Today Union General William T. Sherman reaches Winnsboro, South Carolina, north of Columbia. Sherman’s army has encountered little resistance since taking Columbia, and now the general has his sights set on North Carolina. Meanwhile, today’s Richmond Daily Dispatch reports on the evacuation of Charleston, stating “it is believed that the enemy took possession during the…
While Union forces under Sherman overwhelm South Carolina, Confederate legislators in Mississippi struggle to cope with the public despair evident in their state. Called by governor Charles Clark, a special session of the legislature convenes this day at the First Baptist Church in Columbus. There is little to no good news in sight. The numbers…
Now devoid of Confederate defenders, Charleston surrenders to Union forces without a shot being fired by either side. Nearly two years of besiegement thus comes to a quiet end as the mayor greets Federal troops and control of the city passes to the Union in orderly fashion. The storied 54th Massachusetts Colored Regiment is among…