Abraham Lincoln submits a message asking Congress to consider a plan of gradual, compensated slave emancipation.
Category: Politics
The Legal Tender Act
Abraham Lincoln signs a bill into law establishing the first Federal paper currency in U.S. history–the “U.S. Note.”
The Official Inauguration of Jefferson Davis
Jefferson Davis takes the oath of office to become the first official president of the Confederate States of America.
The Death of Willie Lincoln
President and Mrs. Lincoln’s 12-year-old son dies from what doctors call “bilious,” or typhoid, fever.
The Ordeal of Charles P. Stone
Federal troops arrest General Charles P. Stone in the early morning hours after new “evidence” surfaces confirming Stone’s disloyalty to the Union.
Feasting and Dancing
First Lady Mary Lincoln hosts a lavish ball at the White House, prompting some to criticize her for being insensitive to those suffering hardships due to war.