but the president declined to entertain any such propositions. On the contrary, it was determined to succour the garrison in Charleston harbor. The insurgents fired on fort Sumter 1861, Apr. 12, which surrendered Apr. 14.

1861-1865. The Civil War.

Apr. 15, the president issued a proclamation calling for 75,000 colunteers to serve for three months; and summoned congress to meet July 4. April 18 a few companies of Pennsylvania militia reached Washington; and on April 19, the anniversary of the battle of Lexington, the sixth Massachusetts regiment was attacked by a mob while passing through Baltimore. The same day the president declared the ports of the seceded states to be in a state of blockade. On May 3d he issued a call for 42,000 men to serve for three years or the war. May 13, Great Britain recognized the so-called confederate states as belligerents. June 10 the union troops were repulsed at Big Bethel, and July 21 were routed at Bull

Run or Manassas.

Nov. 1. George B. McClellan succeeded general Scott in command

of the union forces. Nov. 8, Mason and Slidell, commissioners from the confederate states to Great Britain and France, were taken from the British mail steamer Trent by the American steamer San Jacinto. War with Great Britain averted through the prudence and skill of Mr. Seward. The commissioners were given up, and thus was established a principle of international law for which the United States had invariably contended.

Events of 1862. Feb. 6, capture of Fort Henry (in Tennessee) by the union forces. Feb. 16, "unconditional surrender of Fort Donelson to general U. S. Grant (b. 1822). Mar. 9, Monitor and Merrimac. Mar. 14, capture of Newbern. Apr. 6 and 7, battle of Shiloh or Pittsburgh landing (Grant); retreat of the confederates. Apr. 16, slavery abolished in the District of Columbia. April 24, a fleet under flagofficer (afterwards admiral) David G. Farragut ran the forts below New Orleans, and received the surrender of that city the next day.

March to July, Peninsular campaign (McClellan). Battle of Fair Oaks May 31 and June 1; seven days battles before Richmond (Mechanicsville, Gaines's Mill, White Oak swamp, and Malvern Hill July 1); withdrawal from the peninsula. The confederate army, now under the command of general Robert E. Lee (b. 1808, † 1870), pressed forward toward Washington. Battle of Cedar Mountain (Aug. 5); defeat of the union army under Pope at the second battle of Bull Run, Aug. 30. Lee crossed the Potomac into Maryland, but was defeated at South Mountain, and after the battle of the Antietam (Sept. 17) recrossed the Potomac. McClellan superseded by Burnside, who was repulsed with great loss at Fredericksburg (Dec. 13), and was succeeded (Jan. 26) by general Hooker.

Events of 1863. After the battle of the Antietam the president had issued a proclamation declaring that all slaves in states or parts of states in rebellion Jan. 1, 1863, should then be free; and on that day he issued the formal emancipation proclamation.

The army of the Potomac, under general Hooker, defeated at Chancellorsville (May 3). † Stonewall Jackson (b. 1826). Lee again attempted an invasion of the north, but was defeated by the army of the Potomac, now commanded by general George G. Meade (b. 1816, † 1872), at Gettysburg (July 1-3). July 4, Vicksburg surrendered to Grant. These two events were the turning points of the war. Grant assumed command of the military division of the Mississippi, and with force composed of the army of the Cumberland commanded by Thomas (b. 1816, † 1870), and reinforcements from Vicksburg under William T. Sherman (b. 1820), and from the Potomac under Hooker, fought and won the battles of Lookout Mountain and Missionary Ridge at Chattanooga, Tennessee, Nov. 24 and 25.

West Virginia (loyal portion of Virginia) (35th state).

Events of 1864. Grant made a lieutenant-general (March 9), and commander-in-chief (Mar. 12) of all the armies of the United States which henceforth operated on a settled plan. May 3, Grant with the army of the Potomac under general Meade crossed the Rapidan, fought the battles of the Wilderness (May 5 to 12), Spottsylvania (May 12–21), North Anna (May 21-31), Cold Harbor (June 1-3), and sat down before Petersburg, June 19. A confederate force under Early was sent to threaten Washington, and thus to secure the withdrawal of Grant. Early penetrated into Maryland and Pennsylvania, but was defeated by Sheridan (b. 1831) at Opequan (Sept. 19), Fisher's Hill (Sept. 21), and at Cedar Creek (Oct. 19). The Shenandoah valley was then devastated, and Sheridan rejoined Grant before Petersburg. The western armies under Sherman began a campaign against the confederates led by general Joe Johnston (b. 1807) May 6, and after a series of engagements reached Atlanta, which was evacuated by the confederates Sept. 2. A portion of his army was then sent north under Thomas to watch Hood (the successor of Johnston), who was finally defeated before Nashville, Dec. 15 and 16. Meanwhile Sherman, after burning Atlanta, started on the march through Georgia. He reached the sea Dec. 12, and took Savannah Dec. 22. On the water the Kearsarge (Winslow) sank the confederate steamer Alabama off Cherbourg (Alabama claims, p. 560); and a fleet under vice-admiral Farragut ran the forts at Mobile, Aug. 5. 1864, Nov. Nevada (36th state).

Nov. 8. Reëlection of Abraham Lincoln. Andrew Johnson, vicepresident.

1865. The Thirteenth Amendment, prohibiting slav

ery within the United States, was proposed by congress Feb. 1, and was declared ratified Dec. 18th.

Events of 1865.

Surrender of Fort Fisher to general Terry, Jan. 15. Grant had gradually drawn his lines around Lee's right flank, and on April 1st Sheridan won the battle of Five Forks, which compelled the evacuation of Petersburg April 2, and the surrender of Richmond April 3. Grant, with his whole army, under Meade and Sheridan, pursued Lee, who, being surrounded, capitulated at Appomattox Court House, April 9. Meantime Sherman had set out from Savannah for the north, Feb. 1. On Feb. 17, he compelled the evacuation of Charleston, and on April 26 received the surrender of the last confederate army, under Johnston.

1865, April 15. Assassination of Lincoln.

Andrew Johnson, vice-president, succeeds.

Cost of the war. National debt in 1860, $64,842,287; in 1866, $2,773,236,173, which great increase was in addition to the debts incurred by the states and municipalities.

1865, May 22. The southern ports declared open.

May 29. Amnesty to all persons engaged in the rebellion, with the exception of fourteen specified classes.

1866, Apr. 9. Civil rights bill passed over the president's veto. June 16. Fourteenth amendment, securing to the freedmen

the right of citizenship, declaring the validity of the national debt, and regulating the basis of representation and disqualification from office, proposed by congress, and declared ratified 1868, July 28.

1866, July 16. Act to continue the freedmen's bureau, which had charge of the loyal and suffering classes, black and white, in the southern states, passed over the president's veto. 1866, July 27. Telegraphic communication finally established with Great Britain.

1867, March 1. Nebraska (37th state).

Mar. 2. Reconstruction act passed over the president's veto. It divided the ten southern states into five military districts, each commanded by an army officer, who should see to the protection of life and property. The seceded states to be restored to their place in the union, whenever a convention of delegates, "elected by the male citizens, . . . of whatever race, color, or previous condition," except those disfranchised for participation in rebellion, etc., should frame a constitution, which, being ratified by the people and approved by congress, should go into operation, and the legislature thereupon elected should adopt the fourteenth amendment.

1867, Mar. 4. Tenure of office bill passed over the president's veto. 1867, Mar. 30. Alaska purchase. Area 577,340 square miles; price a little over seven million dollars.

1868, Feb. 24-May 26. Impeachment of president Andrew Johnson by the house of representatives. He had op

posed the reconstruction measures of congress; but the immediate cause of the impeachment was an alleged violation of the tenure of office act of 1867, Mar. 4. The senate acquitted him by one vote (35 to 19, the constitution requiring a two thirds majority).

1868, Dec. 25. Amnesty extended.

1869, Feb. 26. Fifteenth amendment, that the right to vote shall not be denied or abridged on account of “race, color, or previous condition of servitude," proposed by congress, and declared ratified, 1870, Mar. 30.

1869, Mar. 4-1877, Mar. 5. Ulysses S. Grant (Illinois), republican, 18th president.

1870. Population 38,555,983 (9th census).

1871, Mar. 3. A clause in the appropriation bill authorized the president to appoint a civil service commission to prescribe

rules, etc. 1871, May 8. Treaty of Washington with Great Britain provided: 1. For the reference to the emperor of Germany of the dispute as to the Oregon boundary (decided in favor of the United States, 1872, Oct. 21). 2. For a partial settlement of the fishery dispute (Halifax award, 1877, gave Great Britain five and one half million dollars); this part of the treaty abrogated by act of the United States, 1883. 3. For the settlement of the Alabama claims (Geneva tribunal of arbitration awarded to the United States over fifteen million dollars).

1873.

1876.

Commercial crisis.

Centennial exhibition at Philadelphia.

1876. The national elections of this year were very close, and congress appointed an electoral commission (five senators, five representatives, and five justices of the supreme court), which declared the republican candidate elected.

1877, Mar. 5-1881, Mar. 4. Rutherford B. Hayes (Ohio), republican, 19th president.

1879, Jan. 1. Resumption of specie payments. 1880. Population 50,155,183 (10th census).

1881, Mar. 4. James A. Garfield (Ohio), republican, 20th president. July 2, shot and mortally wounded. † Sept. 19. Succeeded by the vice-president, Chester A. Arthur, of New York, republican.

1882, May 6. Immigration of Chinese laborers suspended for ten years, in accordance with a treaty with China, concluded 1880, Nov. 7.

1883, Jan. 9. Civil service act (Pendleton bill) introduced the principle of compulsory competitive examination into the civil service of the United States.

1796-1820. Kiaking.

§ 6. CHINA.

Frequent insurrections, rampant piracy. Embassy of lord Amherst (1816).

1720-1850. Taukwang.

The exclusive privilege of the East India company ceasing in 1834, lord Napier was appointed superintendent of British trade († 1834). Imperial prohibition of the opium trade. Commissioner Lin sent to Canton with extraordinary powers (1838). Surrender of opium by Capt. Elliot, British commissioner to the Chinese, by whom it was destroyed (over 20,000 chests), 1839, Mar.-June. The continuance of the trade, and the English demands that the loss be made good to their traders, caused the

1840-1842. First war with Great Britain (Opium war).

A treaty concluded by Keshin, successor of Lin (Hong-kong ceded to England), was rejected by the emperor. The English captured Amoy (1842, Aug. 27), Ning-po (Oct. 13), Shang-hai (1842, June 19), and stormed Ching-keang (July 21).

1842, Aug. 29. Treaty of Nanking.

1. Canton, Amoy, Fuhchau, Ning-po, Shanghai, opened to British trade. 2. Hong-kong ceded to England. 3. The Chinese paid $21,000,000. 4. Establishment of a regular tariff. 5. Official intercourse to be on a basis of equality.

1844, July 3. Treaty with the United States (Caleb Cushing, ambassador). Treaty with France (Oct. 23).

1850-1860. Hienfung.

1850, Aug. Outbreak of the Tai-ping rebellion (1850–1864). The leader was Hung Sui-tsuen, who called himself Tien-teh ("celestial virtue "), and claimed to have been commissioned by heaven to conduct a political and religious reform of the empire. Promulgation of a religious system based on some knowledge of Christianity. 1853. Capture of Nanking (Mar. 19), Shanghai (Sept. 7). Suitsuen proclaimed emperor.

1855. Failure of the attack made by the rebels on Peking. 1856, Oct. 8. The lorcha Arrow, owned by a Chinese, but commanded by an Irishman and flying the British flag, was boarded at Canton by Chinese officers in search of suspected pirates; twelve natives were carried off and the flag pulled down. 1856, Nov. Three Chinese forts destroyed by the American fleet under commodore Armstrong, the Chinese having fired upon American boats.

The attempt of the English government (Palmerston, p. 543) to obtain a disavowal of the attack upon the Arrow, or an apology therefor, resulted in the

1857-1860. (Second) war with Great Britain allied with France. Lord Elgin, English envoy. Destruction of the Chinese fleet (1857, May 26, 27). Capture of Canton (Dec. 28, 29). Treaties of Tientsin (June, 1858) with Great Britain, France, the United States.

Infraction of the treaty (1859, June), renewal of the war. Repulse of the English attempt to force the passage of the Pei-ho forts (June

1 Lorcha: a light Chinese sailing vessel, carrying guns, built after the European model, but rigged like a Chinese junk. - IMPERIAL DICTIONARY.