TIMELINE of Volnie Lewis's Military Career and Actions he could have been involved in

November 1862

Union Gen. Ulysses Grant, in Tennessee, prepares his first overland campaign against Vicksburg

28 FRI -- Skirmish at the junction of the Coldwater and Tallahatchie rivers, and skirmishes at Holly Springs (continuing the next day) with Gen. Grant's forces, who are building up supplies for the advance on Vicksburg.

Coldwater (Tate Co.), Dec. 20, 1862, skirmish; Dec. 29, 1863, skirmish

Coldwater River, March 23, 1862, Federal expedition aboard steamboat "Catahoula" from Helena, AR, to the river; Sept. 8-13, 1862, Federal expedition to the river and Hernando; Nov. 28, 1862, skirmish at junction of Coldwater and Tallahatchie rivers; Feb. 13, 1863, Confederate Col. Wood defeated in skirmish near river; Feb. 24 - April 8, 1863, Federal Yazoo Pass Expedition by way of the river; March 15-16, 1863, skirmishes on river 8 miles north of Holly Springs; April 10, 1863, Federal sc outing party from La Grange, TN, to Hudsonville, Lockhart's Mills on the Coldwater River, Mt. Pleasant, and Early Grove; April 18-24, 1863, Federal expedition to the river from Memphis, TN, with skirmishes (including Perry's Ferry, April 19); May 11, 1863 , skirmish at the river with Federal cavalry expedition from La Grange, TN, to Panola (May 11-15); June 16, 1863, skirmish at Quinn's Mills on the river; June 18, 1863, skirmish at the Coldwater Bridge; June 19, 1863, action ! at the river near Hernando; June 20, 1863, skirmish at Matthew's Ferry; Aug. 21, 1863, skirmish with Federal raiding party on Mississippi Central RR from Big Black River to Memphis, TN (Aug. 10-21); Oct. 6, 1863, skirmish at Lockhart's Mill with Brig. Gen . James Chalmers 's Confederate cavalry raid; Oct. 12, 1863, skirmish at Quinn's and Jackson's mills with Gen. Chalmers's cavalry raiders; Nov. 1, 1863, skirmish at Quinn's and Jackson's mills; Nov. 3, 1863, skirmish at Quinn's and Jackson's mills on the Memphis and Charl eston RR; Dec. 29, 1863, skirmish; July 22, 1864, skirmish. (See also Coldwater Bridge, Coldwater Ferry, and Coldwater RR Bridge.)

1] E. B. Long, The Civil War Day by Day: An Almanac, 1861-1865. New York: Da Capo (unabridged paperback edition of 1971 edition published by Doubleday, New York).

[2] Edwin Bearss and Warren Grabau, The Battle of Jackson: May 14, 1863, Baltimore: Gateway Press, 1981.

 

 

October 1863

Confederate cavalry conduct raids in the northern part of the state and west Tennessee during the first half of the month.

4 SUN -- A Federal expedition leaves Natchez for Woodville (Wilkinson Co.), continuing through Oct. 12. Confederate Brig. Gen. James Chalmers begins cavalry raids through northern Mississippi and west Tennessee, c ontinuing through Oct. 17.

5 MON -- The Federal expedition to Woodville encounters skirmishes, continuing through the next day. Confederate cavalry raiders under Gen. Chalmers skirmish at New Albany (Union Co.).

6 TUES -- Gen. Chalmers' cavalry engages another skirmish, this day at Lockhart's Mills on the Coldwater River (Marshall Co.).

12 MON -- Skirmish at Quinn's and Jackson's mills on the Coldwater River with Gen. Chalmers' cavalry raiders. Skirmishes also at Ingram's and Wyatt's mills near Byhalia (Marshall Co.).

 

13 TUES -- Action against Gen. Chalmers' raiders at Wyatt (Tate Co.).

20 SAT -- Skirmishes at Prairie Station (Monroe Co.) and near West Point (Clay Co.), in which Gen. Smith's expeditionary force drives one of Maj. Gen. Nathan Forrest's brigades through West Point. Gen. Sherman wi thdraws from Meridian to Vicksburg after tiring of waiting for Gen. Smith's cavalry.

21 SUN -- Gen. Forrest drives Gen. Smith's Union cavalry toward Pontotoc, with skirmishes at West Point, Ellis's Bridge, and near Okolona. Gen. Sherman's force, retiring to Vicksburg, skirmishes at Union (Newton Co.) through the next day.

 

22 MON -- Skirmish at Ivey's Hill (or Farm) near Okolona and engagement at Okolona, in which Gen. Forrest's Confederate cavalry routs Gen. Smith's cavalry force. In the north, the Meridian Expedition skirmishes on the Tallahatchie River.

June 1864

Union Brig. Gen. Samuel Sturgis is sent to locate and eliminate Maj. Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest's cavalry but is defeated by Forrest in the Battle of Brice's Cross Roads.

10 FRI -- Battle of Brice's Cross Roads (or Tishomingo Creek) near Guntown (Lee Co.) in which Confederate Maj. Gen. Nathan Forrest routs the superior force of Brig. Gen. Samuel Sturgis, capturing over 1,500 prisoners.
At the beginning of June 1864, Maj. Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest set out with his cavalry corps of about 2,000 men to enter Middle Tennessee and destroy the Nashville & Chattanooga Railroad, which was carrying men and supplies to Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman in Georgia. On June 10, 1864, Forrest's smaller Confederate force defeated a much larger Union column under Brig. Gen. Samuel Sturgis at Brices Cross Roads. This brilliant tactical victory against long odds cemented Forrest's reputation as one of the foremost mounted infantry leaders of the war.

Result(s): Confederate victory

Location: Prentiss County and Union County

Campaign: Forrest's Defense of Mississippi (1864)

Date(s): June 10, 1864

Principal Commanders: Brig. Gen. Samuel D. Sturgis [US]; Maj. Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest [CS]

Forces Engaged: Three-brigade division of infantry and a division of cavalry (about 8,500 ) [US]; cavalry corps [CS]

Estimated Casualties: 3,105 total (US 2,610; CS 495)  

 

11 SAT -- Gen. Sturgis retreats from the advancing Gen. Forrest but is confronted in an action at Ripley (Tippah Co.), and later in the day in skirmishing at Salem (Benton Co.).

12 SUN -- Gens. Forrest and Sturgis skirmish at Davis's Mill.
 

July 1864

Union Maj. Gen. Andrew J. Smith sets out to engage Gen. Forrest's cavalry, defeating him in the Battle of Tupelo.

 

2 SAT -- Skirmish on the Byhalia Road 10 miles south of Collierville, TN, in which Confederates achieve an early victory but are eventually driven off. A Federal expedition under Maj. Gen. Henry Slocum leaves Vick sburg for the Pearl River, continuing through July 10 with frequent skirmishing.

11 MON -- After a sharp skirmish, Gen. Smith's force drives Gen. Forrest through and beyond Pontotoc, with skirmishing continuing the following day.
 

13 WED -- Skirmish at Utica (Hinds Co.) with Federal expedition from Memphis, TN. Gen. Forrest attacks Gen. Smith's rear troops in an action at Camargo Cross Road near Tupelo.

14 THUR -- Battle of Tupelo begins, continuing through the following day, in which Gen. Smith defeats Gen. Forrest's Confederates. At Port Gibson there is a skirmish with the Federal expedition to Grand Gulf.

16 SAT -- Skirmish at Grand Gulf with Federal expedition from Memphis, TN, and unsuccessful Confederate attack on the Federal expedition from Vicksburg. At Ellistown (Union Co.), Gens. Forrest and Smith skirmish.

 

22 FRI -- Skirmish at the Coldwater River.

August 1864

Union Brig. Gen. Joseph Mower is sent to finish off Gen. Forrest, but is unsuccessful.

 

13 SAT -- Gen. Mower skirmishes with Maj. Gen. Nathan Forrest at Hurricane Creek through the following day.

 

14 SUN -- Gens. Mower and Forrest skirmish at Lamar (Benton Co.).

 

19 FRI -- Gens. Mower and Forrest skirmish at Hurricane Creek again.

October 1864

 

10 MON -- Action at Eastport (Tishomingo Co.) in which Confederate Maj. Gen. Nathan Forrest beats back an attack from five Union transports, disabling some transports before they could land troops.