Today in History

Month
Aug 1, 1768
Boston Non-Importation Agreement

Boston Non-Importation Agreement—Boston merchants agree to not import British goods or sell to Britain

Aug 1, 1770

William Clark, who was part of the Corps of Discovery with Meriwether Lewis, was born

Aug 1, 1779
Portrait of Francis Scott Key

Francis Scott Key, a lawyer and poet who wrote the lyrics to “The Star-Spangled Banner,” was born

Aug 2, 1864
Smoke filling the air and ships occupying the water at Mobile Bay

Battle of Mobile Bay, fought from August 2-23, started

Aug 2, 1864
Mobile Bay | Aug 5, 1864 (June 2020)

Rear Admiral David Farragut’s Union fleet of 18 ships entered Mobile Bay in two columns during the Battle of Mobile Bay

Aug 3, 1777
This is a sketched map detailing the landscape of Fort Stanwix.

Siege of Fort Stanwix, which lasted from August 3-22, started

Aug 3, 1865
Overview sketch of Satterlee General Hospital in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Satterlee General Hospital, the Union’s largest military hospital, closed

Aug 4, 1792
Portrait of Lt. Gen. John Burgoyne

John Burgoyne, British Lieutenant General during the American Revolution, died

Aug 4, 1814

Siege of Fort Erie, which lasted from August 4 -September 21, started

Aug 5, 1812
Battle of Brownstown

Battle of Brownstown

Aug 6, 1777

Battle of Oriskany

Aug 6, 1780

Battle of Hanging Rock

Aug 6, 1848
Susie King Taylor

Susie Taylor, Union nurse during the Civil War, was born

Aug 7, 1742
Portrait of Nathanael Greene

Nathanael Greene, Patriot Major General during the American Revolution, was born

Aug 7, 1782
Painting depicting the American victory and death of General Mercer at the Battle of Princeton

George Washington establishes the Badge of Military Merit, now known as the Purple Heart

Aug 7, 1864

Battle of Moorefield

Aug 8, 1814
Painting of the signing of the Treaty of Ghent

Peace negotiations begin to end the War of 1812

Aug 9, 1862
Currier & Ives "The Battle At Cedar Mountain, Aug. 9th. 1862"

Battle of Cedar Mountain

Aug 10, 1861
Painting of the Wilson's Creek Battle

Battle of Wilson's Creek, also known as Oak Hills

Aug 11, 1811
Portrait of Judah Phillip Benjamin

Judah Phillip Benjamin, Confederate Attorney General, Secretary of War, and Secretary of State, was born

Aug 12, 1776

Skirmish in Oconee County, South Carolina, known as the Ring Fight

Aug 13, 1862

Skirmish on Yellow Creek, Missouri

Aug 14, 1779
Penobscot Expedition

The Penobscot Expedition, which lasted from July 24 to August 14, ends

Aug 14, 1870
David G. Farragut

David Farragut, Union Vice Admiral during the Civil War, died

Aug 15, 1812
This is a painting of Native Americans at the River Raisin Battle

British forces bombard Detroit

Aug 16, 1777
Illustration of the conflict at the Battle of Bennington

Battle of Bennington

Aug 16, 1780
Illustration of troops piling at the Battle of Camden

Battle of Camden

Aug 16, 1812
This is a painting of Native Americans at the River Raisin Battle

General Hull surrenders Detroit

Aug 17, 1863

Federals begin bombardment of Fort Sumter as siege of Fort Wagner continues

Aug 18, 1774

Meriwether Lewis, American soldier, explorer, and politician, was born

Aug 18, 1780
Map of the State of South Carolina showing the movement of the American and British troops during the American Revolution.

Battle of Fishing Creek

Aug 18, 1864
hq

Battle of Globe Tavern, also known as Weldon Railroad, fought from August 18-21, started

Aug 19, 1780
This is a map of South Carolina.

Battle of Musgrove Mill

Aug 19, 1782

Battle of Blue Licks

Aug 19, 1812
Painting of a large ship that is on the water. There is lots of smoke billowing from the ship.

The USS Constitution defeats the HMS Guerriere

Aug 20, 1833
A collage of Presidents Grant, Hayes, Garfield, Harrison and McKinley

Benjamin Harrison, Brigadier General in the Civil War and 23rd President of the United States, was born

Aug 21, 1754
Banastre Tarleton

Banastre Tarleton, British Colonel during the American Revolution, was born

Aug 21, 1831

Nat Turner launches an insurrection in Virginia

Aug 21, 1858

Lincoln-Douglas debates begin

Aug 21, 1864
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Battle of Globe Tavern, also known as Weldon Railroad, fought from August 18-21, ended

Aug 21, 1864

Battle of Summit Point, also known as Cameron’s Depot

Aug 22, 1777
This is a sketched map detailing the landscape of Fort Stanwix.

Siege of Fort Stanwix, which lasted from August 3-22, ended

Aug 23, 1861

Confederate spy Rose O’Neal Greenhow is arrested

Aug 23, 1864
Smoke filling the air and ships occupying the water at Mobile Bay

Battle of Mobile Bay, fought from August 2-23, ended

Aug 24, 1814
Painting of adversary armies charging towards each other at Bladensburg

Battle of Bladensburg

Aug 24, 1814

Washington, D.C. is burned by the British

Aug 25, 1864
Map detailing the area surrounding Ream's Station

Second Battle of Reams Station

Aug 26, 1863

John Buchanan Floyd, Confederate Brigadier General during the Civil War, died

Aug 27, 1776
This painting depicts soldiers firing in a line at the Battle of Long Island.

Battle of Brooklyn

Aug 27, 1782

Battle of Combahee River, also known Combahee Ferry or Tar Bluff

Aug 28, 1862
Illustration of troops colliding in a cloud of gunsmoke at Second Manassas

The Battle of Second Manassas, also known as Second Bull Run, fought from August 28-30, started

Aug 29, 1778
Print of the Battle of Rhode Island.

Battle of Rhode Island, also known as the siege of Newport or Battle of Wuaker Hill

Aug 29, 1779
1930s-1940s Postcard of a white obelisk atop a hill.

Battle of Newtown

Aug 29, 1862

Battle of Richmond, fought from August 29-30, started

Aug 30, 1862

Battle of Richmond, fought from August 29-30, ended

Aug 30, 1862
Illustration of troops colliding in a cloud of gunsmoke at Second Manassas

The Battle of Second Manassas, also known as Second Bull Run, fought from August 28-30, ended

Aug 31, 1864

Battle of Jonesborough, fought from August 31 to September 1, started

Month