Events in History
- May 5 King Leopold opens Brussels-Mechelen railway
Historic Publication
May 6 James Gordon Bennett, Sr. publishes the first issue of the New York Herald (price 1 cent).
James Gordon Bennett
Historic Publication
May 8 1st installment of Hans Christian Andersen "Fairy Tales" published by C. A. Reitzel in Copenhagen, Denmark
Hans Christian Andersen
Event of Interest
May 12 Charles Darwin visits the Panuncillo Copper Mine in North Chile
Charles Darwin
Birthdays in History
- May 1 Alfred Napoleon Alexander "Natti" Duffié, French-American Brigadier General (Union Army), born in Paris, France (d. 1880)
- May 5 Leopold II, King of Belgium (1865-1909), born in Brussels, Belgium (d. 1909)
- May 21 Newton Martin Curtis, American Brevet Major General (Union Army), born in De Peyster, New York (d. 1910)
- May 21 František Chvostek, Moravian physician (d. 1884)
- May 26 Edward Porter Alexander, Brigadier General (Confederate Army) and military engineer, born in Washington, Georgia (d. 1910)
- May 30 Alfred Austin, Leeds England, poet laureate of England (Garden)
- May 31 Hijikata Toshizō, Japanese military leader (d. 1869)