Saturday, May 21, 2022

May 21, 1862 - Wednesday - 160 years ago today

Status - John Baer - 40th Indiana Regiment - Wood's Division

Again little to report for this time as the Union army is slowly moving forward and getting into position for the planned attack, and then a siege if the first attack is not fully successful.

On the Confederate side, General Beauregard is concerned about his army.  He does not have the 100,000 men that General Halleck is hearing about in rumors, in fact, he only has about half of that, and many are sick or wounded.  In addition, he is having trouble with supplies.  The Confederate army cannot withstand what he expects to become a siege.

Virginia - Peninsula Campaign

The Union army is very close to Richmond (about 8 miles away), indicating that battle is near at hand.  McClellan continues to appeal to Lincoln for more troops.

Homestead Act

 On the 20th, President Lincoln signed the Homestead Act, which allowed the sale of land in 160 acre squares to homesteaders west of the Mississippi.  Thus the new land opened up would be distributed very much in the same way as the land from the Great Lakes states.  This would accelerate the settlement of the West and the entry of new states into the Union.

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NEXT POST: MAY 25TH

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