Civil War Timeline / Chronology for April 1863

April 2, 1863	A mob demands bread from a supply wagon in Richmond, starting the so-called Bread Riot. The mob looted other stores and was personally addressed by Jefferson Davis, who tossed the money from his pocket into the crowd. Police and soldiers eventually dispersed the crowd.	Virginia
	Jefferson Davis
April 5, 1863	After sailing from Washington, D. C. to Fredericksburg, Abraham Lincoln meets with Joe Hooker to discuss strategy in Virginia.
	Joseph Hooker
	Abraham Lincoln
April 7, 1863	A fleet of 9 Union ironclads under the command of Samuel Dupont sailed into Charleston Harbor and attacked Fort Moultrie and Fort Sumter. Sumter is visibly damaged but the Confederate batteries from the shore heavily damage the 9 ironclads and they are forced to withdraw. Naval occupation of the harbor is ruled out.	South Carolina
	USS New Ironsides
	Fort Sumter
April 11, 1863	Col. Abel Streight leaves Nashville, Tennessee on a raid of Rome, GA	Georgia Tennessee
	Raid on Rome, Georgia
April 12, 1863	Siege of Suffolk General James Longstreet surrounds Suffolk in southeastern Virginia	Virginia
	James Longstreet
April 13, 1863	Federal forces engage Fort Bisland in Bayou Teche	Louisiana
April 13, 1863	Ambrose Burnside issue General Order 38 in which he stated "anyone found guilty of committing acts for the benefit of the enemies of our country will be subject to execution."
	Ambrose Burnside
	Clement Vallandigham
April 14, 1863	Battle of Centreville	Louisiana
April 14, 1863	Continuous roll printing press is developed by William Bullock in Pittsburgh	Pennsylvania
April 14, 1863	Union gunners destroy the Queen of the West	Louisiana
	Queen of the West
April 16, 1863	Rear Admiral David Porter sent 12 vessels south on the Mississippi past Vicksburg. Although hit a number of times by Confederate gunners, the vessels suffered little damage.	Mississippi Louisiana
	David Porter
April 17, 1863	Col. Benjamin Grierson [US] leaves La Grange, Tennessee at the head of a 1,700 man cavalry column heading towards Mississippi to raid the state.	Mississippi
April 17, 1863	Brigadier General John Marmaduke [CS] leaves Arkansas and enters Missouri on a raid	Missouri
April 19, 1863	The Nebraska Territory enabling act, the first step in statehood, is signed into law.
April 20, 1863	Lincoln proclaims that West Virginia would join the Union on June 20, 1863	West Virginia
	Abraham Lincoln
April 20, 1863	Brigadier General Robert Hoke [CS] captures Plymouth and the 2800 man Union garrison stationed there.
April 22, 1863	Grant's forces south of Vicksburg are resupplied by Porter's fleet, which suffered heavy losses when transports and barges steamed by Confederate batteries
	Second Vicksburg Campaign
	David Porter
	Ulysses S. Grant
April 22, 1863	Comprehensive "tax-in-kind" plan passed by the Confederate Senate. It required 10 percent of everything produced or grown be given to the Confederate government.
April 27, 1863	Col. Abel Streight leaves Tuscumbia	Alabama
	Raid on Rome, Georgia
April 27, 1863	Major General Simon Bolivar Buckner assumes command of the Department of East Tennessee.	Tennessee
	Simon Bolivar Buckner
April 30, 1863	Army of the Potomac forces set up camp in The Wilderness surrounding the Chancellor family home after crossing the Rappahannock River	Virginia
	Army of the Potomac
	Chancellorsville
April 30, 1863	Abel Streight [US] fights a pitched battle at Day's Gap.	Alabama
	Raid on Rome, Georgia
April 30, 1863	About noon, Ulysses S. Grant begins crossing the Mississippi and landing U. S. troops south of Vicksburg	Mississippi
	Ulysses S. Grant
	Second Vicksburg Campaign