Exploring the most important 55 months in American history
165 YEARS AGO: Professor Thaddeus Lowe ascends in a balloon to demonstrate the usefulness of aerial military reconnaissance, and J.D. Mills demonstrates a forerunner to the modern machine gun. Both of these innovations capture President Lincoln’s interest in advanced technology.
165 YEARS AGO: Confederate and U.S. officials work to develop strategies to wage war against each other on the waters. The Confederate Navy Secretary pushes for building armored warships, while the Federal naval blockade intensifies and strategy turns to capturing Confederate ports.
OTD 165 YEARS AGO: Pro-Confederate Kentuckians boycott an election that results in Unionist candidates winning seats in the U.S. House of Representatives.
OTD 165 YEARS AGO: Unionists in northwestern Virginia assemble a convention at Wheeling, where they declare their independence from the rest of Virginia and request recognition by the U.S. government.
165 YEARS AGO: George B. McClellan comes to take personal command of Federals in western Virginia as Confederates try to strengthen their defenses.
OTD 165 YEARS AGO: Federal forces advance in northern Missouri and win a minor victory at Boonville. But the secessionists are not done fighting yet.