Friday April 26, 1861
GEORGIA GOVERNOR GRANTS GRACE

The economy of Georgia got a small boost today. Governor Joseph Brown issued an order to the residents of his state. In it he repudiated all debts owed by any of his citizens--not to mention the state itself or any of its agencies--to any Northern person or company. Gov. Brown was occasionally as big a problem to his own President as he was to the north. He often refused to send troops to help with the war because he disputed Richmond’s right to ask for them.



Saturday April 26 1862
FRENCH FEELING FEDERALLY FRIENDLY

At this stage of the war it was still considered very possible that France, England or other European powers might take advantage of the, er, disruptions in the Americas, possibly by granting diplomatic recognition to the Confederacy. President Lincoln took comfort today when he paid a courtesy call to a French man-of-war visiting the Washington Navy Yard. The sailors shouted themselves hoarse with cries of “Vive le President!”



Sunday April 26 1863
SOUTHERN SECTIONS SEE SOME SURPRISES

U.S. Grant continued to prepare today to move his army from the west to the east bank of the Mississippi River for the attack on Vicksburg. In other operations, a Confederate unit under Gen. Marmaduke launched an attack on Cape Girardeau, Mo., but it was repelled. Gen. Abel Streight continued to progress through Alabama for Georgia with his cavalry, mounted on mules for lack of available horses.



Tuesday April 26 1864
REDUCING RED RIVER RAPIDS RUINOUS

The Red River expedition had already been given up on and written off as a failure, but even giving up was proving to be exceedingly difficult. The water level on the river was dropping so fast, due to an ongoing drought, that the ships were under constant attack from shore. The ships above the rapids were trapped, and the others, including Admiral Porter’s flagship USS Cricket, were hit repeatedly by small arms and even artillery fire from Gen. Richard Taylor’s men.

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