Events January events January – United States Military Railroad is authorized by the United States Congress to coordinate military operation of designated railroads during the American Civil War. January 1 - Maj. Gen. “Stonewall” Jackson marches his troops northward with the objective of disrupting traffic on the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad and C&O Canal; the Battle of Hancock is unsuccessful and the Confederate Army withdraws. January 31 – Opening of first rail line in the (at this time) Grand Duchy of Finland, between Helsinki and Hämeenlinna, on the Imperial Russian track gauge of . February events February 1 – London and South Western Railway begins operations over an extension from Exeter to St Davids then via dual gauge track on the line from there to Crediton. March events March 31 – The West Somerset Railway opens to passenger service on its line from a connection with the Bristol and Exeter Railway west of Taunton to Watchet. April events April 12 – Andrew's Raiders steal The General and drive it north toward Chattanooga, Tennessee, with Western and Atlantic Railroad conductor William Fuller chasing it in the Great Locomotive Chase. April 27 - Herman Haupt appointed Colonel in charge of United States Military Railroad operations. April–September - William Powell Frith's oil painting The Railway Station, depicting London Paddington, goes on public display. May events May 6 - The bill that will become the Pacific Railroad Act is passed by the United States House of Representatives. The 10.00 a.m. "Special Scotch Express", predecessor of the Flying Scotsman express train, first departs from London King's Cross for Edinburgh Waverley over the East Coast Main Line in Britain. Herman Haupt rebuilds the Potomac Creek Bridge in nine days. June events June 1 – The 10:00 a.m. 'Royal Scot' express passenger train over the British West Coast Main Line between London Euston railway station and Glasgow first runs, although not yet named. June 16 – Cowes and Newport Railway opens the first section of passenger line on the Isle of Wight (England) between the two towns of its title (). June 20 – The bill that will become the Pacific Railroad Act is passed by the United States Senate. June 28 – The St. Paul and Pacific Railroad makes an inaugural run led by the William Crooks, the first locomotive to run in the state of Minnesota. June 29 – Robert E. Lee has the first