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 May 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 May 1, 1863 May 4, 1863 Battle of Chancellorsville General "Fighting Joe" Hooker's Army of the Potomac is defeated by Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia as it crosses the Rappahannock on the way to Richmond Union: 17,268 Confederate: 12,821 Virginia   Robert E. Lee   Joseph Hooker   Bloodiest Civil War battles   Stonewall Jackson   Army of Northern Virginia   Army of the Potomac   Lafayette McLaws   Chancellorsville   John Reynolds   Darius Couch   George Stoneman May 1, 1863 "Stainless Banner" becomes the second Confederate Flag   Flags of the Civil War May 1, 1863 May 2, 1863 Battle of Chalk Bluff Arkansas May 1, 1863 Skirmishing increased in eastern Alabama as Col. Abel Streight moved towards Rome Alabama   Raid on Rome, Georgia May 1, 1863 In a rally intended to be a reaction to Burnside's General Order 38, Clement Vallandigham criticizes Abraham Lincoln for not ending the Civil War, which he characterized as "wicked and cruel."   Clement Vallandigham May 2, 1863 General Stonewall Jackson is shot 3 times in a friendly fire incident Virginia   Stonewall Jackson   Generals Who Died In the Civil War   Chancellorsville May 3, 1863 Nathan Bedford Forrest ends Abel Streight's Raid on Rome, Georgia, in heavy skirmishing at Cedar Bluffs, Alabama. Alabama Georgia   Nathan Bedford Forrest   Raid on Rome, Georgia May 3, 1863 Second Battle of Fredericksburg John Sedgwick drives Jubal Early south past the city of Fredericksburg. The following day, as Early prepares to counterattack he finds the city empty. Sedgwick had followed the river west to aid the Army of the Potomac at Chancellorsville Virginia   Jubal Anderson Early   John Sedgwick   Chancellorsville May 3, 1863 May 4, 1863 Battle of Salem Church Battle of Banks Ford Wilcox's Brigade of Early's Division stops the Union IV Army Corps with a position around rural Salem Church. Sedgwick decided to withdraw to the north when Lee reinforce Wilcox with two divisions and Early moved on Sedgwick's rear. Virginia   John Sedgwick   Jubal Anderson Early   Chancellorsville May 3, 1863 Frederick Steele returns to Little Rock, marking the end of the Red River Campaign Arkansas May 5, 1863 Former representative and a leader of the Peace Democrats, Clemont Vallandigham is arrested by the federal army. Ohio   Clement Vallandigham May 7, 1863 Major General Earl van Dorn [CS] is killed by a jealous husband.   Earl Van Dorn   Generals Who Died In the Civil War May 10, 1863 Stonewall Jackson dies at a field hospital near Guiney Station, VA, Virginia   Stonewall Jackson   Generals Who Died In the Civil War May 12, 1863 Battle of Raymond A Confederate brigade under John Gregg attacks a Union division under Major General John Logan in the town of Raymond, between Vicksburg and Jackson. Mississippi   Second Vicksburg Campaign May 13, 1863 Two corps, under William Tecumseh Sherman and James MacPherson, advance on Jackson Mississippi   William Tecumseh Sherman   Second Vicksburg Campaign May 14, 1863 Battle of Jackson After a brief fight, McPherson and Sherman's corps take Jackson, driving Joe Johnston off. Mississippi   Joseph E. Johnston   William Tecumseh Sherman May 15, 1863 A portion of the Tredegar Iron Works and a nearby flour mill burn. Virginia May 15, 1863 Joe Johnston orders John Pemberton to break out of Grant's tightening noose. Pemberton refuses the order. Mississippi   Joseph E. Johnston   Second Vicksburg Campaign May 16, 1863 Battle of Champion Hill Pemberton agrees to attack the federal line with Johnston. The focal point of the attack, Champion Hill, will change hands three times, but the Confederate forces fail to meet. Pemberton withdraws to Vicksburg Mississippi   Second Vicksburg Campaign   Joseph E. Johnston   Second Vicksburg Campaign May 16, 1863 Judge H. H. Leavitt denies a motion for habeas corpus in the Vallandigham case Ohio   Clement Vallandigham May 17, 1863 Battle of Black River Pemberton placed his men with their backs to the Black River. When the U. S. attacked, Pemberton's line broke with most of the men crossing the Black River before the bridge was set on fire. Army of the Tennessee then spanned the Big Black, closing in on Vicksburg Mississippi   Army of the Tennessee   Battle of Vicksburg   Second Vicksburg Campaign May 17, 1863 President Lincoln declares Judge Leavitt's denial of motion for habeas corpus in the Vallandigham case the equivalent of 3 victories in the field.   Clement Vallandigham May 19, 1863 General Ulysses S. Grant [US] makes contact with Rear Admiral David Porter, sailing north from New Orleans with supplies Mississippi   Ulysses S. Grant   David Porter   Second Vicksburg Campaign May 19, 1863 William Tecumseh Sherman [US] launches a full scale frontal assault against Rebel lines in Vicksburg. He is repulsed with heavy losses, especially near the Stockade Redan Mississippi   William Tecumseh Sherman   Battle of Vicksburg   Army of the Tennessee May 22, 1863 Massive Union assaults on Fortress Vicksburg fail Mississippi   Battle of Vicksburg   Second Vicksburg Campaign May 22, 1863 Abraham Lincoln offers command of the Army of the Potomac to Darius Couch. Couch refuses, but recommends George Meade.   Darius Couch   George Meade   Abraham Lincoln May 25, 1863 Clement Vallandigham is banished to the Confederacy for his "pro-Confederate remarks." The exchange took place at Murfreesboro, Tennessee Ohio Tennessee   Clement Vallandigham May 26, 1863 July 4, 1863 Siege of Vicksburg Date of the start of siege varies from May 18 - May 26. Mississippi   Ulysses S. Grant   William Tecumseh Sherman   John A. McClernand   James McPherson May 26, 1863 Confederate Naval flag introduced by Secretary of the Navy Stephen Russell Mallory   Flags of the Civil War May 27, 1863 July 9, 1863 Siege of Port Hudson After attempting to storm the walls of Port Hudson, Nathaniel Banks digs in for a siege. Louisiana   Nathaniel Banks May 29, 1863 Ambrose Burnside offers his resignation over the Vallandigham affair. Lincoln refuses.   Clement Vallandigham May 30, 1863 Robert E. Lee restructures his Army of Northern Virginia, creating three corps under James Longstreet, Dick Ewell and A. P. Hill.   Robert E. Lee   Army of Northern Virginia   A. P. Hill   James Longstreet   Richard Ewell 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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