1861

Skirmish near Newport News, Virginia

Battle of Carthage, Missouri.  On this day, the first large-scale engagement of the Civil War is fought in southwestern Missouri, signaling an escalation in the hostilities between the North and South.

Missouri was the scene of some of the most bitter partisan fighting during the war. After the clash at Fort Sumter in April, the state was deeply divided. The Missouri State Guardsmen, a force of 6,000 men commanded by Confederate Governor Claiborne Jackson and Colonel Sterling Price, were poorly equipped and outfitted mostly in civilian clothing. Their Union counterpart was a force of 1,100, mostly German-Americans from St. Louis, commanded by General Franz Sigel.

Sigel's force occupied Springfield in late June, and then collided with the Confederates at nearby Carthage on July 5. Outnumbered, Sigel eventually withdrew, but was able to hold off several small attacks. By nightfall, the Union troops had retreated through Carthage and escaped a dangerous trap. Both sides declared victory, and losses were light: 13 Union men were killed and 31 were wounded, while 40 Confederates were killed and 120 were wounded. The forces remained in the area of Springfield, gathering strength over the next month. They would fight again in August at Wilson's Creek, Missouri.

1862

Beginning of a four day Federal operation in the vicinity of Ponchatoula, Louisiana.

Multiple skirmishes along the Hatchie River in Mississippi.

Skirmishes at Battle Creek and Walden’s Ridge, Tennessee.

Beginning of two day of Confederate operations directed against Federal shipping in the James River, Virginia.

1863

Skirmishes at Bardstown, Franklin, Lebanon, and Woodburn, Kentucky.

Skirmish at Smithsburg, Maryland.

Day number one of the twenty day Jackson, Mississippi, Campaign.  Skirmishes at Birdsong Ferry and near Bolton, Mississippi, as Federal troops under Sherman once more turned there attention on the Mississippi capital city.  At Vicksburg, Grant began the work of paroling Pemberton’s army.

Skirmishes at Cunningham’s Crossroad, Fairfield, Greencastle, Green Oak, Mercersburg, and Steven’s Furnace (Caledonia Iron Works,) Pennsylvania.   The beaten Army of Northern Virginia moved generally toward Hagerstown, Maryland, while Lee’s trains went by way of Chambersburg.

Beginning of a three day Federal operation between Plymouth and Williamston, North Carolina.  Skirmishes at Kenansville, Warsaw, North Carolina.

Skirmish along Yellow Creek, Tennessee.

1864

Sherman’s Federals pressed Johnston’s line on the Chattahoochee.  Skirmishing occurred at Pace’s Ferry, Howell’s Ferry, Turner’s Ferry, and Isham’s Ford, Georgia.

President Lincoln suspends the privilege of wirt of habeas corpus in Kentucky and declare martial law.

Skirmishes at Keedysville, Noland’s Ferry, Point of Rocks, and Solomon’s Gap, Maryland.  Jubal Early’s Confederate force began crossing the Potomac River.

A request is sent to New York and Pennsylvania for 24,000 militia to assist in the defense of Washington City from the advancing Confederates under Jubal Early.

The first day of a six day Federal operation between New Madrid and Caruthersville, Missouri.  Skirmish at Big Piney, Missouri.

The first day of a sixteen day Federal expedition originating from La Grange, Tennessee to Tupelo, Mississippi.

References:

The Civil War Day by Day, Philip Katcher.
The Civil War Day By Day: An Almanac 1861-1865, by E. B. Long with Barbara Long.
The Chronological Tracking of the American Civil War Per the Official Records of the War of Rebellion, by Ronald A Mosocco.
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history.do
http://www.on-this-day.com/cgi-bin/otd/uscivilwarotd/uscivilwarotd.pl