Civil War Raids

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The Grey Ghost - John Singleton Mosby's Fairfax raid has 145th anniversary
The Confederate partisan ranger John Singleton Mosby, the Grey Ghost, is a legend of Northern Virginia history. He led his Mosby's Rangers on exploits during the Civil War, and he is the subject of history tours, books and a 1950s TV show. The Mosby Heritage Area and the John S. Mosby Highway and Fairfax neighborhood Mosby Woods also bear his name. "He had no military background at all, but in his career as fighter ... he created something that didn't exist before," said Don Hakenson, of the Mosby's Confederacy bus tour. Mosby was a innovator of guerilla warfare, whose style was to come from nowhere, hit and disperse.
by connectionnewspapers :: 2008-03-17 :: Civil War Raids

Man says he found missing Civil War gold, but state won't let him dig
No one has discovered the gold (worth $2 million) lost during the Civil War in Elk County. According to legend, Abraham Lincoln ordered a gold shipment to pay Union soldiers and the route came through Elk County. The soldiers escorting the gold made it to Ridgway and St. Mary's, then they disappeared: except for the wagon train's guide, Conners. "He claimed he couldn't remember anything," said Dennis Parada, who runs Finders Keepers USA, a treasure hunting crew. Some treasure hunters say a raiding party killed the soldiers escorting the gold. Parada thinks the gold's disappearance was an inside job: "Conners ambushed and killed the rest of the guys."
by wjactv :: 2008-02-17 :: Treasure Hunt: Lost Civil War Gold

Furniture raids by Union Soldiers in the Civil War
In 1863, Union invasion forces under General Nathaniel Banks began to move up the coast, capturing Confederate forts on the islands, intent on closing bays to blockade runners. The Union army moved on to capture Fort Esperanza, the Confederate bastion on Matagorda Island, and left behind the 20th Iowa to hold Mustang Island. The winter of 1863 was a cold one, so the soldiers dismantled the doors and walls for planks and tote off furniture from the houses of the Confederates. The regimental historian of the 20th Iowa wrote that the men built quarters and furnished them with comfort, even luxury.
by caller :: 2007-07-28 :: Civil War Raids

Federal raids to disrupt Rebel supply lines - Birney's Raid
Bits of rusting metal machines have long been a curiosity on the edge of the fresh-water spring at DeLeon Springs State Park. In late April 1864, machinery here drew destruction as the area's most productive plantation lay in ruins. The federal invasion of Confederate territory is called Birney's Raid after General William Birney. Fighting wasn't the goal, there were no enemy units. "Birney's Raid was the last major attempt of Union forces to redeem themselves" for the February defeat at Olustee. Federals wanted to destroy supply sources like John Starke's Spring Garden Plantation. Riverboats were captured and destroyed, slaves liberated and a few Rebels nabbed.
by treasurenet :: 2007-04-29 :: Civil War Raids

John Hunt Morgan's raiders romantic but ruthless in waging war
There was a lot of glamour associated with the legend of John Hunt Morgan, but there also was a lot of "harsh, gritty reality to it as well." Morgan, then a colonel, was ordered to leave middle Tennessee and to join General Kirby Smith's forces in the Bluegrass. Smith, facing troop buildups along his front and concerned about Union division of 8,000 at his rear, ordered Morgan to lead a force of 800 men to intercept. The Confederate colonel get at Proctor first and burned the steam flourmill so that when the hungry Union soldiers reached the river they found the much-needed source of food in ruins.
by winchestersun :: 2006-10-19 :: Civil War Raids

Footnote in America's war with Mexico: raid on Rancho Penasquitos
On a December day in 1846, a group of battle-weary U.S. soldiers raided a Mexican ranch house in their retreat to San Diego. It was a footnote in America's war with Mexico 1846-1848, which is largely overlooked in the U.S. history. More than 12,000 Americans died, and Mexico lost nearly half its territory. The raid on Rancho Penasquitos by U.S. soldiers followed one of the bloodiest battles in the war: General Stephen Watts Kearny believed the California territory was under U.S. control, so he left all but 100 of his troops behind and crossed the Mojave Desert to confront the militia - who overtook them using guns and 16-foot lances.
by nctimes :: 2006-09-25 :: Civil War Raids

American Civil War in the News is a edited review of American Civil War related news and articles, providing collection of hand-picked 1861-1865 era history.