9th » American Civil War: The Joint Committee on the Conduct of the War is established by the Congress of the United States e.g U.S. Congress.
21st » Medal of Honor: Public Resolution 82, containing a provision for a Navy Medal of Valor, is signed into law by President of the United States or President Abraham Lincoln.
26th » American Civil War: The 'Trent Affair': Confederate States of America named Confederate diplomatic envoys James Murray Mason called James M. Mason and John Slidell are freed by the United States government, thus heading off a possible war between the Unit
Famous Birthdays on December in 1861
4th » Hannes Hafstein, Icelandic poet and politician, 1st Prime Minister of Iceland (d. 1922)
4th » Lillian Russell, American actress and singer (d. 1922)
8th » William C. Durant, American businessman, founded General Motors and Chevrolet (d. 1947)
8th » Aristide Maillol, French sculptor and painter (d. 1944)
8th » Georges Méliès, French actor, director, producer, and screenwriter (d. 1938)
9th » Hélène Smith, French psychic and occultist (d. 1929)
10th » Daisy Greville, Countess of Warwick (d. 1938)
15th » Charles Duryea, American engineer and businessman, co-founded the Duryea Motor Wagon Company (d. 1938)
15th » Pehr Evind Svinhufvud, Finnish lawyer, judge, and politician, 3rd President of Finland (d. 1944)
16th » Antonio de La Gándara, French painter and illustrator (d. 1917)
18th » Lionel Monckton, English composer and critic (d. 1924)
19th » Italo Svevo, Italian author and playwright (d. 1928)