Editing 1863 (section)

===January===
* [[January 1]] &ndash; [[Abraham Lincoln]] signs the [[Emancipation Proclamation]] during the third year of the [[American Civil War]], making the abolition of [[slavery]] in the [[Confederate States of America]] an official war goal. The decision proclaims the freedom of 3.1&nbsp;million of the nation's four million slaves and immediately frees 50,000 of them, with the rest freed as the [[Union Army]] advances. This event marks the start of America's [[Reconstruction era|Reconstruction Era]].<ref>{{cite book|first=Eric|last=Foner|title=The Fiery Trial: Abraham Lincoln and American Slavery|location=New York|publisher=Norton|year=2010|isbn=978-0-393-06618-0|pages=239–42}}</ref>
* [[January 2]] &ndash; Master Lucius Tar Paint  Company (''Teerfarbenfabrik Meister Lucius''), predecessor of [[Hoechst AG|Hoechst]], as a worldwide [[Chemical|chemical manufacturing brand]], founded in a suburb of [[Frankfurt am Main]], [[Germany]].{{citation needed|date=October 2021}}   
* [[January 4]] &ndash; Founding date of the [[New Apostolic Church]], a Christian and [[chiliastic]] church, in a [[schism]] with the [[Catholic Apostolic Church]] in [[Hamburg]], Germany.
* [[January 7]] &ndash; In the [[Cantons of Switzerland|Swiss canton]] of [[Ticino]], the village of [[Bedretto]] is partly destroyed and 29 killed by an [[avalanche]].<ref name=Resoconto>{{cite book|title=Resoconto del C.omitato cantonale di Soccorso intorno ai sussidi raccolti e distribuiti pei danni cagionati dalle nevi nel gennaio 1863|location=Lugano|publisher=Tip. Cantonale|year=1864}}</ref>
* [[January 8]]
** The [[Yorkshire County Cricket Club]] is founded at the [[Adelphi Hotel (Sheffield)|Adelphi Hotel]], in [[Sheffield]], England.
** American Civil War: The [[Second Battle of Springfield]] takes place near [[Springfield, Missouri]]. Fighting for the Union, General Egbert B. Brown leads the Missouri militia to victory over Confederate General [[John S. Marmaduke]] and the [[18th Arkansas Infantry Regiment (Marmaduke's)|18th Arkansas Infantry]].
* [[January 10]] &ndash; The first section of the [[London Underground]] Railway ([[Paddington tube station (Circle and Hammersmith & City lines)|Paddington]] to [[Farringdon station|Farringdon Street]]) opens officially.<ref name="The People's Chronology">{{cite book|chapter=1863|title=The People's Chronology|editor=Everett, Jason M.|publisher=Thomson Gale|year=2006}}</ref>
[[File:Battle of Fort Hindman.png|thumb|190px|right| [[January 11|Jan.11]]: [[Battle of Arkansas Post (1863)|Battle of Arkansas Post]].]]
* [[January 11]]
** American Civil War: [[Battle of Arkansas Post (1863)|Battle of Arkansas Post]] &ndash; General [[John McClernand]] and Admiral [[David Dixon Porter]] capture the [[Arkansas River]] for the Union.
** In the Swiss canton of Ticino, the roof of the church of Sant'Antonio in [[Locarno]] collapses under the weight of snow, killing 47.<ref name=Resoconto/>
* [[January 15]] &ndash; [[Second French intervention in Mexico|French intervention in Mexico]]: French forces bombard [[Veracruz, Veracruz|Veracruz]].
* [[January 21]] &ndash; [[Adam Opel]] founds [[Opel]] in Germany, originally for the manufacture of sewing machines.
* [[January 22]] &ndash; The [[January Uprising]] breaks out in Poland, [[Lithuania]] and [[Belarus]]. The aim of the national movement is to liberate the [[Polish–Lithuanian–Ruthenian Commonwealth]] from Russian occupation.
* [[January 29]] &ndash; [[American Indian Wars]] &ndash; [[Bear River Massacre]]: The [[United States Army]], led by General [[Patrick Edward Connor]], massacres Chief [[Bear Hunter]] and forces of the [[Shoshone]], in the [[Idaho Territory]].
* [[January 31]] &ndash; [[Jules Verne]]'s first adventure novel, ''[[Five Weeks in a Balloon]]'' (''Cinq semaines en ballon''), is published in Paris.