Following the renewal of hostilities in the Second Opium War between Britain and France and the Chinese, two thousand British and five hundred French troops occupied the strategic island of Chusan (now Zhoushan) in preparation for an advance on Beijing.  Allied forces reached the city in October 1860 and the war came to an end.  (By John Osborne)

The American vessel Wildfire had sailed from New York on December 16, 1859 and returned from Africa with 507 slaves aboard. Captured by the U.S.S. Mohawk, under the command of Lieutenant T.A. M. Craven, she was landed at Key West and turned over the the U.S. Marshal there.  The crew were arrested and arrangements were made for the sale of the confiscated vessel. The liberated Africans were eventually returned to Africa and landed in Liberia.  (By John Osborne)

The American vessel Wildfire had sailed from New York on December 16, 1859 and refitted as a slave ship in the West Indies.  The Wildfire returned from Africa with more that 500 slaves aboard and was approaching the coast of Cuba when she was captured by the U.S.S. Mohawk, one of the warships recently detailed to step up anti-slavery efforts.  Wildfire and its human cargo was towed to Key West and turned over to the U.S. Marshal there.  (By John Osborne)

A Carlist uprising in Spain began with the landing of rebel General Ortega and the Carlist pretender, Carlos, Count Montemolin on the northern coast of Catalonia.  But Ortega's troops proclaimed themselves loyal to sitting Queen Isabella and arrested their general and, later, the two royal claimants.  Carlos, to save his life, abdicated his rights to the throne and was released.  He later rescinded this declaration when safe in Germany. (By John Osborne)    

A powerful storm moved across Macoupin County in west central Illinois and spawned a tornado that caused heavy damage to the town and vicinity of Carlinville.  The Presbyterian church in town was largely destroyed and livestock were lost but no deaths were reported among those injured.  (By John Osborne)

In early morning hours, around 1:35 a.m., a series of earthquakes and aftershocks lasting four days struck Peru's capital city Lima.  A strong shock was felt at midnight on the 21st, then the strongest tremor at 1:40 p.m. the following day.  Lighter aftershocks followed.  Destruction and casualties were limited though many houses and churches were damaged.  (By John Osborne)

Victor-Emmanuel II began the tour of his new Tuscan province in Florence where he was welcomed with enthusiastic crowds.  He dedicated the cornerstone of the new front of the ancient cathedral and was blessed publicly by the Archbishop of Florence, despite his recent excommunication by Pope Pius IX.  He then went on over the next days to visit other Tuscan towns like Sienna and Pisa before travelling to Bologna and his other new province of the Romagna.  (By John Osborne)  

Victor-Emmanuel II began the tour of his new Tuscan province in Florence where he was welcomed with enthusiastic crowds.  He dedicated the cornerstone of the new front of the ancient cathedral and was blessed publicly by the Archbishop of Florence, despite his recent excommunication by Pope Pius IX.  He then went on over the next days to visit other Tuscan towns like Sienna and Pisa before travelling to Bologna and his other new province of the Romagna.  (By John Osborne)  

The first west to east run of the Pony Express reached Carson City in Nevada in the afternoon, just eight and a half days after leaving St. Joseph, Missouri.  Carson City is the first place with telegraph service and the New York news the rider carried was telegraphed to San Francisco.  The mail continued on towards Sacramento and arrived there, with William Hamilton riding the final leg from Sportsman's Hall, California, at six in the evening of the next day, right on the scheduled ten day deadline. (By John Osborne)