Category Archives: 1860s

Battle of Chancellorsville, a major battle of the American Civil War, begins in Spotsylvania County, Virginia 160 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (May 1 1863)

1860s, American Civil War


Video: 'The Battle Of Chancellorsville | Civil War Combat (S1, E7) | Full Episode'

(Friday, May 1, 1863, 11:20 a.m. local time; during the Battle of Chancellorsville, part of the American Civil War) — The Battle of Chancellorsville — a major battle of the American Civil War — began today in Spotsylvania County, Virginia, near the village of Chancellorsville, pitting Union Army Maj. Gen. Joseph Hooker’s Army of the Potomac against an army less than half its size, Gen. Robert E. Lee’s Confederate Army of Northern Virginia. Continue reading Battle of Chancellorsville, a major battle of the American Civil War, begins in Spotsylvania County, Virginia 160 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (May 1 1863) →

U.S. President Lincoln relieves General Burnside as commander of the Army of the Potomac, replacing him with General Hooker 160 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Jan 25 1863)

1860s, American Civil War, U.S. Presidents


Video: 'Lincoln PBS 1992 - Part 2' (Lincoln replaces Burnside with Hooker at 30:53)

(Sunday, January 25, 1863, 10:00 a.m. local time; during the American Civil War) — U.S. President Abraham Lincoln relieved Maj. Gen. Ambrose Burnside as commander of the Army of the Potomac today and replaced him with Maj. Gen. Joseph “Fighting Joe” Hooker. Continue reading U.S. President Lincoln relieves General Burnside as commander of the Army of the Potomac, replacing him with General Hooker 160 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Jan 25 1863) →

President Abraham Lincoln issues Emancipation Proclamation, declaring that slaves in rebel states shall be ‘forever free’ 160 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Jan 1 1863)

1860s, American Civil War, U.S. Presidents


Video: 'Lincoln Signs the Emancipation Proclamation | Abraham Lincoln'

(Thursday, January 1, shortly after noon; during the American Civil War and Slavery in the United States) — U.S. President Abraham Lincoln today signed the final Emancipation Proclamation, which changed the legal status of more than 3.5 million enslaved African Americans in the secessionist Confederate states from enslaved to free. Continue reading President Abraham Lincoln issues Emancipation Proclamation, declaring that slaves in rebel states shall be ‘forever free’ 160 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Jan 1 1863) →

38 eastern Dakota men hanged for killing white settlers in largest one-day mass execution in American history 160 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Dec 26 1862)

1860s, U.S. Presidents


Video: 'What happened on December 26, 1862?'

(Friday, December 26, 1862, 10:00 a.m. local time; part of the Sioux Wars and the American Indian Wars) — U.S. forces hanged 38 eastern Dakota men today in Mankato, Minnesota, three months after the Dakota War of 1862, a six-week uprising against white settlers after the U.S. broke its promise to deliver food and supplies to local tribes in exchange for the surrender of tribal land. Continue reading 38 eastern Dakota men hanged for killing white settlers in largest one-day mass execution in American history 160 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Dec 26 1862) →

Union troops suffer major defeat in Battle of Fredericksburg during American Civil War 160 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Dec 13 1862)

1860s, American Civil War


Video: 'Civil War Combat: Massive Assault at the Battle Of Fredericksburg (S1, E2) | Full Episode' (Dec. 12-13, 1862, at 13:15)

(Saturday, December 13, 1862, 10:00 a.m. local time; during the American Civil War) — Maj. Gen. Ambrose Burnside suffered one of the most decisive losses for the Union Army during of the American Civil War when he hurled 14 attacks against the Confederate lines today at Marye Heights, above Fredericksburg, Virginia, during the Battle of Fredericksburg, fought in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War. Continue reading Union troops suffer major defeat in Battle of Fredericksburg during American Civil War 160 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Dec 13 1862) →

Battle of Fredericksburg begins near Fredericksburg, Virginia, during American Civil War 160 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Dec 11 1862)

1860s, American Civil War


Video: 'Civil War Combat: Massive Assault at the Battle Of Fredericksburg (S1, E2) | Full Episode'

(Thursday, December 11, 1862, 3:00 p.m. local time; during the American Civil War) — The Battle of Fredericksburg, fought in and around Fredericksburg, Virginia, in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War, began today between the Union Army of the Potomac commanded by Maj. Gen. Ambrose Burnside and the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia under Gen. Robert E. Lee. Continue reading Battle of Fredericksburg begins near Fredericksburg, Virginia, during American Civil War 160 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Dec 11 1862) →

U.S. President Abraham Lincoln calls for abolition of slavery in his Second Annual Message to Congress 160 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Dec 1 1862)

1860s, American Civil War, U.S. Presidents


Video: 'The President's Message to Congress, December 1, 1862'

(Monday, December 1, 1862; during the American Civil War and Slavery in the United States) — U.S. President Abraham Lincoln called for the abolition of slavery today in his Second Annual Message to Congress (read aloud by the Secretary of the Senate), writing: “Fellow-citizens, we can not escape history. We of this Congress and this Administration will be remembered in spite of ourselves.” Continue reading U.S. President Abraham Lincoln calls for abolition of slavery in his Second Annual Message to Congress 160 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Dec 1 1862) →

President Lincoln relieves General McClellan from command of Army of Potomac 160 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Nov 5 1862)

1860s, American Civil War, U.S. Presidents


Video: 'Lincoln: The Pivotal Year 1863' (Nov. 5, 1862, at 21:37)

(Wednesday, November 5, 1862, during the American Civil War) — The day after the midterm elections, U.S. President Abraham Lincoln removed General George B. McClellan, 35, as commander of the Army of Potomac today for the second and final time. Continue reading President Lincoln relieves General McClellan from command of Army of Potomac 160 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Nov 5 1862) →

U.S. President Abraham Lincoln issues preliminary Emancipation Proclamation, setting date to free all slaves in secessionist Confederate states 160 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Sep 22 1862)

1860s, American Civil War


Video: 'The Emancipation Proclamation: Abraham Lincoln and Executive Power, Part 12'

(Monday, September 22, 1862, during the American Civil War) — Five days after Union troops turned back a Confederate invasion of Maryland in the Battle of Antietam — sometimes cited as the bloodiest day in all of American history with a combined tally of 22,717 dead, wounded, or missing — U.S. President Abraham Lincoln today issued a preliminary Emancipation Proclamation, declaring that than three million black slaves in areas still in rebellion as of January 1, 1863 would be free. Continue reading U.S. President Abraham Lincoln issues preliminary Emancipation Proclamation, setting date to free all slaves in secessionist Confederate states 160 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Sep 22 1862) →

Union and Confederate soldiers clash at Antietam in bloodiest one-day battle in American history 160 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Sep 17 1862)

1860s, American Civil War


Video: 'Antietam: Animated Battle Map'

(Wednesday, September 17, 1862, approximately 5:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. local time, part of the Maryland Campaign during the American Civil War) — The Battle of Antietam, the bloodiest battle day in U.S. history, began at dawn today near Maryland’s Antietam Creek at Sharpsburg as Union forces led by Gen. George McClellan attacked Confederate troops led by Gen. Robert E. Lee near Antietam Creek in Maryland. Continue reading Union and Confederate soldiers clash at Antietam in bloodiest one-day battle in American history 160 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Sep 17 1862) →