EVENTS OF 1861

Italian Patriots Take Gaeta and Messina-Unification of Italy-Death
    of Cavour-Emancipation of Russian Serfs-"Star of the Wiest"
    Fired upon by Secessionists-Southern Governors Seize Federal
    Forts and Arsenals Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisi-
    ana, and Texas Secede U. S. Senators from these States Resign
    -Convention of Seceding States Elects Jefferson Davis President
    and Alexander H. Stephens Vice-President of New Confederacy-
    It Adopts Extreme States Rights Constitution-It Appoints Com-
    missions to Secure Recognition of Confederacy at 'Washington and
    European Capitals-Lincoln Declares His Purpose to Enforce Fed-
    eral Authority in South-He Appoints Strong but Inharmonious
    Cabinet-le Refuses to Receive Confederate Commissioners-Con-
    federates Bombard Fort Sumter-It Surrenders-Lincoln's Call for
    75,000 Three Months' Men is Quickly Answered-General Lee and
    Other Southerners in Union Army Resign and Offer Services to
    Their States-Virginia Secedes-Western Virginia Remains Loyal
    -Arkansas, Tennessee, and North Carolina Secede-Massachusetts
    Regiment is Mobbed at Baltimore-Confederates Seize Harper's
    Ferry-Davis Commissions Privateers-Lincoln Proclaims Blockade
    of Southern Coast-He Calls for 65,000 Three Years' Men-Euro-
    pean Powers Recognize Belligerency of Confederacy-Davis Appoints
    Generals of Ability-Weakness of Union Military Leadership-Ma-
    gruder (Confederate) Beats Pierce at Big Bethel, Va.-Beauregard
    and J. E. Johnston (Confederate) Beat McDowell at Bull Run, Va.
    -Union Congress Calls for 500,000 Volunteers-Borrows 250,000,-
    000 and Declares Slaves of Confederates Contraband of War-Con-
    federate Congress Confiscates Property of Alien Enemies-Secretary
    Seward Sends Able Envoys to Europe to Prevent Aid to Confed-
    eracy-Mason and Slidell, Southern Commissioners to Euro e. are
    Seized on English Vessel "Trent"-Their Release by SewarX Obvi-
    ates Difficulty with England-Unionists Organize Provisional Gov-
    ernment of Missouri-Fr6mont (Union) Commands Division of the
    West-Lyon (Union) is Killed at Wilson's Creek-Sterling Price
    (Confederate) Captures Lexington, Mo.-Frmont is Displaced by
    Halleck-Kentucky Legislature Remains Loyal-Rise of Grant
    (tUnion)-He is Repulsed at Belmont, Mo.-McClellan Succeeds
    Scott as Head of Union Army-His Policy of Organization and
    Practice of Procrastination-Evans (Confederate) Defeats Baker at
    Ball's Bluff, Va.-Baker is Killed-Federal Fleet Captures Hat-
    teras and Port Royal-In China Ward and Burgevine Train Imperial
    -Uroops-Death of the Prince Consort of England.

I   N  Southern Italy the last blows for national union were
     strack early in the year. A French squadron for some
     time had prevented the Sardinian fleet from bombarding
Gaeta. By the middle of January, at last, the French Em-
peror consented to withdraw his opposition. Gaeta was bom-
barded by land and by sea. After a resistance of nearly a
month the garrison surrendered. The young Queen and
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