Portal:American Civil War/This week in American Civil War history/8

February 14
1862 - Fort Donelson - Union river fleet under Flag officer Andrew Foote attempted to reduce this Stewart County, Tennessee fort by naval bombardment but was badly damaged by Donelson's Cumberland River batteries

1864 - Battle of Meridian - Unable to concentrate his troops, Leonidas Polk abandoned this Lauderdale County seat to overwhelming Union forces under William Tecumseh Sherman

February 15
1862 - Fort Donelson - After preliminary investment of the fort, Ulysses S. Grant found himself surprised in morning attacks by defenders under John B. Floyd, but arrived in time to hamper the breakout attempt

February 16
1862 - Fort Donelson - Left in command by ranking Confederate generals Floyd and Gideon Pillow, Simon Bolivar Buckner asked for terms from his old friend Grant, but was rebuffed with: "No terms except unconditional and immediate surrender can be accepted."

February 17
1864 - Charleston Harbor - USS Housatonic (1861) becomes the first ship ever sunk by a submarine, the CSS Hunley, which itself sank with all hands before returning from its only operation

1865 - Columbia - Federal troops under Sherman commit widespread arson after P. G. T. Beauregard decides to abandon the city

February 18
1862 - Richmond - The First Congress of the Confederate States of America opens.

February 19
1862 - Richmond - Confederate Congress orders the release of 2000 prisoners of war

February 20
1863 - Olustee - The largest battle fought in Florida during the war

1864 - Meridian -

1865 - Richmond - Confederate House of Representatives approve use of slaves as soldiers