Civil War -- 1864
Brackets indicate dates and entries that follow logically from information in primary sources but are not explicitly stated.
- 1864
- January 20
- Family discovers fire, apparently intentionally set, in basement of the White House
- February 20
- Battle of Olustee, Florida
- February 24-25
- Confers with Robert E. Lee in Richmond, Virginia
- March 14
- Meets with Lee, Braxton Bragg, and James A. Seddon in the morning; group joined by James Longstreet in the afternoon
- April 8
- Battle of Mansfield, Louisiana
- April 30
- Son Joseph Evan Davis killed by fall from White House balcony
- May 2
- Sends major message to Congress
- May 5-6
- Battle of the Wilderness
- May 7
- William T. Sherman begins march toward Atlanta, Georgia
- May 8-21
- Battle of Spotsylvania Court House, Virginia
- May 14, 16
- Consults with P. G. T. Beauregard at Drewry's Bluff
- May 23-26
- Battle of North Anna, Virginia
- May 29
- Visits Lee at Atlee Station, Virginia
- June 1-3
- Battle of Cold Harbor, Virginia
- June 3, 5
- Tours Confederate lines near Gaines's Mill
- June 8
- Inspects defenses at Bottom's Bridge
- June 18
- Siege of Petersburg, Virginia, begins
- June 19
- USS Kearsarge sinks CSS Alabama off of Cherbourg, France
- June 27
- Daughter Varina Anne Davis (Winnie) born
- July 17
- Replaces Joseph E. Johnston with John Bell Hood in command of the Army of Tennessee
- July 22
- Battle of Atlanta, Georgia
- August 5
- Battle of Mobile Bay, Alabama
- August 6
- Consults with Lee
- August [16 or 17]
- Nearly led into Union lines while visiting army near Petersburg
- September 1
- Atlanta evacuated
- September 3
- Meets with Lee and Bragg in Richmond
- September 14
- Confers with Lee, though "quite unwell"
- September 20
- Departs Richmond; consults with Beauregard at Burkeville
- September 21
- Speaks at Greensboro, Salisbury, and Charlotte
- September 22
- Arrives at Augusta; speaks twice
- September 23
- Arrives Macon; speaks; visits Howell Cobb
- September 25
- Arrives headquarters, Army of Tennessee, near Palmetto, Georgia
- September 26
- Reviews troops with Hood; speaks; meets with Ben Lane Posey; meets with William J. Hardee
- September 27
- Confers with S. D. Lee and A. P. Stewart; departs for Montgomery
- September 28
- Arrives Montgomery
- September 29
- Addresses Alabama legislature; converses with Richard Taylor
- September 30
- Leaves Montgomery; speaks in Columbus
- October 2
- Arrives in Augusta
- October 3
- Speaks in Augusta; confers with Beauregard
- October 4
- Speaks in Columbia
- October 5
- Speaks in Salisbury and Greensboro
- October 6
- Returns to Richmond; confers with Lee at Chaffin's Bluff
- October 9
- Attends funeral services for John Gregg
- October 16
- Meets with Lee at Chaffin's Bluff; travels back to Richmond with Walter H. Taylor
- October 18
- Meets with John S. Preston and Samuel Cooper
- November [1-10]
- Confers with William H. Thomas
- November 8
- Confers with James A. Seddon; later meets with Virginia delegation
- November [10]
- Meets with Hugh L. Clay
- November 10
- Meets with David Clopton and Francis S. Lyon
- November [13]
- Meets with Caroline Barton
- November 14
- Street conversation with several members of Congress
- November 15
- Sherman leaves Atlanta on his "March to the Sea"
- November [19]
- With Seddon, talks with six members of Georgia delegation
- November 30
- Battle of Franklin, Tennessee
- December 4
- Attends funeral of Angus W. McDonald
- December 6
- Visits with William N. Pendleton and Seddon
- December [5-21]
- Ill with neuralgia
- December 14
- Attends wedding of William B. Tabb and Emily S. Rutherfoord
- December 15
- Gustavus A. Henry calls on Davis at home
- December 15-16
- Battle of Nashville, Tennessee
- December 25
- Attends services and orphans' Christmas party at St. Paul's, and party at neighbor's home
- December 26
- Confers with Williamson S. Oldham
- December 28
- Meets with Josiah Gorgas
- December [29 or 30]
- Confers with Duff Green
