1863 Atlantic hurricane season
Of the known 1863 cyclones, seven were first documented in 1995 by José Fernández-Partagás and Henry Diaz, while the ninth tropical storm was first documented in 2003. These changes were largely adopted by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Atlantic hurricane reanalysis in their updates to the Atlantic hurricane database (HURDAT), with some adjustments.


1863 Atlantic hurricane season
Although it is not officially listed in HURDAT, Hurricane "Amanda", named after a ship run aground by the storm, developed in the Gulf of Mexico on May 24. First documented in 2013 by Michael Chenoweth and Cary Mock, the system capsized several other ships and caused damage along the coast of the Florida Panhandle. The cyclone made landfall near Apalachicola, Florida, exceptionally early in the season, on May 28. Amanda is the only known hurricane landfall in the United States in the month of May since HURDAT records began in 1851. On land and at sea, the cyclone left at least 110 fatalities. Few other storms were notable. In August, the third official storm capsized the American brig Bainbridge off Hatteras, North Carolina, drowning 80 people. The seventh official cyclone caused 10 deaths near Tampico, Tamaulipas, after the ship J.K.L. sunk.


1863 Atlantic hurricane season, Systems, Hurricane One
A Category 2 hurricane was first encountered by the ship Francis B. Cutting about 630 mi (1,010 km) south-southeast of Cape Race, Newfoundland, on August 8. With winds estimated at 105 mph (165 km/h), the storm weakened to a Category 1 hurricane several hours later as it tracked northeastward. The cyclone was last noted late on August 9.


1863 Atlantic hurricane season, Systems, Hurricane Two
The ship American Congress first encountered this storm on August 18, about 320 mi (510 km) south-southeast of Sable Island. Reports from American Congress and other ships in the cyclone's path suggest that the storm was a Category 2 hurricane that moved east-northeastward offshore Atlantic Canada between August 18 and August 19. The hurricane caused the loss of the ship B.R. Millam, whose crew transferred to the Thebes, while the Herzogin lost several masts and sails.


1863 Atlantic hurricane season, Systems, Hurricane Three
A hurricane was first seen by the ship Addie Barnes on August 19 in the western Atlantic Ocean, about midway between the southeastern Bahamas and Bermuda. It headed northwestward, causing heavy rains and damage to the Outer Banks of North Carolina, but remained offshore. It turned northeastward and made landfall near Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, before transitioning into an extratropical cyclone. Several vessels were struck by the hurricane. The American brig Bainbridge capsized in the storm off Hatteras early on August 21 with the loss of 80 lives.


1863 Atlantic hurricane season, Systems, Hurricane Three
The sole survivor was picked up by the South Boston on the evening of August 22. The ship American Congress encountered this hurricane on August 22 off Georges Bank. On August 23, the Minor was wrecked on the south side of St Paul Island, off the northeastern tip of Nova Scotia. Two ships, including the Ashburton recorded a barometric pressure of 975 mbar (28.8 inHg), the lowest in relation to the storm.


1863 Atlantic hurricane season, Systems, Hurricane Four
This hurricane is known from two ship reports. The steamship Dolphin, sailing from Key West to New York City, encountered a hurricane on the night of August 27 and for 18 hours thereafter. Wind reports from the ship suggested that the storm was a Category 2 hurricane winds of 105 mph (165 km/h). The brig Camilla was struck about 200 mi (320 km) from Sandy Hook in New Jersey on August 28 and forced to return to port for repairs. The storm was last noted later that day.


1863 Atlantic hurricane season, Systems, Hurricane Five
A tropical storm was initially encountered near the Lesser Antilles on September 9 by the ship Frank W.. Later that day, the ship Mary Ann was dismasted. It is estimated that the cyclone intensified into a Category 1 hurricane around 12:00 UTC on September 9, with winds reaching 80 mph (130 km/h). The system moved north-northwestward or northward for several days and closely approached Bermuda late on September 11. Around that time, some ships to the southeast of the island were damaged during the storm and put into Bermuda as a result.


1863 Atlantic hurricane season, Systems, Hurricane Five
By early on September 13, the hurricane was beginning to move in a more northeasterly direction. The bark Machae was dismasted on September 14. The cyclone weakened to a tropical storm early the following day. On September 16, the Glad Tiding last observed the storm about halfway between Newfoundland and Ireland.


1863 Atlantic hurricane season, Systems, Tropical Storm Six
A tropical storm formed near South Florida on September 16. Later that day, the sloop Eliza was dismantled at Matanilla Reef, about 50 mi (80 km) north of Grand Bahama. Moving north-northeastward, the storm began approaching the Carolinas on September 17. The cyclone intensified and peaked with winds of 70 mph (110 km/h) that same day. Around 13:00 UTC on September 18, the system made landfall in Emerald Isle, North Carolina. Thereafter, the storm tracked rapidly north-northeastward and lost tropical characteristics near the Connecticut–Massachusetts–New York state lines early on September 19.


1863 Atlantic hurricane season, Systems, Tropical Storm Six
In South Carolina, strong winds and large waves impacted the Charleston area. A number of homes were destroyed, forcing some occupants to ride out the storm completely exposed to the weather. Waves overtopped the levees, flooding army camps along the coast. On September 18, two schooners were capsized in the Lower Potomac River. Crops were also destroyed in the area, while a railroad bridge was carried away. A ship was demasted off Cove Point in Chesapeake Bay on September 18. Heavy rainfall in Pennsylvania resulted in flooding along the Delaware River and Lehigh Canal, especially in Easton. In Jim Thorpe, then known as Mauch Chunk, three bridges washed away, while a dam was destroyed. In New York City, gale-force winds were observed at harbor.


1863 Atlantic hurricane season, Systems, Tropical Storm Seven
On September 18, a heavy northern gale wrecked the ship Smoker on the bar at Tampico, Tamaulipas, in Mexico. On September 19, two ships were capsized, the John Howell and the J.K.L. After the latter sunk, 10 people drowned, including the captain. No specific locations are known for these shipwrecks so no complete track for this storm is known, but it was active in the western Gulf of Mexico beginning on September 18. The storm made landfall early on September 19 in a rural area of Tamaulipas to the north of Tampico. Based on John Kaplan and Mark DeMaria's inland decay model created in 1995, it is estimated that the cyclone dissipated several hours later.


1863 Atlantic hurricane season, Systems, Tropical Storm Eight
Three ships reported encountering a tropical storm on September 26 in the western Atlantic, beginning with the Horace E. Bell about 320 mi (510 km) west-southwest of Bermuda. Data from these ships indicated that the storm peaked with winds of 60 mph (95 km/h). The storm moved rapidly north-northwestward and was last noted offshore the Mid-Atlantic early on September 27.


1863 Atlantic hurricane season, Systems, Tropical Storm Nine
A tropical storm formed offshore southeast Texas on at 00:00 UTC on September 29, though the system exhibited some non-tropical characteristics. Moving northeastward, the cyclone made landfall near Galveston, Texas, about twelve hours later with winds of 70 mph (110 km/h). Around that time, a barometric pressure of 999 mbar (29.5 inHg) was observed in Houston, the lowest pressure in relation to the storm. At 12:00 UTC, the cyclone transitioned into an extratropical cyclone over southwestern Louisiana. The remnants moved north-northeastward until dissipating over southern Mississippi on October 1.


1863 Atlantic hurricane season, Systems, Tropical Storm Nine
In Texas, strong winds and tree damage occurred at Sabine Pass, where the schooner Manhasett was driven ashore. The Manhasett, a Union ship, was then captured by the Confederates. In Louisiana, heavy rainfall at the Atchafalaya Basin over the course of two and a half days forced Confederate troops to remain at Morgan's Ferry. Rainfall from the storm in New Orleans ended a drought in the city.


1863 Atlantic hurricane season, Systems, Other storms, Hurricane "Amanda"
Based on analysis from Michael Chenoweth and Cary Mock in 2013, a tropical system developed in the Gulf of Mexico on May 24. Given the name Hurricane Amanda, after a Union ship the storm washed ashore, the tropical cyclone is estimated to have intensified into a hurricane on May 27. Amanda moved northward and made landfall to the west of Apalachicola, Florida, on May 28. Early that day, the USS Amanda observed a barometric pressure of 975 mbar (28.8 inHg), the lowest in association with the cyclone.


1863 Atlantic hurricane season, Systems, Other storms, Hurricane "Amanda"
The storm weakened while moving inland, before accelerating ahead of a cold front and becoming an extratropical cyclone over Kentucky late on May 29. An extratropical low absorbed the remnants of the storm over Quebec on May 31. According to Chenoweth, Amanda is the only documented United States landfalling hurricane in the month of May since HURDAT records began in 1851.


1863 Atlantic hurricane season, Systems, Other storms, Hurricane "Amanda"
Amanda caused heavy damage in the northeast Gulf of Mexico and the Florida Panhandle. In addition to sinking the USS Amanda, several other ships encountered the storm or were also capsized. At least 38 deaths occurred at sea. In St. Marks, Florida, strong winds destroyed homes and fences, as well as the salt works, ruining about 40,000 bushels of salt. Storm surge inundated crops and the railroad tracks. A total of 40 people and 48 mules and oxen drowned. An additional 32 people drowned at Dickerson Bay and Goose Creek. Some coastal forts were damaged, while tents and equipment used by Confederate troops were lost. In Tallahassee, heavy rainfall and severe gales were reported, damaging homes and other properties. The hurricane caused upward of 110 fatalities.


1863 Atlantic hurricane season, Systems, Other storms, Newfoundland Storm
On September 11, the ship North American reported a 'hurricane from SW' at a position that would indicate a storm centre just east of Newfoundland. No evidence of a tropical origin for this cyclone has been found.


1863 Belgian general election
Partial general elections were held in Belgium on 9 June 1863. The result was a victory for the Liberal Party, which won 59 of the 116 seats in the Chamber of Representatives and 33 of the 58 seats in the Senate. Voter turnout was 74.5%, although only 52,519 people were eligible to vote.


1863 Belgian general election
Under the alternating system, elections for the Chamber of Representatives were only held in five out of the nine provinces: Antwerp, Brabant, Luxembourg, Namur and West Flanders. Additionally, special elections were held in the arrondissements of Tournai, Ghent and Hasselt.


1863 Boston mayoral election
The Boston mayoral election of 1863 saw Frederic W. Lincoln Jr. reelected to a fifth overall term.


1863 California gubernatorial election
The 1863 California gubernatorial election was held on September 2, 1863, to elect the governor of California. Former governor John G. Downey was unsuccessful in his bid for reelection to a second, non-consecutive term, losing to former United States Representative Frederick Low.


1863 Central Cumberland colonial by-election
A by-election was held for the New South Wales Legislative Assembly electorate of Central Cumberland on 6 June 1863 because of the resignation of James Atkinson due to insolvency, who then re-contested the seat.


1863 Chicago mayoral election
In the Chicago mayoral election of 1863, Democrat Francis Cornwall Sherman won reelection, defeating National Union (Republican) nominee Thomas Barbour Bryan by an extremely narrow quarter percent margin.


1863 Chicago mayoral election, Background
In 1862, Sherman had appointed a committee which recommended that Chicago pass a new city charter which would annex Bridgeport and Holstein, lengthen the terms for mayor, treasurer, collector, city attorney, and clerk of police each from one to two years. Ultimately, such a charter and measures came to pass before the 1863 mayoral election. This made 1863 the first mayoral election held to a two-year term.


1863 Chicago mayoral election, Background
Since his 1862 mayoral victory, Sherman had, in October 1962, lost a congressional election to Isaac N. Arnold.


1863 Chicago mayoral election, Background
The election was held on April 21. It was the third of four Chicago mayoral elections which took place during the course of the American Civil War.


1863 Chicago mayoral election, Background
Tensions between the two parties were strong in the spring of 1863. Alderman Charles C. P. Holden (Sherman's 1862 mayoral opponent) had introduced several resolutions which Sherman vetoed for being too partisan. Republicans sought to see Democrats provide greater support for war measures, while Democrats were critical of President Lincoln's handling of the war. At the time the Common Council's swing vote was Alderman Shimp, a Democrat voted with the Republicans.


1863 Chicago mayoral election, Campaigning
The Republican (National Union) party nominated Thomas Barbour Bryan. He had previously been an unsuccessful candidate in the 1861 mayoral election. The Democratic Party renominated Mayor Sherman.


1863 Chicago mayoral election, Campaigning
Bryan had been a reluctant candidate, as was the case when he ran in 1861.


1863 Chicago mayoral election, Campaigning
Sherman's candidacy benefited immensely from the support of Irish and German voters from the newly-annexed neighborhoods of the city.


1863 Chicago mayoral election, Campaigning
The Chicago Tribune characterized Sherman as being sound in his position on the war, but criticized his affiliation with the Chicago Times and copperheads.


1863 Chicago mayoral election, Campaigning
The Bridgeport ward of Chicago was nicknamed the "Egypt of Chicago". Democrats believed the ward alone would secure Sherman's victory, a prediction which ultimately proved true.


1863 Chicago mayoral election, Results
With the exception of the nullified March 1844 mayoral election, Sherman's margin of victory was the narrowest in Chicago mayoral election history.


1863 Chicago mayoral election, Results
By winning this election, Sherman became the first individual to be elected to three terms as mayor of Chicago.


1863 Chicago mayoral election, Results
In the Common Council elections held simultaneously, nineteen Democrats and twelve Republicans were elected, with an additional seat being vacant. Nearly the entire Democratic ticket was elected by majorities between 250 and 300 votes.


1863 Chicago mayoral election, Results, Controversy
With a narrow vote, Republicans claimed that the Democrats had won through electoral fraud. They appointed a committee to investigate, and Bryan notified Sherman that he would contest the result.


1863 Chicago mayoral election, Results, Controversy
Ultimately, Bryan did not contest. While he believed that he had received a majority of the legal votes, and was pressured by friends to contest the election he was not greatly enough concerned about the result of the election to pursue the process of contesting it.


1863 Clarence colonial by-election
A by-election was held for the New South Wales Legislative Assembly electorate of the Clarence on 23 July 1863 because Clark Irving had been absent for an entire session without leave, having travelled to England seeking the foundation of a new Anglican Diocese of Grafton & Armidale.


1863 Clarence colonial by-election, Results
Clark Irving was in England at the time of his nomination and the election.


1863 Colony of Vancouver Island election
A total of 15 members were elected to the Third House of Assembly of Vancouver Island which ruled from September 2, 1863, to August 31, 1866. This was the last parliament for an independent Colony of Vancouver Island before unification with the colony of British Columbia.


1863 Colony of Vancouver Island election, Constituencies
William Alexander George Young 229 He resigned and was replaced by Charles Bedford Young October 25, 1864, who then resigned and replaced by Leonard McClure February 14, 1865. Amor De Cosmos 211Israel Wood Powell 203Joseph Charles Ridge 183. He resigned and was replaced by Selim Franklin on February 1, 1864, who then resigned and was replaced by Charles Bedford Young on May 2, 1866. Semlin Franklin 133Pidwell 91


1863 Colony of Vancouver Island election, Constituencies
Edward Henry Jackson 60. He resigned and was replaced by James Dickson on September 22, 1864. William Fraser Tolmie 60James Trimble 57Mr Elliott 28


1863 Colony of Vancouver Island election, Constituencies
George Foster Foster 22. He resigned and was replaced by Joseph Johnson Southgate on September 22, 1864, who then resigned and was replaced by Edward Stamp on May 18, 1866. Mr Cocker 14


1863 Colony of Vancouver Island election, Constituencies
John Sebastian Helmcken elected by acclamationRobert Burnaby elected by acclamation who resigned and was replaced by John Ash on November 28, 1865.


1863 Colony of Vancouver Island election, Constituencies
Charles Street elected by acclamation. He resigned and was replaced by John James Cochrane on November 2, 1864.


1863 Colony of Vancouver Island election, Constituencies
John Trevasso Pidwell He resigned and was replaced by George Edgar Dennes on October 13, 1863, who then resigned and was replaced by John Trevasso Pidwell on May 30, 1866. G.E.Dennes (he seems to have received more votes than Pidwell but seems to have been disqualified)


1863 Colony of Vancouver Island election, Constituencies
Charles Alfred Bayley He resigned and was replaced by Thomas Cunningham on January 5, 1866. David Babington Ring


1863 Confederate States House of Representatives elections
Elections to the Confederate States Congress were held from May to November 1863, during what was intended to be the first of two midterms within President Jefferson Davis' six-year term. The number of Congressmen in the House of Representatives who openly opposed the policies of President Davis increased from 26 to 41 out of 106, while the number of antiadministration Senators went from 11 to 12. The proadministration Senators thus had a narrow majority of two with 14 out of the 26 seats in the Confederate Senate. The 2nd Confederate States Congress would be seated on May 2, 1864.


1863 Confederate States House of Representatives elections, General election
The Confederate government did not have formal parties, and candidates ran individual campaigns. Nonetheless, some voters cast their ballots according to past party affiliations such as Democrat or Whig. The lack of parties was popularly believed to be a source of strength, however historians believe that the lack of such organizations prevented Davis from distributing patronage or commanding party loyalty from other elected officials to mobilize support for his policies. Despite this, historians have identified factions or proto-parties. One was largely supportive of President Davis's policies, or Pro-Administration, and the other was largely opposed to Davis' policies, or Anti-Administration. The Anti-Administration faction consisted of former Whigs as well as Fire-Eaters and other former Democrats.


1863 Confederate States House of Representatives elections, General election
Public grievances with the administration included supply shortages, inflation, and general financial mismanagement. Other issues that featured prominently in the elections were conscription and taxation. Anti -Administration candidates decried perceived federal government overreach, including Davis' decision to suspend habeas corpus and impose martial law. Pro -Administration officials attempted to appeal to the Confederate public's loyalty and foster a spirit of self-sacrifice for eventual independence of the Confederate States of America.


1863 Confederate States House of Representatives elections, General election
In the end, the Pro-Administration faction sustained electoral losses but maintained their majorities in both chambers of the Confederate Congress. Their strongest support came from Confederate soldiers and the Border States. However, this was not without anti-incumbent sentiment. For example, nine of the ten members of Georgia's Congressional delegation were defeated. In terms of policy, the overall sentiment of the Anti-Administration was in favor of the original secession and for continuing the Civil War.


1863 Confederate States House of Representatives elections, General election
Exceptions existed, as none of the newly elected Representatives from North Carolina had voted in favor of secession and five of those who won in North Carolina ran on peace platforms, while anti-secessionist former Whigs gained in Mississippi. Williamson Robert Winfield Cobb of Alabama was so openly in favor of peace that he was not seated by the Confederate Congress.


1863 Confederate States House of Representatives elections, General election
The elections were processed over six months due to the amount of Confederate territory occupied by the Union Army, in addition to all of the absentee ballots necessitated by the large refugee population. Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Texas sent 32 of the 41 Anti-Administration Congressmen to the House. The majority wielded by the Confederate Congress would not have been possible without the near unified support from the occupied districts. The results of the 1863 election indicating waning public confidence in the Davis administration, and enhanced the political strength of dissenters within the Confederacy.


1863 Confederate States House of Representatives elections in Florida
The 1863 Confederate States House of Representatives election in Florida was held on Wednesday, November 4, 1863 to elect the two Confederate States Representatives from the state of Florida, one from each of the state's congressional districts, to represent Florida in the 2nd Confederate States Congress. The election coincided with the elections of other offices, including various state and local elections.


1863 Confederate States House of Representatives elections in Florida
The winning candidate would serve a two-year term in the Confederate States House of Representatives from May 2, 1864, to May 1, 1866.


1863 Confederate States House of Representatives elections in Florida, Background
Florida seceded from the Union on January 10, 1861 and joined the Confederate States of America. In the 1861 elections, James Baird Dawkins was elected as the C.S. representative for the 1st district, while Robert Benjamin Hilton was elected the C.S. representative for the 2nd district.


1863 Confederate States House of Representatives elections in Florida, Background
Dawkins resigned from Congress on December 8, 1862, with John Marshall Martin winning the 1863 special election to succeed him. Martin did not run for a full term, deciding he was too young to be effective in Congress, opting instead to become an officer in the 9th Florida Infantry in the Army of Northern Virginia.


1863 Confederate States House of Representatives elections in Florida, Background
The candidates for both districts ran unopposed, and their ballots cast for them were not tallied on official results.


1863 Confederate States House of Representatives elections in Florida, Aftermath
The Confederate States Congress adjourned for the final time on March 18, 1865 and was officially dissolved on May 5, 1865.


1863 Connecticut gubernatorial election
The 1863 Connecticut gubernatorial election was held on April 6, 1863. It was a rematch of the 1860 Connecticut gubernatorial election. Incumbent governor and Republican nominee William Alfred Buckingham defeated former governor and Democratic nominee Thomas H. Seymour with 51.64% of the vote.


1863 Costa Rican general election
In the 1863 Costa Rican general election Jesús Jiménez Zamora was elected president of Costa Rica for the first time, succeeding José María Montealegre Fernández. He would dissolve the Congress almost immediately afterwards and call for new parliamentary elections restoring calm and ending his period peacefully.


1863 Dunedin and Suburbs North by-election
The Dunedin and Suburbs North by-election 1863 was a by-election held on 3 September 1863 in the Dunedin and Suburbs North electorate during the 3rd New Zealand Parliament.


1863 Dunedin and Suburbs North by-election
The by-election was caused by the resignation of incumbent MP Thomas Dick.


1863 Dunedin and Suburbs North by-election
The election was won by Julius Vogel. As no other candidate was proposed, he was duly declared elected unopposed.


1863 Dunedin and Suburbs South by-election
The 1863 Dunedin and Suburbs South by-election was a by-election held  on 20 June 1876 in the Dunedin and Suburbs South electorate during the 3rd New Zealand Parliament. It was then a two-member electorate; the other member being William Reynolds.


1863 Dunedin and Suburbs South by-election
The by-election was caused by the resignation of the incumbent, James Paterson. He had resigned because of complaints that there were irregularities in his election, although the election had been gazetted as valid. At the nomination meeting the show of hands was Paterson 19 to Vogel 9, but Vogel demanded a poll.


1863 Dunedin and Suburbs South by-election
Paterson was re-nominated. He was opposed by Julius Vogel but Paterson was re-elected.


1863 Dunedin and Suburbs South by-election
Paterson wrote condemning an unseemly and offensive pamphlet that he had not been aware of, referring to the religion of Vogel (who was a Jew).


1863 East Moreton colonial by-election
The East Moreton colonial by-election, 1863 was a by-election held on 26 September 1863 in the electoral district of East Moreton for the Queensland Legislative Assembly.


1863 East Moreton colonial by-election, History
On 15 September 1863, upon a successful petition by Robert Cribb on the basis that printed lines on the ballot paper misled voters, the election in East Moreton was declared void. The election was re-run on 26 September 1863, and William Brookes lost his seat to Cribb, whilst George Edmondstone retained his.


1863 Florida's 1st congressional district special election
A special election to the Confederate States House of Representatives for Florida's 1st congressional district was held February 2, 1863.


1863 Florida's 1st congressional district special election
The winning candidate would serve the remainder of a two-year term in the Confederate States House of Representatives to represent Florida in the 1st Confederate Congress from February 3, 1863, to February 18, 1864.


1863 Florida's 1st congressional district special election, Background
In the 1861 congressional election, James Baird Dawkins was elected to the Confederate States House of Representatives. However, Dawkins resigned on December 8, 1862 after Governor John Milton appointed him as a state judge.


1863 Florida's 1st congressional district special election, Campaign
Unique to this election, none of the five candidates came from West Florida, which had been the state's political powerhouse, showing the waning influence of Pensacola. Martin and Ives were both from North Central Florida; Martin was a planter and Confederate States Army captain from Ocala, while Ives was an influential newspaper editor from Lake City. Broome, the former governor of Florida, was from Tallahassee. Gettis, a former state representative from Tampa, was famous in Florida for his actions during the Battle of Tampa. The only candidate out of the five without a major reputation in the state was Hawes, a former state senator from Orlando, which was still a small frontier town at this time.


1863 French legislative election
Parliamentary elections were held in France on 21 and 22 June 1863, with a second round on 5 and 6 July. Pro -government candidates won a majority of seats.


1863 Goldfields North colonial by-election
A by-election was held for the New South Wales Legislative Assembly electorate of Goldfields North on 7 April 1863 because of the resignation of James Hoskins. Hoskins had been supported by a voluntary contribution from miners however he resigned for financial reasons, taking the job of overseer of northern roads.


1863 Goldfields South colonial by-election
A by-election was held for the New South Wales Legislative Assembly electorate of Goldfields South on 16 November 1863 because Bowie Wilson had been appointed Secretary for Lands in the first Martin ministry. Such ministerial by-elections were usually uncontested and on this occasion, Peter Faucett (Yass), William Forster (East Sydney) and Arthur Holroyd (Parramatta) were unopposed. Of the other two contested elections, Geoffrey Eagar (West Sydney) was easily re-elected, with more than 90% of the vote, while James Martin was defeated at the Orange by-election. Martin promptly regained a seat in parliament by winning the by-election for The Tumut.


1863 Goldfields South colonial by-election
Frederick Cooper had been elected for Braidwood at the 1859 election, resigning in 1860, to accept an appointment as a sub-commissioner of goldfields. He was initially at Kiandra, however an inquiry had found he had committed errors, including illegal acts, as a result of his inexperience. Wilson, as member for Goldfields South, had been critical of the response of the then Secretary for Lands, John Robertson, in moving Cooper to Araluen rather than dismissing him. Cooper resigned as sub-commissioner shortly after Wilson had been appointed Secretary for Lands.


1863 Goldfields South colonial by-election, Result
Returns were only reported for 8 of the 14 polling places.


1863 Grand National
The 1863 Grand National was the 25th renewal of the world-famous Grand National horse race that took place at Aintree near Liverpool, England, on 11 March 1863.


1863 Grand National
The winning mare's full sister Emblematic won the race the following year.


1863 Hampden by-election
The 1863 Hampden by-election was a by-election held  on 2 July 1863 in the Hampden electorate during the 3rd New Zealand Parliament.


1863 Hampden by-election
The by-election was caused by the resignation of the incumbent, John Richard Jones.


1863 Hampden by-election
Frederick Wayne was declared elected unopposed, as he was the only candidate nominated.


1863 Hawke's Bay earthquake
The 1863 Hawke's Bay earthquake was a devastating magnitude 7.5 Mw earthquake that struck near the town of Waipukurau on 23 February 1863. It remained the single largest earthquake to strike Hawke's Bay until 1931, where a magnitude 7.8 quake leveled much of Napier and Hastings and killed 256 people.


1863 Hawke's Bay earthquake, Tectonic setting
New Zealand lies along the boundary between the Indo-Australian Plate and Pacific Plates. In the South Island most of the relative displacement between these plates is taken up along a single dextral (right lateral) strike-slip fault with a major reverse component, the Alpine Fault. In the North Island the displacement is mainly taken up along the Hikurangi Subduction Zone, although the remaining dextral strike-slip component of the relative plate motion is accommodated by the North Island Fault System (NIFS), which runs from Wellington, up Hawke's Bay and through to Gisborne and the Bay of Plenty. The 1863 earthquake is believed to have occurred outside the Mohaka Fault, just west of Waipukurau.


1863 Hawke's Bay earthquake, Reported effects
Residents living in Hawke's Bay at the time reported numerous landslides, as well as vast soil liquefaction and the opening of large fissures in the ground. Residents also reported overturned furniture and snapped chimneys. According to The Hawke’s Bay Herald, There was considerable damage to stock in stores and hotels and although some chimney bricks fell through rooves, no major injuries were reported. Houses were shaken off their piles. Aftershocks continued at short intervals for the rest of the morning.


1863 Hawke's Bay earthquake, Reported effects
Outside of Hawke's Bay, the earthquake woke many people in Wellington, causing minor structural damage but had a large toll on personal belongings. The Wellington Independent noted that the initial earthquake lasted 30–40 seconds and was followed by several smaller aftershocks.


1863 Hawke's Bay earthquake, Reported effects
In Wanganui, the earthquake was described as the sharpest shock in both duration and severity since the magnitude 8.2 Wairarapa earthquake in 1855. However, no damage was sustained.


1863 Hawke's Bay earthquake, Reported effects
In Nelson the earthquake was felt as three sharp shocks in quick succession at about 1:20 a.m.


1863 Hawke's Bay earthquake, Reported effects
In Gisborne the earthquake was felt, but did not do any damage.


1863 Heathcote by-election
The 1863 Heathcote by-election was a by-election held on 28 October in the Heathcote electorate during the 3rd New Zealand Parliament.


1863 Heathcote by-election
The by-election was caused by the resignation of the incumbent, William Sefton Moorhouse.


1863 Heathcote by-election
As Cox was the only candidate, he was declared elected unopposed.


1863 Iowa Senate election
In the 1863 Iowa State Senate elections, Iowa voters elected state senators to serve in the tenth Iowa General Assembly. Following the downsizing of the Iowa Senate from 49 to 46 seats in 1863, elections were held for 34 of the state senate's 46 seats. State senators serve four-year terms in the Iowa State Senate.


1863 Iowa Senate election
Following the previous election in 1861, Republicans had control of the Iowa Senate with 33 seats to Democrats' 16 seats. However, three changes occurred during the ninth general assembly. In the third district, Democratic Senator Cyrus Bussey resigned on January 18, 1862, causing a vacancy in his seat. Democrat James Pollard succeeded Senator Bussey, holding the seat for the Democrats. In the sixth district, Republican Senator James Conrad Hagans died on September 7, 1863, causing a vacancy in his seat. The sixth district seat was left vacant until the next election.


1863 Iowa Senate election
In the forty-first district, Republican Senator John Scott resigned on January 18, 1862, causing a vacancy in his seat. Democrat Edwin B. Potter succeeded Senator Scott, flipping the seat to Democratic control. Therefore, by election day in 1863, the Republicans held 31 seats, the Democrats held 17 seats, and one seat was vacant (the seat that had been held by Republican Senator Hagans).


1863 Iowa Senate election
To claim control of the chamber from Republicans, the Democrats needed to net seven Senate seats.


1863 Iowa Senate election
Republicans maintained control of the Iowa State Senate following the election with the balance of power shifting to Republicans holding 41 seats and Democrats having five seats (a net gain of 10 seats for Republicans).


1863 Jujuy earthquake
The 1863 Jujuy earthquake took place in the province of Jujuy, Argentina on 14 January at about 11:00 (UTC). It had an estimated magnitude of 6.4 and its epicenter was at , at a depth of about 50 kilometres (31 mi).


1863 Jujuy earthquake
This earthquake had a felt intensity of VIII on the Mercalli intensity scale. Its magnitude and duration made it exceptionally destructive, causing damage to the cathedral, the cabildo (colonial government house) and precarious homes in San Salvador de Jujuy, the provincial capital.


1863 Kaiapoi by-election
The 1863 Kaiapoi by-election was a by-election held on 2 September 1863 in the Kaiapoi electorate during the 3rd New Zealand Parliament.


1863 Kaiapoi by-election
The by-election was caused by the resignation of incumbent MP Isaac Cookson and was won unopposed by Robert Wilkin.


1863 Liberian general election
Presidential elections were held in Liberia in 1863. The result was a victory for Daniel Bashiel Warner of the Republican Party. Warner took office on 4 January 1864.


1863 Liverpool Plains colonial by-election
A by-election was held for the New South Wales Legislative Assembly electorate of Liverpool Plains on 7 April 1863 because of the resignation of Alexander Dick, to accept appointment as 2nd examiner of titles under the Real Property Act.


1863 Liverpool Plains colonial by-election, Polling places
Polling was delayed at Carroll and Grover's Inn because the Namoi River was in flood, with polling taking place on 11 February.


1863 Liverpool Town Council election
Elections to Liverpool Town Council were held on Monday 2 November 1863. One third of the council seats were up for election, the term of office of each councillor being three years.


1863 Liverpool Town Council election, Election result
Because seven of the sixteen seats were uncontested seats, these statistics should be taken in that context.


1863 Liverpool Town Council election, By-elections, No. 2, Scotland,
Following the resignation of Alderman Sanuel Holme, Councillor Richard Sheil (Merchant, of Bankfield Road, West Derby, elected to Scotland ward on 1 November 1861) was elected as an alderman on Wednesday 11 May 1864.


1863 Louisiana gubernatorial election (Confederate)
The 1863 Louisiana gubernatorial (Confederate) election was the fourth election to take place under the Louisiana Constitution of 1852. As a result of this election Henry Watkins Allen became Governor of Confederate-controlled Louisiana.


1863 Manila earthquake
The 1863 Manila earthquake was an earthquake that struck the Philippines on June 3, 1863.


1863 Manila earthquake, Overview
The Manila earthquake on June 3, 1863, destroyed Manila Cathedral, the Ayuntamiento (city hall), the Governor's Palace (all three located at the time on Plaza Mayor, now Plaza de Roma) and much of the city. The residence of the Governor-General was moved to Malacañang Palace located about 3 km (1.9 miles) up the Pasig River, while the other two buildings were rebuilt in place. Fatalities was 1,000.


1863 Massachusetts gubernatorial election
The 1863 Massachusetts gubernatorial election was held on November 3.


1863 Massachusetts gubernatorial election
Governor John Albion Andrew was re-elected to a fourth term in office over Democrat Henry W. Paine.


1863 Massachusetts legislature
The 84th Massachusetts General Court, consisting of the Massachusetts Senate and the Massachusetts House of Representatives, met in 1863 during the governorship of John Albion Andrew. Jonathan E. Field served as president of the Senate and Alexander Hamilton Bullock served as speaker of the House.


1863 Melbourne Cup
The 1863 Melbourne Cup was a two-mile handicap horse race which took place on Thursday, 5 November 1863.


1863 Melbourne Cup
This year was the third running of the Melbourne Cup. Controversially, two-time defending winner Archer was not allowed to take his place in the race after his nomination arrived in Melbourne one day late. The nomination arrived on a public holiday in Melbourne: Separation or Succession day to celebrate Victoria separating from New South Wales. As a result, The Victoria Turf Club's offices were closed for the holiday and Archer's nomination was rejected for being "too late". Because of this, Sydney trainers boycotted the race leaving only horses trained by Melbourne trainers. The resulting seven horse field is the lowest in the race's history. Archer would have carried 11st 4lb (71kg). By contrast, the winner, Banker carried 5st 9lb (33.5 kg), the lightest weight carried by a winner and third place, Rose of Denamrk carried 5st 12lb (36 kg).


1863 Melbourne Cup
This is the list of placegetters for the 1863 Melbourne Cup.


1863 Mexican emperor referendum
A referendum on Maximilian becoming Emperor was held in Mexico on 4 December 1863. The proposal was supposedly approved by 100% of voters, with not a single vote cast against. Maximilian subsequently took the throne on 11 April 1864, starting the era of the Second Mexican Empire. In 1867 Maximilian was dethroned and executed.


1863 Mexican emperor referendum, Background
In 1861 Mexican president Benito Juárez declared a moratorium on the country's debt as it was effectively bankrupt. The country's creditors, led by Napoleon III decided to take military action. On 10 June 1863 French troops, commanded by General Élie Frédéric Forey, captured Mexico City. A Council of Regency and Assembly of Notables were summoned, and on 10 July offered Maximilian the Imperial Crown.


1863 Mexican emperor referendum, Results
The official figures are not deemed credible. The invading French army only conducted the referendum in the occupied area between Toluca, Mexico City and Veracruz. Voters signed a register (which ultimately weighed 700lbs) that was subsequently passed to Maximilian in Trieste.


1863 Mexican emperor referendum, Results
Analysis by Jankoff suggested that in reality 18 of the 24 states had agreed to Maximilian becoming Emperor. In total around 7,303,000 voted for him and around 1,162,000 for Juárez (or the republic).


1863 Minnesota gubernatorial election
The 1863 Minnesota gubernatorial election was held on July 10, 1863 to elect the governor of Minnesota.


1863 New York state election
The 1863 New York state election was held on November 3, 1863, to elect the Secretary of State, the State Comptroller, the Attorney General, the State Treasurer, the State Engineer, a Judge of the New York Court of Appeals, a Canal Commissioner and an Inspector of State Prisons, as well as all members of the New York State Assembly and the New York State Senate.


1863 New York state election, History
The Union state convention - Republicans and War Democrats which supported the Union and Abraham Lincoln's policy during the American Civil War - met on September 2 at Syracuse, New York. Ward Hunt was Temporary Chairman until the choice of Abraham Wakeman as President. Peter A. Porter was nominated for Secretary of State on the first ballot (vote: Porter 213, Chauncey Depew 140, Theophilus C. Callicot 15). Thomas W. Olcott for Comptroller, John Cochrane for Attorney General, George W. Schuyler for Treasurer, and Henry R. Selden [incumbent] for Judge of the Court of Appeals, were nominated by acclamation.


1863 New York state election, History
Benjamin F. Bruce was nominated for Canal Commissioner on the first ballot (vote: Bruce 220, Stephen T. Hayt 131). The incumbent William B. Taylor was re-nominated for State Engineer on the first ballot (vote: Taylor 234, J. Platt Goodsell 67, F. A. Utter 26, Charles W. Wentz 10). The incumbent James K. Bates was re-nominated for Prison Inspector by acclamation. When informed of his nomination, Colonel Porter, who was commanding his troops at Baltimore, declined to run because he "wanted to serve his country in the field." Olcott also declined to run, and the State Committee substituted Depew and the incumbent Lucius Robinson on the Union ticket.


1863 New York state election, History
The Constitutional Union state convention met on September 9 but did not nominate a ticket.


1863 New York state election, History
The Democratic state convention met on September 10 at Albany, New York.


1863 New York state election, Results
The incumbents Robinson, Taylor, Selden and Bates were re-elected. The incumbents Lewis and Wright were defeated.


1863 New York state election, Results
21 Unionists and 11 Democrats were elected to a two-year term (1864–65) in the New York State Senate.


1863 New York state election, Results
82 Unionists and 46 Democrats were elected for the session of 1864 to the New York State Assembly.


1863 Ohio gubernatorial election
The 1863 Ohio gubernatorial election was held on October 13, 1863. National Union nominee John Brough defeated Democratic nominee Clement Vallandigham with 60.61% of the vote.


1863 Open Championship
The 1863 Open Championship was the fourth Open Championship and was again held at Prestwick Golf Club. Eight professionals and six amateurs contested the event in wet and windy weather, with Willie Park, Sr. winning the championship for the second time, by two shots from Tom Morris, Sr.


1863 Open Championship
As in previous years, the contest was held over three rounds of the twelve-hole links course. For the first time there was prize money for those finishing 2nd, 3rd and 4th, although the winner only received the Challenge Belt for the next year.


1863 Open Championship
Davie Park, younger brother of Willie, led after the first round with a score of 55. An excellent second round 54 meant that Willie led by four strokes. Eventually Willie won by two strokes from Morris, spoiling Morris's attempt at a third consecutive win, which would have given him outright possession of the Challenge Belt, although Morris took the second prize of £5.


1863 Orange Free State presidential election
Presidential elections were held in the Orange Free State on 5 November 1863. The result was a victory for Johannes Brand, who was inaugurated as the fourth President of the country on 2 February 1864.


1863 Orange colonial by-election
A by-election was held for the New South Wales Legislative Assembly electorate of Orange on 4 November 1863. The by-election was triggered because James Martin had replaced Charles Cowper as Premier, establishing his first ministry. While the title of Premier was widely used to refer to the Leader of Government, it was not a formal position until 1920 and the Premier also held a formal position in the cabinet, in Martin's case this position was Attorney-General. Such ministerial by-elections were usually uncontested and on this occasion, Peter Faucett (Yass), William Forster (East Sydney) and Arthur Holroyd (Parramatta) were unopposed. The two other ministers, Geoffrey Eagar (West Sydney) and Bowie Wilson (Goldfields South) were easily re-elected, with more than 90% of the vote.


1863 Orange colonial by-election
Charles Cowper's son, Charles Cowper Jr., was also a member of parliament and resigned from The Tumut to challenge Martin at the by-election.


1863 Orange colonial by-election, Aftermath
While defeated, Martin promptly returned to parliament, winning the by-election for The Tumut, the seat vacated by Charles Cowper Jr. In 1864 Cowper stated that his health prevented him from re-contesting Orange, however he was nominated for The Tumut and again defeated Martin.


1863 Pennsylvania gubernatorial election
The 1863 Pennsylvania gubernatorial election occurred on October 13, 1863. Incumbent governor Andrew Gregg Curtin, a Republican, was a candidate for re-election. Curtin defeated Democratic candidate George Washington Woodward to win another term.


1863 Port Curtis colonial by-election
The Port Curtis colonial by-election, 1863 was a by-election held on 12 May 1863 in the electoral district of Port Curtis for the Queensland Legislative Assembly.


1863 Port Curtis colonial by-election, History
On 11 April 1863, Alfred Sandeman, the member for Port Curtis resigned due to complaints about his inactivity by his constituents. John Douglas won the resulting by-election on 12 May 1863.


1863 Queensland colonial election
Elections were held in the Australian state of Queensland between 30 May 1863 and 27 June 1863 to elect the members of the state's Legislative Assembly.


1863 Queensland colonial election, Key dates
Due to problems of distance and communications, the elections could not be held on a single day.


1863 State of the Union Address
The 1863 State of the Union Address was written by the 16th president of the United States, Abraham Lincoln, and delivered to the United States Congress, on Tuesday, December 8, 1863, amid the ongoing American Civil War. He said, "The efforts of disloyal citizens of the United States to involve us in foreign wars to aid an inexcusable insurrection have been unavailing," referring to the citizens of the Confederate States of America, and their failed efforts to bring the Emperor of France, Napoleon III, or the British Monarch, Queen Victoria, onto their side. He ended with, "The movements by State action for emancipation in several of the States not included in the emancipation proclamation are matters of profound gratulation."


1863 Swiss federal election
Federal elections were held in Switzerland on 25 October 1863. The Radical Left remained the largest group in the National Council, but lost its majority for the first time since 1848.


1863 Swiss federal election, Electoral system
The 128 members of the National Council were elected in 47 single- and multi-member constituencies; there was one seat for every 20,000 citizens, with seats allocated to cantons in proportion to their population. As a result of the 1860 census, the number of seats was increased by eight following the previous elections in 1860, although the number of constituencies was reduced from 49; the extra seats were given to Basel-Landschaft, Basel-Stadt, Geneva, Graubünden, St. Gallen, Thurgau, Vaud and Valais.


1863 Swiss federal election, Electoral system
The elections were held using a three-round system; candidates had to receive a majority in the first or second round to be elected; if it went to a third round, only a plurality was required. Voters could cast as many votes as there were seats in their constituency. In six cantons (Appenzell Innerrhoden, Appenzell Ausserrhoden, Glarus, Nidwalden, Obwalden and Uri), National Council members were elected by the Landsgemeinde.


1863 Swiss federal election, Results, National Council, Summary
Voter turnout was highest in the Canton of Schaffhausen (where voting was compulsory) at 88.2% and lowest in the Canton of Zürich at 18.6%.


1863 Texas gubernatorial election
The 1863 Texas gubernatorial election was held on November 2, 1863 to elect the Governor of Texas. Incumbent Governor Francis Lubbock did not run for a second term. The election was won by Pendleton Murrah, who received 56% of the vote.


1863 Texas gubernatorial election
The election was the second of two held in Texas during the American Civil War. Texas was, at the time, a Confederate state.


1863 Town of New Plymouth by-election
The 1863 Town of New Plymouth by-election was a by-election held  on 9 October in the Town of New Plymouth electorate during the 3rd New Zealand Parliament.


1863 Town of New Plymouth by-election
The by-election was caused by the resignation of the incumbent, Isaac Newton Watt.


1863 Town of New Plymouth by-election
Turton was the only nomination, so was declared elected unopposed.


1863 Tumut colonial by-election
A by-election was held for the New South Wales Legislative Assembly electorate of The Tumut on 16 November 1863. The by-election was triggered because of the resignation of Charles Cowper Jr.. James Martin had replaced Charles Cowper Sr as Premier, establishing his first ministry, and Cowper Jr. resigned his seat to successfully challenge Martin at the Orange by-election.


1863 United States Senate election in Massachusetts
The 1863 United States Senate election in Massachusetts was held on January 9, 1863. Incumbent Charles Sumner was re-elected to a third term in office.


1863 United States Senate election in Massachusetts
At the time, Massachusetts elected United States senators by a majority vote of each separate house of the Massachusetts General Court: the House and the Senate.


1863 United States Senate election in Massachusetts, Background
In the 1862 state legislative elections, supporters of the Lincoln administration who nonetheless opposed the emancipation of Southern slaves and Senator Sumner's re-election organized a "People's Convention," hoping to consolidate opposition and gain enough seats in the legislature to deny Sumner election. However, the legislature remained largely Republican, ensuring Sumner's victory in the January election.


1863 United States Senate election in Massachusetts, Senate
The lone vote for Adams was cast by Senator Whitney of Hampden. Senator Crane of Worcester County did not vote.


1863 United States Senate election in New York
The 1863 United States Senate election in New York was held on February 3, 1863, by the New York State Legislature to elect a U.S. Senator (Class 1) to represent the State of New York in the United States Senate.


1863 United States Senate election in New York, Background
Republican Preston King had been elected in February 1857 to this seat, and his term would expire on March 3, 1863.


1863 United States Senate election in New York, Background
At the State election in November 1861, 22 Republicans and 10 Democrats were elected for a two-year term (1862–1863) in the state senate. At the State election in November 1862, Democrat Horatio Seymour was elected governor; and a tied Assembly of 64 Republicans and Democrats each was elected for the session of 1863. In December, in the 15th Senate District, Republican William Clark was elected for the session of 1863 to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Democrat John Willard. The 86th New York State Legislature met from January 6 to April 25, 1863, at Albany, New York.


1863 United States Senate election in New York, Background
The election of a Speaker proved to be difficult in the stalemated Assembly. The Democrats voted for Gilbert Dean, the Republicans for Henry Sherwood, of Steuben Co. The Republicans, led by Chauncey M. Depew, became worried about the U.S. Senate election, due to occur on the first Tuesday in February. If the Assembly was not organized by then, the seat would become vacant, and could remain so until the next elected Assembly met in 1864.


1863 United States Senate election in New York, Background
The Republicans, with a majority of 14 on joint ballot, were anxious to fill the seat, to have a maximum of support for President Abraham Lincoln in the U.S. Senate during the ongoing American Civil War. Theophilus C. Callicot, a Democratic assemblyman from Brooklyn, approached Depew to propose a deal: the Republicans should vote for Callicot as Speaker, and Callicot would help to elect the Republican candidate to the U.S. Senate. Depew put the proposition before the Republican caucus, and they accepted. On January 16, Sherwood and Dean withdrew.


1863 United States Senate election in New York, Background
The Republicans then voted for Callicot, the Democrats for Eliphaz Trimmer, of Monroe Co.. The Democrats, whose intention it was to prevent the election of a U.S. Senator, managed to postpone the vote for Speaker by filibustering for another ten days, but on January 26, Callicot was elected Speaker on the 92nd ballot (vote: Callicot 61, Trimmer 59, 3 Democrats were absent and 3 Republicans were paired). Thus the Assembly was organized to begin the session of 1863, three weeks late but in time for the U.S. Senate election.


1863 United States Senate election in New York, Candidates
The caucus of Republican State legislators met on February 2, State Senator Alexander H. Bailey presided. They nominated Ex-Governor Edwin D. Morgan (in office 1859–1862) for the U.S. Senate. The incumbent senator Preston King was voted down.


1863 United States Senate election in New York, Candidates
The caucus of the Democratic State legislators met on the evening of February 2, State Senator John V. L. Pruyn presided. They did not nominate any candidate, instead adopting a resolution that "each Democratic member of the Legislature be requested to name for that office such person as he deems proper." They met again on the morning of February 3, and nominated Congressman Erastus Corning. The vote in an informal ballot stood: 28 for Corning, 21 for Fernando Wood, and 18 scattering. Wood's name was however withdrawn and Cornings nomination was made unanimous.


1863 United States Senate election in New York, Election
In the Assembly, Edwin D. Morgan received the votes of the 64 Republicans, and Erastus Corning the votes of 62 Democrats. Bernard Hughes (Dem. ), of New York City, voted for Ex-Mayor of New York Fernando Wood, and Speaker Callicot voted for John Adams Dix. Thus the vote was tied, and no choice made. Speaker Callicot, although elected by the Republicans, refused to vote for the Republican caucus nominee, insisting in his vote for Dix who had been U.S. Senator and U.S. Secretary of the Treasury as a Democrat, but was now a Union general in the Civil War.


1863 United States Senate election in New York, Election
A second ballot was then taken, and the Republicans took Callicot's hint, and voted for Dix who was nominated by the Assembly. Thus Callicot kept his part of the bargain, knowing that, on joint ballot, the Republican state senate majority will outvote the Democrats, and elect their candidate. It was just necessary that the Assembly nominate somebody, so that it became possible to proceed to a joint ballot.


1863 United States Senate election in New York, Election
Both houses of the legislature then proceeded to a joint ballot.


1863 United States Senate election in New York, Result
Edwin D. Morgan was declared elected after a joint ballot of the state legislature.


1863 United States Senate election in New York, Aftermath
Morgan served one term, and remained in office until March 3, 1869.


1863 United States Senate election in Pennsylvania
The 1863 United States Senate election in Pennsylvania was held on January 13, 1863. Charles Buckalew was elected by the Pennsylvania General Assembly to the United States Senate.


1863 United States Senate election in Pennsylvania, Results
The Pennsylvania General Assembly, consisting of the House of Representatives and the Senate, convened on January 13, 1863 to elect a Senator to serve the term beginning on March 4, 1863. The results of the vote of both houses combined are as follows:


1863 Vermont gubernatorial election
The 1863 Vermont gubernatorial election for governor of Vermont took place on September 1. In accordance with the Republican Party's "Mountain Rule", incumbent Frederick Holbrook was not a candidate for reelection. The Republican nominee was J. Gregory Smith, the Speaker of the Vermont House of Representatives. The Democratic nominee was Timothy P. Redfield, a former member of the Vermont Senate and the Free Soil Party's nominee for governor in 1851. In the general election, the Republican Party's dominance of Vermont politics and government continued, and Smith was easily elected to a one-year term.


1863 Virginia gubernatorial election (Confederate)
The 1863 Virginia Confederate gubernatorial election was held on May 28, 1863 to elect the Confederate governor of Virginia. At the time, the governorship of the state was disputed as a result of the American Civil War.


1863 Virginia gubernatorial election (Union)
The 1863 Virginia Union gubernatorial election was held on December 2, 1863 to elect the Union governor of Virginia. At the time, the governorship of the state was disputed as a result of the American Civil War, and incumbent Republican/Unionist Francis Harrison Pierpont ran unopposed.


1863 West Virginia gubernatorial election
The 1863 West Virginia gubernatorial election, held on May 28, resulted in the victory of Arthur I. Boreman. He received the nomination of the Unconditional Union Party and won with no opposition in the general election.


1863 West Virginia gubernatorial election, Background
On April 17, 1861, the Virginia Secession Convention voted in favor of succession from the United States and joining the Confederate States of America. On May 13, the First Wheeling Convention was held with the purpose of reorganizing the Virginian government and remaining in the United States. On May 23, 125,950 Virginians voted in favor of the Secession Ordinance against 20,373 people.


1863 West Virginia gubernatorial election, Background
On June 11, the Second Wheeling Convention was held and Arthur I. Boreman was selected to serve as its chairman. On June 20, the convention called for returning to the United States and selected Francis Harrison Pierpont to serve as governor until an election was held. On October 24, a referendum on statehood approval received 18,408 votes in favor and 781 against. On June 20, 1863, West Virginia was admitted as a state.


1863 West Virginia gubernatorial election, Unconditional Union primary
From May 6 to 7, 1863, the Unconditional Union Party's state convention was held to nominate candidates for multiple political offices. For the party's gubernatorial nomination Samuel Crane was nominated by James G. West, Boreman was nominated by E. M. Norton, and Peter G. Van Winkle was nominated by Ben Smith.


1863 West Virginia gubernatorial election, Unconditional Union primary
On the first ballot Van Winkle received a plurality of the vote, but did not receive the nomination due to a majority being required. West withdrew Crane's nomination before the second ballot in which Boreman defeated Van Winkle.


1863 West Virginia gubernatorial election, General election
On May 28, 1863, Boreman won the gubernatorial election without opposition.


1863 Wisconsin gubernatorial election
The 1863 Wisconsin gubernatorial election was held on November 3, 1863. Republican Party candidate James T. Lewis won the election with nearly 60% of the vote, defeating Democratic candidate Henry L. Palmer.


1863 Wisconsin gubernatorial election
The incumbent Governor, Edward Salomon, had ascended to office after the accidental drowning of his predecessor, Louis P. Harvey, in April 1862. He was a former Democrat who had been elected Lieutenant Governor on the Republican Party's Union ticket in 1861. He was not re-nominated by the Republican Party.


1863 Wisconsin gubernatorial election, Democratic Party
Henry L. Palmer was a former Speaker of the Wisconsin State Assembly, and had served three terms in the Assembly and one term in the Wisconsin State Senate prior to the 1863 election.


1863 Wisconsin gubernatorial election, Republican (Union) Party
James T. Lewis was the incumbent Wisconsin Secretary of State at the time of the 1863 election, having been elected on the Union ticket in the 1861 election. Lewis was also a former Democrat. As a Democrat, he had previously served as Lieutenant Governor of Wisconsin from 1854 to 1856, and represented Columbia County in the state legislature for two years—in the Assembly for the 1852 session, and in the Senate for the 1853 session.


1863 in Australia
The following lists events that happened during 1863 in Australia.


1863 in Australian literature
This article presents a list of the historical events and publications of Australian literature during 1863.


1863 in Australian literature, Births
A list, ordered by date of birth (and, if the date is either unspecified or repeated, ordered alphabetically by surname) of births in 1863 of Australian literary figures, authors of written works or literature-related individuals follows, including year of death.


1863 in Australian literature, Deaths
A list, ordered by date of death (and, if the date is either unspecified or repeated, ordered alphabetically by surname) of deaths in 1863 of Australian literary figures, authors of written works or literature-related individuals follows, including year of birth.


1863 in Chile
The following lists events that happened during 1863 in Chile.


1863 in New Zealand
The following lists events that happened during 1863 in New Zealand.


1863 in South Africa
The following lists events that happened during 1863 in South Africa.


1863 in Sweden
This is the current revision of this page, as edited by BHGbot (talk | contribs) at 20:00, 18 June 2020 (WP:BHGbot 6 (List 5): fixed sort key; WP:GENFIXES). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this version.


1863 in Wales
This article is about the particular significance of the year 1863 to Wales and its people.


1863 in architecture
The year 1863 in architecture involved some significant architectural events and new buildings.


1863 in literature
This article contains information about the literary events and publications of 1863.


1863 in paleontology
Paleontology or palaeontology is the study of prehistoric life forms on Earth through the examination of plant and animal fossils. This includes the study of body fossils, tracks (ichnites), burrows, cast-off parts, fossilised feces (coprolites), palynomorphs and chemical residues. Because humans have encountered fossils for millennia, paleontology has a long history both before and after becoming formalized as a science. This article records significant discoveries and events related to paleontology that occurred or were published in the year 1863.


1863 in poetry
Nationality words link to articles with information on the nation's poetry or literature (for instance, Irish or France).


1863 in poetry, Births
Death years link to the corresponding "[year] in poetry" article:


1863 in poetry, Deaths
Birth years link to the corresponding "[year] in poetry" article:


1863 in rail transport
This article lists events related to rail transport that occurred in 1863.


1863 in science
The year 1863 in science and technology involved some significant events, listed below.


1863 in sports
1863 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.


1863–1875 cholera pandemic
The fourth cholera pandemic of the 19th century began in the Ganges Delta of the Bengal region and traveled with Muslim pilgrims to Mecca. In its first year, the epidemic claimed 30,000 of 90,000 pilgrims. Cholera spread throughout the Middle East and was carried to Russia, Europe, Africa and North America, in each case spreading via travelers from port cities and along inland waterways.


1863–1875 cholera pandemic
The pandemic reached Northern Africa in 1865 and spread to sub-Saharan Africa, killing 70,000 in Zanzibar in 1869–70. Cholera claimed 90,000 lives in Russia in 1866. The epidemic of cholera that spread with the Austro-Prussian War (1866) is estimated to have taken 165,000 lives in the Austrian Empire, including 30,000 each in Hungary and Belgium, and 20,000 in the Netherlands.


1863–1875 cholera pandemic
In June 1866, a localized epidemic in the East End of London claimed 5,596 lives, just as the city was completing construction of its major sewage and water treatment systems; the East End section was not quite complete. It was also caused by the city's overcrowding in the East End, which helped the disease to spread more quickly in the area. Epidemiologist William Farr identified the East London Water Company as the source of the contamination.


1863–1875 cholera pandemic
Farr made use of prior work by John Snow and others, pointing to contaminated drinking water as the likely cause of cholera in an 1854 outbreak. In the same year, the use of contaminated canal water in local water works caused a minor outbreak at Ystalyfera in South Wales. Workers associated with the company, and their families, were most affected, and 119 died.


1863–1875 cholera pandemic
In 1867, Italy lost 113,000 to cholera, and 80,000 died of the disease in Algeria. Outbreaks in North America in the 1870s killed some 50,000 Americans as cholera spread from New Orleans via passengers along the Mississippi River and to ports on its tributaries.


1863–64 Barnes F.C. season
This was the second season of Barnes Football Club. The early part of the season included two defeats against Forest FC (later renamed Wanderers FC), the second of them a bad-tempered affair in which the rules of the game became an object of contention. On 19 December, Barnes played neighbouring Richmond FC in the first ever match under the newly-published laws of the Football Association; this 15-a-side clash ended in a goalless draw.


1864
1864 (MDCCCLXIV) was a leap year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar and a leap year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar, the 1864th year of the Common Era (CE) and Anno Domini (AD) designations, the 864th  year of the 2nd millennium, the 64th  year of the 19th century, and the  5th   year of the 1860s decade. As of the start of 1864, the Gregorian calendar was 12 days ahead of the Julian calendar, which remained in localized use until 1923.


1864 (TV series)
1864 is a 2014 Danish television historical war drama series written and directed by Ole Bornedal. It is based on two books by Tom Buk-Swienty about the Second Schleswig War of 1864 between Denmark and an alliance of Prussia and Austria which ended in defeat for Denmark and the loss of a quarter of its territory to Prussia. It follows two brothers from a remote village on Funen who enlist in the Danish army just before the outbreak of war, and experience the horrors of combat in Schleswig. It also features actual historical figures such as Danish prime minister D. G. Monrad and Prussian prime minister Otto von Bismarck. It was the most expensive Danish TV series to be made to date.


1864 (TV series), Production
1864 was produced by Miso Film for DR. It was a co-production with Film Fyn, TV2 (Norway), TV4 (Sweden), SF Studios, ARTE, ZDF Enterprises and Sirena Film (Czech Republic). DR had recently produced the highly successful series The Killing, Borgen and The Bridge, and several of the stars of those series, such as Lars Mikkelsen, Sidse Babett Knudsen and Søren Malling, were among the cast. 1864 was filmed on location at Dybbøl, scene of the climactic battle of the war, in the Svanninge Hills on Funen, and at Hagenskov, Egebjerggård and Hvidkilde Manors, also on Funen.


1864 (TV series), Production
The battle scenes were filmed in the Czech Republic over a period of seven weeks. Tom Buk-Swienty, on whose books the series was based, was a historical consultant on the series. It was the most expensive television series ever made in Denmark, with a projected cost of 173 million kroner (about $25 million).


1864 (TV series), Production
The director, Ole Bornedal, described it as "a classic story about power and the abuse of power...of people getting separated." The BBC's John Wilson said it had "the sense of the epic in scale" but with "a great undertone of tragedy."


1864 (TV series), Production
The background to the opening credits is the painting Fra forposterne 1864 (From the outposts, 1864) by Vilhelm Rosenstand.


1864 (TV series), Plot summary, 1850s
In 1851, the people of a Danish village await the return of the victorious soldiers from the First Schleswig War. Among the soldiers is farmer Thøger Jensen, who has suffered a severe leg wound and returns to his wife Karen and sons 12-year-old Laust and 11-year-old Peter. Also returning is Didrich, son of the local landowner, the Baron, who served as a captain. Didrich has been severely damaged psychologically by the war and has also been tainted by cowardice; his father reveals that he bribed his fellow officers not to report him to the military authorities. Didrich's mother died giving birth to him, and his father (Waage Sandø) has never forgiven him; while kind to his tenants, he treats his son with scorn.


1864 (TV series), Plot summary, 1850s
Overjoyed to have their father home, Laust and Peter also befriend Inge Juel, the spirited daughter of the Baron's new estate manager. Didrich, too, who is increasingly becoming a dissolute alcoholic, has feelings for Inge, although she is only a child. At the harvest festival celebrations he propositions her, but she slaps his face and runs away. Later, Thøger, whose wound has never really healed, dies suddenly while working in the fields. Laust goes to work for the Baron as a stable boy.


1864 (TV series), Plot summary, 1850s
In Copenhagen, the leader of the National Liberal Party, D. G. Monrad, meets famous actress Johanne Luise Heiberg, who begins to encourage him in his nationalist ideas.


1864 (TV series), Plot summary, 1860s
In the 1860s, Monrad is now Council President (prime minister), and has become a convinced nationalist. He actively tries to provoke a war with Prussia over the Schleswig-Holstein Question, still encouraged by Mrs Heiberg. Monrad tries to persuade the new king, Christian IX, that declaring war would show the people that Christian, who was born in Schleswig and grew up speaking German, is a true Dane. In Berlin, King Wilhelm, his minister-president, Otto von Bismarck, and his chief of the general staff, General Helmuth von Moltke, greet Denmark's sabre-rattling with disbelief but also relief as such a war would fit perfectly into Bismarck's plan of placing Prussia as the dominant power in the German Confederation.


1864 (TV series), Plot summary, 1860s
In the village, Laust and Peter have grown into young men, now both in love with Inge. A group of gypsies led by Ignazio arrives in the village and ask for work. Although Inge's father says they need help with the harvest, Didrich orders them to leave. Later, he and his dissolute friends catch Ignazio's son, Djargo, poaching pheasant on the Baron's land and severely flog him. He is found by Laust, Peter and Inge, who take him to the Baron. The Baron chastises his son and gives the gypsies work in the harvest. He also persuades Laust and Peter and their friend Einar to join the army.


1864 (TV series), Plot summary, 1860s
The brothers complete their basic training and return to the village on leave, arriving at the harvest festival celebrations. They leave with Inge and both end up kissing her. However, after they leave her, Laust, on the pretext of going to search for his lost knife, returns to her without Peter's knowledge and they make love. Later, Didrich, drunk as usual and unable to find Inge, rapes Ignazio's beautiful, mute daughter Sofia, who keeps the attack to herself.


1864 (TV series), Plot summary, 1860s
The brothers return to the army, where they and Einar are assigned to a company of the 8th Brigade. There they befriend Alfred, a naive young man from Skagen, Erasmus, a cheerful bearded giant who is a miller in civilian life, and Johan Larsen, a middle-aged veteran who has a reputation for being psychic and is soon promoted to corporal. They also form good relations with the company's second-in-command, the young Second Lieutenant Wilhelm Dinesen, and with their senior NCO, Sergeant Jespersen.


1864 (TV series), Plot summary, 1860s
Monrad's plans are finally realised when he announces that Denmark has fully annexed Schleswig and Prussia decides to declare war. The 8th Brigade is sent south to occupy the Danevirke, a line of fortifications which has always been regarded as the country's southern border and which is regarded in Danish mythology as impregnable. However, when they arrive they find the Danevirke dilapidated, with no barracks accommodation. They are also assigned a new company commander to replace the former ancient and senile officer, who has died en route; it is Didrich, who has been recalled to the colours.


1864 (TV series), Plot summary, 1860s
The company is ordered to Mysunde, where they witness the devastation of the Battle of Mysunde, the first battle of the war giving the Danes an early victory, although Didrich keeps them well behind the action. Laust and Peter have both been writing to Inge and she to them, but she and Laust have also been exchanging further secret letters. Peter receives one of these by mistake and realises that his brother has slept with Inge. Devastated, he disowns Laust. Didrich later promotes Johan to sergeant and Laust to corporal.


1864 (TV series), Plot summary, 1860s
It becomes obvious to the Danish commander, General Christian de Meza, that he cannot hold the Danevirke because the marshes and water on which he had relied to defend its flanks have been frozen solid by the hard winter, and he asks for permission to withdraw to Dybbøl, but Monrad refuses. De Meza withdraws anyway and is replaced by the unimaginative General Georg Gerlach, who is guaranteed to do anything he is told to do.


1864 (TV series), Plot summary, 1860s
Peter, Einar and Jespersen are among a small party led by Dinesen who volunteer to remain behind at the Danevirke to spike the guns after the Danish withdrawal. They escape just before the Prussians arrive and are pursued by a group of Prussian hussars, who capture them and execute one man before Dinesen, who has managed to escape, reappears and surprises them; caught off guard, all the hussars are killed by the Danes. Dinesen begins to get a reputation for ferocity and invincibility.


1864 (TV series), Plot summary, 1860s
Meanwhile, during the retreat to Dybbøl, Didrich orders Laust to jump into a frozen pond to retrieve a cannon that has fallen in. After his friends pull him out he begins suffering from severe hypothermia and he and his friends, including Johan, Alfred and Erasmus, begin to fall further behind the column. They thereby miss the Battle of Sankelmark, although they come upon the bloody aftermath.


1864 (TV series), Plot summary, 1860s
Back in the village, Inge realises she is pregnant by Laust. Her mother disowns her and she leaves with the gypsies when they head south to see whether they can make any profit from the war. During the journey she and Djargo realise Sofia too is pregnant and Djargo swears to kill Didrich, whom he correctly surmises has raped his sister. They reach Dybbøl, where Inge encounters Didrich, who tells her that both brothers are dead.


1864 (TV series), Plot summary, 1860s
The Danish army digs in at Dybbøl. Both Laust's and Peter's groups arrive, although they do not encounter one another. Laust, now dying from pneumonia, is taken to a military hospital where Inge and Sofia are working as nurses, although they do not meet. Djargo disguises himself as a soldier to try to kill Didrich, but is caught. Didrich wants him executed, but Jespersen persuades him that this would be a crime and he instead has him locked in a dugout.


1864 (TV series), Plot summary, 1860s
Dinesen leads his group in a nighttime raid to kill the German bandsmen who have been playing marches near the Danish lines. Celebrating after the successful raid, Alfred, who has joined the group, has too much to drink and climbs onto the parapet, where he has both hands blown off by an exploding shell. He later dies of blood loss in a hospital, where Inge and Peter pass next to each other but do not notice the other. Johan mysteriously manages to cure Laust of his pneumonia and he returns to the company.


1864 (TV series), Plot summary, 1860s
Finally, the Prussians attack, beginning with a remorseless six-hour artillery barrage. They are now commanded by the highly competent Prince Friedrich Karl, the Prussian king's nephew, who has replaced the 80-year-old and increasingly senile Field Marshal von Wrangel. Most of Didrich's company are holding the trenches, although Dinesen's men are with the main body of the brigade who are forming a reserve behind the lines. The Prussian infantry attack and Erasmus is killed. Djargo, who has escaped during the barrage, finds Didrich and stabs him in the thigh, but is killed by a stray bullet before he can finish off his sister's rapist. Didrich, terrified and cowering, tries to surrender to a group of Prussian soldiers, but they ignore him.


1864 (TV series), Plot summary, 1860s
The 8th Brigade attacks, led by Dinesen after its commanding officer refuses to advance without orders from his superiors, and manages to push the Prussians back temporarily. A counterattack, however, destroys the brigade and kills Jespersen, and Peter, trapped behind enemy lines, finally realises that he has to find his brother. Meanwhile, Laust has discovered the wounded and frightened Didrich and begins carrying him to safety. However, he is spotted and shot dead by the Germans.


1864 (TV series), Plot summary, 1860s
Peter, arriving too late but witnessing his brother's death, falls into shock and is captured and confined to a prisoner of war hospital in Austria. Meanwhile, Inge gives birth as the battle rages. Realising his country is defeated, King Christian surrenders, although Monrad, abandoned by Mrs Heiberg, still tries to persuade him to continue fighting.


1864 (TV series), Plot summary, 1860s
Johan infiltrates the Prussian lines the night after the battle and collects all the papers, letters and photographs from the bodies of his dead comrades. He then travels throughout Denmark handing them to their families. When he reaches Laust and Peter's village he tries to give Laust's last letter to Inge, who has been taken back in by her parents, but her mother Ingrid (Helle Fagralid) refuses to let him see her and later reads and burns the letter without giving it to her. The Baron asks Johan about Didrich, who is in a prisoner of war camp in Hamburg, and Johan bitterly tells him the truth: that his son is a coward and a deserter. As he leaves, the Baron shoots himself.


1864 (TV series), Plot summary, 1860s
Later Didrich is released and returns to the village, to find himself the new Baron. He asks Inge to marry him, implying an estate manager's daughter would be a fool to refuse such an offer from a nobleman. Still believing both Laust and Peter to be dead, she accepts, although she becomes hysterical when her child, whom she has named Laust after his father, is taken from her; Didrich has made it clear that he does not want another man's bastard.


1864 (TV series), Plot summary, 1860s
Two years later, Peter, now sane, fit and healthy once more, is finally released and works his way back across Austria and Prussia to Denmark, encountering en route Prussian troops now marching to fight their former allies, the Austrians. He returns to the village to find Sofia and her baby, whom she has named Peter after him, living with his mother. He goes to see Inge, who, pregnant with her and Didrich's first child, breaks down when she sees him and realises Didrich lied to her. Peter knocks a typically offensive Didrich down and leaves.


1864 (TV series), Plot summary, 1860s
He finds little Laust in the orphanage in which he has been abandoned and adopts him as his own son. He falls in love with and marries Sofia, who is now capable of at least limited speech, celebrating with his family and friends, including Einar, who has also survived the war. Monrad and his family make plans to leave for New Zealand. Inge's voiceover tells us that she and Didrich had a number of children, each of whom seemed to calm him a little more, although he was never truly normal.


1864 (TV series), Plot summary, 2010s
A parallel and linked story takes place in the modern day. Troubled teenage tearaway Claudia and her drug dealer boyfriend Zlatko are taken on a school trip to the Dybbøl battlefield, where they are bored and smoke marijuana. Soon afterwards Claudia, whose brother was killed while serving in the army overseas (probably in Afghanistan) and whose parents have retreated into depression, leaves school and is found a temporary job as carer for Baron Severin.


1864 (TV series), Plot summary, 2010s
In his nineties, nearly blind, confined to a wheelchair and probably suffering from dementia, Severin lives alone in his mansion, which it is soon clear is the same mansion formerly owned by Didrich. While looking for things to steal to finance her boyfriend's drug dealing, Claudia finds a handwritten journal, which turns out to be Inge's memoirs, written just before her death in 1939. Inge was Severin's grandmother and he asks Claudia to read it to him. She begins reluctantly, but soon warms to the story and to the old man, and it is this story, read by both Claudia and Inge, that forms the voiceover at various points in the series.


1864 (TV series), Plot summary, 2010s
Later Claudia discovers that through her mother she is Sofia's great-great-great-great-granddaughter and that she and Severin are therefore distant cousins (presumably her great-great-great-grandfather was little Peter, who was Didrich's son, as was Severin's father). She tries to sell the jewellery she has stolen from Severin, but the jeweller becomes suspicious and calls the police and she flees back to the mansion. Tearfully she admits to Severin what she has done, but he says he knows and forgives her. As she reads the end of the story to him, she realises that he was with Inge at the end and wrote the whole thing down for her. Excitedly she asks him about it, but then realises that the old man has died as she was reading.


1864 (TV series), Broadcast
1864 was first broadcast on DR1 on 12 October 2014. It was broadcast in a four-week run on BBC Four in the United Kingdom, starting on 16 May 2015 with 2 episodes shown each week. The series premiered on Swedish commercial broadcaster TV4 and on the Franco-German network Arte in June 2015. It was shown on Irish public service broadcaster RTÉ2 in July 2015, and in Australia on SBS, commencing on 7 June 2016.


1864 (TV series), Reception
The series divided reviewers in Denmark; some were enthusiastic, praising the lavish cinematography, while others considered the cost should have been used for other programming, especially more Scandinavian noir. Some Danish critics and historians felt that the series contained historical inaccuracies, particularly in its assertion that excessive nationalism drove Denmark into a war that was bound to end in defeat. The 1864 war had a profound effect on Denmark, setting the country's course for its modern development. As a result, Tom Buk-Swienty, the series' historical consultant, believed that that sort of debate was inevitable. On the other hand, producer Peter Bose commented that "we were expecting debates but were rather surprised by the continuous bashing".


1864 (TV series), Reception
It received a positive reception from reviewers in the United Kingdom, however. Andrew Collins of The Guardian said that "1864 really is in television’s top rank", and that "the most expensive TV series in Danish history puts every kroner up there on the screen." Gerard O'Donovan of the Telegraph said that DR had "taken a key moment in their nation’s history and made it as compelling as any noir drama." Ellen E. Jones of the Independent said that "the scale of this series is too ambitious to grasp in a single episode, but the more you watch, the deeper you’ll be sucked in."


1864 Atlantic hurricane season
The 1864 Atlantic hurricane season was the third consecutive Atlantic hurricane season with no hurricane landfall in the United States – the longest period on record. Of the five known 1864 cyclones, four were first documented in 1995 by Jose Fernandez-Partagas and Henry Diaz. In the absence of modern satellite and other remote-sensing technologies, only storms that affected populated land areas or encountered ships at sea were recorded, so the actual total could be higher. An undercount bias of zero to six tropical cyclones per year between 1851 and 1885 has been estimated. The first system was initially observed offshore the Southeastern United States on July 16. It peaked as a Category 1 hurricane on the modern day Saffir–Simpson hurricane wind scale. Moving rapidly northeastward, the storm was last noted well east of Newfoundland on July 18.


1864 Atlantic hurricane season
The next system was observed in the south-central Gulf of Mexico on July 25. Because the cyclone was not tracked further, only a single-point storm path exists. After tropical cyclogenesis was dormant for over a month, another hurricane was spotted on August 26 to the east of Lesser Antilles. Early on the following day, the hurricane crossed the islands between Dominica and Martinique. After traversing the Caribbean Sea, the storm made landfall in Belize late on August 31, before dissipating the next day. Offshore Belize, several ships encountered the storm. Along the coast, storm surge flooded some areas.


1864 Atlantic hurricane season
The fourth tropical storm was observed off the East Coast of the United States between September 5 and September 9. A number of ships sailing in the vicinity of the storm encountered heavy gales. The fifth and final known tropical cyclone was also tracked offshore the East Coast of the United States. Similarly, many vessels experienced rough seas and severe thunderstorms.


1864 Atlantic hurricane season, Systems, Hurricane One
This storm was first observed by the brig Hattie Eaton on July 16, while located a few hundred miles offshore the Carolinas. The Hattie Eaton reported sustained winds of 80 mph (130 km/h) – equivalent to a Category 1 hurricane on the modern day Saffir–Simpson hurricane wind scale. Early on July 18, the hurricane weakened to a tropical storm. Several hours later, the storm was last noted by ship Energy, while located about 435 mi (700 km) east of Cape Race, Newfoundland.


1864 Atlantic hurricane season, Systems, Tropical Storm Two
This storm is known from a single ship report. On July 25, the bark Daniel bound for New York from Matamoros, Tamaulipas encountered a tropical storm off the Alacran reef, north of the Yucatan Peninsula. The vessel spent several hours in the cyclone and was also struck by lightning.


1864 Atlantic hurricane season, Systems, Hurricane Three
A hurricane was first observed well east of the Lesser Antilles on August 26. The storm moved westward and brought severe weather to Martinique, including hurricane-force winds. Throughout its trek across the Caribbean Sea, the system maintained winds of 80 mph (130 km/h). Late on August 31, the hurricane made landfall in Belize District of Belize. Off the coast, several ships were damaged or sunk. The brig Antonio, the Hannah, and the bark Berkshire were among the ships that capsized. On land, tides up to 5 ft (1.5 m) above normal caused coastal flooding in Belize. This storm has been paleotempestologically traced in sediment near Gales Point. The system steadily weakened over land.


1864 Atlantic hurricane season, Systems, Tropical Storm Four
Based on reports from several ships, a tropical storm is known to have existed off the East Coast of the United States between September 5 and September 8. A number of ships approaching New York on September 5 reported an easterly gale. Vessels off Hatteras and Barnegat endured the storm through September 8.


1864 Atlantic hurricane season, Systems, Hurricane Five
The final tropical cyclone of the season was observed by the Santa Martha early on October 22, while located about 355 mi (570 km) east-northeast of the Abaco Islands. Based on reports from several ships, it quickly moved northward and intensified into a Category 1 hurricane by midday on October 23. Around that time, the hurricane peaked with maximum sustained winds of 80 mph (130 km/h). The storm moved rapidly east-northeastward and was last noted about 180 mi (290 km) south-southwest of Sable Island late on October 24.


1864 Belgian general election
General elections were held in Belgium on 11 August 1864, the first full general elections since 1857. The snap elections were called upon the loss of a parliamentary majority for the liberal government of Charles Rogier and a hung parliament, following the death of liberal representative Charles Cumont in July 1864. In the last few parliamentary sessions preceding the elections, all Catholic members quit the Chamber, resulting in it not being quorate.


1864 Belgian general election
Although the Catholics received the most votes for seats in the Chamber of Representatives, the result was a victory for the Liberal Party, which won 64 of the 116 seats. Voter turnout was 76.7%, although only 103,717 people (2.1% of the population) were eligible to vote.


1864 Boston mayoral election
The Boston mayoral election of 1864 saw Frederic W. Lincoln Jr. reelected to a sixth overall term.


1864 Braidwood colonial by-election
A by-election was held for the New South Wales Legislative Assembly electorate of Braidwood on 3 February 1864 because of the death of Merion Moriarty.


1864 Calcutta cyclone
On October 5, 1864, most of the areas of Calcutta (present-day Kolkata), India was inundated and destroyed by a tropical cyclone. Dubbed the 1864 Calcutta cyclone, the storm caused over 60,000 fatalities in its wake. The cyclone crossed the coast of West Bengal to the south of Hooghly River, one of the streams that are included in the Ganges River Delta. The majority of the deaths were from drowning and the others from sicknesses prevailing before the storm. The said river overflowed due to a storm surge and as the water rushed inland, everything in its course were washed away. The city, the other surrounding areas, and some harbors had to be rebuilt after the cyclone. There was also fundraising event established, but it failed. The total damages from the said storm were at Rs 99,200.


1864 Calcutta cyclone, Observations
The cyclone was first noted on October 2 to the west of Andaman Islands. However, a stormy pattern has been observed in the Andamans, starting on September 27 to 30. Moneka, a ship to the west of the Andamans, experienced "dark, rainy, squally weather and west-southwestward winds, with a low barometer amount" on October 1. The ship was heading west-northwest at that time and experienced this conditions until midnight. On the next day, the ship’s course is still the same, the weather is described as cloudy but not raining.


1864 Calcutta cyclone, Observations
By afternoon, the sky looked very black and lowering (possibly referring to the barometer count) and the seas were rising. By midnight that day, the weather conditions are still the same. From observations in Port Blair and the ship Moneka, the vortex of the cyclone formed on the afternoon of October 2. However, by yesterday, despite the weather observations at the capital of Andamans and the ship were stormy, there were no observations of a circulation (present-day tropical disturbance). On all available records, the developing cyclone possibly moved to the northwest then turned north. Another ship, dubbed Conflict' experienced light variable winds from west-northwest and north-northwest, starting from the sunrise of October 2. The sun rose up blood-red and the stars had a sickly appearance. The barometer is still being high on the said ship.


1864 Calcutta cyclone, Observations
From midnight of October 2 to 10 am of the next day, the ship Moneka experienced a fresh breeze to the west while a very black sky is observed to the north. From 10 am onwards, heavy rains started to pour and winds started to impact the ship with short break intervals. The barometric pressure on the ship at that time is 29.61 inHg (1002.71 mbar).


1864 Calcutta cyclone, Observations
Another ship named Wayfarer which was bound for Calcutta had experienced strong breeze and deluge of rains on October 2 and 3. Starting on October 4, heavy rains and gusty winds impacted the shores of Calcutta and the nearby East Bengal. As the time progresses, the rain decreases but the wind remained strong. Three fires were present on Calcutta as the cyclone approaches. The cyclone crossed the coast the East Coast of India to the south of the Hooghly River on October 5. A factory near the coast experienced hurricane-force winds and torrential rainfall, with the said river also rising.


1864 Calcutta cyclone, Observations
Dacca, 105 miles from the cyclone, observed patterns of strong air which is "not that strong", based on observations of residents there. Thunderstorms were seen throughout the area on the night of October 5, being accompanied by strong torrential rains. Some areas in the northeastern Indian state of Assam also seen rains and strong winds. The cyclone moved north-northeast and is believed to be dissipated on October 7, inland, possibly near or on East Bengal (present-day Bangladesh).


1864 Calcutta cyclone, Impacts and aftermath
At exactly 14:30 UTC (10:00 pm IST) on October 5, as conditions calmed, some employees of the factory near the coast of Calcutta went outside to observe, founding that many trees were uprooted, kutcha houses destroyed and boats sunk. A rainfall amount of 24 inches (609.6 mm) were observed. The ports of Khejuri and Hijli were reported to be destroyed and many ships were either damaged and/or sank in the Bay of Bengal. Tens of thousands of straw and tiled huts were washed out and destroyed by strong winds.


1864 Calcutta cyclone, Impacts and aftermath
The Hooghly River overflowed, drowning an unknown people and a storm wave (storm surge) were also seen in the area, killing another unknown number of individuals. Dacca, which is nearly 170 kilometers south-southwest of the landfall point, also experienced the brunt of the storm. No major damage were seen, but some boats were destroyed in the waters off the Bay of Bengal.


1864 Calcutta cyclone, Impacts and aftermath
There were already a few sicknesses prevalant in Calcutta before the cyclone, namely cholera, dysentery and smallpox. In Midnapore, the deaths were mainly from these, but the total fatalities were unknown. The Pergunnah Gomai recorded 23 deaths from drowning and another estimated amount of 526 more from sickness. In Teraparah, the authorities there reported 132 victims of drowning and 515 deaths of the illnesses. In Mysaudal, the loss from the storm surge was at 3,740 and the sickness at 4,243. In Cassimnugger, the losses from drowning were at 686, while the sickness at an estimate of 496. No other reports of deaths were recorded, but it is estimated that the cyclone killed over 60,000. Telephone lines were downed and in total, Calcutta was heavily destroyed by this cyclone.


1864 Calcutta cyclone, Impacts and aftermath
The total death toll from the cyclone were estimated at 60,000, mainly due to drowning while the total damages were at Rs 99,200 with the majority coming from dockyard building damages.


1864 Calcutta cyclone, Impacts and aftermath
In the following months after the cyclone, the area, ports, and the whole city were rebuilt. Some residents of Calcutta started a fundraiser, but it failed. The loss is still felt in the minds of those who know how the city was destroyed and swept by this infamous cyclone.


1864 Colombian presidential election
Presidential elections were held in the United States of Colombia in 1864. The Liberal Party was the only party to nominate candidates, and the result was a victory for Manuel Murillo Toro.


1864 Colombian presidential election, Electoral system
The 1863 constitution changed the electoral system from a direct vote to an indirect vote. The President was now elected on the basis of which candidate received the most votes in each state, with a candidate required to win in at least five of the nine states to be elected. If no candidate received a majority, Congress would elect the President from the main contenders.


1864 Connecticut gubernatorial election
The 1864 Connecticut gubernatorial election was held on April 4, 1864, and the first of two gubernatorial elections in which the Republicans adopted the National Union Party name, as the national party had done during the 1864 presidential election. Incumbent governor and National Union nominee William Alfred Buckingham defeated Democratic nominee Origen S. Seymour with 53.65% of the vote.