Battle of Cerro Corá
Mar 1 War of the Triple Alliance finally ends with the Battle of Cerro Corá and the death of Paraguayan Dictator Francisco Solano López after over 5 years of bloodshed between Paraguay and Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay
Execution
Mar 4 On command of Louis Riel, Thomas Scott is executed by a firing squad. Riel rejects all appeals and requests to intervene in an attempt to demonstrate to the Canadian government that the Métis must be taken seriously
- Mar 7 Cincinnati Red Stockings, 1st pro BB team, begin 8-mo tour of Midwest & East
- Mar 9 32nd Grand National: George Stevens wins consecutive GN's aboard 7/2 favourite The Colonel; his 5th and final GN victory
- Mar 14 California legislature approves act making Golden Gate Park possible
- Mar 17 Mass legislature authorizes incorporation of Wellesley Female Seminary
- Mar 18 1st US National Wildlife Preserve (Lake Meritt in Oakland California)
- Mar 18 Antonio Carlos Gomes' "Il Guarany" premieres at La Scala Opera House in Milan, Italy, 1st Brazilian opera successful outside Brazil
- Mar 19 The opera "Guarany" premieres in Milan
- Mar 30 15th Amendment to the US constitution is adopted, guarantees right to vote regardless of race
- Mar 30 Texas becomes last confederate state readmitted to Union
- Mar 30 Florida territorial government established
- Mar 31 Thomas Mundy Peterson of Perth Amboy, New Jersey is the first African American to vote in the US under provisions of the 15th Amendment to the Constitution, in a local election on town's charter [1]