Continuing his unconventional personal campaigning and his swing through Virginia, Stephen Douglas spoke to more than 3000 people at the Phoenix Hall in Petersburg on a rainy evening after spending all day receiving well-wishers at Jarrat's Hotel. When he spoke, he attacked all his opponents as endangering the Union which he strongly defended. He left Petersburg the next morning for Raleigh, North Carolina.  (By John Osborne) 

Nathaniel P. Banks had served as governor of Massachusetts since 1858.  The state's Republican Party had re-nominated him but in a letter he declined a run for a second term. He was replaced on the ticket by John A. Andrew who was duly elected and became an energetic "war governor."  Banks worked briefly for the Illinois Central Railroad before 1861, when he became one of Lincoln's first major-generals of volunteers.  (By John Osborne)

New York area baseball clubs were beginning to proliferate as the game grew in popularity.  On this day, the Alpine Club of New York, formed among the young men of the Jane Street Methodist Church played its first game, against Union of Elizabeth City, New Jersey at the Elysian Fields in Hoboken. The new club won in a closely contested game, 20 to 17 in nine innings.  (By John Osborne)

Heavy rains struck eastern Pennsylvania and western New Jersey causing widespread chaos.  Flash flooding along the Schuylkill carried away buildings and area canals suffered several severe breaks. Damage was especially heavy along the culverts of the region's railroads.  The Reading Railroad, the New Jersey Railroad, and the Camden and Amboy Railroad were all shut down at one point.  No serious injuries were reported, however.  (By John Osborne)