Category: 150 Years Ago in the Civil War

  • 150 years ago, August 1862

    150 years ago, August 1862 This is one of the busiest months of the war. In Tennessee and Kentucky, Braxton Bragg and Kirby-Smith start north.  Bragg marches from Chattanooga toward Nashville and Kentucky.  Kirby-Smith departs Knoxville, marching through the Cumberland Gap into Kentucky.  Richmond is in the grip of “Kentucky Fever”.  They are obsessed with […]

  • The Battle of the Crater: 148 Years Ago Today

    The Battle of the Crater, arguably the most famous battle of the Siege of Petersburg, occurred on this date 148 years ago, on July 30, 1864.  For further information on the battle of the Crater, as well as numerous first person accounts, see my Battle of the Crater page at the Siege of Petersburg Online. […]

  • The First Battle of Deep Bottom: July 27-29, 1864, 148 Years Ago Today

    Many students of the Civil War know about the famous Battle of the Crater, which occurred on July 30, 1864.  Very few have heard of the First Battle of Deep Bottom, a prequel of sorts to the Crater.  Fought from July 27-29, 1864, the First Deep Bottom operation was designed to lure Confederate troops north […]

  • Kearny vs. McClellan: Frustration on the Peninsula

    Editor’s Note: This is one of a series of guest posts by Greg Quinion.  In addition to being an avid history reader and world traveler, Greg works as a freelance travel and history writer and Information Analyst in Washington DC.  He holds a Bachelor’s degree in History from the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg, […]

  • 150 years ago, July 1862

    150 years ago, July 1862 One month ago, the Army of the Potomac listened to Richmond’s church bells.  Now they are at Harrison’s Landing covered by gunboats on the James River.  On the first, the Battle of Malvern Hill ends the Seven Days’ Campaign.  The Army of Northern Virginia has suffered 20,141 causalities, about 4,300 […]

  • The Best Books on the Seven Days and the Peninsula

    Books Focusing on The Peninsula Campaign and the Seven Days On this, the 150th anniversary of the last day of the Seven Days at Malvern Hill, it seemed appropriate to offer up a list of the top books on McClellan’s great effort to reach Richmond and end the war quickly from March-July 1862.  The Peninsula […]

  • 150 Years Ago, June 1862

    150 years ago, June 1862 The campaign season is underway and the armies are on the move.  This June victory seems very close in Washington.  At Seven Pines the Confederates under Gustavus W. Smith continue attacking the isolated II and IV Corps.  Robert E. Lee orders the attacks stopped late in the day. Smith, in […]