Events in year of 1861
- 01-01Porfirio Diaz conquers Mexico City
- 01-01President Lincoln declares slavery in Confederate states unlawful
- 01-02Colonel Charles Stone is put in charge of organizing DC militia
- 01-02SC seizes inactive Ft Johnson in Charleston Harbor
- 01-03Delaware legislature rejects proposal to join Confederacy
- 01-03US Ft Pulaski and Ft Jackson, Savannah, seized by Georgia
- 01-04President Buchanan appoints a fast on account of threatened succession
- 01-04US Ft Morgan, Mobile, seized by Alabama
- 01-05250 Federal troops are sent from New York to Ft Sumter
- 01-05Alabama troops seize Forts Morgan and Gaines at Mobile Bay
- 01-06Florida troops seize Federal arsenal at Apalachicola
- 01-06New York City mayor proposes New York become a free city, trading with N&S
- 01-07Florida troops takeover Ft Marion at St. Augustine
- 01-091st hostile act of Civil War; Star of West fired on, Sumter, South Carolina
- 01-09Mississippi becomes 2nd state to secede
- 01-10Florida becomes 3rd state to secede from US
- 01-10Ft Jackson and Ft Philip are taken over by LA state troops
- 01-10US forts and property seized by Mississippi
- 01-11Alabama becomes 4th state to secede
- 01-12FL state troops demand surrender of Ft Pickens
- 01-14Ft Pikens, Florida falls into state hands
- 01-15Steam elevator patented by Elisha Otis
- 01-17Flush toilet patented by Mr Thomas Crapper (Honest!)
- 01-19Georgia becomes 5th state to secede
- 01-19MS troops take Ft Massachusetts an Ship Island
- 01-21Jefferson Davis of Mississippi and 4 other southern senators resign
- 01-24Arsenal at Augusta, Georgia seized by Confederacy
- 01-24Federal troops from Ft Monroe are sent to Ft Pikens
- 01-26Louisiana becomes 6th state to secede
- 01-29Kansas becomes 34th state
People born in year of 1861
- 01-02Helen Herron Taft: 1st lady (1909-12)
- 01-06Heinrich Gottlieb Noren: Composer
- 01-14Wilhelm von Polenz: German writer (Der Pfarrer von Breitendorf)
- 01-18Hans Goldschmidt: German chemist
- 01-18Raymond Huntington Woodman: Composer
- 01-22Karel Stecker: Composer
- 01-30Charles Martin Tornow Loeffler: Mulhouse, Alsace -- Composer
- 02-02Mehmed VI: Last Sultan of Ottoman Empire (1918-22)
- 02-02Mohammed VI Vahideddin: Last Sultan of Turkey (1918-22)
- 02-02Solomon R Guggenheim: Philanthropist (Guggenheim Museum NYC)
- 02-13Uchimura Kanzo: Tokyo, Japan -- Religious writer (How I Became a Christian)
- 02-15Alfred North Whitehead: England, United Kingdom -- Mathematician / philosopher (Adv of Ideas)
- 02-15Halford John Mackinder: Gainsborough Lincolnshire, United Kingdom -- Geographer
- 02-20Nicolaas van Meeteren: Folklorist
- 02-21Pierre Breville: Composer
- 02-26Ferdinand I: Vienna, Austria -- 1st tsar of modern Bulgaria (1908-18)
- 02-27Rudolph Steiner: Kraljevic, Austria -- Founder (doctrine of anthroposophy
- 04-09Charles Holroyd: Painter / etcher
- 04-16Isaac Murphy: US jockey (won 628 races)
- 04-19Warden Oncle [Edward Vermeulen]: Flemish farmer / writer
- 04-23Edmund Henry Hynman: 1st viscount Allenby of Megiddo / Field Marshal
- 04-27Johan M Skjoldborg: Danish writer (Dynaes-Digte)
- 05-06Radindranath Tagore: Hindu poet / mystic / composer (Nobel 1913)
- 05-12Ivan Caryll: Composer (Pink Lady)
- 05-27Victoria E Matthews: Educator
- 05-31Emily Perkins Bissell: Welfare worker (1st christmas seal drive, 1907)
- 06-09Floris H Verster [van Wulverhorst]: Painter / cartoonist / etcher
- 06-10Josephus T J Cuypers: Dutch architect (St Bavo, Haarlem)
- 06-10Pierre M M Duhem: French naturalist / philosopher / historian
- 06-11Sigismund Vladislavovich Zaremba: Composer
People died in year of 1861
- 01-02Frederik Willem IV: King Prussia (1840-61) / German (1849-61), dies at 65
- 01-31Franciscus J van Vree: Dutch Catholic foreman, dies at 53
- 02-10Francis Danby: Exmouth, painter
- 02-12Hippolyte-Andre-Baptiste Chelard: Composer, dies at 72
- 02-18Louis C Luzac: Dutch Minister of Internal affairs, dies at 74
- 03-10Josepf Francois Snel: Composer, dies at 67
- 03-14Abraham Louis Niedermeyer: Composer, dies at 58
- 03-17Petter Conrad Boman: Composer, dies at 56
- 04-08Elisha G Otis: US elevator builder (Otis), dies at 50
- 04-18Heinrich August Neithardt: Composer, dies at 67
- 05-03Anthony Philip Heinrich: Composer, dies at 80
- 05-12Christian Heinrich Hohmann: Composer, dies at 50
- 05-24Elmer Ellsworth: US warrior (Chicago Zouaves), shot to death at 23
- 05-24James T Jackson: US landlord (doodde EE Ellsworth), shot dead)
- 06-01John Q Marr: US Union captain, dies in battle at Fairfax Courthouse
- 06-03Stephen A Douglas: "Little Giant", senator (Lincoln Debates)
- 06-05John Garland: US Union Colonel / Brigadier General, dies in battle
- 06-05Tomas Genoves y Lapetra: Composer, dies at 55
- 06-06Giuseppe Concone: Italian singing teacher, dies at 59
- 06-29Elizabeth Barrett-Browning: Writer, dies at 55
- 07-02Peter A de Genestet: Vicar / poet, dies at 31
- 07-07John Willis Ellis: US Governor of NC (1858-61)
- 07-13Robert Selden Garnett: US Confederate Brigadier General, dies at 41
- 07-21Francis Stebbins Bartow: Confederate Colonel, dies in battle at 44
- 07-22Barnard Elliot Bee: US Confederate Brigadier General, dies at 37
- 08-10Nathaniel Lyon: US Union Brigadier General, dies in battle at 43
- 08-29Franz Joseph Glaser: Composer, dies at 63
- 09-14Fortunato Santini: Composer, dies at 83
- 10-06Elias Canneman: Liberal Minister of Finance (1813-14), dies at 84
- 10-21Edward Dickinson Baker: US attorney / senator, dies in battle at 50
Events in year of 1862
- 01-01Battle of Ft McRee, Florida Battle of Port Royal, SC (Port Royal Ferry)
- 01-03Romney Campaign-Stonewall Jackson moves north from Winchester
- 01-04Romney Campaign-Stonewall Jackson occupies Bath
- 01-07Battle of Manassas Junction, Virginia
- 01-07Romney Campaign-Stonewall Jackson march towards Romney, West Virginia
- 01-10Battle of Big Sandy River, KY (Middle Creek)
- 01-10Battle of Romney, West Virginia
- 01-18Confederate Territory of Arizona forms
- 01-22Confederate government raises premium for volunteers from $10 to $20
- 01-23Agoston Haraszthy, 1st vintner in Sonoma Valley, imports 10,000
- 01-24Romania principality arises under King Alexander Cuza
- 01-26Lincoln issues General War Order #1, calling for a Union offensive McClellan ignores order
- 01-31Telescope maker Alvin Clark discovers dwarf companion of Sirius
- 02-01Julia Howe publishes "Battle Hymn of the Republic"
- 02-06Gen Ulysses S Grant captures Fort Henry in Tennessee
- 02-06Naval Engagement at Tenn River-USS Conestago vs. CSS Appleton Belle
- 02-06Ulysses S Grant begins military campaign in Mississippi
- 02-07Federal fleet attack on Roanoke Island, North Carolina
- 02-08Battle of Roanoke Island NC, Federals gain control of Pamlico Sound
- 02-08Opera "Lily of Killarney, " premieres in London
- 02-10Dutch 2nd government of Thorbecke forms
- 02-14Galena, 1st US iron-clad warship for service at sea, launched, Conn
- 02-16Ft Donelson captured by General Grant (1,400 confederates surrender)
- 02-21Confederate Constitution and presidency are declared permanent
- 02-21Texas Rangers win Confederate victory at Battle of Val Verde, New Mexico
- 02-25Congress forms US Bureau of Engraving & Printing
- 02-25Paper currency (greenbacks) introduced in US by President Abraham Lincoln
- 02-26Battle of Woodburn, Kentucky
- 02-28Opera "La Reine de Saba, " premieres in Paris
- 03-03Battle of New Madrid MO-captured by Union forces
People born in year of 1862
- 01-01Snitz Edwards: Hungary -- Actor (College, Phantom of the Opera)
- 01-08Frank Nelson Doubleday: Publisher / founder (Doubleday & Co)
- 01-17John E Akkeringa: Dutch painter / etcher
- 01-24Edith Wharton[-Jones]: United States -- Novelist (Ethan Frome, House of Mirth)
- 01-29Frederick Delius: Bradford, England -- Composer (Hiawatha)
- 01-30Walter Johannes Damrosch: Composer
- 02-07Bernard Maybeck: US architect (Palace of Fine Arts, San Francisco)
- 02-13Karel Weis: Composer
- 02-17Edward German [Jones]: Whitchurch, Shropshire -- British composer
- 02-22Karen Hulda Garborg[-Bergersen]: Norwegian playwright (Mot Solen / Eli)
- 03-02John Jay Chapman: US advocate / poet / writer (Learning & Other Essays)
- 03-04Robert Emden: Switzerland -- Geo / astro physics (Emden-polytroop)
- 03-08Joseph Lee: Helped develop playgrounds
- 03-12Jane Delano: United States -- Nurse / teacher / founder (Red Cross)
- 03-13Vasily Mikhaylovich Metallov: Composer
- 03-14Vilhelm FK Bjerknes: Norwegian / US physicist / meteorology
- 03-26George William Louis Marshall-Hall: Composer
- 03-28Aristide Briand: France -- 11x Premier (1909-22) (Nobel 1926)
- 04-02Nicholas Murray Butler: United States -- Columbia University President / pacifist (Nobel 1931)
- 04-05Louis Ganne: Composer
- 04-11Charles Evans Hughs: 11th Chief Justice of Supreme Court (1930-41)
- 04-11William W Campbell: US astronomer / director Lick Observatory
- 04-14Pyotr A Stolypin: Premier Russia (1906-11)
- 04-25Edward Grey: English Viscount of Fallodon / Minister of Foreign Affairs
- 04-29Vittorio Mario Vanzo: Composer
- 05-02Marie F M Emmanuel: French composer / musicologist (Salamine)
- 05-05Max Elskamp: Belgian author / poet (Lesson Joies Blondes, Maya)
- 05-15Arthur Schnitzler: Austria -- Playwright / Novelist (La Ronde)
- 05-18Freiherr Albert von Schrenk-Notzing: German para-psychologist
- 05-22August Cuppens: Flemish author / pastor
People died in year of 1862
- 01-05Joseph Frohlich: Composer, dies at 81
- 01-10Samuel Colt: Inventor (6 shot revolver), dies at 47
- 01-18John Tyler: 10th US President (1841-45), dies at 71 in Richmond, Virginia
- 01-20Felix Zollicoffer: General killed after mistakenly riding into Union lines
- 01-24James McIntosh: US confederate Brigadier General, dies in battle at about 33
- 02-03Jean-Baptiste Biot: French physicist / astronomer, dies at 87
- 02-07Frantisek Jan Skroup: Composer, dies at 61
- 02-21Justinus A C Kerner: German family doctor / Poet / writer, dies at 75
- 02-24Bernard S Ingemann: Danish Author (Holger Danske), dies at 72
- 03-02Frederick West Lander: US Union Brigadier General / poet, dies at 40
- 03-07Ben McCulloch: US Confederate Brigadier General (KIA), dies at 50
- 03-07John Baillie McIntosh: US General Major (Union Army), dies at 32
- 03-07William Slack: US Confederate Brigadier General, dies in battle
- 03-08Adrien de La Fage: Composer, dies at 56
- 03-08Nat Gordon: Last pirate, hanged in NYC for stealing 1, 000 slaves
- 03-17Fromental Halevy [Elie Levy]: French opera composer, dies at 62
- 03-19F Wilhelm von Schadow: German Painter (Modern Vasari), dies at 73
- 03-23Karl Robert von Nesselrode: German chancellor, dies at 81
- 04-03James Clark Ross: Arctic explorer
- 04-04Harmen S Sytstra: Dutch Poet / editor (Iduna), dies at 45
- 04-06Adley Hogan Gladden: Confederate Brigadier General, dies in battle at 51
- 04-06Albert Sidney Johnston: US Confederate General, dies in battle at 59
- 04-07Sydney Nelson: Composer, dies at 62
- 04-09George W Johnson: US planter / Confederate (gov-Ky), dies at about 50
- 04-10William Harvey Lamb Wallace: US lawyer / Brigadier General, dies at 40
- 04-19Louis Powell Harvey: US Governor of Wisconsin, drowns
- 04-19Simon Fraser: Canadian explorer
- 04-25Charles Ferguson Smith: US Union General Major, dies of infection at 55
- 05-06Henry David Thoreau: US writer / pacifist (Walden Pond), dies at 44
- 05-18William H Keim: US Union Brigadier General, dies in battle at 48
Events in year of 1863
- 01-011st homestead under the Homestead Act claimed, near Beatrice, Nebr
- 01-01Battle of Galveston, Texas-Confederates recapture the city
- 01-01Emancipation Proclamation (ending slavery) issued by Lincoln
- 01-01Franz Schuberts "Missa Solemnis, " premieres in Leipzig
- 01-044 wheeled roller skates patented by James Plimpton of New York
- 01-101st underground railway opens in London
- 01-10January-uprising begins in Poland
- 01-11Naval engagement near Galveston between CSS Alabama and USS Hatteras
- 01-11Union forces capture Arkansas Post or Ft Hindman, Arkansas
- 01-12President Davis delivers his "State of Confederacy" address
- 01-13Chenille manufacturing machine patented by William Canter, New York City
- 01-13Thomas Crapper pioneers one-piece pedestal flushing toilet
- 01-14Battle between gunboats at Bayou Teche, Louisiana
- 01-151st US newspaper printed on wood-pulp paper, Boston Morning Journal
- 01-17Civil War skirmish near Newtown, Virginia
- 01-19General Mieroslawski appointed Dictator of Poland
- 01-21City of Dublin leases part of Cattle Market for 100,000 years
- 01-25Battle of Kinston, North Carolina
- 01-25General Joseph Hooker replaces Burnside as head of Army of Potomac
- 01-2654th Regiment (Black) infantry forms
- 01-26War Department authorizes Mass Governor to recruit black troops
- 01-29Battle at Bear River, Washington: US army vs. Indians
- 01-311st black Civil War regiment, SC Volunteers, mustered into US army
- 02-02Samuel Clemens becomes Mark Twain for 1st time
- 02-09Fire extinguisher patented by Alanson Crane
- 02-101st US fire extinguisher patent granted to Alanson Crane, Virginia
- 02-10PT Barnum stages wedding of Tom Thumb and Mercy Lavinia Warren (NYC)
- 02-24Arizona Territory created
- 02-25Congress creates national banking system, comptroller of currency
- 02-26Lincoln signs National Currency Act
People born in year of 1863
- 01-01Aleko Konstantinov: Bulgarian writer (To Chicago & Back)
- 01-01Pierre de Coubertin: France -- Baron (revived Olympic games)
- 01-12Vivekananda: Calcutta, India -- Hindu religious leader / Reformer
- 01-14Pieter Oosterlee: Dutch educator
- 01-15Adolph Goldschmidt: German historian
- 01-15Wilhelm Marx: Premier (Prussia)
- 01-17David Lloyd George: (L-PM-Britain, 1916-22)
- 01-17Henry Charles Tonking: Composer
- 01-17Konstantin S Stanislavski: Russia -- Director (Stanislavski Method)
- 01-19Werner Sombart: German fascist (Juden und das Wirtschaftsleben)
- 01-31F Henri Berz: French existensialist philosopher (Revue the Synthesis)
- 02-05Armand Parent: Composer
- 02-07Mieczyslaw Soltys: Composer
- 02-09Anthony Hope [Hopkins]: London, England -- Novelist
- 02-19Emanuel Moor: Composer
- 02-23Franz von Stuck: German painter (Der Krieg)
- 03-11Wobbe de Vries: Dutch linguist
- 03-12Adolf A Wolfschoon: Poet
- 03-20Ernesto Nazareth: Composer
- 03-21Hugo Kaun: Composer
- 03-23Godfried CE van Daalen: Dutch General / Governor of Atjeh
- 04-02Henry C Van de Velde: Flemish painter / architect (Art Nouveau)
- 04-17Johannes P Boskaljon: Curacao composer / conductor
- 04-22Cornelis A J van Dishoeck: Dutch publisher
- 04-26Arno Holz: Writer
- 04-26Charles Haslewood Shannon: Lithographer / painter
- 05-05Frederik A Stoett: Linguist (Dutch Proverbs)
- 05-12Charles Bordes: Composer
- 05-28Georg Adler: German state economist
- 05-31Francis E Younghusband: British journalist / explorer
People died in year of 1863
- 01-02Roger Weightman Hanson: Confederate Brigadier General, dies in battle at 35
- 01-09Ferdinand Huber: Composer, dies at 71
- 01-17E J Horace Vernet: French painter, dies at 73
- 03-17John Pelham: US Confederate artillery major, dies in battle at 24
- 03-21Edwin Vose Sumner: US Union General Major (Fair Oaks), dies at 66
- 03-28James Cooper: US attorney / senator / Union Brigadier General, dies at 52
- 04-08Joseph Netherclift: Composer, dies at 70
- 04-10Giovanni B Amia: Italian astronomer / physicist / botanist, dies at 77
- 04-15Jan Nepomuk Kanka: Composer, dies at 90
- 04-17Daniel Smith Donelson: Confederate General / Cousin of Andrew Jackson, dies at 61
- 05-01Edward Dorr Tracy: US Confederate Brigadier General, dies in battle at 29
- 05-03Elisha Franklin "Bull" Paxton: US Confederate Brigadier General, dies at 35
- 05-07Amiel Weeks Whipple: US Union General Major, dies of injuries at 46
- 05-10Thomas Jonathan "Stonewall" Jackson: Confederate General (Civil War)
- 05-14Emile Racine Gauthier Prudent: Composer, dies at 46
- 05-16Lloyd Tilghman: Confederate Brigadier General, dies in battle at 47
- 05-27Edward Payson Chapin: Union Brigadier General, dies at 31
- 05-28Edmund Kirby, Jr.: Union Brigadier General, dies of injuries at 23
- 06-07Franz Xavier Gruber: Composer, dies at 75
- 06-09Benjamin Franklin "Grimes" Davis: Union major, dies in battle at 30
- 06-17Isham W Garrott: US attorney / Confederate Brigadier General, dies in battle
- 06-26Andrew Hull Foote: US Union Lieutenant Admiral
- 06-27Martin E Green: Confederate Brigadier General, shot dead at 38
- 07-01John Fulton Reynolds: Union General Major, dies in battle at 42
- 07-02Stephen Hinsdale Weed: US Union Brigadier General, dies in battle at 28
- 07-03Alonzo Hersford Cushing: US Union lt, dies in battle at about 22
- 07-03Lewis Addison Armistead: Confederate Brigadier General Gettysburg / dies in battle at 46
- 07-03Little Crow [Ta-oya-te-duta]: Santee Sioux indian chief
- 07-03Richard Brooke Garnett: US Confederate Brigadier General, dies in battle at 45
- 07-03Samuel Kosciuzko Zook: US Union General Major, dies in battle at 40