Saturday August 17 1861

• Paul Octave Hebert, CSA, is appointed Brig. Gen.
• George Henry Thomas, USA, is appointed Brig. Gen.
• Egbert Ludovicus Viele, USA, is appointed Brig. Gen.
• Skirmish at Brunswick, MO.
• Affairs at Hunnewell and Palmyra, MO, where Confederates have fired into a train that was carrying Union troops.
• Bvt. Maj. John Ellis Wool, USA, supersedes Maj. Gen. Benjamin F. Butler, USA, in the command of the Dept. of Virginia.
• The Depts. of Northeastern Virginia, of Washington, and of the Shenandoah are merged into the Dept. (Army) of the Potomac.

Sunday August 17 1862

• Federal expedition from Fort Leavenworth, KS, to Hickory Grove, (Aug 17-27)
• Skirmish near Mammoth Cave, KY, with the capture of guerrillas.
• The uprising of the Sioux Indians, who attack settlers near Acton, MN. (Aug 17-Sep 23)
• Federal reconnaissance toward Forge Bridge, VA.
• Maj. Gen. James Ewell Brown Stuart, CSA, is assigned to the command of all the cavalry of the Army of Northern Virginia.

Monday August 17 1863

• Alvan Cullem Gillem, USA, is appointed Brig. Gen.
• James Clay Rice, USA, is appointed Brig. Gen.
• Skirmish at Grand Prairie, AR.
• Federal expedition from Cape Girardeau and Pilot Knob, MO, to Pocahontas, AR. (Aug 17-26)
• The Bombardment of Fort Sumter, SC. (Aug 17-Dec 31)
• Fire is opened upon Fort Sumter and Battery Wagner from Federal batteries on Morris Island, and from Union gunboats, Charleston Harbor, SC.
• Skirmish at Calfkiller Creek, near Sparta, TN, with the advance of the Union Army, the Chickamauga Campaign.

Wednesday August 17 1864

• Federal expedition from Decatur to Moulton, and skirmish (Aug 18-19) near Antioch Church, Northern AL. (Aug 17-20)
• The Confederate capture and burning of the Federal steamer, Miller, on the Arkansas River, 10 miles below Pine Bluff, AR, as the steamer, Annie Jacobs, lies stuck on a sand bar.
• Skirmish at South Newport, GA, where the Federals land and surprise the Rebels, capturing 38, in addition to 5 citizens and 51 Negroes, and burning the bridge over the South Newport River as they left.
• Skirmish in Issaquena County, MS.
• Action at Winchester, VA, as Lieut. Gen. Jubal Early, CSA, attacks the rear guard of Maj. Gen. Philip Sheridan, USA, who is withdrawing toward Berryville, VA.

Thursday August 17 1865