Admiral David Dixon Porter, commander of the Mississippi River Squadron during the #CivilWar and later Superintendent of the @USNaval_Academy and the second man ever to hold the rank of Admiral in the @USNavy , died #OTD in 1891. He is buried in @ArlingtonNatl Cemetery.

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More from @CivilWarOTD

14 Feb
Frederick Douglass, the renowned abolitionist, social reformer, and orator, celebrated his birthday #OTD in the later years of his life. His exact date of birth is not known, as he was born into slavery in Maryland and the birth was not recorded.(@FredDouglassNPS)
During the #CivilWar, Douglass was a strong advocate of enlisting African-American men into the @USArmy, arguing that since the goal of the war was the abolition of slavery, those most impacted should be permitted to fight for that cause.
Once they were finally permitted to serve, Douglass actively recruited men for the famed 54th Massachusetts Infantry. Two of those men were his sons, Charles and Lewis. Charles was in poor health and did not see action, but Lewis was wounded at the Battle of Fort Wagner.
Read 8 tweets
14 Feb
General William T. Sherman occupied @CityofMeridian, MS with one wing of his Army of the Tennessee #OTD in 1864. He immediately set about ordering the destruction of the railroad track, locomotives, bridges and storehouses.#CivilWar
The other wing of Sherman's army, cavalrymen under Gen. William Sooy Smith, was intended to reach Meridian from the North, but encountered a force under Nathan Bedford Forrest and were forced to withdraw. Sherman pulled his force back to @VicksburgNPS a week later.
Read 5 tweets
13 Feb
The Battle of Middle Boggy Depot was fought in Choctaw Indian Territory of what is now Oklahoma #OTD in 1864, when a Union force under Colonel William Phillips moved south from Fort Gibson in an attempt to divide confederate forces in the Territory. #CivilWar ImageImageImage
An advance force of the 14th Kansas Cavarly under Major Charles Willetts encountered a force of 90 confederates at a depot at a crossing of the Middle Boggy River. Willetts ordered a charge routing the small rebel force, killing more than half of them. ImageImage
Read 6 tweets
12 Feb
Darius Nash Couch, a @USArmy general during the #CivilWar as well as a respected naturalist in the scientific community, died #OTD in 1897. He was 72 years old. Image
A graduate of @WestPoint_USMA in the Class of 1846, Couch served in the Mexican-American War, distinguishing himself during the Battle of Buena Vista. He saw further combat in the Third Seminole War in Florida before serving several years in garrison duty. ImageImageImageImage
During 1853-54, Couch took a leave of absence from the Army to conduct a scientific mission in Mexico for the @smithsonian Institution. While there, he discovered a species of toad, two reptiles, and a bird that became known as Couch’s kingbird. ImageImageImageImage
Read 11 tweets
12 Feb
Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States, was born #OTD in 1809. His election in 1860 was a catalyst for the southern states’ secession, but his firm, principled leadership guided the Union to victory in the #CivilWar before his assassination in 1865. (@ALPLM) Image
Read 5 tweets
3 Dec 20
General Wesley Merritt, a graduate of the @WestPoint_USMA Class of 1860 who rose to the rank of Major General by the end of the #CivilWar, died #OTD in 1910 in Natural Bridge, VA. He was 76 years old.
A cavalry officer, Merritt served under some of the finest cavalry officers in the @USArmy. Gen. John Buford was his commander before the war, and after it began he served as aide-de-camp to Gen. Philip St. George Cooke and adjutant to Gen. George Stoneman.
At the Battle of Brandy Station, Merritt commanded the Reserve Brigade under Buford, and was slightly wounded in the action. He distinguished himself enough that he, along with Elon Farnsworth and George Custer, was promoted directly from Captain to Brigadier General.
Read 11 tweets

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