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On This Day - 12th May Prev / Next

Sunday May 12 1861
  • No events on this date.
Monday May 12 1862
  • Skirmish near Farmington, MS, between Gen. P.G.T. Beauregard, CSA, and Maj. Gen. Henry Wager Halleck, USA.
  • The Surrender of Natchez, MS, is demanded, and subsequently occupied by the naval forces of the USS Iroquois, and the USS Oneida, under Flag Officer Daniel Farragut, USN. (May 12-13)
  • Skirmish at Monterey, TN.
  • Skirmish at Lewisburg, WV.
Tuesday May 12 1863
  • Skirmish at Fourteen-Mile Creek, MS, with Maj. Gen. Sherman, USA.
  • Skirmish at Greenville, MS.
  • Engagement at Raymond, MS, with Maj. Gen. John A. Logan, USA, repelling Brig. Gen. John Gregg, CSA.
  • Skirmish at Bloomfield, MO.
  • Maj. Gen. Simon B. Buckner, CSA, assumes the command of the Dept. of East Tennessee.
  • Federal reconnaissance from La Vergne, TN.
  • Skirmish at Linden, TN.
  • Federal reconnaissance from Murfreesborough toward Liberty and Lebanon, TN. (May 12-16)
  • Federal operations about Buck's and Front Royal Fords, the Shenandoah Valley, VA. (May 12-14)
  • Federal operations on the Seaboard and Roanoke Railroad and skirmishes (May 15 & 16) near Carrsville, VA, as Federal cannons drive off the attacking Confederates. (May 12-26)
  • Federal scout from Snicker's Ferry, and skirmish (May 13) at Upperville, VA, with Capt. John S. Mosby, CSA and his Virginia Partisan Rangers. (May 12-14)
Thursday May 12 1864
  • Horatio Gouverneur Wright, U.S.A., is appointed Maj. Gen.
  • The following are appointed Union Brigadier Generals:
    • Joseph Bailey, USA
    • John Rutter Brooke, USA
    • Samuel Sprigg Carroll, USA
    • Simon Goodell Griffin, USA
    • John Frederick Hartranft, USA
    • Joseph Hayes, USA
    • Nelson Appleton Miles, USA
    • Emory Upton, USA
  • Maj. Gen. James Ewell Brown "Jeb" Stuart, CSA, dies in Richmond, VA, from wounds received the day before at Yellow Tavern, VA.
  • Brig. Gen. Junius Daniel, CSA, is mortally wounded at the Battle of the Wilderness, VA, at the "Bloody Angle," while leading his men in an effort to regain the ground at the "mule shoe" which had been captured by the Federal troops. Total casualties approximate 12,000 today.
  • Brig. Gen. James Byron Gordon, CSA, is mortally wounded at the combat near Meadow Bridge, VA, while defending Richmond, VA, from Maj. Gen. Philip Sheridan's, USA, cavalry raid.
  • Brig. Gen. Abner Monroe Perrin, CSA, is mortally wounded at the Battle of the Wilderness, VA, while leading his men against the Federal lines, receiving several wounds while riding his horse.
  • Skirmish at Jackson's Ferry (Hallowell's Landing), AL, with the Union gunboat, Gunboat A.
  • Skirmish at Bayou Lamourie, LA, the Red River (LA) Campaign.
  • Skirmish at Smith's Station, the Nebraska Territory.
  • The Engagement at Proctor's Creek and Drewry's Bluff (or Fort Darling), VA, as Gen. Pierre G. T. Beauregard, CSA, now commanding at Petersburg, VA, deflects Maj. Gen. Benjamin F. Butler's, USA, advance. (May 12-16)
  • Maj. Gen. August V. Kautz's, USA, raid against the Richmond and Danville Railroad, including skirmish at Flat Creek Bridge, and Chula Depot (May 14), VA, part of Maj. Gen. Benjamin F. Butler's operations south of the James River, below Richmond. (May 12-17)
  • Affair at Strasburg, VA, as Lieut. Col. John S. Mobsy, CSA, attacks yet another Union wagon train with casualties inflicted on the Federals.
  • Skirmishes near Newport, at Brown's Ferry, Salt Ponds (or Salt Pond Mountain), and Gap Mountain, WV, during the Federal operations on the Virginia and Tennessee Railroad. (May 12-13)
Friday May 12 1865
  • Maj. Gen. Oliver O. Howard, USA, is assigned to duty as the Commissioner of the Bureau of Refugees, Freedman, and Abandoned Lands, FL.
  • Bvt. Maj. Gen. Adelbert Ames, USA, assumes the command of the 10th US Army Corps, FL.
  • Federal scout against Indians, from Cottonwood, the Nebraska Territory, to Oilman's Station, 15 miles east of Post Cottonwood. (May 12-14)
  • The Last Engagement of any significance of the American Civil War takes place with the skirmish at Brownsville, or the Union capture, under Col. Theodore H. Barrett. USA, of the Confederate position at Palmitto Ranch. TX. led by Col. John S. Ford. CSA. (May 12-13)

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