Karl A. Bacon

Servant of Christ, husband, multi-award winning author. I write American Civil War novels that are true to history and touch the soul.

[Karl A. Bacon @KarlBacon]

Dec 31 1863: The Confederate defeats in the last half of the year - Gettysburg, Vicksburg, Port Hudson, Chattanooga, Knoxville - prompts the Richmond "Examiner" to opine: "Today closes the gloomiest year in our struggle." #ACW #CW155

[Karl A. Bacon @KarlBacon]

Dec 30 1863: Crack in the Confederacy? Gov. Vance of NC writes to CS Pres Davis that discontent in his state will not cease unless there is "some effort at negotiation with the enemy." #ACW #CW155

[Karl A. Bacon @KarlBacon]

Dec 29 1863: Skirmishing increases in Texas, Arkansas, Mississippi, and at the usual spots in Tennessee. #ACW #CW155

[Karl A. Bacon @KarlBacon]

Dec 28 1863: Federal troops engage in operations to root out John Mosby's guerrillas in northern Virginia and against similar foes north of Nashville and in Southern Kentucky. #ACW #CW155

[Karl A. Bacon @KarlBacon]

Dec 27 1863: President Lincoln and Secretary of War Stanton visit Confederate POWs at Point Lookout Prison Camp in Maryland, located where the Potomac River flows into Chesapeake Bay. #ACW #CW155

[Karl A. Bacon @KarlBacon]

Dec 26 1863: Skirmishing continues in too many places to name. Confederate warship CSS "Alabama" seizes two Federal ships off the Strait of Malacca (btw Sumatra and Malaysia.) #ACW #CW155

[Karl A. Bacon @KarlBacon]

Dec 25 1863: Trying to rid the Stono River in SC of Federal naval support, Confederate batteries fire on gunboats "Marblehead" and "Pawnee." "Marblehead" is hit 20 times, but captures two of the enemy's howitzers before heading north for repairs. #ACW #CW155

[Karl A. Bacon @KarlBacon]

Dec 24 1863: Pres Lincoln writes Gen Nathaniel Banks, head of the Dept. of the Gulf, that Banks should be "master" of both the newly reorganized state government of Louisiana and of all military matters in the department. #ACW #CW155

[Karl A. Bacon @KarlBacon]

Dec 23 1863: CS Pres Davis urges Gen Joe Johnston to start "active operations" against the Federals soon. Minor fights break out at Corinth, MS, Culpeper, VA, and Centerville, MO. #ACW #CW155

[Karl A. Bacon @KarlBacon]

Dec 22 1863: More skirmishing near Cleveland, Tennessee and in Mississippi. #ACW #CW155

[Karl A. Bacon @KarlBacon]

Dec 21 1863: Only minor skirmishing today in Virginia, West Virginia, and eastern Tennessee. #ACW #CW155

[Karl A. Bacon @KarlBacon]

Dec 20 1863: Pres Lincoln is still taking heat for the Emancipation Proclamation almost a year after he issued it. He told a Massachusetts official that he had no intention of changing or retracting it. #ACW #CW155

[Karl A. Bacon @KarlBacon]

Dec 19 1863: CS Pres Davis advises his new commander in northern Georgia, Gen Joe Johnston, "the difficulties of your new position are realized and the government will make every possible effort to aid you. #ACW #CW155

[Karl A. Bacon @KarlBacon]

Dec 18 1863: In Missouri, continued friction between state government and the military prompts Pres Lincoln to urge Secretary of War Stanton to replace Gen John Schofield (pic) with now-available Gen William Rosecrans. #ACW #CW155

[Karl A. Bacon @KarlBacon]

Dec 17 1863: The Freedmen's Aid Society presents to President Lincoln a plan to establish a Federal Bureau of Emancipation to help freedmen and former slaves. Lincoln sends the plan on to Congress, which ignores it until March, 1865. #ACW #CW155

[Karl A. Bacon @KarlBacon]

Dec 16 1863: CS Gen Joseph E Johnston is named commander of both the Department and Army of Tennessee, replacing interim commander Gen William Hardee. #ACW #CW155

[Karl A. Bacon @KarlBacon]

Dec 15 1863: Confederate Maj. Gen. Jubal Early is assigned command of the Confederate District of the Shenandoah Valley. #ACW #CW155

[Karl A. Bacon @KarlBacon]

Dec 14 1863: CS Gen James Longstreet attacks a Federal force under Gen James Shackleford at Bean Station, Tennessee. The Federals are beaten back, make a stand, then withdraw the next day. Longstreet goes into winter quarters at nearby Russellville. #ACW #CW155

[Karl A. Bacon @KarlBacon]

Dec 13 1863: An active day of skirmishing in West Virginia, Virginia, eastern Tennessee, around Ringgold, Georgia, and out west in Arkansas. #ACW #CW155

[Karl A. Bacon @KarlBacon]

Dec 12 1863: In West Virginia, Federal cavalry conducts raids on railroads still held by Confederates along the Greenbrier River and at Lewisburg. Longstreet's Confederates skirmish with probing Federals near Russellville, TN. #ACW #CW155