves ) vs. Virginia Militia This is where GPS brought me. The the actual Four Mile Run upon which the mil was built. But I found the marker... Eventually... https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=206471 " On the night of June 1, 1861, a scouting party of Virginia militia attacked U.S. troops at Arlington Mill, which stood to your right. Co. E 1st. Michigan Volunteer Infantry Regiment was on picket duty at the mill guarding the Columbia Turnpike and the Alexandria, Loudoun, & Hampshire Railroad. In a nearby house, Co. G, of the 11th New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment (1st New York Fire Zouaves), prepared to relieve the Michigan men. At about 11 P.M. the Virginians fired at the pickets, killing one and wounding another. The militiamen were driven off after a brief exchange of fire, w...