Editing 1861 (section)

=== February ===
[[American Civil War]]: 
** [[February 1]] &ndash; [[Texas in the American Civil War|Texas]] secedes from the Union.
** [[February 4]] &ndash; In [[Montgomery, Alabama]], the [[Provisional Confederate States Congress]] is formed by representatives from the first seven break-away [[U.S. state|states]].
** [[February 8]] &ndash; The [[Confederate States of America]] are formed, comprising the first seven break-away States.
** [[February 9]] &ndash; Jefferson Davis is elected Provisional President of the [[Confederate States of America]], by the Weed Convention at Montgomery, Alabama.
* [[February 11]]
** [[American Civil War]]: The U.S. House unanimously passes a resolution, guaranteeing non-interference with slavery in any state.
** About 850 convicts at [[Chatham Dockyard]] in England take over their prison in a riot.<ref>''BBC History Magazine'' (February 2011) p. 11.</ref>
* [[February 13]] &ndash; [[Unification of Italy]]: The [[Siege of Gaeta (1860)|Siege of Gaeta]],  stronghold of the Neapolitan King [[Francis II of the Two Sicilies|Francis II]], is ended by Piedmontese forces. Francis goes into exile.
* [[February 18]] &ndash; [[American Civil War]]: In Montgomery, Alabama, Jefferson Davis is inaugurated as the provisional president of the Confederate States of America.
* [[February 20]] &ndash; In Britain, storms damage the [[The Crystal Palace|Crystal Palace]] and cause the collapse of the steeple of [[Chichester Cathedral]].<ref name="Pocket On This Day">{{cite book|title=Penguin Pocket On This Day|publisher=Penguin Reference Library|isbn=0-14-102715-0|year=2006}}</ref>
* [[February 21]] &ndash; [[Mariehamn]], the capital of [[Åland]], is founded.<ref>{{cite journal|journal=Union of the Baltic Cities|editor=Żaboklicki, Paweł|first=Robert|last=Mann|title=Mariehamn Celebrates|page=34|publisher=The UBC Bulletin|number=1|year=2011}}</ref>
* [[February 23]] &ndash; President-elect [[Abraham Lincoln]] arrives secretly in Washington, D.C. after in light of [[Baltimore Plot|suspicions of a conspiracy in Baltimore to kill him]].
* [[February 24]] &ndash; [[Battle of Ky Hoa]]: the French and the Spanish defeat the Vietnamese.<ref>[http://www.historynet.com/1861-french-conquest-of-saigon-battle-of-the-ky-hoa-forts.htm Weider History Group: 1861 French Conquest of Saigon: Battle of the Ky Hoa Forts]. Accessed 11 March 2013</ref>
* [[February 27]] &ndash; Russian troops fire upon a crowd in [[Warsaw]] protesting Russian rule over Poland, killing 5 protesters.
* [[February 28]] &ndash; [[Colorado Territory|Colorado]] is organized as a [[United States territory]].
* [[March 2]]
** [[Nevada Territory|Nevada]] is organized as a [[United States territory]].
** [[American Civil War]]: Texas is admitted to the Confederate States of America.