| Religion/Philosophy |
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The United States Universalist Convention for 1865 meets in Middletown, Connecticut |
| Education/Culture |
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The University of Michigan reported as the largest in the land, with more than 1,050 students |
| Slavery/Abolition |
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The Vicksburg Convention focusing on the slave trade closes with a vote to end restrictions on the African slave trade |
| Education/Culture |
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The victory at Fort Donelson met with enthusiastic celebrations in Philadelphia and across the North |
| Lawmaking/Litigating |
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The Virginia Convention on secession is meeting in Richmond |
| Campaigns/Elections |
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The Virginia Republican State Convention meets in Wheeling, Virginia |
| Cultural |
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The Virginia Washington Monument is unveiled in Richmond with Crawford's equestrian statue of Washington as its centerpiece |
| Crime/Disasters |
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The war crimes trial of the commander of North Carolina's Salisbury Prison Camp begins in Raleigh |
| Lawmaking/Litigating |
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The War Department bars the enlistment of men under eighteen without parental approval |
| Battles/Soldiers |
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The War Department commissions the twenty-six graduates of the West Point class of 1863 |
| Lawmaking/Litigating |
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The War Department decides that Generals Fremont and McClellan outrank General Benjamin Butler |
| Battles/Soldiers |
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The War Department gives the remaining strength of the U.S. Army as just over 150,000 men. |
| Battles/Soldiers |
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The War Department reopens military recruitment across the North |
| Battles/Soldiers |
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The War Department reports over a million Union dead re-interred in forty-one national cemeteries. |
| Battles/Soldiers |
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The War Department sets up two new Army Departments for the defense of Pennsylvania |
| Battles/Soldiers |
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The War Department suspends military recruitment across the North |
| Lawmaking/Litigating |
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The War Department takes over all telegraph communication in the United States |
| US/the World |
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The war-weary Vietnamese appoint negotiators to treat for a peace treaty with the invading French |
| Science/Technology |
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The Washington Observatory observes a new variable star flaring in the Coronae Borealis |
| Lawmaking/Litigating |
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The Washington Peace Conference is meeting at Willard's Hotel in Washington DC |
| Lawmaking/Litigating |
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The Washington Peace Conference presents its proposals to the U.S. Congress |
| Education/Culture |
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The wedding of Charles Stratton and Lavinia Warren in New York City makes headline news |
| Campaigns/Elections |
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The well-to-do women of Springfield, Illinois form a "Loyal Ladies League" |
| Lawmaking/Litigating |
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The Wheeling Convention of the western Virginia counties passes an ordinance setting up a new state |
| Lawmaking/Litigating |
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The Wheeling Convention votes to drop the provisional name "Kanawha" in favor of "West Virginia" |
| Personal |
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The wife of former president Franklin Pierce passes away from tuberculosis in Andover, Massachusetts |
| Education/Culture |
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The Wills family hosts President Lincoln for the night in Gettysburg |
| Science/Technology |
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The winter of 1864 begins at precisely 7:55 am, Washington DC time |
| Lawmaking/Litigating |
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The Wisconsin State Supreme Court declares Governor William Barstow removed from office |
| Lawmaking/Litigating |
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The Wisconsin Supreme Court rules that male Wisconsin African-Americans have the right to vote |
