1863 - What happened in 1863 ?

January 1863

Thursday 01:

The first claim under the Homestead Act is made by Daniel Freeman for a farm in Nebraska.

Thursday 08:

Battle of Springfield of the American Civil War is fought.

Saturday 10:

The first section of the London Underground Railway opens, between Paddington and Farringdon Street.

Thursday 22:

The January Uprising broke out in Poland, Lithuania and Belarus. The aim of the national movement was to regain Polish-Lithuanian-Ruthenian Commonwealth from occupation of Russia.

Thursday 29:

Bear River Massacre

February 1863

Saturday 07:

HMS Orpheus sinks off the coast of Auckland, New Zealand, killing 189.

Tuesday 10:

Alanson Crane patents the fire extinguisher.

Tuesday 24:

Arizona is organized as a United States territory.

Thursday 26:

U.S. President Abraham Lincoln signs the National Currency Act into law.

March 1863

Tuesday 03:

Idaho Territory organized as a political division of the United States.

Monday 30:

Prince Wilhelm Georg of Sleeswÿk-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg is chosen as King George I of Greece.

April 1863

Thursday 02:

Richmond Bread Riots: Food shortages incite hundreds of angry women to riot in Richmond, Virginia and demand the Confederate government to release emergency supplies.

Thursday 16:

American Civil War: Siege of Vicksburg – 12 ships led by Union Admiral David Dixon Porter move through heavy Confederate artillery fire on approach to Vicksburg, Mississippi. Only one ship is lost.

Tuesday 21:

Quantrill's Raiders launch a reprisal raid Lawrence, Kansas in the Battle of Lawrence, killing a number of civilians.

Wednesday 22:

American Civil War: Grierson's Raid begins – troops under Union Colonel Benjamin Grierson attack central Mississippi.

Friday 24:

The Keyesville Massacre: a massacre of 53 Native American men from the Tehachapi tribe in Keyesville, California.

May 1863

Monday 04:

American Civil War: Battle of Chancellorsville – The battle ends with a Union retreat.

Sunday 17:

Rosalía de Castro publishes Cantares Gallegos, her first book in the Galician language.

Monday 18:

American Civil War: The Siege of Vicksburg begins, ending on July 4).

Thursday 21:

American Civil War: Siege of Port Hudson – Union forces begin to lay siege to the Confederate-controlled Port Hudson, Louisiana.

Thursday 28:

American Civil War: The 54th Massachusetts, the first African American regiment, leaves Boston, Massachusetts, to fight for the Union.

June 1863

Sunday 07:

Mexico City is captured by French troops.

Tuesday 09:

American Civil War: Battle of Brandy Station, Virginia.

Sunday 14:

American Civil War: Battle of Second Winchester – A Union garrison is defeated by the Army of Northern Virginia in the Shenandoah Valley town of Winchester, Virginia.

Saturday 20:

West Virginia is admitted as the 35th U.S. state.

Monday 29:

George Custer is appointed as a U.S. Union brigadier-general

July 1863

Wednesday 01:

American Civil War: the Battle of Gettysburg begins.

Thursday 02:

Second day of the Battle of Gettysburg.

Monday 13:

New York Draft Riots: In New York City, opponents of conscription begin three days of rioting which will be later regarded as the worst in United States history.

Saturday 18:

American Civil War: The first formal African American military unit, the 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, unsuccessfully assaults Confederate-held Fort Wagner but their valiant fighting still proves the worth of African American soldiers during the war.

Sunday 26:

At Salineville, Ohio, Confederate cavalry leader John Hunt Morgan and 360 of his volunteers are captured by Union forces.

August 1863

Saturday 08:

American Civil War: Following his defeat in the Battle of Gettysburg, General Robert E. Lee sends a letter of resignation to Confederate President Jefferson Davis (Davis will refuse the request upon receipt).

Saturday 15:

The Satsuma war begins between the Satsuma clan and Great Britain (Traditional Japanese date: July 2, 1863).

Monday 17:

American Civil War: In Charleston, South Carolina, Union batteries and ships bombard Confederate-held Fort Sumter. Bombardment will not end until December 31, 1863.

Friday 21:

Lawrence, Kansas is destroyed by Confederate guerillas Quantrill's Raiders in the Lawrence Massacre.

September 1863

Sunday 06:

American Civil War: Confederates evacuate Battery Wagner and Morris Island in South Carolina.

Tuesday 08:

On the Texas-Louisiana border at the mouth of the Sabine River, a small Confederate force thwarts a Union invasion of Texas.

Wednesday 09:

American Civil War: The Union Army enters Chattanooga, Tennessee.

Saturday 19:

American Civil War: Battle of Chickamauga

Sunday 20:

American Civil War: The Battle of Chickamauga ends.

October 1863

Saturday 03:

Thanksgiving Day declared as the last Thursday in November by President Abraham Lincoln.

Thursday 15:

American Civil War: The first successful submarine, the CSS Hunley sinks during a test, killing its inventor.

Monday 26:

The Football Association is formed

Thursday 29:

Forces under Union General Ulysses S. Grant ward-off a Confederate attack led by General James Longstreet. Union forces thus open a supply line into Chattanooga, Tennessee.

Saturday 31:

The Maori Wars resumed as British forces in New Zealand led by General Duncan Cameron began their Invasion of the Waikato.

November 1863

Monday 16:

American Civil War: Battle of Campbell's Station near Knoxville, Tennessee. Confederate troops unsuccessfully attack Union forces.

Monday 23:

Union forces led by General Ulysses S. Grant reinforce troops at Chattanooga, Tennessee and counter-attack Confederate troops.

Wednesday 25:

At Missionary Ridge in Tennessee, Union forces led by General Ulysses S. Grant break the Siege of Chattanooga by routing Confederate troops under General Braxton Bragg.

Thursday 26:

Union forces under General George Meade position against troops led by Confederate General Robert E. Lee

Friday 27:

American Civil War: Confederate cavalry leader John Hunt Morgan and several of his men escape the Ohio state prison and return safely to the South.