Birthdays
Abraham Bruner
Turns 29 on this date
Thompson Prettyman Ege
Turns 25 on this date
William Joseph Hardee
Turns 45 on this date
Archibald McAllister
Turns 47 on this date
Agib Ricketts
Turns 26 on this date
Lyman Trumbull
Turns 47 on this date
Events
| US/the World | British and French troops enter the Chinese capital | 10/12/1860 |
| US/the World | Garibaldi pledges that his conquests will become a part of a united Italy | 10/12/1860 |
| Business/Industry | In Philadelphia, a dispute between hotel owners ends with violence on the street | 10/12/1860 |
| US/the World | The Prince of Wales spends three busy days in New York City |
10/11/1860 to 10/14/1860 |
Documents
| Letter | Anonymous. “True Republicans” to Abraham Lincoln, Friday, October 12, 1860 | 10/12/1860 |
| Newspaper | New York Herald, “What are the Southern States Going to Do?,” October 12, 1860 | 10/12/1860 |