▁Senate , ▁for ▁a ▁speech ▁Sum ner ▁had ▁made ▁attack ing ▁Southern ers ▁who ▁sympath ized ▁with ▁the ▁pro - s la very ▁violence ▁in ▁Kansas ▁(" B le eding ▁Kansas "). ▁Sum ner ▁was ▁unable ▁to ▁return ▁to ▁duty ▁for ▁ 3 ▁years ▁while ▁he ▁recovered ; ▁Bro oks ▁became ▁a ▁hero ▁across ▁the ▁South . ▁ ▁May ▁ 2 4 , ▁ 1 8 5 6 : ▁Pot ta w atom ie ▁mass acre ▁ ▁June ▁ 2 , ▁ 1 8 5 6 : ▁Battle ▁of ▁Black ▁Jack ▁ ▁August ▁ 3 0 , ▁ 1 8 5 6 : ▁Battle ▁of ▁Os aw atom ie ▁ ▁November ▁ 4 , ▁ 1 8 5 6 : ▁U . S . ▁president ial ▁election , ▁ 1 8 5 6 : ▁Dem ocrat ▁James ▁Buch an an ▁defeated ▁former ▁President ▁Mill ard ▁F ill more , ▁representing ▁a ▁coal ition ▁of ▁" K now - N oth ings " ▁and ▁Wh igs , ▁and ▁John ▁C . ▁Fr ém ont ▁of ▁the ▁fled g ling ▁Republican ▁Party . ▁ ▁November ▁ 1 7 , ▁ 1 8 5 6 : ▁On ▁the ▁S ono ita ▁River ▁in ▁present - day ▁southern ▁Arizona , ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Army ▁established ▁Fort ▁Buch an an ▁to ▁help ▁control ▁new ▁land ▁acquired ▁in ▁the ▁G ads den ▁P urchase . ▁ ▁January ▁ 9 , ▁ 1 8 5 7 : ▁The ▁ 7 . 9 ▁M w ▁Fort ▁Te jon ▁earth qu ake