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December 29, 1862

General William T Sherman ordered a frontal attack against a very formidable Confederate position on the Chickasaw Bluffs outside of Vicksburg, Mississippi. The attack was repulsed with heavy losses and Sherman conceded that further attacks would be fruitless. This is generally considered the first action of the Vicksburg Campaign.

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December 28th, 1897
Father William Corby, former chaplain of the 88th New York Infantry who granted absolution to the Irish Brigade at Gettysburg, died of pneumonia in South Bend, Indiana. He was 64 years old.

“His casket was borne to the grave, not by his fellow Holy Cross priests as was the custom, but by aging Civil War veterans. His coffin was draped in the flag of his old regiment and a rifle volley was fired as his coffin was lowered into the grave. Accompanied by the sound of a bugle, old Grand Army of the Republic veterans sang a song over their heroic chaplain’s grave: Answering the call of roll on high. Dropping from the ranks as they make reply. Filling up the army of the by and by.” – “History of Watertown, Wisconsin”.

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December 27th, 1828
Brigadier General James Clay Rice was born in Worthington, Massachusetts. He is most remembered for taking over command of Colonel Strong Vincent’s brigade on Little Round Top at Gettysburg on July 2, 1863 when Vincent was mortally wounded. Rice himself would be mortally wounded May 10, 1864 at the Battle of Spotsylvania Courthouse. As he lay dying, he told his men to turn him over so he could die facing the enemy. He was 35 years old.

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December 24, 1862
“Have you seen the beautiful engraving in Harpers Weekly, ‘Christmas Eve’? How pretty it is; but it is not exactly so cheerful. As the soldier stands next to the fire on picket, so I often think of the portrait of my children by the light of the fire in my tent, in a little chimney of earth and brick before which I am alone in my chair!”
-excerpt of a letter from Colonel Phillipe Regis Denis de Keredern de Trobriand to his wife back home

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December 23, 1864
David Glasgow Farragut, in recognition of his 50 years of exemplary service to the United States Navy, was the first man ever promoted to the new rank of Vice Admiral by President Lincoln on December 23, 1864. Less than two years later, he would become the first full admiral.
https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Farragut

Pancho Villa in his wedding in San Andrés, Riva Palacio, Chihuahua, circa 1911.