▁population ▁on ▁the ▁island . ▁ ▁December ▁ 1 ▁– ▁In ▁his ▁State ▁of ▁the ▁Union ▁address , ▁President ▁Abraham ▁Lincoln ▁re aff ir ms ▁the ▁necessity ▁of ▁ending ▁sla very , ▁as ▁he ▁ordered ▁ten ▁weeks ▁earlier ▁in ▁his ▁E man cip ation ▁Pro clam ation . ▁▁ ▁December ▁ 2 ▁– ▁The ▁first ▁United ▁States ▁Navy ▁hospital ▁ships ▁enter ▁service . ▁ ▁December ▁ 1 2 ▁– ▁American ▁Civil ▁War ▁– ▁Y az oo ▁Pass ▁Ex ped ition : ▁Union ▁iron cl ad ▁gun bo at ▁ ▁is ▁s unk ▁by ▁a ▁rem ot ely - det on ated ▁" tor ped o " ▁( nav al ▁mine ) ▁while ▁clear ing ▁mines ▁from ▁the ▁Y az oo ▁River , ▁the ▁first ▁arm ored ▁ship ▁s unk ▁by ▁mine . ▁ ▁December ▁ 1 3 ▁– ▁American ▁Civil ▁War ▁– ▁Battle ▁of ▁Freder icks burg : ▁The ▁Union ▁Army ▁suff ers ▁massive ▁cas ual ties , ▁and ▁ab and ons ▁its ▁attempts ▁to ▁capture ▁the ▁Confeder ate ▁capital ▁city ▁of ▁Richmond , ▁Virginia . ▁ ▁December ▁ 1 7 ▁– ▁American ▁Civil ▁War : ▁General ▁Order ▁No . ▁ 1 1 , ▁which ▁exp els ▁all ▁Jews ▁from ▁his ▁military ▁district , ▁is ▁issued ▁by ▁General ▁U ly ss es ▁S . ▁Grant . ▁This ▁order ▁is ▁res c ind ed ▁just ▁a ▁few ▁weeks ▁later . ▁ ▁December ▁ 2 6 ▁– ▁William ▁D . ▁D uly ▁hang s ▁ 3 8 ▁Dak ota ▁Si oux ▁Indians ▁in ▁Minnesota .