What happened in 1864
27 entries recorded for 1864, listed by date. That was 162 years ago.
1864 at a glance
- Years ago
- 162 (as of 2026)
- Century
- 19th century
- Decade
- 1860s
- Generation born
- Before the named generations
- Entries here
- 27
- Breakdown
- 27 historical events
February
- February 20
American Civil War
American Civil War: The Union Army suffered a one-in-three casualty rate at the Battle of Olustee near Lake City, Florida.
March
- March 14
Petite messe solennelle
The Petite messe solennelle by Gioachino Rossini was first performed in Paris, 34 years after his retirement as a composer.
- March 17
Second Schleswig War
Second Schleswig War: In an attempt to end a Danish blockade, Eduard von Jachmann led a Prussian squadron in an attack against a Danish fleet led by Edvard van Dockum.
April
- April 8
American Civil War
American Civil War: Late-arriving reinforcements helped Confederate forces rout the Union Army at the Battle of Mansfield.
- April 18
American Civil War
American Civil War: African-American Union soldiers were massacred and mutilated during and after the Battle of Poison Spring.
- April 22
Coinage Act of 1864
U.S. Congress passed the Coinage Act, which authorized the minting of the two-cent piece (pictured), the first U.S. coin to bear the phrase "In God We Trust".
May
- May 5
American Civil War
American Civil War: Union Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant's Overland Campaign in Virginia began with the inconclusive Battle of the Wilderness in Spotsylvania County.
- May 9
Second Schleswig War
Second Schleswig War: The Battle of Heligoland (depicted), the last naval engagement fought by squadrons of wooden ships, took place between the Danish and Austro-Prussian fleets.
- May 15
American Civil War
American Civil War: A small Confederate force, which included cadets from the Virginia Military Institute, forced the Union army out of the Shenandoah Valley.
- May 21
American Civil War
American Civil War: The inconclusive Battle of Spotsylvania Court House in Virginia ended with combined Union and Confederate casualties totaling around 31,000.
June
- June 12
Union (American Civil War)
Union general Ulysses S. Grant pulled his troops out of the Battle of Cold Harbor in Hanover County, Virginia, ending one of the bloodiest, most lopsided battles in the American Civil War.
- June 15
American Civil War
American Civil War: The Second Battle of Petersburg begins.
- June 21
New Zealand Wars
New Zealand Wars: A British victory against the Māori King Movement brought the Tauranga campaign to an end.
- June 27
American Civil War
American Civil War: General Sherman's frontal assault against the Confederate Army of Tennessee failed, but did not stop the Union army from advancing on Atlanta.
- June 29
Swing bridge
A passenger train fell through an open swing bridge into the Richelieu River near present-day Mont-Saint-Hilaire, Quebec, killing as many as 99 people and injuring 100 others in Canada's worst railway accident.
July
- July 11
Leicester balloon riot
A riot broke out in Leicester, England, at the failed launching of a gas balloon (pictured).
- July 11
American Civil War
American Civil War: Confederate forces under Jubal Early began an unsuccessful attempt to capture Washington, D.C..
- July 22
American Civil War
American Civil War: Confederate forces unsuccessfully attacked Union troops at the Battle of Atlanta.
August
- August 10
José Antônio Saraiva
José Antônio Saraiva announced that the Brazilian military would exact reprisals after Uruguay's governing Blanco Party refused Brazil's demands, beginning the Uruguayan War.
- August 18
American Civil War
American Civil War: At the Battle of Globe Tavern, Union forces attempted to sever the Weldon Railroad during the siege of Petersburg.
- August 22
Henry Dunant
Under the leadership of Henry Dunant and the International Committee of the Red Cross, twelve European states signed the First Geneva Convention, establishing rules for the protection of victims of armed conflict.
October
- October 15
American Civil War
American Civil War: Confederate forces captured Glasgow, Missouri, although it had little long-term benefit as Price's Missouri Expedition was defeated a week later.
- October 19
American Civil War
American Civil War: Despite incurring nearly twice as many casualties as the Confederates, the Union army emerged victorious at the Battle of Cedar Creek.
- October 25
American Civil War
American Civil War: During Price's Missouri Expedition, Union troops defeated Sterling Price's Confederate army in three successive battles: Marais des Cygnes, Mine Creek, and Marmiton River.
November
- November 4
American Civil War
American Civil War: Nathan Bedford Forrest led a cavalry division in an attack on a Union Army supply base at Johnsonville, Tennessee, resulting in the capture of 150 prisoners.
- November 15
American Civil War
American Civil War: Union army general William Tecumseh Sherman (pictured) began his March to the Sea, inflicting significant damage to property and infrastructure using scorched-earth tactics on his way from Atlanta to Savannah, Georgia.
December
- December 15
American Civil War
American Civil War: Union troops defeated the Army of Tennessee, one of the largest Confederate forces, at the Battle of Nashville.
Questions about 1864
What happened in 1864?
This site records 27 entries for 1864, including American Civil War on February 20. They are listed below by date.
How long ago was 1864?
162 years ago, counting from 2026. Anyone born in 1864 turns 162 this year.
Which century is 1864 in?
1864 falls in the 19th century, in the 1860s.
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