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.
