On This Day - 31st January Prev / Next
Thursday January 31 1861
- The US Branch Mint and the Customs House are seized by the state troops in New Orleans, LA, in addition to the seizure of the U.S. schooner, Washington.
Friday January 31 1862
- President Abraham Lincoln issues Special War Order Number 1, which is specifically directed at Maj. Gen. George B. McLellan, USA, and orders a Federal advance on Manassas before Feb 22.
Saturday January 31 1863
- William Smith, CSA, is appointed Brig. Gen.
- Affair on Bull Island, SC, with Confederates arriving from nearby Sullivan Island.
- Attack on the US naval blockading squadron off Charleston, SC, by the Confederate steam-ram, CSS Chicora, and the ironclad, CSS Palmetto State, which do extensive damage to the blockading vessels, USS Keystone State, and the USS Mercedita.
- Federal expedition from Murfreesborough to Franklin, TN, etc., including skirmishes: (Jan 31) at Unionville and Middleton, and (Jan 31 & Feb 13) at Rover, TN. (Jan 31-Feb 13)
- Maj. Gen. John A. McClernand, USA, assumes the command of the 13th US Army Corps, TN.
- The 9th Army Corps is ordered to the Dept. of Virginia.
Sunday January 31 1864
- Federal expedition from Maryville, TN, to Quallatown, NC, where the Federals, aided by Pro-Northern Indians raid the town and inflict an estimated 265 casualties, before the Rebel gangs can flee into the mountains. (Jan 31-Feb 7)
- Federal reconnaissance to Madison Court-House and Mount Carmel Church, VA, by Brig. Gen. Wesley Merritt, CSA.
Tuesday January 31 1865
- Operations in North Alabama and East Tennessee. (Jan 31-Apr 24)
- Skirmish 2 miles south of Oxford, KS, with a gang of treacherous guerrillas.
- Federal expedition from Fort Pike to Bayou Bonfouca, LA, with skirmish (Jan 31). (Jan 31-Feb 1)
- Federal expedition from Morganza aboard the sloop, Rosetta, to New Roads, LA, where a band of Confederates fire into the sloop; the Yankees suffer no casualties and are able to stop the Rebels from capturing and burning the schooner, Perserverance, which is loaded with lumber.
- The Dept. of North Carolina is constituted, to consist of the State of North Carolina, and Maj. Gen. John M. Schofield, USA, is assigned to its command.
- Maj. Gen. David S. Stanley, USA, assumes the command of the 4th US Army Corps, during the operations in North Alabama and East Tennessee.
- Gen. Robert E. Lee, CSA, is appointed General-in-Chief of all the Confederate Armies.
- The US House of Representatives votes 119 to 56 in favor of a Constitutional amendment to abolish slavery, Washington, DC.
- President Abraham Lincoln instructs Secretary of State, William Seward, to travel to Fortress Monroe, VA, and hold peace discussions with the recently appointed Confederate Commission.
On This Day information kindly provided by Martin Cross, 2nd U.S. Artillery, Bty B.