The packet steamer General Hooker left Charleston for Georgetown, South Carolina on its normal run but was discovered to be on fire just an hour after its departure. All efforts to put the blaze out failed and the vessel eventually burned to the waterline.  Several passing ships came to her assistance but at least eight persons were drowned before they could be picked up.  (By John Osborne)   

A large and powerful tornado struck Moultrie County in central Illinois, as well as its neighboring counties of Shelby in the south and Douglas in the east.  At least one person was killed and dozens others injured as the storm destroyed up to thirty dwellings and farm buildings and carried away livestock.  (By John Osborne)  

In a landmark case, the Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled that African-Americans had the right to vote in the state.  A Milwaukee man, Ezekiel Gillespie, had sued in county court for the right to vote under the ruling of a 1849 state referendum which had authorized black manhood suffrage but had been set aside on the pretext that too few citizens had voted.  Gillespie's suit was rejected and he appealed to the Supreme Court who over-turned the judgement and stated that Wisconsin African-American men had the right to vote.  (By John Osborne) 

A scheme under which African-Americans would migrate from the densely populated Virginia Peninsular to empty lands in Florida had local official support and a meeting was held to explain its objects.  A large gathering in Hampton heard local Union commander General Nelson Miles and the newly named local head of the Freedmens' Bureau endorse the plan before several other local leaders spoke strongly against it.  The meeting clearly favored the latter speakers and the meeting broke up.  (By John Osborne)  

The Indiana Democratic Party met at its Convention in Indianapolis to nominate a slate of candidates for the year's elections and confirm a party platform.  The gathering reiterated their support for President Johnson, applauded his vetoes, condemned any move towards the African-American franchise, and proposed that money being allocated to the Freedmens' Bureau be instead ear-marked for Union widows and orphans.  (By John Osborne) 

Private Fortune Wright of the 96th U.S.C.T. had been convicted at court-martial of the October 1865 murder of Dr. Octavius Trezevant on the street in Jefferson, Louiisana.  Fortune held that he had acted in self-defense while being beaten with a cane after Trezevant and his companion had thought him to be harming a black woman. Appeals from his officers for clemency to President Johnson were turned down and he was executed by hanging.  (By John Osborne)