Tuesday September 17 1861

• Leroy Pope Walker, CSA, is appointed Brig. Gen.
• Brig. Gen. Benjamin Mayberry Prentiss, USA, is assigned to the command along and north of the Hannibal and St. Joseph Railroad, MO.
• Action at Blue Mills Landing, MO.
• Skirmish at Morristown, MO.

Wednesday September 17 1862

• The following are appointed Union Major Generals:
  • Gordon Granger, U.S.A.
  • Schuyler Hamilton, U.S.A.
  • Stephen Augustus Hurlbut, U.S.A.
• The Battle of Antietam, or Sharpsburg, MD, with Maj. Gen. George B. McClellan, USA, and Gen. Robert E. Lee, CSA, fighting the deadliest one day battle on Sep 17, with over 23,000 casualties, at sites including the East Woods, West Woods, the Cornfield, the Bloody Lane, the Dunkard Church, Burnside's Bridge, Mumma's farm, near the Piper Farmhouse, etc. Lee withdraws across the Potomac and McClellan fails to push the issue. (Sep 16-17)
• Brig. Gen. George Burgwyn Anderson, CSA, is mortally wounded at the Battle of Antietam, MD, after being shot in the foot.
• Brig. Gen. Lawrence O'Bryan Branch, CSA, is instantly killed by a Federal sharpshooter, at the Battle of Antietam, MD, while his commanding officer, Maj. Gen. A.P. Hill, meets with his brigade commanders of Archer, Gregg, and Branch, shortly after Hill arrives from Harper's Ferry.
• Brig. Gen. William Edwin Starke, CSA, is mortally wounded at the Battle of Antietam, MD, after being shot three times, and surviving for only a few hours.
• Maj. Gen. Joseph Ring Fenno Mansfield, USA, is mortally wounded at the Battle of Antietam, MD, receiving his death wound to his stomach while leading his men out of the East Woods towards the Confederate position in the West Woods.
• Maj. Gen. Israel Bush Richardson, USA, is mortally wounded at the Battle of Antientam MD, while valiantly encouraging his men on near the Sunken Lane.
• Brig. Gen. Isaac Peace Rodman, USA, is mortally wounded at the Battle of Antietam, MD, receiving his death wound to his chest by a Confederate musketball, while leading his men against Maj. Gen. Ambrose Powell Hill's Confederate forces, who just arrived from Harper's Ferry, WV, after Rodman's men forded the Antietam Creek above the infamous "Burnside's Bridge."
• Engagement at Saint John's Bluff, FL, with the Confederate shore battery there and 5 Union gunboats.
• The Federal Evacuation of Cumberland Gap, TN, by Brig. Gen. George W. Morgan, USA, and the March of its garrison to Greenupsburg, KY. (Sep 17-Oct 3)
• Union troops surrender Mumfordsville, KY, to Gen. Braxton Bragg, CSA.
• Skirmishes on the Bowling Green Road and at Merry Oaks, KY.
• Skirmish near Falmouth, KY.
• Operations at and about Shiloh,NC. (Sep 17-20)
• Maj. Gen. Ormsby M. Mitchel, USA, assumes the command of the Dept. of the South, SC.
• Skirmish near Durhamville, TN.
• Maj. Gen. George G. Meade, USA, assumes the command of the 1st US Army Corps, Army of the Potomac.
• Brig. Gen. Alpheus S. Williams, USA, assumes the command of the 12th US Army Corps, Army of the Potomac.

Thursday September 17 1863

• Skirmish at Neal's Gap, AL, the Chickamauga Campaign.
• Skirmish at Owen's Ford, West Chickamauga Creek, GA, as Gen. Braxton Bragg, CSA, loses the opportunity to attack the separated corps of Maj. Gen. William S. Rosecrans', USA, Army, blaming his subordinates for failing to attack as instructed, while Rosecrans concentrated his forces, the Chickamauga Campaign.
• Federal reconnaissance from Rossville and skirmish at Ringgold, GA, the Chickamauga Campaign.
• Skirmish on Horse Creek, MO.
• The major ingredients for the bloodiest battle of the war in the Western Department (Chickamauga) are beginning to gel.
• Skirmish at Raccoon Ford, on the Rapidan River, VA, as the Union forces move from the Rappahannock to the Rapidan River.

Saturday September 17 1864

• Charles Miller Shelley, CSA, is appointed Brig. Gen.
• Affair at Limestone Ridge, VA, the Shenandoah Valley, Campaign.
• Lieut. Col. Vincent A. Witcher's, CSA, Confederate expedition into West Virginia, including skirmishes at Buckhannon, as he visits Bulltown, Jacksonville, Westover, Buckhannon, Walkersville and Weston, destroying $1,000,000 worth of stores, capturing 300 prisoners, and much needed 500 horses and 200 beef-cattle for the ragged Army of Northern Virginia. (Sep 17-28)

Sunday September 17 1865