What Happened in 1865 — Events, Births & Deaths

Uruguayan War: The Siege of Paysandú ends as the Brazilians and Coloradans capture Paysandú, Uruguay.

The municipal administration of Finland is established.

Delaware refuses to ratify the Thirteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, delaying the criminalization of slavery until the amendment's national adoption on December 6, 1865. The amendment is ultimately ratified by Delaware on February 12, 1901, the 92nd anniversary of Abraham Lincoln's birth.

American Civil War: Columbia, South Carolina, is burned as Confederate forces flee from advancing Union forces.

End of the Uruguayan War, with a peace agreement between President Tomás Villalba and rebel leader Venancio Flores, setting the scene for the destructive War of the Triple Alliance.

American Civil War: The Congress of the Confederate States adjourns for the last time.

American Civil War: The Battle of Bentonville begins. By the end of the battle two days later, Confederate forces had retreated from Four Oaks, North Carolina.

American Civil War: In Virginia during the Siege of Petersburg, Confederate forces temporarily capture Fort Stedman from the Union before being repulsed.

American Civil War: Defeat at the Third Battle of Petersburg forces the Army of Northern Virginia and the Confederate government to abandon Richmond, Virginia.

American Civil War: A day after his surrender to Union forces, Confederate General Robert E. Lee addresses his troops for the last time.

American Civil War: Mobile, Alabama, falls to the Union Army.

American Civil War: Raleigh, North Carolina is occupied by Union forces.

President Abraham Lincoln dies after being shot the previous evening by actor John Wilkes Booth. Vice President Andrew Johnson becomes president.

Astronomer Angelo Secchi demonstrates the Secchi disk, which measures water clarity, aboard Pope Pius IX's yacht, the L'Immaculata Concezion.

The Empire of Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay sign the Treaty of the Triple Alliance.

American Civil War: The Confederate government is declared dissolved at Washington, Georgia.

American Civil War: Nathan Bedford Forrest surrenders his forces at Gainesville, Alabama.

American Civil War: President Andrew Johnson issues a proclamation ending belligerent rights of the rebels and enjoining foreign nations to intern or expel Confederate ships.

American Civil War: In Kentucky, Union soldiers ambush and mortally wound Confederate raider William Quantrill, who lingers until his death on June 6.

American Civil War: The Battle of Palmito Ranch: The first day of the last major land action to take place during the Civil War, resulting in a Confederate victory.

The International Telegraph Union (later the International Telecommunication Union) is established in Paris.

Over two years after the Emancipation Proclamation, slaves in Galveston, Texas, United States, are officially informed of their freedom. The anniversary was officially celebrated in Texas and other states as Juneteenth. On June 17, 2021, Juneteenth officially became a federal holiday in the United States.

The first ascent of the Matterhorn is completed by Edward Whymper and his party, four of whom die on the descent.

Welsh settlers arrive at Chubut in Argentina.

The steamboat Brother Jonathan sinks off the coast of Crescent City, California, killing 225 passengers, the deadliest shipwreck on the Pacific Coast of the U.S. at the time.

The first narrow-gauge mainline railway in the world opens at Grandchester, Queensland, Australia.

Joseph Lister, British surgeon and scientist, performs the first antiseptic surgery.

Hundreds of black men and women march in Jamaica, starting the Morant Bay rebellion.

Major Henry Wirz, the superintendent of a prison camp in Andersonville, Georgia, is hanged, becoming one of only three American Civil War soldiers executed for war crimes.

Chincha Islands War: Peru allies with Chile against Spain.

Georgia ratifies the 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

US Secretary of State William Seward proclaims the adoption of the Thirteenth Amendment, prohibiting slavery throughout the United States.