Portal:American Civil War/This week in American Civil War history/14

March 28

1862 - Glorieta Pass - William Read Scurry reinforced Pyron's rebels, took the initiative from 1st Colorado Volunteers commander John P. Slough, but when Chivington's battalion attacked his baggage train was forced to withdraw

1870 - The Presidio - George Henry Thomas, the "Rock of Chickamauga," commanding the Division of the Pacific headquartered in San Francisco, died of a stroke while writing reply to an article criticizing his military career

March 29

1865 - Lewis's Farm - In this first action of the Appomattox campaign, Ulysses S. Grant attempted to break the right wing of Robert E. Lee's Petersburg defenses in Dinwiddie County, Virginia

March 30

1855 - Bleeding Kansas - "Border Ruffians" from Missouri invaded Kansas and force election of a pro-slavery legislature.

March 31

1865 - White Oak Road - Robert E. Lee shifted his forces westward to counter the Union move around his right flank; Gouverneur K. Warren's V Corps assaulted Confederate trenches along White Oak Road but was repulsed by counterattack from Bushrod Johnson

1865 - Dinwiddie Court House - Phil Sheridan's cavalry movement to the court house and around Lee's flank was blocked by cavalry under W.H.F. "Rooney" Lee and infantry under George Pickett

April

April 1

1865 - Five Forks - In the decisive battle of the Appomattox Campaign, Warren and Sheridan dislodged Pickett and Rooney Lee from a critical crossroads that protected their supply lines; over 4,500 Confederate soldiers surrendered

April 2

1863 - Richmond - Food shortages incited hundreds of angry women to riot and demand the Confederate government to release emergency supplies in the Richmond Bread Riot

1865 - Selma - Nathan Bedford Forrest was unable to mount defense against two Union cavalry divisions in James Wilson's raid

1865 - Petersburg - Decisive massed Union assault on Confederate trenches ended the ten-month Siege of Petersburg

1865 - Sutherland's Station - Nelson A. Miles' Union division won the footrace to the Southside Railroad, cutting off Lee's supply line

April 3

1864 - Elkin's Ferry - Frederick Steele's mixed infantry and cavalry force reached Elkin's Ferry on the Little Missouri River, but were met by Confederate cavalry under Joseph O. "Jo" Shelby

1865 - Namozine Church - With 30,000 hungry men to feed, Lee chose to rest at the end of the day, sending out foraging parties, allowing Union cavalry time to erase Lee's headstart in his retreat