1st January » Porfirio Díaz conquers Mexico City, Mexico.
3rd January » American Civil War: Delaware votes not to secede from the United States.
9th January » American Civil War: The "Star of the West" incident occurs near Charleston, South Carolina. It is considered by some historians to be the "First Shots of the American Civil War".
9th January » Mississippi becomes the second state to secede from the Union before the outbreak of the American Civil War.
10th January » American Civil War: Florida secedes from the Union (American Civil War) named Union.
11th January » Alabama secedes from the United States.
19th January » American Civil War: Georgia (U.S. state) called Georgia joins South Carolina, Florida, Mississippi, and Alabama in secession called seceding from the United States.
21st January » American Civil War: Jefferson Davis resigns from the United States Senate.
26th January » American Civil War: The state of Louisiana History of Louisiana Secession and the Civil War (1860–1865) known as secedes from the Union.
29th January » Kansas is admitted as the 34th U.S. state.
1st February » American Civil War: Texas secedes from the United States.
4th February » American Civil War: In Montgomery, Alabama, delegates from six break-away U.S. states meet and form the Confederate States of America.
9th February » American Civil War: Jefferson Davis is elected the Provisional President of the Confederate States of America by the Montgomery Convention named Confederate convention at Montgomery, Alabama.
10th February » Jefferson Davis is notified by telegraph that he has been chosen as provisional President of the Confederate States of America.
11th February » American Civil War: United States House of Representatives unanimously passes a resolution guaranteeing noninterference with slavery in any state.
13th February » In Gaeta the capitulation of the fortress decreeing the end of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies is signed.
18th February » In Montgomery, Alabama, Jefferson Davis is inaugurated as the provisional President of the Confederate States of America.
18th February » With Italian unification almost complete, Victor Emmanuel II of Italy known as Victor Emmanuel II of Piedmont, Savoy and Sardinia assumes the title of King of Italy.
19th February » Serfdom is Emancipation reform of 1861 named abolished in Russia.
23rd February » President of the United States known as President-elect Abraham Lincoln arrives secretly in Washington, D.C., after the thwarting of an alleged Baltimore Plot or assassination plot in Baltimore, Maryland.
27th February » Russian Empire known as Russian troops fire on a crowd in Warsaw protesting against Russian rule over Poland, killing five protesters.
3rd March » Alexander II of Russia signs the Emancipation reform of 1861 called Emancipation Manifesto, freeing serfs.
4th March » The Flags of the Confederate States of America named first national flag of the Confederate States of America (the "Stars and Bars") is adopted.
10th March » El Hadj Umar Tall seizes the city of Ségou, destroying the Bambara Empire of Mali.
11th March » American Civil War: The Confederate States Constitution known as Constitution of the Confederate States of America is adopted.
16th March » Edward Clark (governor) Edward Clark becomes List of Governors of Texas Governor of Texas, replacing Sam Houston, who has been evicted from the office for refusing to take an oath of loyalty to the Confederate States of America Confederacy.
19th March » The First Taranaki War ends in New Zealand.
20th March » An earthquake completely destroys Mendoza, Argentina.
21st March » Alexander Stephens gives the Cornerstone Speech.
12th April » American Civil War: The war begins with Confederate States of America e.g Confederate forces firing on Fort Sumter, in the harbor of Charleston, South Carolina.
13th April » American Civil War: Fort Sumter surrenders to Confederate forces.
19th April » American Civil War: Baltimore riot of 1861: A pro-Secession in the United States Confederate States of America e.g Secession mob in Baltimore, Maryland, attacks United States Army troops marching through the city.
20th April » American Civil War: Robert E. Lee resigns his commission in the United States Army in order to command the forces of the state of Virginia.
27th April » President of the United States called American President Abraham Lincoln suspends the writ of 'habeas corpus'.
6th May » American Civil War: Arkansas secedes from the Union (American Civil War) or Union.
6th May » American Civil War: Richmond, Virginia is declared the new capital of the Confederate States of America.
8th May » American Civil War: Richmond, Virginia is named the capital of the Confederate States of America.
13th May » American Civil War: Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom issues a "proclamation of Neutrality (international relations) or neutrality" which recognizes the Confederate States of America e.g breakaway states as having belligerent rights.
13th May » The Great Comet of 1861 is discovered by John Tebbutt of Windsor, New South Wales, Australia.
20th May » American Civil War: The state of Kentucky proclaims its neutral country e.g neutrality, which will last until September 3 when Confederate States of America named Confederate forces enter the state. Meanwhile, the State of North Carolina secedes from the
24th May » American Civil War: Union (American Civil War) known as Union troops occupy Alexandria, Virginia.
29th May » The Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce is founded, in Hong Kong.
1st June » American Civil War, Battle of Fairfax Court House (June 1861): the first land battle of the American Civil War after the Battle of Fort Sumter, producing the first Confederate States Army known as Confederate combat casualty.
3rd June » American Civil War: Battle of Philippi (West Virginia) Battle of Philippi (also called the Philippi Races) Union (American Civil War) Union forces rout Confederate States of America Confederate troops in Barbour County, West Virginia Barbour County, Virgi
8th June » American Civil War: Tennessee secedes from the Union (American Civil War) called Union.
10th June » American Civil War: Battle of Big Bethel - Confederate States of America or Confederate troops under John B. Magruder defeat a much larger Union (American Civil War) or Union force led by General Ebenezer W. Pierce in Virginia.
17th June » American Civil War: Battle of Vienna, Virginia.
16th July » American Civil War: At the order of President Abraham Lincoln, Union troops begin a 25 mile march into Virginia for what will become the First Battle of Bull Run, the first major land battle of the war.
21st July » American Civil War: First Battle of Bull Run at Manassas, Virginia or Manassas Junction, Virginia, the first major battle of the war begins and ends in a victory for the Confederate States of America e.g Confederate army.
25th July » American Civil War: The United States Congress passes the Crittenden-Johnson Resolution, stating that the war is being fought to preserve the Union (American Civil War) named Union and not to end Slavery in the United States named slavery.
26th July » American Civil War: George B. McClellan assumes command of the Army of the Potomac following a disastrous Union Army called Union defeat at the First Battle of Bull Run.
5th August » American Civil War: In order to help pay for the war effort, the Federal government of the United States known as United States government levies the first income tax as part of the Revenue Act of 1861 (3% of all incomes over US $800; rescinded in 1872).
5th August » The United States Army abolishes Flagellation e.g flogging.
6th August » The United Kingdom annexes Lagos, Nigeria.
19th August » First ascent of Weisshorn, fifth highest summit in the Alps.
28th August » American Civil War: Union (American Civil War) e.g Union forces attack Cape Hatteras, North Carolina in the Battle of Hatteras Inlet Batteries which lasts for two days.
29th August » American Civil War: United States Navy squadron captures forts at Hatteras Inlet, North Carolina.
3rd September » American Civil War: Confederate States of America e.g Confederate General Leonidas Polk invades neutral Kentucky, prompting the state legislature to ask for United States e.g Union assistance.
9th October » American Civil War: Battle of Santa Rosa Island United States called Union troops repel a Confederate States of America e.g Confederate attempt to capture Fort Pickens.
17th October » 19 people are killed in the Cullin-La-Ringo massacre, the deadliest massacre of Europeans by Australian Aborigines called aborigines in Australian history.
23rd October » U.S. President Abraham Lincoln suspends the writ of 'habeas corpus' in Washington, D.C., for all military-related cases.
24th October » The First Transcontinental Telegraph line across the United States is completed, spelling the end for the 18-month-old Pony Express.
25th October » The Toronto Stock Exchange is created.
26th October » The Pony Express officially ceases operations.
31st October » American Civil War: Citing failing health, United States known as Union General Winfield Scott resigns as Commander of the United States Army.
1st November » American Civil War: U.S. President Abraham Lincoln appoints George B. McClellan as the commander of the Union Army, replacing General Winfield Scott.
4th November » The University of Washington opens in Seattle, Washington (U.S. state) named Washington as the Territorial University.
6th November » American Civil War: Jefferson Davis is elected president of the Confederate States of America.
7th November » American Civil War: Battle of Belmont: In Belmont, Missouri, United States e.g Union forces led by General Ulysses S. Grant overrun a Confederate States of America called Confederate camp but are forced to retreat when Confederate reinforcements arrive.
8th November » American Civil War: The "Trent Affair" The USS San Jacinto 1850 6 stops the British mail ship 'Trent' and arrests two Confederate States of America Confederate envoys, sparking a diplomatic crisis between the UK and US.
9th November » The first documented Canadian Football known as football match in Canada is played at University College, University of Toronto.
21st November » American Civil War: Confederate States of America or Confederate President Jefferson Davis appoints Judah Benjamin secretary of war.
9th December » American Civil War: The Joint Committee on the Conduct of the War is established by the Congress of the United States e.g U.S. Congress.
21st December » Medal of Honor: Public Resolution 82, containing a provision for a Navy Medal of Valor, is signed into law by President of the United States or President Abraham Lincoln.
26th December » American Civil War: The 'Trent Affair': Confederate States of America named Confederate diplomatic envoys James Murray Mason called James M. Mason and John Slidell are freed by the United States government, thus heading off a possible war between the Unit