On This Day - 7th August Prev / Next

Wednesday August 7 1861
  • Federal expedition to Price's Landing, Commerce, Benton, and Hamburg, MO, with Union troops ferried on the US steamer, Luella, under Maj. John McDonald, 8th MO Infantry. (Aug 7-10)
  • The US War Dept. signs a contract with Mr. James B. Eads, of St. Louis, MO, to construct the following seven iron clad gunboats for the Union's western river operations:
    • USS Cairo
    • USS Carondolet
    • USS Cincinnati
    • USS Louisville
    • USS Mound City
    • USS Pittsburg
    • USS St. Louis
  • Hampton, VA, is burned by Brig. Gen. John B. Magruder, CSA.
Thursday August 7 1862
  • Francis Preston Blair, Jr., USA, is appointed Brig. Gen.
  • Richard Busteed, USA, is appointed Brig. Gen.
  • Confederate attack on, and capture of, the convalescent train near Moseley's Plantation, about 2.5 miles from Decatur,
  • Federal reconnaissances from Pensacola to Bagdad and Milton, FL, where the Federals remove cut lumber from the local sawmills. (Aug 7-10)
  • Skirmish near Montevallo, MO.
  • Federal scout from Ozark to Forysth, MO, and skirmishes. (Aug 7-9)
  • Skirmish at Rocky Bluff, Platte County, MO.
  • Skirmish near Fort Fillmore, the New Mexico Territory.
  • Skirmish at Wood Springs, 5 miles east of Dyersburg, TN, where Union Cavalry surprise and totally rout Jackson's Cavalry.
  • Skirmish at Wolftown, VA, 4 miles south of Thoroughfare Mountain.
Friday August 7 1863
  • The 13th US Army Corps is assigned (from the Dept. of the Tennessee) to the Dept. of the Gulf, LA, with Maj. Gen. Cadwallader C. Washburn, USA, temporarily in command of the 13th US Army Corps, LA.
  • Skirmish near New Madrid, MO.
  • Affair at Burke's Station, VA, as the Confederates attack Union wood cutters along the railroad.
Sunday August 7 1864
  • Affair with the Commanches and Kiowas Indians near Fort Lyon, the Colorado Territory.
  • Affair at Bayou Grand, FL, where the Union gunboats shell the Confederate Cavalry there, setting fire to numerous buildings.
  • Brig. Gen. Richard W. Johnson, USA, succeeds Maj. Gen. John M. Palmer, USA, in the temporary command of the 14th US Army Corps, GA.
  • Skirmish at ', MO.
  • Skirmish 5 miles south of Huntsville, MO, with guerrillas.
  • Federal scout from Independence into La Fayette County, MO, against guerrillas. (Aug 7-8)
  • Skirmishes at the Tallahatchie River, MS, with Brig. Gen. Joseph A. Mower, USA. (Aug 7-9)
  • The Confederate raid in Union County, TN, by the notorious Bill Gibbs, at the head of the most villainous gang of cutthroats, robbers, and assassins. Arriving from Thorn Hill, Grainger County, they murdered 3 men, taking many prisoners, robbing houses, killing those who tried to escape.
  • The Shenandoah Valley, Virginia, Campaign, as Maj. Gen. Philip Henry Sheridan, USA, moves against the Confederates under Lieut. Gen. Jubal Anderson Early, CSA, and his cavalry commander, Maj. Gen. Lunsford Lindsay Lomax, CSA. (Aug 7-Nov 28)
  • The Middle Military Division (Middle Dept. and the Dept. of Washington, of the Susquehanna, and of West Virginia) is constituted, and Maj. Gen. Philip H. Sheridan, USA, is assigned to its temporary command, VA, as Lieut. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant, USA, orders Maj. Gen. Sheridan to clear the Shenandoah Valley of Rebels.
  • Engagement at Oldfields, near Moorefield, WV, as Brig. Gen. William W. Averel'sl, USA, cavalry overwhelms Lieut. Gen. Jubal A. Early's, CSA, cavalry under Brig. Gen. John McClausand.
Monday August 7 1865
No events on this date.

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