On This Day - 16th January Prev / Next

Wednesday January 16 1861
  • Operations in the vicinity of Humboldt,CA. (Jan 16-May 18)
Thursday January 16 1862
  • The Union Naval descent upon Cedar Keys, FL, with the destruction of seven small Confederate blockade runners, by men from the USS Hatteras.
Friday January 16 1863
  • The Confederate privateer Raider, Florida, evades the Union blockade around Mobile, AL.
  • A landing party from the Union gunboat, USS Baron De Kalb, captures Confederate supplies at Devall's Bluff, AR.
  • Federal expedition from Fort Henry to Waverly, TN.
  • Maj. Gen. John Sedgwick, USA, supersedes Brig. Gen. Orlando Bolivar Wilcox, USA, in the command of the 9th US Army Corps, the Army of the Potomac, VA.
Saturday January 16 1864
  • Operations in Northwestern Arkansas. (Jan 16-Feb 15)
  • Maj. Gen. Samuel R. Curtis, USA, assumes the command of the re-established Federal Dept. of Kansas.
  • Skirmish at Oak Ridge, MS.
  • Cavalry operations about Dandridge, TN, including skirmishes:
    • at Kimbrough's Cross-Roads, (Jan 16), and
    • on the Bend of Chucky Road, (Jan 17), and
    • action near Dandridge (Jan 17),
      with Lieut. Gen. James Longstreet, CSA, and Brig. Gen. Samuel D. Sturgis, USA, commanding Cavalry, Army of the Ohio, and Brig. Gen. Washington L. Elliott, USA, commanding Cavalry, Dept. of the Cumberland, (Jan 16-17)
  • Skirmish in White County, TN.
  • Affair near Turkey Creek, VA.
Monday January 16 1865
  • Alfred Howe Terry, U.S.A., is appointed Maj. Gen.
  • Federal expedition from Brashear City aboard the Union gunboat, No. 41, and the steamer, Carrie, to Whisky Bayou, LA. The Yankees visit numerous plantations on their excursion, taking everything of value, destroying what they can't take with them. (Jan 16-18)
  • Federal operations about Waynesville, MO, including skirmish with guerrillas near McCourtney's Mills, on Big Piney. (Jan 16-22)
  • Fort Caswell is blown up and the defensive works at Smithville and Reeves' Point, NC, are abandoned by the Confederate forces under Gen. Braxton Bragg, CSA. (Jan 16-17)
  • The powder magazines at the captured Fort Fisher, NC, accidentally explode, causing over 100 Union casualties. Rumor has it a some drunken Union soldiers and/or sailors May have unknowingly set off the explosion.
  • The State of North Carolina is designated as the District of North Carolina in the Dept. of the South.
  • Federal scouts about Franklin, TN, against bushwackers, where some are surrounded and killed at the house of a Mrs. Cherry who was an eyewitness to the killings. (Jan 16-Feb 20)

On This Day information kindly provided by Martin Cross, 2nd U.S. Artillery, Bty B.