Exploring the most important 55 months in American history
165 YEARS AGO: Jefferson Davis threatens to execute Federal prisoners if the Federals go through on their threat to execute the crew that had captured the U.S.S. Enchantress as pirates.
165 YEARS AGO: The feud that had begun in October between Jefferson Davis and one of his top generals continues into this month.
OTD 165 YEARS AGO: General Orders No. 97 reorganizes Union military administration west of the Alleghenies into several departments. Jurisdictional disputes, particularly between Henry W. Halleck and Don Carlos Buell, will soon weaken coordination.
OTD 165 YEARS AGO: William Nelson’s Federals win a minor victory in eastern Kentucky but fail in their ultimate goal of destroying the enemy.
OTD 165 YEARS AGO: Captain Charles Wilkes of the U.S.S. San Jacinto halts the neutral British steamship R.M.S. Trent on the open sea and seizes two Confederate envoys under dubious circumstances.
OTD 165 YEARS AGO: After struggling through a horrific storm on the Atlantic, the Federal naval squadron attacks and captures a vital Confederate port.