What was the most significant event on March 25 during the U.S. Civil War?

2016-03-25T16:20:40-04:00

Battles dominated this day.
March 25, 1862 NM Campaign union spies out confederate camp and capture Confederate several pickets.
March 25 1864 CS Gen Nathan Bedford Forrest’s cavalry attack on Paducah, KY was repulsed, thanks largely to Union gunboats and the US Colored Troops defending the fort.
March 25, 1864 Former Pres. Millard Fillmore states the war must be won and offers his view on showing mercy and charity afterwards
March 25, 1865 The last offensive for Lee's Army of Northern Virginia begins with an attack on the center of Grant's forces at Petersburg, Virginia at Fort Steadman. Four hours later the attack is broken.

Images:
1. Confederate Camp 1860s Photograph by David Lee Thompson
2. March 25, 1865 Union Gunboats protecting Paducah, Kentucky
3. March 25, 1864 Former Pres. Millard Fillmore states the war must be won
3. Confederate General Nathan Bedford Forrest
4. March 25, 1865 Battle of Fort Stedman, Petersburg, Virginia by Sidney King

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Response by LTC Stephen F. made Mar 25 at 2016 4:31 PM

2016-03-25T16:31:07-04:00

After four long years in the spring of 1865 the war is winding down. The last offensive for Lee's Army of Northern Virginia began with an attack on the center of Grant's forces at Petersburg, Virginia at Fort Steadman. Four hours later the attack is broken.
Years earlier there was skirmishes and the experiment of training and employing “colored troops” in their own regiments paid off at Paducah, Kentucky with the repulse Nathan Bedford Forrest’s cavalry attack “thanks largely to Union gunboats and the US Colored Troops defending the fort.”
Since RallyPoint truncates survey selection text I am posting events that were not included and then the full text of each survey choice below:
a. March 25, 1863 Ambrose Burnside ordered to command the Department of the Ohio
b. March 25, 1865: Siege of Spanish Fort, Alabama begins
c. March 25, 1863 --- The night before, the USS Lancaster and USS Switzerland, ironclad gunboats, try to run past Vicksburg’s guns in the dark. The Switzerland suffers a shot through her boiler, and the Lancaster is so badly battered, with her bow shot off, that she takes on water and sinks. Her crew escape to safety.
d. March 25 1863 --- Col. Robert Gould Shaw, commander of the 54th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment in training, writes home to his mother: Dear Mother, I have received two notes from you, one about our course of conduct at Aunt Mary’s, and the other about shirts. I agree with you entirely about what you said in the first, and shall do as you suggest. I burned the note, as you requested, and will not say anything to Aunt Mary about it. I have bought the shirts but will pay the bill myself, as I shall be happy to make Howard a present of the others.
If the success of the 54 Mass. gives you so much pleasure, I shall have no difficulty in giving you good news of it, whenever I write. Everything goes on prosperously. The intelligence of the men is a great surprise, to me. They learn all the details of guard duty and Camp service, infinitely more readily than the Irish I have had under my command. There is not the least doubt, that we shall leave the state, with as good a regiment, as any that has marched. One trouble, which I anticipated, has begun-viz complaints from outsiders of undue severity. But I shall continue to do, what I know is right in that particular, and you may be perfectly certain, that any reports of cruelty, are entirely untrue. I have treated them much more mildly, than we did the men of the 2nd.
Tell Father I received his note, and would like very much to have him send me the horse he speaks of, if he is satisfied with him. I want as handsome a horse as I can get & need it as soon as possible. . . . Your loving son
e. March 25, 1863 --- Sarah Morgan writes in her journal about some of the few social encounters that can occur amongst young people in wartime: Those vile Yankees have been threatening Ponchatoula, and his battery, with a regiment of infantry, was on its way there to drive them back. The Captain sent me word of the distressing departure, with many assurances that he would take care of “my” John. Scarcely had he departed, when lo! John arrives, and speaks for himself. Yes! he is going! Only a moment to say good-bye . . . sunset approaches. Well! he must say good-bye now! Chorus of young ladies: “Oh, will you not spend the evening with us? You can easily overtake the battery later.” Chorus of married ladies: “You must not think of going. Here is a comfortable room at your service, and after an early breakfast you can be on the road as soon as the others.” No necessity for prayers; he readily consents. And yet, as the evening wore on, when we laughed loudest I could not help but think of poor little Mrs. McPhaul sitting alone and crying over her brother’s departure, fancying his precious bones lying on the damp ground with only the soldier’s roof — the blue vault of heaven — above, while two miles away he sat in a comfortable parlor amusing himself.
f. March 25, 1863 --- Leverett Bradley, a young soldier in the 1st Massachusetts Heavy Artillery Regiment, is writing home and speculating about how much longer the war might last, as do all soldiers: What do you think the prospect is of our getting home? Of course you know it cannot be till the war is over. The general opinion is that six months will see all the fighting over. One thing more, we must not give them peace, unless honorable to our arms: there must be no squeezing out place, keep them until they submit to our terms. The end greatly depends upon our success at Vicksburg, port Hudson, and Charleston. If we whip them at these places I think Joe Hooker will start them and will drive them till they get something very strong to hide behind. About influence, I don’t urge my case hard, but just mention the thing, and if anything should turn up, you might put it to use in my case, as I am in the army. I think not to use any braggadocio, that I am as capable as a great many others. Jere will write next Sunday. Much love to all. Yours &c. L. Bradley. Jr.
http://civilwarsesquicentdaily-wolfshield.blogspot.com/search?q=march+25+1863
1 March 25, 1862 Trans-Mississippi Theater, New Mexico Campaign – The Confederate force in New Mexico is divided into three columns---one under Col. Tom Green is moving east from Santa Fe, another under Col. Scurry is 15 miles south of Santa Fe., and the third is moving out from Santa Fe under Major Pyron (380 men) and marches toward Ft. Union. Tonight, Pyron camps at the mouth of Apache Canyon at Johnson’s Ranch. Col Slough, with the Union force, sends Maj. John Chivington and 400 Colorado troops ahead; by this evening, Chivington is camping 13 miles east of Pyron’s troops. Union pickets capture several Confederate pickets, and Chivington finds out from them where Pyron’s rebels are camped, and their strength.
http://civilwarsesquicentdaily-wolfshield.blogspot.com/2012/03/march-25-1862.html
2 March 25, 1864 ---Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest and his Confederate cavalry attack and capture part of Paducah, Kentucky, just across the river from Illinois. The attack “was repulsed, thanks largely to Union gunboats and the US Colored Troops defending the fort.”
The New York Times Kentucky correspondent reports that Forrest attacked Paducah, Kentucky on March 25 and was repulsed, thanks largely to Union gunboats and the US Colored Troops defending the fort. Last Friday night information reached us that Forrest had made his appearance at Paducah at 2 P.M. with 2,000 men, and had begun an attack on that city. Col. Hicks, commander of the post, withdrew all his men, some 800, into the fort, and sent the citizens across the river to the Illinois side. The telegraph operator at Mound City said he could see a great light in the direction of Paducah, and supposed the city was in flames. Gen. BRAYMAN being notified of this, sent up the Twenty-fifth Wisconsin to reinforce the garrison. Saturday morning the steamer Latan came down, having passed Paducah at 5 o’clock, at which time the buildings occupied as headquarters, Quartermaster’s and Commissary’s offices, and ammunition depot had been destroyed; also, many other houses, and the steamer Arizona, which was on the ways. The enemy appeared to have possession of the town, and the fort and three gunboats and been shelling them vigorously. When the fight began 200 men occupied the fort, and had three days’ rations, but soon after 600 other troops were thrown in, and the rations were quickly used up. The Latan was ordered to load at Cairo with provisions, and go to the relief of the garrison. Your correspondent went aboard of this steamer and proceeded to the scene of action, to ascertain what damage had been done. Before we left, however, the Tycoon came down with a report that firing had ceased and the rebels had gone. In the meantime, the Fourth Division, Sixteenth Army Corps, which had been here for about a week, under command of Gen. Veatch, embarked on several steamers for Paducah, hoping to catch FORREST before he could get out of the way. It is said that four thousand cavalry troopers, sent out by Gen. GRIERSON from Memphis, are in his rear. An order was issued from headquarters Friday night, prohibiting the landing of steamboats on the Kentucky side of the Ohio River, between Cairo and Paducah, and the crossing of skiffs from one side of the river to the other without a permit from some military officer. We arrived at Metropolis at 7 P.M., where we found a number of women and children who had escaped from Paducah the day before. They were seated around a fire on the bank of the river, and apparently making the best of their condition. Here we were told that shelling had again commenced at three o’clock, but it was supposed that the gunboats were trying to drive the enemy out of the woods. At 12 M., it was said, a flag of truce had been sent in by FORREST. Friday evening a rebel who tried to cut the telegraph was shot dead. Capt. BAWKMAN and Capt. CRUTCHFIELD, of the Sixteenth Kentucky Cavalry, were wounded in the head, and Capt. BARTLEY in the arm. Sgt. T. HAYS, of the Fifteenth Kentucky Cavalry, was killed. Four white men and seven negroes in the fort were killed. Twenty-five houses around the fort were destroyed by the Federals because they afforded shelter for sharpshooters who could fire directly into the fortification.
At Metropolis we learned that just before the enemy came into the city, all the citizens returned to the fort and remained there until Col. HICKS informed them that he could not furnish arms for all, and those who desired to cross the river could do so. Accordingly, many got aboard of the wharf-boat, which was towed by a ferry-boat to the opposite side of the river. As we approached Paducah we saw the camp fires of these people illuminating the river. Provisions were scarce among them, but Col. HICKS had just sent over a supply which had come from Cairo, with instructions to give to the poor but sell to those who were able to pay. It was after dark when we landed at Paducah, but we walked up toward the fort through the smoldering ruins of the once beautiful city. The warehouses and dwellings exhibited prominent marks of the recent struggle. In many places nothing but bare walls and chimneys were standing. Scarcely a building escaped the terrific fire of the gunboats, and many of them were completely riddled by shrapnel and solid shot. The gunboats Peosta and Paw Paw fired in all about 500 rounds, and had two men slightly wounded.
The commander of the latter vessel received a slight scratch on his cheek, and a Minnie ball passed through his pantaloons. The cabins of the boats were perforated with shot. It was the fire of the gunboats that did so much damage to the town. Had it not been for the navy, Col. HICKS would have had a much more severe contest. Upon arriving within the fort we learned that when FORREST first came in, he formed a line of battle about two and a half miles in length, after which he sent a flag of truce to Col. HICKS, stating that he had enough men to storm and capture the fort, but, desiring to avoid unnecessary bloodshed, he demanded a surrender, promising to treat his captives as prisoners of war, and threatening, in case of refusal, to give no quarter. Col. HICKS replied that he had been placed there to defend the fort; that he was obliged to obey orders, and could not, as an honest soldier, comply with the demand.
While this parley was going on, FORREST advanced his sharpshooters and placed them in houses where they could pick off men in the fort and on the gunboats. The battle soon began, and for several hours raged with great fury. The gunboats poured their broadsides into the city, demolishing buildings and killing and wounding many of the enemy. The guns from the fort thundered forth into the rebel ranks, and, as the Confederates rushed up to their breast-works, mowed them down like grass. FORREST put his best regiments in front, and, notwithstanding they exhibited great courage, some of the men marching up to the very mouths of the guns, they were repulsed four or five times. Their Commanding General said they had never faltered before. There were about eight hundred men within the fortifications, but only about one-third actively participated in the fight. Col. HICKS calmly directed all the operations, and showed such bravery and skill as entitle him to the highest praise. Around the fort lay heaps of unburied rebels and the blackened remains of many beautiful dwellings.
While the battle was raging, parties of the enemy scouted through the city, plundering stores and robbing stables. A large amount of goods was carried away and many horses stolen; none of the latter belonging to the Government were taken, as the rebels were told they were the property of a prominent secessionist. The fight lasted all the afternoon, and resulted in a Federal loss of as stated below, and about 30 prisoners. These were convalescents, and were taken from the hospital; the names of some of them are as follows: Thos. S. Wakefield, Corporal, Co. K. 25th Wisconsin Infantry; Geo. W. Babb, Co. A, 13th Tennessee Cavalry; Thos. Daniels, Co. C, 16th Kentucky Cavalry; Hiram Smith, Sergeant, Co. B, 16th Kentucky Cavalry; Z. Booth, Sergeant, Co. B, 16th Kentucky Cavalry; John Mullin, Co. E, 13th Illinois Infantry; G.T. Sharp, Corporal, Co. K, 63d Ohio; John S. Howard, Corporal, Co. K, 127th Illinois; Samuel Loder, Co. I, 31st Iowa Infantry; John Morehead, Co. E, 9th Illinois Infantry; Hanson Hart, Acting Assistant Surgeon; Simon A. Murphy, citizen; John Jordan, Co. K, 122d Illinois; M.R. Waller, Co. C, 16th Kentucky; J.A. Sadford, Co. B, 16th Kentucky Cavalry; R.J. Martz, 1st Ohio Battery; G.W. Farley, Co. D, 16th Kentucky Cavalry; Isaac Austin, Co. G, 25th Wisconsin; W.J. Bridges, Co. F, 122d Illinois; P. Byerly, Co. I, 20th Missouri; Thos. Pollard, Co. A, 127th Illinois; James Park, Co. E, 7th Tennessee Cavalry; W. Waldeman, Co. F, 31st Iowa; Henry Nabors, Co. E, 7th Tennessee Cavalry; A. Irwin, S. Hamilton and Robert Barnes.
These, with the 400 taken a day or two before at Union City, FORREST offered to exchange for Confederate prisoners, man for man; but Col. HICKS replied that he was not authorized to make any such arrangement. The number of white Federals killed is 14; wounded, 46. Eleven negroes were killed and wounded, all shot in the head.
The rebels had 300 killed and about 1,000 wounded. The latter they took to Mayfield by railroad; the former they left unburied. Among the Confederate officers slain was Brig.-Gen. A.P. Thompson, a former resident of Paducah. The enemy remained about the city until 3 P.M., on Saturday, when they moved off in the direction of Columbus, where fit was supposed the next fight would take place. Learning that that place was threatened, your correspondent hurried aboard of the dispatch-boat Volunteer, and returned to Cairo this morning.
A correspondent of the Chicago Tribune writes regarding the attack on Paducah: “The dispatches in the press of St. Louis and Chicago do not give a correct statement of the force. In the fort there were about 250 recruits for a United States colored regiment, a portion of the Sixteenth Kentucky Cavalry, without arms, and two companies of the One Hundred and Twenty-second Illinois Infantry, in all about 500 men. It was the negro regulars that fought so well. They handled the artillery with great skill, and their bravery is on the tongues of all the loyal men. One of the regiments in the attack on the fort was the Third Kentucky, Col. THOMPSON, who commanded a brigade. This regiment was raised in Paducah three years ago by Col. TILGHMAN, afterward Brigadier-General, and Col. THOMPSON, who was at the time Prosecuting Attorney for the Paducah circuit.
Col. THOMPSON was a man of great influence, and did more than anyone else in recruiting the regiment from the chivalry. This was its first visit home. Before the attack was made threats were freely made in the streets that they would capture the fort and kill every damned nigger in it. In the attack, this regiment was in the advance and suffered the most. Col. THOMPSON was literally torn in pieces by a shot from a siege gun handled by colored men. These colored men were native Kentuckians, and seven of them have offered up their lives for their country. To Hon. LUCIEN ANDERSON, of that district, the credit is due of getting permission to raise a regiment of blacks, which was done against the opposition of the State authorities. To Col. HICKS, a noble War Democrat, and all the troops under his command, great credit is due for their obstinate and successful defense.
http://gathkinsons.net/sesqui/?p=6349
3 March 25, 1864 ---Former Pres. Millard Fillmore, in his first public statement on the war, that he believes that in spite of the vast destruction, the war must be won, and then offers this view on showing mercy and charity afterwards: “But it must be apparent to all that the first step toward bringing this war to a close is to conquer the [rebel] army. Any negotiations for peace before this is done would prove abortive; and any professed clemency to those in arms who defy our power would be a mockery which would be treated with ridicule and contempt. But, when we have conquered their armies and disposed of their leaders, then let us show our magnanimity and generosity by winning back the deluded multitude who have been seduced or coerced into this rebellion, by extending to them every act of clemency and kindness in our power, and by restoring them to all their rights under the Constitution. This I conceive to be Christian forgiveness and the best policy, and the only one which can ever restore this Union.”
http://civilwarsesquicentdaily-wolfshield.blogspot.com/search?q=march+25+1864
4 March 25, 1865 - The last offensive for Lee's Army of Northern Virginia begins with an attack on the center of Grant's forces at Petersburg, Virginia at Fort Steadman. Four hours later the attack is broken.
Battle of Fort Stedman. Confederates break Union line at Petersburg. General John B. Gordon captured Fort Stedman, a Union outpost on the line around besieged Petersburg, eventually punching a hole 3/4 of mile wide. Confederate units then made a desperate attempt to hit the federal supply base at City Point. With overwhelming force, the federal troops turned back the advance, recaptured the fort and retook the lines.

The American Civil War 150 Years Ago Today: Search results for march 25 1863

A no-frills day-by-day account of what was happening 150 years ago, this blog is intended to be a way that we can experience or remember the Civil War with more immediacy, in addition to understanding the flow of time as we live in it.

Response by SPC Corbin Sayi made Mar 25 at 2016 4:58 PM

2016-03-25T16:58:05-04:00

LTC Stephen F. are you a historical expert? How do you come across all of these topics? They are very informative and important. SHOULD be common knowledge, but of course they are not in our culture. Great work.

Response by SSG Leo Bell made Mar 25 at 2016 11:07 PM

2016-03-25T23:07:59-04:00

That's for the history lesson. Thank you LTC Stephen Ford for all the extra reading.

Response by SSgt Robert Marx made Mar 25 at 2016 11:28 PM

2016-03-25T23:28:50-04:00

I believe the part concerning the Civil War that makes it so interesting to so many Americans that otherwise are not history lovers is the internecine warfare among the Americans, that it was a modern & old fashioned style of fighting, and the battles truly occurred in so many diverse areas in this huge continental nation. Many of us had ancestors fighting. The last known combat vet of the Civil War passed away in 1956.