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October 1

1864- Famed Confederate spy Mrs. Rose O'Neal Greenhow drowns as she tries to
avoid capture.

October 2

1800- Nat Turner, slave, leader of insurrection at Southampton, Va., is born in
Southampton County.

October 3

1863- The Federal War Department orders enlistment of Negro troops in the slave
states of Maryland, Missouri, and Tennessee.

October 4

1862- Rosecrans defeats Maj. Gen. Earl Van Dorn at Corinth, Miss., completing
Bragg's isolation in Kentucky; this defeat ends with a Confederate withdrawal
from an important rail and road center.

1864- Hood strikes at Sherman's rail communications at Big Shanty, Ga.

October 5

1863- Confederate torpedo boat David, with a 4-man crew, attacks Federal ironclad
New Ironsides outside Charleston Harbor.

1864- Hood's effort to capture the Federal position at Allantoona, Ga., fails.

October 6

1861- Confederate blockade-runner Alert is captured by the Federal navy off
Charleston, S.C.

1864- After pursuing Early to Harrisonburg, Va., Sheridan devastates the
Shenandoah Valley as he withdraws toward Winchester.

October 7

1864- Confederates fail to dislodge Union troops from Darbytown and New Market
roads, north of the James River.

      - U.S.S. Wachusett captures the troublesome raider C.S.S. Florida in a
controversial action at Bahia, Brazil.

October 8

1861- Brig. Gen. William T. Sherman assumes command of the Federal army in
central and eastern Kentucky, replacing Robert Anderson.

1862- After Bragg's inconclusive Battle with Buell at Perryville, Bragg and Smith
retreat toward Tennessee, thus ending the Confederate invasion of Kentucky.

October 9

1863- Lee moves toward Bristoe Station, Va., in an effort to damage the reduced
Army of the Potomac.

1864-Union cavalry under George Custer and Wesley Merritt engage and rout
Confederates at Tom's Brook, Va.

October 10

1862- President Davis asks Virginia for a draft of 4,500 Negroes to work on
completion of fortifications of Richmond.



October 11

1861- Brig. Gen. William S. Rosecrans assumes command of the Federal
Department of West Virginia.

October 12

1861- The first ironclad of the Union navy, the gunboat St. Louis, is launched at
Carondelet, Mo.

1862- Stuart completes his second ride around McClellan's army after destroying
property at Chambersburg, Pa.

October 13

1864- Hood damages Sherman's rail communications to Chattanooga; Sherman
moves his army from Atlanta to Resaca.

      - Maryland voters narrowly adopt a new state constitution abolishing slavery.

October 14

1863- Confederates strike retreating Federals at Bristoe Station, Va., in an
inconclusive engagement.

October 15

1863- In Charleston Harbor, Confederate submarine H.L.Hunley sinks for a second
time during a practice dive. Seven men, including Hunley, the inventor, die.

October 16

1859- John Brown, U.S. abolitionist, leads and unsuccessful raid on the government
arsenal at Harpers Ferry.

October 17

1863- President Lincoln issues a proclamation calling for 300,000 more volunteers
for Federal armies.

      - Grant is made supreme commander of the Federal forces in the west.

October 18

1862- John Hunt Morgan and his Confederate raiders defeat Federal cavalry near
Lexington, Ky.

1864- Hood retreats into Alabama.

October 19

1863- Thomas replaces Rosecrans as commander of the Union Army of the
Cumberland at Chattanooga.

1864- A small Confederate raiding party robs 3 Vermont banks of over 300,000.

      - Sheridan defeats Early at Cedar Creek, Va., driving the Confederates from the
Shenandoah Valley.

      - Confederate raiders from Canada make a surprise attack on St. Albans, Vt.

October 20

1864- President Lincoln proclaims the last Thursday in November "a day of
Thanksgiving and Praise to Almighty God..."

October 21

1861- Federal troops suffer a dramatic, costly defeat at Ball's Bluff, Va.

October 22

1862- Confederate cavalry take London, Ky.

October 23

1863- Grant arrives at Chattanooga to take personal command of the Union
defensive forces.

1864- Price's raiders are defeated at Westport, Mo., and driven from the state.

October 24

1861- Western Union completes the first transcontinental telegraph.

October 25

1861- The keel of the ironclad U.S.S. Monitor is laid at Greenpoint, Long Island.

October 26

1864- Confederate guerrilla Bloody Bill Anderson is killed in an ambush near
Richmond, Mo.

October 27

1863- Brig. Gen. William F. Smith opens the " cracker line" supply route into
Chattanooga.

1864- The Rebel ram Albemarle is sunk by Lt. William B. Cushing at Plymouth,
N.C.

      - A.P. Hill repulses Grant's attack on the Southside Railroad at Hatcher's Run,
Va.

October 28

1862- Confederate Maj. Gen. John C. Breckinridge assumes command of the Army
of Middle Tennessee.

October 29

1861- The largest combined land-sea expedition ever mounted by the U.S. leaves
Hampton Roads, Va., for the Carolina coast and Port Royal.

October 30

1862- Rosecrans replaces Buell in command of the Union Army of the Cumberland.

1863- Unconditional unionists of Arkanas meet at Fort Smith, naming a
representative to Congress.

1864- Sherman sends Maj. Gen. John Schofield to reinforce Thomas at Nashville
and repel Hood's invasion of Tennessee.

October 31

1864- Nevada is admitted to the Union as the 36th state.
October
Chronology