1857.

Feb. 2-Nathaniel Banks, of Mass., after 133 ballotings (which occupied the House of Representatives from the 3d of December of the last year to this time), was elected Speaker.

March 4-James Buchanan inaugurated the thirteenth regular President. July -Wm. L. Marcy, Secretary of War under President Polk, and Secretary of State un 'er President Pierce, died, aged 71.

1858.

May 11-Minnesota admitted into the Union, making the thirty-second State.

1859.

Feb. 14-Oregon admitted into the Union, which made the thirty-third State.

1860.

Nov. 6-The nineteenth Presidential election occurred, and Abraham Lincoln, the Republican candidate, was elected, against Stephen A. Douglas, John C. Breckenridge and John Bell.

Dec. 10-Howell Cobb, U. S. Secretary of the Treasury, resigned, and President Buchanan appointed P. F. Thomas, of Maryland, in his place.

64 14-Lewis Cass, United States Secretary of State, resigned. when the President nominated Jeremiah S. Black, of Pa., in his place. "20-South Carolina seceded from the Government of the United

States. This was the first act of Secession; but ten more of the slave States soon followed her example in the early part of 1861. 23-John B. Floyd, Secretary of War, robbed the Indian Trust Fund of nearly half a million of dollars.

28 The United States Arsenal, Post-office, and Custom House at Charleston, S. C., seized by the authorities of that State.

John B. Floyd, Secretary of War, resigned, and Joseph Holt, of Ky.. was appointed in his place the next day.

1861.

Now we have come to the period when the Great Rebellion of the Southern States was fairly inaugurated. A number of events had occurred in the month of December in 1860 which foreshadowed the coming storm, such as the resignation of the Southern members of Mr. Buchanan's Cabinet, and of Southern Senators and members of Congress, with the seizure of property, belonging to the United States, in Charleston, &c., &c. But hopes were still entertained of a pacification, as the spirit of Rebellion had not showed itself in much strength outside of South Carolina; but this smoking flax ourst into a consuming flame with the opening of this

year. To chronicle all the events of this most terrible war, during the four following years, would require a volume of the size of this to contain them; we must therefore only notice the most important of them, and many of these we shall so condense as to preserve the facts without recording, iu every case, the day of the month on which they occurred.

January-During this month, Fort Macon, at Beaufort: the United States works at Wilmington, and the U. S. Arsenal at Taylorsville; Forts Caswell and Johnson, in North Carolina; the Forts Pulaski and Jackson, and the Arsenal at Savannah, Geo.; Fort Morgan and the U. S. Arsenal at Mobile, Ala.; Forts St. Philip and Jackson, Fort Pike and the U. S. Arsenal at Baton Rouge, in Louisiana; Fort Barancus and the U. S. Navy-yard, Fla.; the U. S. Arsenal at Augusta, Geo.; the U. S. Custom-house and Mint in New Orleans, were all seized by the Rebels in the States where they stood. And in this month Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, and Mississippi, five States, all passed ordinances of Secession, and the members of Congress from Georgia, Alabama and Mississippi withdrew during this month.

29-Kansas admitted into the Union-making the 34th State. Feb. 1-Texas seceded from the Union.

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4-A Peace Convention, with delegates from eighteen States, assemble at Washington; and on the same day a Convention from the Seceded States assembled at Montgomery, Ala., to organize a Confederate Government.

5-John Slidell and Judah P. Benjamin, U. S. Senators from Lousiana, withdrew from the Senate.

9-Jeff. Davis and Alex. Stephens chosen President and Vice-President of the Confederate States for one year.

25-About this time Gen. Twiggs, in command of the U. S. troops in Texas, turned traitor to his government, and delivered up his men to the Rebels as prisoners of war.

28-Colorado organized into a Territorial government.

March 2-Dakota and Nevada organized into Territorial governments. 4-Abraham Lincoln inaugurated the fourteenth regular President of the United States.

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5-Gen. Beauregard takes command of the Rebel forces at Charles

ton.

6-The Senate of the Confederate States confirm Jeff Davis' nominations of the members of his Cabinet, viz., for Secretary of State, R. Toombs, of Geo.; for Secretary of Treasury, C. S. Meminger, of South Carolina; for Secretary of War, L. P. Walker, of Ala.; for Secretary of Navy, S. R. Mallory, of Fla.; for Postmaster, J. II. Reagan, of Texas; for Attorney-General, J. P. Benjamin, of La. 66 11-The Constitution of the Confederate States adopted in Convention at Montgomery, Ala., which was ratified afterwards by the several Confederate States.

April 11-Gen. Beauregard demands of Major Anderson the surrender of Fort Sumter, which was refused.

12-Bombardment of Fort Sumter by the Rebels. This was the real commencement of the great Civil War between the North and South.

April 14-Major Anderson and his men leave Fort Sumter.

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15-President Lincoln calls for 75,000 men to defend Washington.
17-Virginia secedes, and the Governor recognizes the act by pro
clamation.

18-The U. S. Arsenal at Harper's Ferry destroyed, to prevent its
falling into the hands of the Rebels.

19-A Rebel mob, in Baltimore, attacked the Massachusetts troops who were going to Washington, in obedience to the President's call; and the Mayor of Baltimore notified the President that no more troops should pass through that city.

19-The President, by proclamation, declares the ports of the Seceded States Blockaded.

20-The U. S. Mint at Charlotte, N. C., seized by the Rebels, and on the same day the railroads in Maryland were destroyed and bridges burnt. On the same day, the U. S. Navy-yard at Gosport, Va., was destroyed by the men having it in charge, to prevent its falling into the hands of the Rebels. Property lost worth $25,000,000.

26-Gov. Brown, of Geo.. forbids the citizens of that State from pay. ing their debts due to the people of the North.

May 3 President Lincoln calls for 82,714 additional troops.

6-Virginia admitted as one of the Confederate States, and the State of Tennessee passed an ordinace of Secession.

10-Gen. R. E. Lee took command of the Rebel troops in Virginia. "15-The Legislature of Massachusetts offer to loan the U. S. government $7,000,000 to carry on the war.

"21-North Carolina secedes from the United States.

"21-Rebels blockade the Mississippi River at Memphis. "24-Col. Ellsworth shot by the Rebel Jackson.

27-100 slaves took refuge in Fortress Monroe, and Gen. Butler declared them contraband of war.

27-Mobile blockaded; Savannah ditto, on the next day, by the U. S. blockading squadron.

"31-A fight of two hours between the Union gun-boats at Aquia Creek and the Rebel batteries at that place.

June 2-Battle of Philippa, Va. Rebels defeated.

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3-U. S. Senator Douglas, of Illinois, died.

10-Battle of Big Bethel, Va. Union troops repulsed.

46 14-Rebels evacuate and burn Harper's Ferry, when the Union forces occupy the place.

"17-A Convention of Union men vote the independence of West Virginia-in other words, that part of Virginia seceded from Old Virginia.

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18-Battle of Booneville, Mo. Rebels, under Gen. Price, routed by the Unionists under Gen. Lyon.

23-Forty-eight Locomotives of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Co. destroyed by the Rebels.

"26-President Lincoln recognizes the Wheeling government as the government of Virginia.

July 2-Battle near Martinsburgh, Va. Patterson, Union, defeated. Gen. Jackson, Confederate.

"5-Congress assembled, and the President called for 400,000 men and $400,000,000 to put down the Rebellion.

5-Battle at Carthage, Mo. Gen. Siegel commanded the Union, and Gen. Jackson the Rebel forces.

July 11-Battle at Rich Mountain, Va. Union, Gen. Rosecrans. Rebel, Gen. Pegram, who was defeated.

"11-U. S. Senate expelled nine Senators from the Confederate States for treason.

"13-Battle of Carrickford, Va. Union, Gen. Morris. Rebel, Garnett, who was killed.

"21-Battle of Bull Run. Union, Gen. McDowell. Rebel, Gen. Beauregard. Union troops defeated after ten hours fighting, yet the Rebels lost the most men.

"25-Gen. George B. McClellan took command of the Army of the

Potomac.

Aug. 2-Congress pass an Act for raising 500,000 men, and $500,000,000 by tax and tariff.

7-The village of Hampton, Va., burnt by the Confederates, to prevent its falling into the hands of the Unionists.

"10-Battle of Wilson's Creek. Union, Gen. Lyon, killed-263 troops killed, and 421 Rebels. Battle lasted six hours.

"15-Jeff Davis ordered all Northern men to quit the Confederate States in forty days.

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16-President Lincoln, by proclamation, declared all commercial intercourse with the Rebel States at an end.

23-The Cherokee Indians join the Confederates.

28-Bombardment and capture of Forts Hatteras and Clark, N. C., by the combined action of the Army, under Gen. Butler, and the Navy, under Com. Stringham.

31-Gen. Fremont issued a proclamation confiscating the property of Rebels in Missouri, and also freeing the slaves. This was countermanded by the President.

Sept. 1-The village of Boom Court House, Va., burnt.

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12-Col. John A. Washington, of the Confederate Army, killed while reconnoitering.

" 12-Battle of Cheat Mountain, Va. Rebels defeated.

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18-Some of the members of the Legislature of Maryland arrested and imprisoned for talking treason.

Oct. 3-Battle of Greenbrier, Va. Rebels defeated.

"16-The U. S. troops re-capture Lexington, Mo. "16-Battle of Pilot Knob, Mo. Rebels defeated.

"21-Battle of Ball's Bluff-which was a severe fight-the Unionists defeated; Col. Baker killed, with 918 men killed or wounded. "29-The great Naval and Military force, consisting of 75 vessels, (of all sorts) and 27,000 men, sailed from Hampton Roads, Va., and bound South, under command of Com. DuPont, and Gen. T. W Sherman.

Nov. 1-Gen. Scott retired from the command of the army, with full pay; and Gen. McClellan took his place.

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1-Confederate Gen. Floy tried to capture Gen. Rosecrans and his army, at Gauley, Va., but failed.

4-Houston, Mo., taken by the Union troops, who captured a large amount of Rebel property.

4-A part of the Great Naval Expedition arrived at Port Royal, S. C. 7--A great naval battle at Hilton Head, S. C., when the Rebel Forts Beauregard and Walker were captured.

66 8-Battle of Belmont, Mo. Great slaughter on both sides.

8-Mason and Slidell, Rebel Commissioners to Europe, were taken from the British steamer Trent, by the U. S. ship San Jacinto, but

on the demand of the English government they were given up to her. Nov. 10-The village of Guyandotte, Va., burnt by Union soldiers, because some of them had been murdered by the inhabitants.

"20-Thirty old whale ships, loaded with stone, sailed from New Lon don and New Bedford, to be sunk in the channels of some of the Southern sea ports. This was accomplished.

Dec. 3-4-Congressmen Bennett, of Ky., Reed, of Mo., and John C. Breckenridge, U. S. Senator from Ky., were expelled from Congress for treason.

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5-At this time there were, as shown by the reports of the Secretaries of War and of the Navy, nearly 700,000 men in the Army and Navy of the U. States.

"16-Platte City, Mo., burnt by the Rebels.

"17-More than twenty stone vessels sunk in the channels to the harbors of Charleston and Savannah.

"31-At the close of this year, there were 246 vessels (of all kinds) in the U. S. navy, carrying 22,000 men and nearly 2,000 guns.

1862.

Jan. 2-Battle on Port Royal Island, S. C. Confederates driven from the Island.

"10-A fight near Prestonburgh, Ky., between Union Gen. Garfield, and Rebel Gen. Humphrey Marshall's forces. Marshall defeated. "10 Senators Johnson and Polk, of Mo., expelled from the U. States Senate as traitors.

"12-125 vessels, with 15,000 troops, left Fortress Monroe for the South, under Com. Goldsborough and Gen. Burnside.

"13-Simon Cameron, Secretary of War, resigned, and Edwin M. Stanton, of Pa., was appointed in his place.

18-John Tyler, of Va., and once acting President, died.

"19-Battle of Mill Spring, Ky. Union forces under Gen. Thomas completely victorious over Gens. Crittenden and Zollicoffer the latter was killed. Unionists make a great haul of provisions and arms. "27-Bishop Ames, of the Methodist Church, and Gov. Fish, of New York, appointed to visit our prisoners at Richmond and other places, but the Rebels would not allow them to enter their lines. Feb. 4 Congress enact that the names of every person who had taken up arms against the United States should be struck from the pension

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roils.

5-Jesse D. Bright, of Indiana, expelled from the U. S. Senate for his secession sentiments.

6-The Western gun-boats capture Fort Henry, on the Tennessee River, under Com. Foote. Rebel Gen. Tilghman taken prisoner. 66 8-Great battle on Roanoke Island, which, with all its fortifications and guns, were captured, together with over 2,500 Rebel prisoners. Gen. Burnside commanded the Union forces.

10-Naval battle between U. S. and Rebel gun-boats, off Elizabeth City, N. C. All but one of the enemy's boats captured. "12-Gen. Grant, with 40,000 troops, invests Fort Donnelson, on the Cumberland River, where there were 18,000 Rebel, troops under Genls. Floyd, Pillow and Buckner. The fighting continued during