15 July 1862: Tuesday

Confederacy - Military
Mississippi
In the morning, Union naval vessels in the Yazoo north of Vicksburg met the newly completed Confederate ironclad Arkansas, under Commander Isaac Browm, coming downriver.

Arkansas fought three Union vessels, passed with guns firing through other units of the fleet on the Mississippi, and anchored under the Vicksburg bluff.

Farragut with his fleet north of the city now decided to attack Arkansas by running past Vicksburg. In the evening Farragut's fleet passed below the city, dueling with the land batteries and Arkansas, but failing to destroy the newly built Confederate ironclad.

Three Union vessels were badly damaged and Arkansas suffered considerably in the day's fighting. Union troops were 18 killed, 50 wounded and 10 missing. For the Confederates, 10 killed and 15 badly wounded on the Arkansas.

In one spectacular dash a Confederate gunboat had changed the complexion of warfare on the Mississippi.

Military - Unioon
Arkansas
Union calvalry defeated Confederates in an action neat Fayetteville.

Virginia
Skirmishes occurred at Orange Court House and Middletown.

Tennessee
There was a skirmish at Wallace's Cross Roads.

New Mexico Territory
There was a skirmish at Apache Pass between Union troops and Apaches.

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Bibliography
The Civil War Day By Day: An Almanac 1861-1865. E.B. Long with Barbara Long, De Capo, 1971