of Kápolna – The Austrians defeat the Hungarians. February 28 – Regular steamboat service from the west to the east coast of the United States begins, with the arrival of the SS California in San Francisco Bay. The California leaves New York Harbor on October 6, 1848, rounds Cape Horn at the tip of South America, and arrives at San Francisco after the 4-month, 21-day journey. March – The Frankfurt Parliament completes its drafting of a liberal constitution, and elects Frederick William IV emperor of the new German national state. March 3 The United States Department of the Interior is established, incorporating the Census Office, General Land Office, Office of Indian Affairs and Patent and Trademark Office. Minnesota becomes a United States territory. The United States Congress passes the Gold Coinage Act allowing the minting of two additional denominations of gold coins, the gold dollar and the double eagle. March 4 Zachary Taylor becomes the 12th president of the United States, but refuses to be sworn into office on a Sunday. Urban legend holds that David Rice Atchison, President pro tempore of the United States Senate, is President de jure for a single day. Hungarian Revolution of 1848: The Habsburg emperor Franz Joseph I of Austria promulgates at Olomouc the March Constitution of Austria, which abolishes the April Laws promulgated by the Hungarian Batthyány-govern, and degrades Hungary to a simple Austrian province. March 5 Hungarian Revolution of 1848 – Battle of Szolnok: The Hungarians led by János Damjanich and Károly Vécsey defeat the Austrians. President Zachary Taylor is sworn in. March 11 – Hungarian Revolution of 1848: The Hungarian army of Transylvania, under general Josef Bem, defeats the Russian-Austrian army at Nagyszeben, capturing the city which is the headquarters of Austrian general Anton Puchner. Most of Transylvania is liberated from the Austrian rule. The Austrian and the Russian troops flee to Wallachia. March 22–23 – First Italian War of Independence: Battle of Novara – The Kingdom of Sardinia suffers a huge defeat, and Charles Albert abdicates. March 28 – Four Christians are ordered to be burnt alive in Antananarivo, Madagascar, by Queen Ranavalona I, and 14 others are executed. March 30 – The Second Anglo-Sikh War ends, with the United Kingdom annexing the Punjab. March 30 - Maharaja Duleep Singh is exiled to England. April–June April 1 After 10 days, the insurrection in Brescia is ended by Austrian troops. Hungarian