Video: 'Beginning of the Dream: Homestead Act Made Law'

(Tuesday, May 20, 1862, during the American Civil War) — U.S. President Abraham Lincoln today signed the Homestead Act, which was intended to encourage settlements west of the Mississippi River by making federal land available for farming.

Video: May 20, 1862 (at 1:00:30)

(Tuesday, May 20, 1862, part of the Peninsula Campaign of the American Civil War) — Federal Gen. George McClellan’s troops are now only nine miles from Richmond, the Confederate capital, but McClellan refused to attack and instead demanded 40,000 additional men even though he already outnumbered the rebels that he faced.

Video: Butler issues 'Woman's Order' (at 11:40)

(Thursday, May 15, 1862, during the American Civil War) — Gen. Benjamin Butler, military commander of New Orleans, today issued General Order No. 28 (also known as the “Woman’s Order”), declaring that any female who insulted a Union soldier by word or deed would be regarded and held liable as a prostitute (“a woman of the town plying her avocation”).

Horrified Southerners assumed the order encouraged the Federals to violate the city’s women as prostitutes.

Video: May 11, 1862 (at 18:37)

(Sunday, May 11, 1862, during the American Civil War) — The ironclad CSS Virginia (built from the remnants of the USS Merrimack), which confronted the Union ironclad USS Monitor in a spectacular stand-off on Mar. 9, 1862, was was scuttled by its crew off today near Craney Island to prevent it from falling into Union hands.

Video: May 3, 1862 (at 58:52)

(Saturday, May 3, 1862, during the Siege of Yorktown, part of the American Civil War) — Yorktown, Virginia, was evacuated today by Gen. Joseph Johnston’s troops, overwhelmed by the enormous force of the Army of the Potomac without a major battle.

Video: Butler occupies New Orleans (at 11:08)

(Thursday, May 1, 1862, during the American Civil War) — Maj. Gen. Benjamin Butler, with an army of 5,000 men, occupied the city of New Orleans today without resistance.

Video: April 25, 1862 (at 47:09)

(Friday, April 25, 1862, during the American Civil War) — U.S. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant wrote his wife Julia today from Pittsburg Landing, Tennessee, to inform her that he had been removed from field command two weeks before by Gen. Henry W. Halleck after the frightful losses (including nearly 3,500 deaths) in the victory of the Battle of Shiloh.

Video: April 24, 1862 (at 52:08)

(Thursday, April 24, 1862, 3:00 a.m. local time, during the American Civil War) — Flag Officer David Farragut’s Federal fleet was able to slip past Confederate Forts Jackson and St. Philip on the Mississippi River, making its way up-river towards New Orleans.

Video: April 21, 1862 (at 57:38)

(Monday, April 21, 1862, during the American Civil War) — Chaplain A. M. Stewart wrote today about conditions during the Siege of Yorktown.

Video: April 16, 1862 (at 55:37)

(Wednesday, April 16, 1862, during the American Civil War) — President Jefferson Davis today signed into law a conscription act passed by the Confederate Congress the previous day. It mandated three years of service for all males between 18 and 35 years of age.