ACWS - On This Day in the American Civil War 23rd February

In a referendum, the voters of Texas vote 3 to 1 to secede.
President-elect Abraham Lincoln arrives in the nation's capital, Washington, DC.

Fayetteville, AR, is occupied by the Union forces, under Brig. Gen. Samuel R. Curtis, USA, and Brig. Gen. A. Asboth, USA.
The Dept. of the Gulf is constituted, under the command of Maj. Gen. Benjamin Franklin Butler, USA, FL, AL.
Brig. Gen. John Pope, USA, assumes the command of the Army of Mississippi, assembling at Commerce, MO.
Federal reconnaissance from Greenville, MO, and skirmish. (Feb 23-25)
Federal reconnaissance to Pea Ridge Prairie, MO, and skirmish. (Feb 23-24)
Federal reconnaissance on the Bull River and Schooner Channel, SC.
Gen. Albert Sidney Johnston, CS A, assumes the immediate command of the Central Army, TN.
Nashville, TN, is evacuated by the Confederates under Brig. Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest, CSA, and occupied by the Federal forces under Brig. Gen. Don Carlos Buell, USA. (Feb 23-25)

Affair at Athens, KY.
Engagement of the US Steamers, Dacotah and the Monticello, at Fort Caswell, NC.
Brig. Gens. Andrew A. Humphreys and Adolph von Steinwehr, USA, are temporarily and respectively commanding the 5th and the llth US Army Corps, the Army of the Potomac, VA.
Former US Secretary of War and Governor of Pennsylvania, Simon Cameron, resigns his post as Minister to Russia.

William Brimage Bate, C.S.A., is appointed Maj. Gen.
Robert Charles Tyler, CSA, is appointed Brig. Gen.
Skirmishes near Dalton and at Catoosa Station and Tunnel Hill, GA, between Gen. Joseph E. Johnston, CSA, and Maj. Gen. John McCauley Palmer, USA, under Maj. Gen. George Henry Thomas, USA, the Army of the Cumberland.
Maj. Gen. John A. McClernand, USA, resumes the command of the 13th US Army Corps, LA.
Federal scout from Springfield, MO, into Northern Arkansas, and skirmishes with guerrillas near Buffalo City (Mar 1), and at Bennett's Bayou (Mar 2). One guerrilla killed was an ex-Baptist minister. (Feb 23-Mar 9)
Skirmish near New Albany, MS, the Meridian, MS, Expedition.
In light of the Pomeroy Circular, President Lincoln meets with his Cabinet, without Secretary of Treasury, Salmon P. Chase.

Thomas Ewing, Jr., U.S.A., is appointed Maj. Gen.
Federal expedition from Barrancas to Milton, FL, and skirmishes. (Feb 22-25)
Bvt. Maj. Gen. Stephen G. Burbridge, USA, is relieved from the command of the District of Kentucky.
Federal scouts from Salem and Licking, MO, to Spring River Mills, AR, with skirmishes, as the Yankees continue to punish the guerrillas. (Feb 23-Mar 2)
Skirmish near Camden, SC, as Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman, USA, crosses the Catawba River and heads for North Carolina. Heavy rains will slow his progress over the next several days.
Federal expedition from Yorktown aboard the gunboat, USS Mystic, to West Point, VA, where the Yankees are unsuccessful in their attempt to capture Col. Richardson of Gen. Robert E. Lee's staff who was home on 60 days leave; he was warned by a spy. The Yankees also missed breaking up a wedding where a band of Rebels were supposed to attend; they got the wrong date, as it is scheduled for Mar 2. The Yankees proceed to burn Richardson's home, and other barns, with thousands of pounds of bacon and about 25,000 bushels of corn and grain, before returning to Yorktown, VA. (Feb 23-24)

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