January 5 Davy Crockett arrives in Texas, just in time for the Alamo January 12 Battle of Wetumka, Florida January 12 HMS Beagle and Charles Darwin reach Sydney, Australia February 3 Whig Party holds its 1st national convention (Albany New York) February 6 HMS Beagle and Charles Darwin reach Diemen's Land, also known as Tasmania, Australia February 7 "Sketches by Boz" (essays) published by Charles Dickens February 17 HMS Beagle and Charles Darwin leave Tasmania February 22 Dutch garrison evacuates fort Du Bus New Guinea February 23 Alamo besieged by Santa Anna; entire garrison eventually killed February 24 3,000 Mexicans attack 182 Texans at Alamo, lasts 13 days February 25 Samuel Colt patents 1st revolving barrel multishot firearm February 29 Giacomo Meyerbeers opera "Les Huguenots," premieres in Paris March 2 Republic of Texas declares independence from Mexico March 5 Samuel Colt manufactures 1st pistol, 34-caliber "Texas" model March 6 3,000 Mexicans beat 182 Texans at the Alamo, after 13 day fight March 6 HMS Beagle/Darwin reaches King George's Sound, Australia March 6 Mexico attacks Alamo in the early morning March 14 HMS Beagle with Charles Darwin leaves Australia March 16 Texas approves a constitution March 17 Texas abolishes slavery March 23 Coin Press invented by Franklin Beale March 27 1st Mormon temple dedicated in Kirtland, Ohio April 1 Charles Darwin aboard HMS Beagle reaches Cocos Islands April 14 Congress forms Territory of Wisconsin April 19 Nikolai Gogol's "Revisor," premieres in St. Petersburg April 20 Territory of Wisconsin created April 21 Battle of San Jacinto, in which Texas wins independence from Mexico May 9 HMS Beagle with Charles Darwin departs Port Louis, Mauritius May 15 Francis Baily observes "Baily's Beads" during annular solar eclipse May 22 Felix Mendelssohn's oratorium "St. Paul," premieres in Dusseldorf May 31 HMS Beagle anchors in Simons Bay, Cape of Good Hope June 1 Charles Darwin returns to Capetown June 15 Arkansas becomes 25th state June 16 London Working Men's Association forms July 4 Wisconsin Territory forms July 8 HMS Beagle and Charles Darwin reach Saint-Helena July 13 U.S. patent #1 (after 9,957 unnumbered patents), for locomotive wheels July 19 HMS Beagle and Charles Darwin reache Ascension July 20 Charles Darwin climbs Green Hill on Ascension July 21 1st Canadian RR opens, between Laprairie and St. John, Quebec July 27 Adelaide, South Australia founded July 30 1st English newspaper published in Hawaii August 1 HMS Beagle and Charles Darwin return to Bahia, Brazil August 17 British parliament accept registration of birth/marriage/death August 17 HMS Beagle and Charles Darwin leave South-America for last time August 19 HMS Beagle anchors at Angra Azores August 31 HMS Beagle anchors in Postage Praia, Cape Verde Islands September 1 Reconstruction begins on Synagogue of Rabbi Judah Hasid in Jerusalem September 5 Sam Houston elected president of Republic of Texas September 25 HMS Beagle anchors at St. Michael October 2 Darwin returns to England aboard HMS Beagle (after 5 years) October 12 18" of snow falls in Bridgewater, New York October 22 Sam Houston inaugurated as 1st elected President of Republic of Texas October 24 A. Phillips patents match November 10 Louis Napoleon banished to America November 11 Chile declares war on Bolivia and Peru December 4 Whig party holds its 1st national convention, Harrisburg, Pa December 7 Martin Van Buren elected 8th president December 15 Patent Office burns in Wash, DC December 27 Worst English avalanche kills 8 of 15 buried (Lewes Sussex) December 28 Spain recognizes independence of Mexico December 30 Lehman-theater in St. Petersburg catches fire; 100s die
