Today in History

Month
Oct. 1, 1864

Rose O’Neal Greenhow, a Confederate spy during the Civil War, died

Oct. 2, 1780

British officer John André, Benedict Arnold’s British confidant and accomplice, is hanged

Oct. 2, 1803

Samuel Adams, American politician and Governor of Massachusetts, died

Oct. 2, 1864

Battle of Saltville, also known as the Saltville Massacre

Oct. 3, 1861

Battle of Greenbrier River, also known as Camp Bartow

Oct. 3, 1862

Battle of Corinth, fought from October 3-4, started

Oct. 3, 1863
Lincoln Reading

President Lincoln issued a proclamation designating “the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving”

Oct. 4, 1777

Battle of Germantown

Oct. 4, 1822

Rutherford B. Hayes, Union Brigadier General and 19th President of the United States, was born

Oct. 4, 1862

Battle of Corinth, fought from October 3-4, ended

Oct. 5, 1813

Battle of the Thames

Oct. 5, 1813
Shawnee War Chief Tecumseh

Tecumseh, Native American warrior and Statesman/Orator, died at the Battle of the Thames

Oct. 6, 1777
Sketch of Forts Clinton & Montgomery

Battle of Fort Clinton and Montgomery

Oct. 7, 1763
Text of the Proclamation of 1763

The Royal Proclamation of 1763, which banned colonists from settling beyond the Appalachian Mountains, was issued

Oct. 7, 1777
Surrender of General Burgoyne by John Trumbull

Battle of Saratoga, fought from September 10 - October 7, ended

Oct. 7, 1780

Battle of Kings Mountain

Oct. 7, 1821

Richard H. Anderson, Confederate Brigadier General during the Civil War, was born

Oct. 8, 1793
Portrait of a man sitting at a writing desk holding a quill pen and a book.

John Hancock, Delegate from MA to the Continental Congress and 4th President of the Continental Congress, died

Oct. 8, 1837
Powhatan Beaty

Powhatan Beaty, Union First Sergeant during the Civil War and Medal of Honor Recipient, was born

Oct. 8, 1862
Soldiers firing in a line at the Perryville Battle

Battle of Perryville, also known as Chaplin Hills

Oct. 9, 1861

Battle of Santa Rosa Island

Oct. 9, 1864

Battle of Tom's Brook

Oct. 10, 1872
A photograph of William H. Seward

William H. Seward, 24th United States Secretary of State, died

Oct. 11, 1775
This is a sketch of William Howe.

William Howe named commander in chief of the British Army

Oct. 11, 1776

Battle of Valcour Island

Oct. 11, 1809

Meriwether Lewis, who led the Corps of Discovery with William Clark, died

Oct. 12, 1815

William J. Hardee, Confederate Lieutenant General during the Civil War, was born

Oct. 12, 1870

Robert E. Lee, General-in-Chief of all Confederate forces, died

Oct. 13, 1775
drawing of a small ship at sea with an American flag

The U.S. Navy is established

Oct. 13, 1812
This paining is a portrayal of the charge of British soldiers at the Battle of Queenston Heights.

Battle of Queenston Heights

Oct. 14, 1863

Battle of Bristoe Station

Oct. 15, 1836

Thomas Lafayette Rosser, Confederate Major General during the Civil War, was born

Oct. 16, 1859
Photograph of John Brown

John Brown’s raid on Harpers Ferry, which lasted from October 16 to 18, started

Oct. 16, 1862

George B. Anderson, Confederate Brigadier General during the Civil War, died

Oct. 17, 1777
Surrender of General Burgoyne by John Trumbull

John Burgoyne surrenders to Horatio Gates at Saratoga, NY, after the American victory at the Battle of Saratoga

Oct. 18, 1776
This is a map detailing Pell's Point and its surrounding area.

Battle of Pell’s Point

Oct. 18, 1859
Photograph of John Brown

John Brown’s raid on Harpers Ferry, which lasted from October 16 to 18, ended

Oct. 19, 1781
This painting depicts a commander leading his troops at Yorktown.

The Siege of Yorktown, which lasted from September 28 to October 19, ended

Oct. 19, 1863
Buckland Church at Buckland Mills battlefield

Battle of Buckland Mills, also known as Buckland Races

Oct. 19, 1864

Battle of Cedar Creek, also known as Belle Grove

Oct. 20, 1779
Sketch of the Siege of Savannah

Siege of Savannah, which lasted from September 16 - October 20, ended

Oct. 21, 1861

Battle of Ball's Bluff, also known as Harrison’s Island

Oct. 22, 1775
Peyton Randolph

Peyton Randolph, First President of the Continental Congress, died

Oct. 22, 1777
Landscape view at Red Bank Battlefield Park in New Jersey

Battle of Fort Mercer, also known as Red Bank

Oct. 22, 1864
Illustration of cavalry units charging towards each other at Byram's Ford

Battle of Byram's Ford, also known as Big Blue River or Westport, started

Oct. 23, 1864
Illustration of cavalry units charging towards each other at Byram's Ford

Battle of Byram's Ford, also known as Big Blue River or Westport, ended

Oct. 24, 1852

Daniel Webster, orator, lawyer, congressman, and Secretary of State, died

Oct. 24, 1862

Union Major General William Rosecrans replaces Major General Don Carlos Buell as commander of the Army of the Ohio

Oct. 25, 1764

John Adams, 2nd President of the United States, marries Abigail Smith

Oct. 25, 1806
Sketch of Henry Knox standing in front of a cannon

Henry Knox, Patriot Major General and Chief of Artillery during the American Revolution, died

Oct. 25, 1864

Battle of Mine Creek

Oct. 26, 1871
Photograph of Robert Anderson

Robert Anderson, Union Major during the Civil War, died

Oct. 27, 1863
Chattanooga | Browns Ferry | Oct 27, 1863

Battle of Brown’s Ferry

Oct. 27, 1864
Boydton Plank Road | Oct 27,1864 (May 2022)

Battle of Boydton Plank Road

Oct. 28, 1754

John Laurens, Patriot Lieutenant Colonel during the American Revolution, was born

Oct. 28, 1776
Portrait illustrating an interaction between colonial and indigenous soldiers

Battle of White Plains

Oct. 28, 1863
Map of the Battle of Wauhatchie

Battle of Wauhatchie, which lasted from October 28 to 29, started

Oct. 29, 1863
Map of the Battle of Wauhatchie

Battle of Wauhatchie, which lasted from October 28 to 29, ended

Oct. 30, 1735
Portrait of John Adams

John Adams, 2nd President of the United States, was born

Oct. 31, 1879

Joseph Hooker, American Major General during the Civil War, died

Month