April 12 In Civil War History

[Jim Klag]

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

April 12 Birthdays

1831 - George B. Anderson, American Brigadier General (Confederate Army), born in Hillsborough, North Carolina (d. 1862)
1831 - Grenville M. Dodge, American railroad engineer (Transcontinental Railroad-Union Pacific) and Major General (Union Army), born in Danvers, Massachusetts (d. 1916)

Friday April 12 1861

• The Bombardment, Evacuation, and Surrender of Fort Sumter, SC, by Maj. Robert Anderson, after meeting with Confederate Commissioners, Col. James Chestnut, Lt. Col. A. R Chisolm, and Capt. Stephen D. Lee, refusing to surrender. (Apr 12-14)
• The Civil War is (un)Officially begun.
• The re-inforcements from Fortress Monroe, VA, and a detachment of marines, land on Santa Rosa Island, at Fort Pickens, Pensacola, FL.

Saturday April 12 1862

• Brig. Gen. Adley Hogan Gladden, CSA, dies near Corinth, MS, from complications of his wound received at the Battle of Shiloh, TN, on Apr 6
• William Yarnel Slack, CSA, is appointed Brig. Gen.
• Federal expedition to Bear Creek, AL, by Brig. Gen. William T.Sherman, USA. (Apr 12-13)
• The Great Locomotive Chase begins at Marietta, GA, as Mr. James J. Andrews commandeers the Confederate locomotive, General, is pursued and finally caught by the locomotive, Texas, north of Ringgold, GA. 8 were executed, Andrews included; 8 escaped from prison, and 6 were paroled.
• Skirmish at the Little Blue River, MO.
• Skirmish at Monterey, VA, with Brig. Gen. Robert Milroy, USA.
• The command of Gen. Joseph E. Johnston, CSA, is extended over the Depts. of Norfolk and the Peninsula, VA.
• Maj. Gen. Nathaniel Prentiss Banks, USA, assumes the command of the Dept. of the Shenandoah, VA.
• Federal raid from Fairmont to Valley River and Boothsville, Marion County, WV, sent by Brig. Gen. Benjamin F. Kelley, USA, to capture or kill certain individuals in the area trying to raise companies of volunteers for the Confederate cause; the raid being successful with most of the men killed.

Sunday April 12 1863

• Federal expedition from Camp Babbitt to Keysville, CA, against Indians, thought to be Tehachapie and Owen's River Indians, were surrounded; the old men and boys were released while the other bucks (about 35) were either shot or sabered to death. (Apr 12-24)
• Affair on the Amite River, LA, where the Confederates attempt to recover guns, etc. from the scuttled Union gunboat there.
• Engagement at Fort Bisland (Bethel Place or Bayou Teche), near Centreville, LA, including the destruction of the Queen of the West, (Apr 14) which was captured and in Confederate use. (Apr 12-13)
• Destruction of the Confederate steamer, the Stonewall Jackson, just from Nassau, by her own crew who feared capture, near Long Island, SC.
• Skirmish at Stewartsborough, TN, with a Confederate rout.
• Skirmishes on the Edenton, Providence Church, and Somerton Roads, VA, as Lieut. Gen. James Longstreet, CSA, moves on Suffolk, VA. (Apr 12-13)
• Federal reconnaissance from Gloucester Point to the vicinity of Hickory Forks, VA, and the burning of a civilian grain mill.
• Federal reconnaissance from Winchester up Cedar Creek Valley, VA. 4/12-13/1863.
• President Lincoln receives a letter from Maj. Gen. Joseph Hooker, USA, who suggests a movement around Gen. Robert E. Lee's flank to Richmond, VA, which is contrary to their discussions just held where Lincoln reminded Hooker that Lee's Army must be Hooker's main goal.

Tuesday April 12 1864

• Federal reconnaissance from Bridgeport down the Tennessee River to the vicinity of Triana, AL, and various locations throughout this area. (Apr 12-16)
• Skirmish near Florence, AL, where the Yankees surprise a Rebel camp, capturing and killing some of them.
• Skirmish at Van Buren, AR.
• Skirmish near Fremont's Orchard, on the north side of the Platte River, the Colorado Territory, where the Federals attack and kill many Indians purported to have been harassing the ranchers there. From the arrows sticking in some of the Yankees, it appears they are Cheyennes.
• The Engagement at Blair's (or Pleasant Hill) Landing, LA, including the participation of the Union gunboats, Lexington, and the Osage, the Red River (LA) Campaign. (Apr 12-13)
• Brig. Gen. Thomas Green, CSA, is mortally wounded at the engagement at Blair's Landing, LA, by an exploding shell fired from the Federal Gunboats that accompanied Maj. Gen. Nathaniel P. Banks', USA, Red River Campaign Expedition.
• Skirmish at Fort Bisland, LA.
• Federal expedition from Point Lookout, MD, to Westmoreland County, VA, to search for Rebel contraband goods; 3 Union gunboats as well as the 36th US Colored Infantry participating. (Apr 12-14)
• Maj. Gen. Simon B. Buckner, CSA, assumes the command of the Confederate Dept. of East Tennessee.
• Skirmish at Pleasant Hill Landing, TN.
• The Confederate capture of Fort Pillow, TN, by Maj. Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest, CSA, and the reported massacre of Union troops, the majority of whom were black.
• Federal expedition up Matagorda Bay, TX, where the gunboat, Estrella, exchanges shots with the Rebel gunboat, Carr, and the armed schooner, Buckhart. (Apr 12-13)

Wednesday April 12 1865

• The Union forces, under Maj. Gen. Eward R. S. Canby, USA, occupy Mobile, AL, the Mobile, AL, Campaign.
• Skirmish on the Columbus Road, near Montgomery, AL, with Brig. Gen. James H. Wilson, USA.
• The Union forces, under Brig. Gen. James H. Wilson, USA, occupy Montgomery, AL.
• Federal scout from Tallahassa Mission, the Indian Territory, in the direction of Concharty, with a long range skirmish with outlaws. (Apr 12-13)
• Federal expedition from Port Hudson to Jackson, LA, with the Union capture of various Confederate officers and men. (Apr 12-13)
• Federal scout against Indians, from Dakota City, the Nebraska Territory, to Elk Creek, the West Fork of Badger Creek, westerly toward the South Fork of the Elk Creek, thence up to the Chalk Branch, finding and capturing some Omaha Indians, probably from the Omaha Indian Reserve. (Apr 12-16)
• Federal scout from Fort Stanton, the New Mexico Territory, in pursuit of 4 Indians who stole a few head of cattle from a ranch on the Carrizo and Ruidoso Creeks. The Yankees pursue; the Indians split up; the Federals track one lone Indian for days on end, through canons, brush, mountains, etc. He was able to evade them until the Yankees give up and return to their Fort. (Apr 12-25)
• President Jefferson Davis meets with Gen. Joseph E. Johnston, CSA, at Greensborough, NC, and permits Johnston to meet with Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman, USA, to discuss the issue of surrender.
• Action near Raleigh.NC, with Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman, USA, and Gen. Joseph E.Johnston, CSA.
• Skirmish near Raleigh, NC, with Sherman and Johnston.
• The Union forces under Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman, USA, occupy Raleigh, NC, the capital of North Carolina.
• Skirmish at Grant's Creek, near Salisbury, NC, with Maj. Gen. George Stoneman, USA.
• Engagement at Salisbury, NC, with Maj. Gen. George Stoneman.
• The Union forces, under Maj. Gen. George Stoneman, USA, occupy Salisbury, NC, capturing over 1,300 Confederate prisoners.
• Action at Swift Creek, NC, with Gen. Joseph E. Johnston and Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman.
• Maj. Gen. Joshua Chamberlain, USA, receives the official surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia by Maj. Gen. John Brown Gordon, CSA, at Appomattox Court-House (or Clover Hill).

April 12 Deaths

1876 - Joseph Dana Webster, American civil engineer and Brevet Major General (Union Army), dies at 64 in Chicago, IL.
1881 - James L. Lardner, American naval officer (American Civil War), dies at 78 in Philadelphia, PA.
1912 - Clara Barton, organizer (American Red Cross), dies at 90 in Glen Echo, Maryland.