Request a brochure Civil War Encyclopedia Blue and Gray Trail Civil War in Georgia On the Blue and Gray Trail Civil War by state Today in the Civil War Battles Images Places Feature Stories Links Search Who we are	Civil War Timeline / Chronology for March 1863 <<Previous year    Next year>> Civil War Navidater Century 1700's 1800's 1900's 2000's Decade 1800's 1810's 1820's 1830's 1840's 1850's 1860's 1870's 1880's 1890's Year 1860 1861 1862 1863 1864 1865 1866 1867 1868 1869 January, 1863 May, 1863 September, 1863 February, 1863 June, 1863 October, 1863 March, 1863 July, 1863 November, 1863 April, 1863 August, 1863 December, 1863 March 2, 1863 Congress rejects a call by President Lincoln to adopt a standard railroad gauge of 5 feet and adopts the 4 foot, 8 and one-half inches gauge. It is sometimes called the Congressional gauge. March 3, 1863 Naval assaults on Ft. McAllister resumes, lasting eight hours on this day. The damage to the fort's sand walls is quickly repaired. Georgia   Fort McAllister March 3, 1863 The Conscription Act (National Enrollment Act of 1863) is signed into law by President Lincoln. Congress requires quotas of draftees by state, but allows wealthy Americans the right to buy their way out of service for $300.00. Also called the Draft Act or any number of variations.   Abraham Lincoln March 3, 1863 National Academy of Science chartered, Washington, D. C.   Washington D. C. March 3, 1863 Financier Jay Cooke is named as an agent to popularize the purchase of U. S. government bonds March 4, 1863 March 5, 1863 Battle of Spring Hill Battle of Unionville Confederate Cavalry under Earl Van Dorn and Nathan Bedford Forrest drive Union Cavalry off on the 4th, then surround and engage the remaining infantry. After heavy fighting on the 5th, the Union garrison surrenders. Tennessee   Nathan Bedford Forrest   Earl Van Dorn March 10, 1863 President Lincoln issues an order of amnesty for men absent without leave from the Union Army. They must report by April 1st or they will be considered deserters March 11, 1863 Ulysses S. Grant renewed his efforts to reach Vicksburg when he tried to push gunboats past Fort Pemberton, near Greenwood. General W. W. Loring ("Old Blizzards") had built and manned the fort to prevent attacks of this nature. Mississippi   Second Vicksburg Campaign   Ulysses S. Grant March 13, 1863 An explosion in the Confederate Ordinance Laboratory on Brown's Island in the James River near Tredegar Iron Works in Richmond kills 69 people, 62 of them women and young girls. A friction primer exploded. Virginia March 14, 1863 Admiral David Farragut pushes his command vessel, the Hartford and the Albatross past Port Hudson, but Confederate fire seriously damage three other vessels. Louisiana   Second Vicksburg Campaign   David Farragut March 16, 1863 Ulysses S. Grant ends his Yazoo Pass expedition, but orders William Tecumseh Sherman to try Steele's Bayou again.   William Tecumseh Sherman   Second Vicksburg Campaign March 17, 1863 William Bensinger, Robert Buffum, Elihu H. Mason, Jacob Parrott, William Pittenger and William H. Reddick are exchanged for Confederate soldiers from the prisoner-of-war camp at City Point, Virginia. Among the first Medal of Honor winners, these men were members of Andrews Raiders   The Great Locomotive Chase March 17, 1863 Battle of Kelly's Ford. Federal cavalry under William Woods Averall crossed the ford of the Rappahannock River then ran into a Rebel line. After brief but heavy fighting, the Yankees withdrew that afternoon. Major John "The Gallant" Pelham [CS] was killed in this battle. He would posthumously be promoted to Lt. Colonel. Virginia March 19, 1863 The Albatross and the Hartford become the first federal ships to pass the garrison at Vicksburg, MS.   Second Vicksburg Campaign March 21, 1863 Corps commander Major General Edwin Vose Sumner dies in Syracuse, NY of natural causes on his way to assume command of the Department of Missouri.   Edwin Vose Sumner March 22, 1863 A detachment of John Morgan's [CS] cavalry captures the federal outpost at Mount Sterling Kentucky March 22, 1863 April 1, 1863 Confederate John Pegram enters Kentucky on a series of raids. Kentucky March 24, 1863 A small skirmish at Black Bayou marked the end of General William Tecumseh Sherman's attempt to find an unguarded water route into Vicksburg. Mississippi   William Tecumseh Sherman   Second Vicksburg Campaign March 25, 1863 Ambrose Burnside ordered to command the Department of the Ohio   Ambrose Burnside March 26, 1863 West Virginia voters overwhelmingly approve the new state constitution West Virginia March 28, 1863 Battle of Glorieta (Pass), New Mexico territory Union forces halt the Confederate attempt to take over New Mexico March 29, 1863 Stymied in his attempt to reach Vicksburg on the east bank of the Mississippi, Grant orders General John McClernand to march south on the west bank to Miliken's Bend   Second Vicksburg Campaign   John A. McClernand January, 1863 May, 1863 September, 1863 February, 1863 June, 1863 October, 1863 March, 1863 July, 1863 November, 1863 April, 1863 August, 1863 December, 1863 Civil War Navidater Century 1700's 1800's 1900's 2000's Decade 1800's 1810's 1820's 1830's 1840's 1850's 1860's 1870's 1880's 1890's Year 1860 1861 1862 1863 1864 1865 1866 1867 1868 1869 The best search in Civil War History
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