05/26, May 26th In Civil War History

Jimklag

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This date in Civil War history
Compiled by Mitchell Werksman and Jim Klag

May 26, 1836 - Southern members of the House pass a "gag rule" restraining discussion of issues involving slavery. The House renews the gag rule each year until 1844.

May 26, 1847 - Joseph Anderson fires skilled white workers who protest the use of slaves in some jobs at the Tredegar Iron Works.

May 26, 1854 - A Joint Committee of Congress approves the Kansas-Nebraska Act.

May 26, 1861 - Federal Naval blockade is established on New Orleans, LA, by the USS Brooklyn.

May 26, 1861 - Chief Justice Roger B. Taney, of the US Supreme Court, issues a writ of habeas corpus. His opinion is in the matter of Prisoner John Merryman, MD, who was arrested by Maj. Gen. George Cadwalder, while trying to recruit Confederate soldiers. Taney orders that Mr. Merryman be set free.

May 26, 1861 - The advance upon and the occupation of Grafton, WV, by the Union troops. (May 26-30)

May 26, 1861 - Lincoln's 1st Postmaster, Francis Preston Blair, Jr, announces postal services will be cut with the Confederate States on May 31, Washington, DC.

May 26, 1862 - Ambrose Powell Hill, C.S.A., is appointed Maj. Gen.

May 26, 1862 - Louis Hebert, CSA, is appointed Brig. Gen. John Creed Moore, CSA, is appointed Brig. Gen.

May 26, 1862 - The Confederate Trans-Mississippi Dept. is extended to include Arkansas, the Indian Territory, Missouri, West Louisiana, and Texas.

May 26, 1862 - Skirmish at Calico Rock, AR.

May 26, 1862 - Federal reconnaissance from Jacksonport toward Augusta and Des Arc, AR, and skirmish at the Cache River Bridge, AR. (May 28).

May 26, 1862 - Affair at Grand Gulf, MS.

May 26, 1862 - The Confederate Dept. No. 2 is extended to embrace Mississippi south of the 33rd parallel and west of the Pascagoula and the Chickasawha Rivers, and Louisiana east of the Mississippi.

May 26, 1862 - Skirmish at Crow's Station, near Licking, MO, with a Rebel attack and partial destruction of the Union wagon train.

May 26, 1862 - Federal reconnaissance toward Hanover Court-House, VA.

May 26, 1862 - Winchester, VA, is occupied by Maj. Gen. Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson, CSA.

May 26, 1862 - Skirmish near Franklin, WV.

May 26, 1863 - July 4, 1863 - Siege of Vicksburg established as Grant proceeds to "outcamp the enemy.".

May 26, 1863 - Confederate Naval flag introduced by Secretary of the Navy Stephen Russell Mallory.

May 26, 1863 - Robert Ransom, Jr., C.S.A., is appointed Maj. Gen.

May 26, 1863 - Alexander Shaler, USA, is appointed Brig. Gen.

May 26, 1863 - Federal scout from Fort Heiman, KY, into Tennessee. (May 26-Jun 1)

May 26, 1863 - Federal expedition from Corinth, MS, to Florence, AL, and skirmishes:
at Florence, (May 28) and
at Hamburg Landing, TN. (May 29 & 30)

May 26, 1863 - Federal expedition from Haynes' Bluff to Mechanicsburg, MS, and skirmishes, as Maj. Gen. Frank Blair, USA, believes he burned over 500,000 bushels of corn, plus bacon, etc. (May 26-Jun 4)

May 26, 1863 - Skirmish at Mountain Store and Bush Creek, MO.

May 26, 1863 - Federal expedition from Bolivar to Wesley Camp, Somerville, and Antioch Church, TN, and skirmishes with Rebel guerrillas. (May 26-29)

May 23, 1863 - Federal expedition from Memphis, TN, toward Hernando, MS, with the Federal capture of a couple horses, mules, and some arms.

May 26, 1864 - Maj. Gen. John G. Foster, USA, assumes the command of the Dept. of the South, FL.

May 26, 1864 - Combats at and about Dallas, GA, as both sides begin to entrench which changes this advance into a siege. May 26-Jun 1)

May 26, 1864 - Affair on Lane's Prairie, Maries County, MO, with bushwhackers.

May 26, 1864 - The destruction of the US transport, Boston, at Chapman's Fort, Ashepoo River, SC, by her crew, after running aground. Afterwards, the Confederates board her and find a large number of burnt horses.

May 26, 1864 - In the Overland Campaign, Lieut. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant, USA, continues to slide along the right of Gen. Robert E. Lee's, CSA, front toward Hanover.

May 26, 1864 - The Lynchburg, VA, Campaign. (May 26-Jun 29)

May 26, 1864 - The Union forces, under Maj. Gen. David Hunter, USA, advance from Strasburg and Cedar Creek toward Lynchburg, VA, and vicinity, and will be opposed by Brig. Gen. William E. "Grumble" Jones.

May 26, 1864 - Territory of Montana is formed from the Territory of Idaho.

May 26, 1865 - Gershom Mott, U.S.A., is appointed Maj. Gen.

May 26, 1865 - Federal scout after a band of roving Confederates and skirmishes in Carroll and Ray Counties, MO, including in the Crook River timber, as the Yankees continue to inflict serious damage to the remaining Rebels, bushwhackers and guerrillas. (May 26-27)

May 26, 1865 - Federal scout against Indians from Plum Creek, the Nebraska Territory to the vicinity of Mullahla's Station, where a few head of cattle were stolen. (May 26-27)

May 26, 1865 - Federal operations against Indians on the Overland Stage Road on the Platte and Sweetwater Rivers, with skirmishes at:
Saint Mary's Station (May 27)
Sweetwater Station (May 26, 28 & Jun 1)
Platte Bridge, Dakota Territory (Jun 3)
Sage Creek, Colorado Territory (June 8).

The attacking Indians burn some of the above stations, tear down telegraph lines, kill quite a few white men and soldiers, in addition to wounding many others. (May 26-Jun 9)

May 26,1865 - LIEUT. GEN. EDMUND KIRBY SMITH. CSA. SURRENDERS ALL THE CONFEDERATE TROOPS IN THE TRANS-MISSISSIPPI DEFT.. TO MAJ. GEN. EDWARD RICHARD SPRIGG CANBY. USA. Lieut. Gen. Simon Bolivar Buckner. CSA. represents Smith while Maj. Gen. Peter Joseph Osterhaus. USA, represents Canby as the agreement takes place at New Orleans. LA. Brig. Gen. Joseph Orville Shelby. CSA. refuses to surrender, opting to go to Mexico, dispersing the remainder who refused to go along with him.
 
May 26, 1836 - Southern members of the House pass a "gag rule" restraining discussion of issues involving slavery. The House renews the gag rule each year until 1844.

This item shows two things clearly - One - the South was in such tight control of Congress that they could make the rules as they saw fit. And, two - the Southerners were so proud of their "peculiar institution" that they didn't want to talk about it or allow anyone else to talk about it either.

This is 20 years before what they called "the Black Republican" party even existed. A bit overly sensitive, eh?
 
Today Marks the First of the 157th Anniversary of the Battle of Dallas Georgia. This Battle was fought May 26th - June 1, 1864. The Battle took place in Paulding County Georgia. The battle was part of the Atlanta Campaign. The result of the Battle was a Union Victory. Union Army Commander was Major General John A. Logan. Union Army Casualties and Losses were 2,400. Confederate Army Commander was Lt. General William J. Hardee having casualties and losses of 3,000.

Dalla.jpg
 
On May 26, General Simon Buckner, acting for Smith, met with Union officers in New Orleans to arrange the surrender of Smith’s Trans-Mississippi Department under terms similar to Lee’s surrender at Appomattox. Smith reluctantly agreed, and officially laid down his arms at Galveston on June 2.
 
There was probably not much else U.S. Postmaster General Montgomery Blair could do. Before it officially ended I wonder how and if the mail was sent to the South?
 
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