Historical Events
Symphonie Fantastique
Dec 5 Hector Berlioz's program symphony "Symphonie fantastique" premieres at the Paris Conservatoire
Famous Birthdays
Emily Dickinson (1830-1886)
Dec 10 American poet (Collected Poems), born in Amherst, Massachusetts
- Dec 12 Joseph O. Shelby, American Brigadier General (Confederate Army), born in Lexington, Kentucky (d. 1897)
- Dec 14 Allen Thomas, American Brigadier General (Confederate Army), born in Howard County, Maryland (d. 1907)
- Dec 15 Francesco D'Arcais, Italian composer, born in Cagliari, Kingdom of Sardinia (d. 1890)
- Dec 16 John Frederick Hartranft, American politician, 17th Governor of Pennsylvania (1873-1879), and Brevet Major General (Union Army), born in New Hanover Township, Pennsylvania (d. 1889)
- Dec 17 Jules de Goncourt, French novelist (Germinie), wrote with his brother Edmond de Goncourt, born in Paris (d. 1870)
- Dec 19 George Aiken, American playwright and actor famous for writing the most popular stage adaptation of "Uncle Tom's Cabin", born in Boston, Massachusetts (d. 1876)
- Dec 22 Justin M'Carthy, Irish politician and novelist (Miss Misanthrope), born in Cork, Ireland (d. 1912)
- Dec 23 Adam Minchejmer, Polish composer and conductor, born in Warsaw, Russian Poland (d. 1904)
- Dec 31 Isma'il Pasha, Khedive of Egypt (1863-79), born in Cairo, Egypt (d. 1895)
Famous Deaths
Simón Bolívar (1783-1830)
Dec 17 South American revolutionary and president (Colombia), dies at 47 in Santa Marta, Colombia
- Dec 28 Adrien-Joseph van Helmont, Flemish composer, dies at 83
