Union troops under the command of Brigadier General Alexander Schimmelfennig, making their way up the South Carolina coast, today reach James Island near Charleston. In what becomes known as the Battle of James Island or the Battle of Grimball’s Causeway, the Union thus takes the offensive against Charleston for the first time since September 1863.…
South Carolinians strain to hear the latest news of Sherman’s movements. Confederate military officials in the state struggle to ascertain the Union general’s true intentions. Uncertainty on the part of his foes thus surrounds Sherman and his massive army as they steadily advance in South Carolina, with Blackville and Orangeburg now in their sights. In…
The three-day Battle of Hatcher’s Run, fought in and around the trenches of Petersburg, is over. Despite having briefly broken through the Union lines, the Confederates lose the battle, gaining no ground in their defeat. Today Confederate General Robert E. Lee offers a stark assessment of the battle. His men having fought in severe winter…