Birthdays
Robert Bridges Forten
Turns 47 on this date
Joshua Giddings Newbold
Turns 30 on this date
James Lawrence Orr
Turns 38 on this date
Events
| Campaigns/Elections | Female correspondent covers the Chicago Convention of the Republican Party | 05/12/1860 |
| Battles/Soldiers | In Nevada, Paiute Indians wipe out a poorly organized white militia at the Battle of Big Bend | 05/12/1860 |
| Crime/Disasters | Steamer burns on the Ohio River and five lives are lost | 05/12/1860 |
| Lawmaking/Litigating | The 36th U.S. Congress is in session in Washington, D.C. |
12/06/1859 to 06/24/1860 |
Documents
| Newspaper | Atchison (KS) Freedom’s Champion, “The Charleston Convention,” May 12, 1860 | 05/12/1860 |
| Newspaper | Chicago (IL) Press and Tribune, “A Fool-hardy and Fatal Balloon Ascension,” May 12, 1860 | 05/12/1860 |