Following the American Civil War Sesquicentennial with day by day writings of the time, currently 1863.

A Diary of American Events – July 22, 1861

July 22, 2011

The American Civil War,The Rebellion Record—A Diary of American Events; by Frank Moore

—The Confederate States Congress appointed a day of thanksgiving for the victory at Manassas, and “deeply deplored the necessity which has washed the soil of our country with the blood of so many of her sons.”—(Doc. 113.)

—General Sweeney’s command dispersed a band of one hundred and fifty rebels stationed at Forsythe, Mo., and took possession of the town. Five of the rebels were killed and several wounded. Three of the Federal troops were slightly wounded, but none killed. The first and second stories of the court-house were filled with blankets, provisions, camp equipage, etc., which, together with two tons of lead found in a well, and other articles secreted in different parts of the town, in all valued between eighteen and twenty thousand dollars, fell into the hands of General Sweeney.—N. Y. Times, July 80.—(Doc. 133.)

—Quartermaster-Sergeant Whitney of the Vermont Regiment, was shot this morning by the rebels at Newport News, only a short distance from the camp, while searching for a strayed bullock. The body was pierced with half a dozen bullets.—An infernal machine, intended to blow up some of the ships of war in Hampton Roads, washed ashore this morning within a few rods of Floyd’s house in Virginia. It is of an ingenious construction, and is the second attempt of the kind.—The Roanoke arrived at Fortress Monroe this morning. She has been as far south as St. Augustine, Fla. During her cruise she burnt a rebel privateer whose crew escaped to the shore.— Boston Transcript, July 23.

—The correspondence between the Chief of the Cherokee Nation and various rebel authorities and citizens of Arkansas, was published today. It exhibits the attitude that tribe intends to assume in reference to the present war.— (Doc. 114.)

—Colonel William D. Kennedy, commander of the Jackson Guard, Tammany Regiment N. Y. S. V., died at Washington of congestion of the brain.—Boston Post, July 23.

—At Louisville, Ky., John W. Tompkins, formerly Clerk of the Board of Aldermen, recently a violent secessionist and recruiting officer of the Southern Confederacy, was shot dead this afternoon by Henry Green, city watchman. Tompkins was hallooing for Jeff. Davis, and was requested to desist by Green, when he drew a knife on Green, but was retreating when Green shot him. Tompkins had been endeavoring to send contraband articles southward by the Louisville and Nashville Railroad during the past week, and has been the main cause of the midnight disturbances at the depot of that road. —Louisville Courier, July 23.

General George B. McClellan—Major-General McClellan has been summoned by the Government from Western Virginia to repair to Washington and take command of the Army of the Potomac. General Rosecrans takes his place in command of the Army of Western Virginia. The Corps d’ Armee at Washington is to be instantly re-organized and increased by the addition of 100,000 men. The necessary orders have already been given. —Offers of regiments already raised are being made and accepted with such rapidity as to ensure that this will be accomplished within a few days. Large reinforcements from various directions are already on their way to Washington, orders having been telegraphed for them yesterday while the battle was in progress. The Government entertains no apprehensions whatever for the safety of the Capital. Preparations not only for defensive but also for the speedy renewal of offensive operations are going on vigorously. General McDowell has returned to his head-quarters at Arlington Heights. The regiments composing his army are resuming their positions. Most of them have already done so.—Baltimore American, July 23.

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