- Dec 12 Joseph Rainey (South Carolina) becomes 1st African American to serve in US House of Representatives
- Dec 19 After 31 days at sea in a small boat, William Halford and 3 others reach the island of Kauai, Hawaii to seek help for the shipwrecked USS Saginaw. A capsize in the breakers meant only Halford survived.
- Dec 22 Jules Janssen flies in a balloon in order to study a solar eclipse
- Dec 26 The 12.8-km long Fréjus Rail Tunnel through the Alps is completed.
- Dec 31 J D Schneiter patents rocket mail in France, (not done)