OTD 165 YEARS AGO: Federals win a minor victory that clears Confederates out of the Kanawha Valley of western Virginia and secures the railroad line between Washington and the West.
Tag: George B. McClellan
The Western Virginia Incursion Begins
OTD 165 YEARS AGO: George B. McClellan orders Federal troops across the Ohio River to begin anticipated incursion into predominantly Unionist western Virginia.
Where Unyielding Patriotism Rallied
OTD 165 YEARS AGO: Confederates keep a tenuous hold on hostile northwestern Virginia while Unionists consider seceding from the rest of the state.
Vigorous Measures are Anticipated
165 YEARS AGO: President Abraham Lincoln calls for increased military enrollment, which results in Federal troops pouring into Washington, D.C. By mid-May, talk turns from defense to offensive operations including an invasion of the South.
The “Anaconda Plan”
OTD 165 YEARS AGO: George McClellan, a young but respected U.S. Army veteran, suggests a quick strike on the Confederate capital of Richmond. But Winfield Scott, the venerated U.S. General-in-Chief advises caution and prefers a more methodical approach.
The 1864 Elections: Aftermath
President Abraham Lincoln delivers a speech to supporters after his reelection is confirmed. Lincoln emphasizes the election’s significance amidst civil war, urging unity for the nation’s future.